Headlamps lighting

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adam1

Active Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Messages
291
Location
Yorks
Car
E220CDI avantgarde-tansanite blue with sand-cream leather .Honda Civic, Honda Stream SESport( 160bhp
I have been driving without main beam with Bi-Xenons on. Got flashed the other day...not sure how to reset. I realise main beam is off and i use dipped beam.

The other thing is has anyone tried to change the main beam light to white instead of the std orangish-white it is. if so which bulb do we need and where can we get it(price/ease of fit).

with regards to the Bi-xenons lamp.....there are two small bulbs on top of main xenon in each headlamp...what are they used for...they seem redundant. How are they switched on...are they adaptive..on when you need them.

Had the car for nearly 3 weeks now and still experimenting with it.
 
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adam1 said:
I have been driving without main beam with Bi-Xenons on. Got flashed the other day...not sure how to reset. I realise main beam is off and i use dipped beam.
You are supposed to drive around with dipped beam, beam is only for use when there are no cars in front of you (that you can see ;) )
adam1 said:
The other thing is has anyone tried to change the main beam light to white instead of the std orangish-white it is. if so which bulb do we need and where can we get it(price/ease of fit).
With bi-xenon headlamps you only have one bulb for dipped and beam functions, it is not possible to warm an HID capsule up fast enough for beam's main purpose (flash-to-pass) so they use a mirror or deflector of some type to swap between functions, there is no separate beam bulb/capsule.
adam1 said:
with regards to the Bi-xenons lamp.....there are two small bulbs on top of main xenon in each headlamp...what are they used for...they seem redundant. How are they switched on...are they adaptive..on when you need them.
I don't know which bulbs you're talking about, I have borrowed a pic of Brian's headlamp and labelled it. Maybe that will help.
adam1 said:
Had the car for nearly 3 weeks now and still experimenting with it.
You will find new stuff all the time, I've had a w202 for over 2 years and I still periodically find cool stuff that I didn't know about :)
 

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[I don't know which bulbs you're talking about, I have borrowed a pic of Brian's headlamp and labelled it. Maybe that will help.

The Photo answers my question. Thanks for that Shude.

The side light is one which is dipped and on main beam is strong. However it does not match the Bi-xenon color and would be best if u could change it to a more whiter color when dipped...it looks orange on dipped setting.

You will find new stuff all the time, I've had a w202 for over 2 years and I still periodically find cool stuff that I didn't know about :)[/QUOTE]

Tell me about it....just learned how to put fogs on....the dealer who i bought from was not local so didn't get time to explain anything...and I'm not the kind of guy who likes reading manuals page to page...like to experiment.
 
adam1 said:
[I don't know which bulbs you're talking about, I have borrowed a pic of Brian's headlamp and labelled it. Maybe that will help.

The Photo answers my question. Thanks for that Shude.

The side light is one which is dipped and on main beam is strong. However it does not match the Bi-xenon color and would be best if u could change it to a more whiter color when dipped...it looks orange on dipped setting..
Adam

This thread should help . . get some PIAA bulbs to replace your halogen main beam, sidelamps, and fogs.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2268&highlight=PIAA

S.
 
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sym said:
Adam

This thread should help . . get some PIAA bulbs to replace your halogen main beam, sidelamps, and fogs.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2268&highlight=PIAA

S.

Thanks for the thread.

went to the site...For the E Class which model number light bulb do I need seems they have a few...whats the damage for these..the website doesn't give prices.
How do i go about fitting on side lights. I think Fogs are OK. On main beam do you get the same brightness with the sides on with these bulbs....How powerful are they cf to OEM bulbs.
 
Adam,

The photo Nick posted missed the main beam. The smaller light contains both a wedge W5W side light and a H7 main beam bulb. The main beam is pretty redundant as the bi-xenons outshine it. I've tried covering up the main beam H7 bulbs on a dark road (car stationary!) and it didn't make a difference.

I have changed the side light W5W bulbs, the H7 main beam and the fog lights so they match the Xenons. The side light bulbs are the one to do first as they are on all the time with the xenons. I really like the fog lights too as they come on when I lock/unlock the car.

The sidelight bulb to get is a PIAA Platinum White H99 W5W Wedge bulb which are £8.95 for the pair. The website lists the stockists.

