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DIY: LED Halo w/Video's
I have seen some awesome DYI's on lights and I have done some searches and can't find info on the size of light shroud. The inside circumference of the valley is what I'm looking for. I want to install dual Halo in that valley, I have the size of the upper and G35 clear lenses. But don't know the size of the projection light shroud.
Doing the lights myself, but don't want to pull them and wait for the Halo order to show up. Would rather get it done over a weekend with all my parts ready to go. Does anyone know or are they trade secrets...:hello: I finished making a few YouTube videos to take you through the process. I had to keep the video's short due to YouTube time limitations. I did a set with a single Halo install and paint matched to the car. I will do a video to show how to modify the turn signal lens as soon as I get a new set of lights to work on. Thanks for watching and please LIKE and REP if this helps you out. YouTube Vids to help out!!! V0 Intro - YouTube V0 Tools - YouTube V0 PaintWiring Tips - YouTube V1 Bumper Off - YouTube V2 Warming Lights - YouTube V3 Cracking Lights Open - YouTube V4 Prepping for paint - YouTube V5 Wiring Up - YouTube V6 Reassembly - YouTube V7 Continued Assembly - YouTube V7 Continued - YouTube V8 Finished - YouTube V9 Dual Halo Notes - YouTube What I found to be helpful Links: Links Tested 12 Feb 2015 To convert Turn Signal in to a glass lens: Warning: Do this modification at your own risk I used a 2.5 FX-R lens from (2.5") FX-R - Clear Lenses from The Retrofit Source Inc If you want to convert the turn signal to a lens here are some things you need to know before deciding to do it. 1. Glass amplifies light and we have had reports of shroud melting just in front of the lens. 2. Stock turn isgnal bulb (dual fulfillment) give off ton of heat. Glass absorbs that heat. Convert turn sig bulb to LED bulb, cooler (less heat) nust be the shortest bulb you can find. 3. You will cut the stock turn signal cover, no going back after that. Helpful Links: Morimoto XB's-LED Angel Eyes (What I use, 5 year warranty, comes with resistors White or Yellow only): http://www.theretrofitsource.com/led...l#.VN1EIi6GPhU Colored COB Angel Eyes: Made with RGB LED's, not as reliable as XB's but come in diffrent colors and fit inside the 370Z Shroud LED Angel Eyes | Accent Lighting | Super Bright LEDs DRLs: Side Emitting Audi Style LED strips - Accessories from The Retrofit Source Inc Rubber Glue to reseal if necessary: http://www.theretrofitsource.com/acc...l#.VN1E5C6GPhU Cool Switch: http://www.ebay.com/itm/16mm-12V-Blu...a44192&vxp=mtr Paint to color match Car paint code: http://www.automotivetouchup.com/ ****Also found a link from a guy that put an amazing write up on Demon Eyes, Halos, DLRs****:06 Headlight mods-the Thread of all Threads-many pix - MY350Z.COM Forums My Summery List Of What I Used: Clear Lenses size 2 1/2 – TRS or FX-R (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) Sold in sets - Halo 90mm for the large light (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) Sold in sets - Halo 70mm for the mod to turn signal (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) Automotive GOOP - to glue halos on 180 and 220 sand paper Roll of heat shrink A saw thats able to cut plastic clean. File or something to fine tun your cuts 10 MM Socket Wire cutters Soldering Gun and 18 gauge wire Heat Gun - For the box to warn up lights Lizard Skin Body Filler - any filler will work for the dimples if you want smooth look Cardboard Box - Heat 15 min, make hole for heat gun and hole for air escape on opposite side of the box. What ever paint you want, as long as it bonds with plastic Wired to Parking Light - Parking light uses a Blue, Black and Yellow wire at the plug. 1st: Take the 4 wires from the (2) Halos and match them up color to color. Connect them to make 2 wires. 2nd: The (2) wires can be connected to the Parking Light wiring inside the light. The parking light wires I used is the Black (Ground) and Blue (Power) that run to the circuit board. Strip the coverings off so you can solder your wires to the Blk & Blue. ****I don't Recommend Cutting Wires**** Depending on the type of Halos you have usually one wire is power and one is ground. Use a 9V or battery to test your halos and find which is which. XB's halos are awesome, it doesn't matter which wire you use for power as long as the second wire is used as a ground. 3rd: Take your ground Halo wire and solder it to the ground wire (black) on the inside of the light. 4th: Take your power halo wire and solder it to the Blue wire (Positive) inside the light. Take your light and plug it into the car harness and test it. If all is okay repeat steps 1 through 4 on the other light and your good. * Run the wires under the projection lamp. Use some glue or 3 mil tape if you have too to keep the wires from flopping around and manage your resisters. You will have some slack you will need to keep away from the heat.. So PM me if you have any questions, feel free to bash.... Thanks |
as a DRL it's a cool mod...
