my solution for the parking(city/standing)light
04-06-2012, 07:48 AM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
my solution for the parking(city/standing)light
Judging by the 19K views and 139 replies to the 'PARKING LIGHT TO LED SWAP' thread, there is widespread interest in changing the look of the city/standing (aka Parking)lights fitted with the OEM tungsten bulb. The trouble being the warm color temp compared to the Xenon headlights.
The discussion has been solely focused on trying to use an LED as a replacement but I did something different. First I should say that I have an 04 and live in the US. I tried the LED from Autolumination that has been touted in the other thread as not turning on the 'Bulb Out' indicator but, as in the experience of other members, they did trigger the warning in my car.
And I found that I did not like the light that the single LED chip gave off; it was not bright enough and did not illuminate the reflective surfaces in the headlight the way an incandescent bulb does. I had a 5 LED chip bulb left from an interior experiment so I put it in the headlight to see if having the chips illuminating in all directions improved things.
The 5 LED light did illuminate the reflector, but it was not bright. So I decided there was no point in trying to find an LED of somesort that would not turn on the warning, since I did not like the way the LEDs look in this application.
Nowever, I still wanted to find an alternative to the OEM bulb. Looking on German eBay I found that Osram makes a 5W Halogen bulb in their COOL BLUE INTENSE series of bulbs. Halogen makes them much brighter than the 5W tungsten OEM bulb, and the blue coating Osram uses raises the Kelvin temp to 4000. And because its an incandescent source the output is omni-directional and gives the proper dazzling effect off the reflector.
They dont turn on the BO warning in my car, and I am quite please with the light. Philips Xenon bulbs are about 4300 degrees K , so the Osram 5W is not an exact match, but quite acceptable to me...a great improvement in color and output. I sometimes use the city lights like a daytime running light, and without the Xenon headlights on for comparrison the city lights look white.
Osram sells in the US under the Sylvania brand but Sylvania does not have these bulbs or an equivalent so German ebay is the only way I know to get them here in the US.
The discussion has been solely focused on trying to use an LED as a replacement but I did something different. First I should say that I have an 04 and live in the US. I tried the LED from Autolumination that has been touted in the other thread as not turning on the 'Bulb Out' indicator but, as in the experience of other members, they did trigger the warning in my car.
And I found that I did not like the light that the single LED chip gave off; it was not bright enough and did not illuminate the reflective surfaces in the headlight the way an incandescent bulb does. I had a 5 LED chip bulb left from an interior experiment so I put it in the headlight to see if having the chips illuminating in all directions improved things.
The 5 LED light did illuminate the reflector, but it was not bright. So I decided there was no point in trying to find an LED of somesort that would not turn on the warning, since I did not like the way the LEDs look in this application.
Nowever, I still wanted to find an alternative to the OEM bulb. Looking on German eBay I found that Osram makes a 5W Halogen bulb in their COOL BLUE INTENSE series of bulbs. Halogen makes them much brighter than the 5W tungsten OEM bulb, and the blue coating Osram uses raises the Kelvin temp to 4000. And because its an incandescent source the output is omni-directional and gives the proper dazzling effect off the reflector.
They dont turn on the BO warning in my car, and I am quite please with the light. Philips Xenon bulbs are about 4300 degrees K , so the Osram 5W is not an exact match, but quite acceptable to me...a great improvement in color and output. I sometimes use the city lights like a daytime running light, and without the Xenon headlights on for comparrison the city lights look white.
Osram sells in the US under the Sylvania brand but Sylvania does not have these bulbs or an equivalent so German ebay is the only way I know to get them here in the US.
04-06-2012, 08:55 AM
#3
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exactly what i did.
I run Phillips ultra bright +100% on my dipped and full beam headlights, and the osram super bright w5's. looks great at night, gives a nice white light.
I run Phillips ultra bright +100% on my dipped and full beam headlights, and the osram super bright w5's. looks great at night, gives a nice white light.
04-06-2012, 09:32 AM
#5
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
If you look at the photos previously submittted for the other thread you'll see that it is not possible to take a meaningful, faithful rendering of such light sources...at least not without a lot of professional equipment.
04-06-2012, 09:07 PM
#6
AudiWorld Member
I purchased LED for my 04 on eBay and they triggered the fault light.
I bought some from Autolumination and I am quite happy with them. If I can remember correctly, they were 5 or 6 LED each and they project the light in a radial fashion like an incandescent.
I will however, purchase the bright white next time, as the cool blue (or whatever they call it) is very very blue. It looks good coming down the road, and from 50+ yards, but close up, I almost feel like I am looking at the GLI i owned in high school.
Oh well, they were such a PIA to change, I won't be doing it again anytime soon.
I bought some from Autolumination and I am quite happy with them. If I can remember correctly, they were 5 or 6 LED each and they project the light in a radial fashion like an incandescent.
I will however, purchase the bright white next time, as the cool blue (or whatever they call it) is very very blue. It looks good coming down the road, and from 50+ yards, but close up, I almost feel like I am looking at the GLI i owned in high school.
Oh well, they were such a PIA to change, I won't be doing it again anytime soon.