Is it these bulbs you meant or the full beam bulbs? I've changed the full beam to PIAA bulbs too but they don't make much of a difference.
 
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I forget to mention, they are all very easy to change. For the side lights (or main beam) just put your hand behind and twist the bulb to remove it from the lense.
 
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Thanks Richard that was very helpful.

I have found a local dealer for PIA bulbs. will ring in am to see if they stock those. I'm trying the side lamps first since they are on most of the time. The

High beam can stay the same since as mentioned above you only rarely need to use them apart from unlit country roads when other cars are not oncoming.
"The main beam is pretty redundant as the bi-xenons outshine it. I've tried covering up the main beam H7 bulbs on a dark road (car stationary!) and it didn't make a difference."

However i find that when i tested the full/main beam with xenons it had a very significant increase in light illumination when stationary. Xenons only with side lights are not as bright for illuminating.

Anyway fogs to match would be nice....but i can't afford to pay 70 quid for a light bulb at the moment....is there any other bulb which comes close.

Never really done anything with car so when I get them will try changing....you just change bulb not whole socket is it. with side lights is bulb under front bumper...how do u know which is high beam or side light.

Thanks

Adam
 
adam1 said:
Thanks Richard that was very helpful.-
No problem Adam, glad to be able to help!
adam1 said:
I have found a local dealer for PIA bulbs. will ring in am to see if they stock those. I'm trying the side lamps first since they are on most of the time.
Make sure you get the platinum white. I tried Phillips Blue vision first which weren't 'white' enough, then PIAA Xtreme White which were too blue and looked daft then PIAA recommended the Platinum White.
adam1 said:
However i find that when i tested the full/main beam with xenons it had a very significant increase in light illumination when stationary. Xenons only with side lights are not as bright for illuminating.
That's the Bi-Xenon lights. As Nick mentioned when you have the dipped beams on there is a cover blocking the majority of the light, when you switch to full beam the cover is lifted letting all the light out (and lighting the road like daylight!). The H7 bulbs also come on but they don't make much of a difference
adam1 said:
Anyway fogs to match would be nice....but i can't afford to pay 70 quid for a light bulb at the moment....is there any other bulb which comes close.
I wasn't expecting the customs charge, and I'm dreading one of the bulbs blowing. I haven't found any 'white' HID look H11 bulbs on sale in the UK but it would be good if someone can find some!
adam1 said:
Never really done anything with car so when I get them will try changing....you just change bulb not whole socket is it. with side lights is bulb under front bumper...how do u know which is high beam or side light.
You get to them with the bonnet up from the top of the lights, its only the fog lights you'd do from under the bumber. Its tight to get your hand in but easy really. You can see from the front of the light which is which, the bigger one is the main beam. For the side light its just a replacement bulbs without the holder.
w5w.jpg


Let us know how you get on!
 
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[QUOte

You get to them with the bonnet up from the top of the lights, its only the fog lights you'd do from under the bumber. Its tight to get your hand in but easy really. You can see from the front of the light which is which, the bigger one is the main beam. For the side light its just a replacement bulbs without the holder.
w5w.jpg


Let us know how you get on![/QUOTE]

Just fitted the H99 Bulbs today. Took about 10 minutes. It is a tight area but its easily done once you've located cord and pulled it out after turning it round to unscrew from holder. The design is very simple and full marks for MB for making it easy for us.


The looks...still daylight will test after 5pm to see looks of new side lights. The bulbs were 8.99 plus Vat...

Anway got car back yesterday repaired. the Funny thing was they tell me that they ordered parts (wing, door skin, avantgarde strip) and it had to be painted since its was a diff colour. This explanation was given when I asked why the avantagarde strip was TEALITE BLUE....(yes Brians car colour )on my car which is Tansanite blue.....how could one miss that. Seems like even MB authorised repairers are colour blind...anyone can tell one is dark blue the other light plat blue. I think they ordered ALL parts of Tealite blue and forgot to paint strip.

If anyone knows....does painting on top of another colour make any diff....and if parts are ordered as orginal colour ie Tansanite blue would that have been any diff to the overall finish or being able to wax or clean as normal. Ie is my paint warranty intact.
 

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