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+1 for this thread, I have been wondering the same thing and in the same predicament. In for end results! good luck!
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Thanks,
I've done a bunch of DYIs for off road stuff, but this is a tough crowd will try not to disappoint.. |
I always wanted to redo my headlight to dual orb halo ring just don't know what size to order. Hope to get some info here once you done..
Good luck on your project bro....:) |
Nice subscribed to see how this works!
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Would love to see how this turns out, thinking of doing the same thing
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Im excited to see how this turns out.
Thanks for taking the time to do the DIY |
sub'd, looks promising. Would love to do this at the same time as blacking out the chrome part of the headlights. If I ever get the courage...
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im in for pic's
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Subscribed looking forward to some DIY insight and process explanation.
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Thanks for the confidence building, I hope to not disappoint. :eek:
What I am using: G35 Clear Lenses size 2 5/8 – TRS (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) Halo 90mm from (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) Halo 70mm from (THERETROFITSOURCE.COM) No need for resistors the halos already come wired to 12V resistors.. Sledge Hammer if I mess it all up ! http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...1-dscf0585.jpg What I am thinking: (Not a hole lot) The Turn signal mod I am trying to stay with the stock bulb but I will remove the turn signal shroud and take off the stock plastic lens and replace it with the G35 lens. Some modification to the shroud will be needed to get the lens to fit. The Halo will mount on the outside and should be small enough to fit into the shroud. The reason for the G35 lens is its shaped like a bubble so when inserted into the shroud there is a void the Halo ring can rest in with a little 2 part epoxy to hold it in place. Not sure what needs to be cut out and modified, not sure how to do it. I am working through this as I go and will post the details. The projection light mod, the halo should fit perfectly in the valley of the projection light shroud based of DIY’s already done in the forum. Using a little 2 part epoxy will hold it in place. Both Halo’s are wired into the control box provided by LightWurkz and the control box will be wired into the parking light harness. This seems to be how others have done it, there have been some issues with LED flickering or burning out I don't think its were they are wired but how. Using resisters seems to get the power supply at its optimal level for the LEDs. I am curious what LightWurkz is using. 200 ohm 1 watt seems to be a good bet, others have used 150 ohm 1/8 watt & 200 ohm 1/8 watt resisters. I will go with 200 ohm 1 watt and see what happens.. I am not a smart guy but Javier seems to be. Quote from Javier: Hi. I'm thinking of doing the same to my headlights but my numbers indicate that I should be using 200 OHM resistors at 1 watt. The LEDs are runnung at 26mA not the 20mA that they are designed for so the current draws .762 watts. Therefore you should us at least a 1 watt resistor not 1/4 or 1/2. My numbers are as follows: 12 v devided .060mA (3 leds in series) = 200 ohms. Please let me know what you think. I just do not want to be opening these headlights once a year. The way I see it the current is greater than the resistor can handle and they may burn up. http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...lackout-9.html The Shroud mod, To split apart the head lights I have a cardboard box all taped up and will stick a heat gun into to warm them up enough to pull apart. If it doesn’t work it’s off to the oven.. I am planning on filling in the squares were people insert LEDs as run way lights; using body filler and sand paper to smooth it all out. I have Carbon Fiber Vinyl I want to run in place of LED’s. Also thinking of wrapping the shrouds and painting the rest Black Satin. Then Carbon Fiber wrap the reflector. Not sure yet. Worried about the heat from the lights. .. Total mod: If I mess it up I will be looking for a 370Z donor car anyone live in Tampa :) :driving: I have to work Monday but planing on posting updates each night with pictures. |
Update
Here is a picture of what I got from Pep-boys. Some 2 part epoxy, clear, good up to 180 degrees. Some sealant just in case I need it. Some body filler and 180,220 grit sand paper to smooth it out.
