SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Just painted headlights and added led's
#26
Super Member
Taking apart and reassembling a Xenon headlight from a MB R230: http://s1220.photobucket.com/albums/...amg/Headlight/
I'm thing to do some color mod. but not totally blacken it out .... black and some other color ..... if the car is white; then some white ......
#30
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Yeahh - it was the wiring inside the house - I had to swoop all the "interior" since I was in need of a new housing and the headlight I could get was a US model which lighting is not the same as here in EU.
Taking apart and reassembling a Xenon headlight from a MB R230: http://s1220.photobucket.com/albums/...amg/Headlight/
I'm thing to do some color mod. but not totally blacken it out .... black and some other color ..... if the car is white; then some white ......
Taking apart and reassembling a Xenon headlight from a MB R230: http://s1220.photobucket.com/albums/...amg/Headlight/
I'm thing to do some color mod. but not totally blacken it out .... black and some other color ..... if the car is white; then some white ......
#31
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
is that a 350z in the next spot? thought i recognized the fender line.
#32
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
i have a couple different ideas on auto customization and some basic rules. never more than 3 colors and only 2 textures. textures being gloss, satin, and flat. right now i am at the 3 colors (chrome badges, silver body, black accents) but i have 3 textures. gloss, flat, and semi gloss. the grill came in full flat and feel i need to do the removable middle grill slant in semi to bring detail and correct the texture of the front.
it is hard for me to decide which way to go with the sl55. i am used to turning cars into intimidating looking cars, and following that design. while the car has that performance, it does lend itself to more of the ever lasting chrome accessory look. i wouldn't call blacking out a fad, but, it lends more to an era.
i am in a pretty intense build on another car at the moment, and i am waiting till it is done and in primer to feel the vibe it is putting off before choosing a color.
#33
Member
what would you like to know? your lights are looking better in the pics, lol. only thing different was i also painted the "cap" on the halogen brights black. not the inside, but the outside. no measureable reflective loss with it.
is that a 350z in the next spot? thought i recognized the fender line.
is that a 350z in the next spot? thought i recognized the fender line.
Well just want to know some more details about the installation of the LED's, absolutely brilliant, fell in love with the idea. Been looking around for some custom LEDs but never knew where to install them
Nah brother its my LP640 thats parked next to the SL
![](http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab31/SL55K/DSC_0017.jpg)
#34
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
ok, abit more *****ing than a 350z, haha. nice garage!
it really depends on the size of leds you choose. there are different brightnesses, volts, and physical sizes. the ones i chose were 3mm, and had a voltage rating of 3.3v. you need to get that voltage to around 12-14. so, you wire 4 of them together in series (wire the negative to the next ones positive) and it will equal 13.2v. in that scenario, you do not need a resistor, and can wire it directly in anywhere. yesterday, my project was swapping all interior lights to led. the ones they sent designed for the main dome light would not create the correct draw to turn lights on. i am sure it has something to do with the soft on-off features off the dome light and the timer. the draw and voltage would need to be perfect. so, i actually had to make my own bulbs. removed bulb holders and soldered directly in 4 leds in series. it works perfect!!
if you just want to do one led, you will need a resistor or you will burn up bulb immediately. so lets say you had a design that needed 15 bulbs. you would group 3 sets of 4, and wire in series. then wire the 3 sets in parallel to your + and -. the last 3 bulbs get wired in series again, but you will need a resistor on the positive to limit the 12v down to the 9.9v you would have with only 3 bulbs. the resistors are sized in pretty small increments, so you can pick the correct one with great accuracy so the last 3 will not shine brighter or dimmer than the sets of 4 without resistor needed.
again, it is pretty easy, and i'm sure if you head to any electrical hobbyist store, let them know what you have in mind, they can set you up with the correct resistors or bulbs. it can just be a little tedious because you are soldering things that are pretty small.
it really depends on the size of leds you choose. there are different brightnesses, volts, and physical sizes. the ones i chose were 3mm, and had a voltage rating of 3.3v. you need to get that voltage to around 12-14. so, you wire 4 of them together in series (wire the negative to the next ones positive) and it will equal 13.2v. in that scenario, you do not need a resistor, and can wire it directly in anywhere. yesterday, my project was swapping all interior lights to led. the ones they sent designed for the main dome light would not create the correct draw to turn lights on. i am sure it has something to do with the soft on-off features off the dome light and the timer. the draw and voltage would need to be perfect. so, i actually had to make my own bulbs. removed bulb holders and soldered directly in 4 leds in series. it works perfect!!
if you just want to do one led, you will need a resistor or you will burn up bulb immediately. so lets say you had a design that needed 15 bulbs. you would group 3 sets of 4, and wire in series. then wire the 3 sets in parallel to your + and -. the last 3 bulbs get wired in series again, but you will need a resistor on the positive to limit the 12v down to the 9.9v you would have with only 3 bulbs. the resistors are sized in pretty small increments, so you can pick the correct one with great accuracy so the last 3 will not shine brighter or dimmer than the sets of 4 without resistor needed.
again, it is pretty easy, and i'm sure if you head to any electrical hobbyist store, let them know what you have in mind, they can set you up with the correct resistors or bulbs. it can just be a little tedious because you are soldering things that are pretty small.