04-07-2012, 08:08 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Judging by the 19K views and 139 replies to the 'PARKING LIGHT TO LED SWAP' thread, there is widespread interest in changing the look of the city/standing (aka Parking)lights fitted with the OEM tungsten bulb. The trouble being the warm color temp compared to the Xenon headlights.
The discussion has been solely focused on trying to use an LED as a replacement but I did something different. First I should say that I have an 04 and live in the US. I tried the LED from Autolumination that has been touted in the other thread as not turning on the 'Bulb Out' indicator but, as in the experience of other members, they did trigger the warning in my car.
And I found that I did not like the light that the single LED chip gave off; it was not bright enough and did not illuminate the reflective surfaces in the headlight the way an incandescent bulb does. I had a 5 LED chip bulb left from an interior experiment so I put it in the headlight to see if having the chips illuminating in all directions improved things.
The 5 LED light did illuminate the reflector, but it was not bright. So I decided there was no point in trying to find an LED of somesort that would not turn on the warning, since I did not like the way the LEDs look in this application.
Nowever, I still wanted to find an alternative to the OEM bulb. Looking on German eBay I found that Osram makes a 5W Halogen bulb in their COOL BLUE INTENSE series of bulbs. Halogen makes them much brighter than the 5W tungsten OEM bulb, and the blue coating Osram uses raises the Kelvin temp to 4000. And because its an incandescent source the output is omni-directional and gives the proper dazzling effect off the reflector.
They dont turn on the BO warning in my car, and I am quite please with the light. Philips Xenon bulbs are about 4300 degrees K , so the Osram 5W is not an exact match, but quite acceptable to me...a great improvement in color and output. I sometimes use the city lights like a daytime running light, and without the Xenon headlights on for comparrison the city lights look white.
Osram sells in the US under the Sylvania brand but Sylvania does not have these bulbs or an equivalent so German ebay is the only way I know to get them here in the US.
The discussion has been solely focused on trying to use an LED as a replacement but I did something different. First I should say that I have an 04 and live in the US. I tried the LED from Autolumination that has been touted in the other thread as not turning on the 'Bulb Out' indicator but, as in the experience of other members, they did trigger the warning in my car.
And I found that I did not like the light that the single LED chip gave off; it was not bright enough and did not illuminate the reflective surfaces in the headlight the way an incandescent bulb does. I had a 5 LED chip bulb left from an interior experiment so I put it in the headlight to see if having the chips illuminating in all directions improved things.
The 5 LED light did illuminate the reflector, but it was not bright. So I decided there was no point in trying to find an LED of somesort that would not turn on the warning, since I did not like the way the LEDs look in this application.
Nowever, I still wanted to find an alternative to the OEM bulb. Looking on German eBay I found that Osram makes a 5W Halogen bulb in their COOL BLUE INTENSE series of bulbs. Halogen makes them much brighter than the 5W tungsten OEM bulb, and the blue coating Osram uses raises the Kelvin temp to 4000. And because its an incandescent source the output is omni-directional and gives the proper dazzling effect off the reflector.
They dont turn on the BO warning in my car, and I am quite please with the light. Philips Xenon bulbs are about 4300 degrees K , so the Osram 5W is not an exact match, but quite acceptable to me...a great improvement in color and output. I sometimes use the city lights like a daytime running light, and without the Xenon headlights on for comparrison the city lights look white.
Osram sells in the US under the Sylvania brand but Sylvania does not have these bulbs or an equivalent so German ebay is the only way I know to get them here in the US.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OSRAM-W5...item27c4c3a2ca these?
They also make a w5w LED version in addition
PIAA also makes bulbs similar; http://www.amazon.com/PIAA-19172-Xtr...pr_product_top
These are much cheaper, ships and sold in the U.S. and sold by amazon which is very easy to return to. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on these
Last edited by Brozee; 04-07-2012 at 08:38 AM.
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04-07-2012, 09:47 AM
#9
AudiWorld Super User
Will do, heading to autozone to buy the silverstar ultra's for $10 just to see how they look/ how bright they are/ and if they throw a code or not, as I can easily return them. If I am happy with them I will buy the Osram's or the PIAA although I'm leaning towards the Osrams because of the bluer tint. I will take pictures regardless.
OP please take pictures of your new setup with the osram's!!!
OP please take pictures of your new setup with the osram's!!!
04-07-2012, 12:41 PM
#10
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
yes, those are the OSRAMs
But the other bulbs you linked to are just tungsten bulbs with a blue tinted glass(which reduces the light output so they will be even dimmer than OEM bulbs). They will be a bit less warm than the OEM, but the OSRAMS are HALOGEN bulbs. Halogen is much brighter and whiter, even without the COOL BLUE INTENSE tint, than regular bulbs.
But the other bulbs you linked to are just tungsten bulbs with a blue tinted glass(which reduces the light output so they will be even dimmer than OEM bulbs). They will be a bit less warm than the OEM, but the OSRAMS are HALOGEN bulbs. Halogen is much brighter and whiter, even without the COOL BLUE INTENSE tint, than regular bulbs.