http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...7-dscf0586.jpg Picture of the stock light: http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...9-dscf0589.jpg To pull it all apart I used existing DIYs: DIGItonium awesome DIY thanks for the hard work: http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...r-removal.html http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...t-removal.html Bumper Off, still looks sexy!!! http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...0-dscf0591.jpg Lights Off, not sexy, i hope I never wreck: http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...1-dscf0593.jpg DON'T HATE ON THE BOX.. its the only thing that was FREE !!!! I could easily cook these in the oven but I wanted to try the box. If i can do it (Mentally Challenged Person) then anyone can do it. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...2-dscf0598.jpg Tapped it up using clear cheap scotch wrapping tape. I closed off all the tears, holes and seams. I laid a towel in the bottom put the light in with clear side down and taped it all up.. Once I had it sealed up real good I cut a hole in the top of the lid than stuck a heat gun (Wagner Sears $25.00) in a hole. I didn't bother taping the gun in place as it would only melt off. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...3-dscf0600.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...4-dscf0601.jpg Sorry about the sideways pics.. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...5-dscf0602.jpg For Sh--s and giggles I set the other light on top while the heat gun ran its little heart out !!!! Its 90 degrees outside I want to see if it will soften the seal up. :tup: http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...6-dscf0603.jpg |
Update
It worked awesome.. I ran the heat gun about 30 min while I played with the car. I tried pulling them out bare handed NOT!!! Use gloves, make sure you are light to the touch, there are little plastic pieces all over these things that could bend or brake off due to the heat.
The light I set in the sun got so hot I needed gloves to move it. I tried pulling apart and could do it but the sealant was still tacky, using the heat gun while pulling it came apart. I was worried about cracking the cover while pulling that's why I used the heat gun, I wanted to soften it up enough to pull apart with out using the box. Cool 2 confirmed ways to do it without an oven!:happydance: Set it in my lap, popped the plastic tabs and pulled it apart, Easy day!! http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...8-dscf0604.jpg My Man Cave !!!!! http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...9-dscf0606.jpg Will get to work on pulling the rest apart and painting.. Update tonight if I haven't had a heat stroke!!:eek: |
Can't wait!!!
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Awesome progress man! I did mine in the oven. First time I've seen anyone use a cardboard box.
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Looking good.
Are you blacking everything out or going with a different color sceam? My Z is silver also so it'll be great to see what it looks like. |
Thread jack. Nice knife man, is that a folder or fixed? looks real good.
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Update
I saw the box used on youtube. Some guy in a fab shop did it with 2 heat guns.
Sorry I don't know how to quote yet!! Okay, A picture tells a thousand words, so here it goes. To fill the dimples just use body filler, I use Lizard Skin body filler. It works great. Make sure when you fill the dimples you leave enough to sand down flush. As the stuff dries it sinks into the dimple, moisture leaving the filler. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ure52133-2.jpg This is the piece that needs to be cut, be careful and take your time!!:eek: You need to cut it as close to the grey as you can with out damaging it. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ure52132-3.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ure52131-4.jpg To remove the clear plastic I settled on using this: http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ating-head.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...eaner-cuts.jpg You want to leave an 1/8 of an inch lip around the bezel all the way around. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ure52127-8.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...ure52126-9.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52125-10.jpg The front side just needs to be flush. That's the side you will use to epoxy the halo on.. Currently there is no way to recede the halo. It will just be attached on the outside of the plastic. Making the plastic smooth will give you a cleaner look at the seam. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52124-11.jpg When you think your close try a test fit.. You DO NOT want the lens to sit flush on the bezel, there needs to be a 3/16th gap between the bezel and the lens. That gap will allow the halo to sit flush when you mount it later to the front of the bezel. The gap keeps the lens from push the halo out. The halo wont sit flush on the plastic if you try to flush mount the G35 Lens. There will be a gap between the lens and the plastic; its okay. Will discuss mounting it all when I do it, I'll take lots of pictures. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52123-12.jpg This looks good, now I'll move to the the halo clearances. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...5-dscf0625.jpg |
Update
After your test fit you can clean it up and smooth it out repaint it if needed. Remember the grey is all that will be seen.. When you glue the lens on its goop is clear but try to avoid getting it all over the lens.
I measured the halo, its 1/4 inch width then I measured the gap between the Light Shroud and The Turn Signal Shroud we just modified. It looks like the halo wont fit with out modifying the Light Shroud. So I need to cut 1/4 out of the housing. I have to figure out how to do it, if I cut the wrong side I ruin the hole thing. So when you mark it check it twice before cutting. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52121-14.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52122-13.jpg Mounted the modded turn signal shroud and slide the halo in front of it. This will show you which side you need to cut. Once cut it will allow the halo to sit centered on the shroud. Once you figure out what you need to cut off the light shroud you can go ahead and glue the halo on the turn signal shroud you modified. I marked were i needed to cut with a marker and used the air grinder to grind it out slowly and get a good tight fit. Check it as you go you don't want a huge gap. You should be able to slide the turn signal shroud (with everything mounted to it) in and out freely. If you grind to much don't worry, once the lights are painted its not very visiable unless guys like us are looking for it. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52120-15.jpg My cut worked perfectly see the pic. Also gave me a good location to run the wires to the control box. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52119-16.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52118-17.jpg The hard part over is now over, just remember what you did and do it again to the other light. Next I figured out how I wanted my 90mm halo wire to run so I drilled a small hole in the projection light shroud. Now I have done a lot of lights I recommend running wires through the top of the shroud, if you run them at the bottom or on the side they will be visible once they are put back together. The picture is old and shows the hole being on the side, drill at the top not the side. The retrofitsource.com XB halo's fit snugly in the valley of the shroud. This halo ring from LitWurkz (Angel Eye Kit) will not sit in the valley. They are glued to the outside. This DIY I used the lightwurks kit and also ordered LED Turn Signals. ****You will want to replace the stock turn signal light bulb**** The stock bulb gives off a lot of heat, that heat will transfer to the G35 Lens we installed, That lens will get hot enough to cause your paint to bubble up over time. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52117-18.jpg I hate wrapping, I tried to do it with one piece. NOT going to happen with me at the helm. I did what I could.. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52116-19.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...re52115-20.jpg Came out okay just worried about the heat. I have seen a few forum members wrap the inside of the lights but not on the shroud itself. I guess we will find out. The worst that can happen is I take it off and paint it some crazy color :ugh2:. The wife says to stop and eat, I have been at it all day and it started to rain. Good timing. Please REP +! and LIKE if you like the progress or this build helps you do your own.. Thanks for lookin !:tiphat: |
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If you have some basic tools you can do this mod. Not to difficult at least until I wire it up. |
Dang.... I like your idea using the box as an oven, it seem much more easier then just using the heat gun. Can the box bake a cake as well? Haha jk... Nice work
Cant wait to see the final finish... |
this is a fantastic write up. thanks for taking the time to do it!
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Very nice work so far. I dread opening my headlights up again - 3 of my halo LEDs have gone out and I need to fix the connection that is loose
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What are your thoughts on why the LEDs are going out? |
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Yours should have the tabs on them too... Mine don't :( |
Update
This morning started good, I wrapped the reflector and mounted the large halo with 2 part epoxy. Later in this thread I will recommend not using epoxy, just use Auto Goop for Everything. It works great.. The large halo wont recede so its generously glued to the outside of the shroud.
http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...3-dscf0648.jpg Sanded the filler from last night and finished taping off the light shroud and painted.. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...4-dscf0647.jpg Waiting for the paint to dry I cut the strip for the light shroud.. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...5-dscf0649.jpg I would like to say PAINTERS TAPE SUCKS.. It was probably my fault i should have gotten some better tape. I used what I had laying around. Man it would have had the perfect balance of chrome trim and carbon. :roflpuke2: http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...6-dscf0650.jpg So I picked up the hammer and .... Just kidding, shifted gears and re-taped the Carbon strip. Going all black.. I will say I did NOT sand these to ruff them up before painting. ***Make sure you do rough them up before painting*** I was amazed how easy it flaked off when I removed the tape.. Lesson Learned. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...7-dscf0651.jpg Starting the second Light wile this one dries. Now I have to repeat everything I did on the first light. |
This is how I attached the modded turn signal shroud. The epoxy drys quick so mixing and putting it on is PITA. Like I said before use Auto Goop for everything it works great and give you time to fix any mistakes you might accidentally make.
http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...1-dscf0656.jpg Using some impact sockets to press it all together while it dries. I want the Halo and lens to dry together. The socks just act as a press. Use anything thats heavy and will keep it pressed until it drys. http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...2-dscf0658.jpg |
I wanna see results! Lol can't wait!
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Oh that stinks! Hopefully it will be ok and you can finish! Keep up the good work
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they are looking GOOD! Cant wait to see them on...
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Your CF wrapped shrouds look incredible! I did the same treatment to my reflectors and landing strip, and just painted the shrouds. I plan to do halos over the winter, so I may redo the shrouds like yours. Nice job, can't wait to see the final product.
+1 rep!:tup: |
Awesome member for logging your projects!
in for the finish |
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I left the epoxy alone and wanted to see how it would hold up once completely dry.. Not Impressed . I am using Auto Goop for everything for now on.. It holds up to heat, its easily removed off the parts if it gets on anything. Sets in 2 hours, its rubbery so driving wont bounce it out of the shroud. Love it, smells good too!!! So her it is! http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...0-dscf0663.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...1-dscf0664.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...2-dscf0665.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...3-dscf0666.jpg http://www.the370z.com/members/nut_n...4-dscf0667.jpg Sexy as hell, looks awesome, can't wait to get it on the car. Also this didn't cost me $1100 to as quoted on the phone by a light modding company. . |
That looks REAL clean. Very very nice
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great project
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Wow awesome!
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