Just an update, the 9 SMD modules seem to trigger the bulb out, but it's intermittent, i suspect it's because of the thin wires used for contact. I think bending them a little would increase surface contact. It's too dim anyways, so im giving them back and picking up a 13 SMD off ebay, like smoke05S posted and giving those a try.

 

my 13 SMD from ebay works great...no issues

there's also 25 SMD available...!!

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=194...286.m270.l1313

 

Ok since the city Hoen LEDs are not working out for me I need to find another option. I have the Hoen h8 xenonmatch fog lights that work great and match the headlights so now I need to find a city light with no problems that match the color and brightness of the headlights and fog lights as close as possible. I have been reading the previous posts about the 13 SMD LEDs and such, but am a little confused on what to buy. Could someone help me find the right city LED or post a link?

Thanks

 

I bought these 13 smd LEDs for the city lights and they work perfect, no issues - they are closer to 6000K tho.

Hoen are waaaaaay overpriced btw....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

here they are (courtesy of mr smoke)

 

So if those ^ LEDs are closer to 6k and I guess the hoen foglights are 8k, then they should look ok lol. Bagwell how do the LEDs look against your headlights? And do you have xenon headlight?

 

LEDs are slightly more blue than my OEM HIDs....but still look worlds better than the orig yellow bulbs.

 

Alright thanks bagwell I will consider buying those when I get my freaking money back from Hoen

 

Got them in and installed just in time for the Dragon! The Citylights look great and are a close match to the Xeon's. The Endurance bulbs are just amazing! The Licenses plate blubls are too narrow and will not stay in the sockets. I bent them a little but it wasn't enough. I felt if I bent the tabs much more they might break. Will have to go with another solution for that.

Here is a shot of them under the Bridal Veil Falls at the Dragon this weekend.



Kevin
Florence, AL

 

Awesome pic!

Are you on 6 meters at all?

AC6TA

 

Hey Smoke05S,

I am not on much at all in a while. Most of my friends quit haming it several years ago and I have too. Since I moved a year ago I haven't even unpacked my radios.

I really like all of your LED stuff! I saw several LED interior lights at the Dragon and that is something I am going to start working on next. There is always something I need to buy for this MINI!

Kevin

 

I have been off the air for almost 3 years myself until the other night when 6 meters was open to your area. It appears to be a phenomenal season brewing.

Thanks for the LED compliment! I am learning as I go so I put all my mistakes out there so hopefully everyone can learn from them. I have a dome light and back up lights on the way to complete the project.

I truly am impressed by that picture. You should enter that one in a contest. It belongs in a calendar or a screen saver! Good work!

 

My friend sent me more 3 more sets of bulbs to try from his misadventures. DO NOT buy these, or the 12/24 SMDs that are out there. Basically, anything that has two of the small rectangular SMDs side by side. They won't clear your housing, because, while the circular chip is the correct diameter, the edges of the SMDs make it just wide enough so you can't insert it past the top layer.

 

Thanks. I appreciate it. I thought it came out really well too!

 

How bright are the ebay LEDs? Would they overpower the Endurance yellow fogs?

 

I don't know about the eBay LEDs, but I don't think anything can overpower those endurance yellow fogs. They overpower my HID headlights! When I cut them on, the whole road ahead of me becomes yellow and I can not hardly tell I have HIDs. Those fogs are great!

Kevin

 

Is Ho-en Endurance really brighter than HIDs? I am about to buy HID kits(3000K) for fog light...The cost of Endurance seems high($39+shipping) while cheap HID kit costs about $40~$50. I don't care about bulb out error.

Do I need to go with Endurance? Endurance installation should be easier than HID kit installation. If the brightness of Endurance is about the same as HID, I will definitely go Endurance....

And there is Nokya halogen fog bulbs($20 at Ebay). Are they brighter than Ho-en?

I cannot decide^^

 

The picture above with the red mini at bridal veil is a good representation.

 

That's mine Lil Q is talking about gagamel and I actually have white xeon matching city lights too that are on the top half of those yellow fogs. They look good with the HID's, but as you can see in the picture but when the fogs come on, they are overpowered and vanish.

I wouldn't say the Hoen's are brighter than HID's but they sure are close to being equal IMO. They are extremely easy to put on (just be sure to read in earlier threads about squeezing the back of the connector).

I have no experience with the Nokya's so I can't comment on their brightness. I can say I was okay with the $39 after buying because they sure are a deeper brighter yellow than most other yellow fogs I see on other cars in the area.

 

ok mine are just now starting to give me issues (bulb out) so I may remove them :(

hummm can this be confirmed?!?!?!? never mind, I'll confirm...just ordered the 25 SMD bulbs...

 

I haven't mailed them back yet. I can put those back on and try to take a photo of it trying to clear the opening if you want.

 

Here, i made a quick composite of the top down view and side view of the leds. It'll show why those side by side leds won't work.

On the Left, the side x side led module. The red arrow showing the portion that prevents it from clearing the housing. You'd have to shave down at least two corners for it to clear the housing, which i think would damage the led.

On the right, the 9-SMD module, see how nothing protrudes beyond the circular base. There isn't much clearance beyond that base.

 

I just installed these today and for awhile no issues. Then i started getting the bulb out warning the 4th or 5th time I started my Mini . I mean its not that bad, but I would like to find an LED that does not give any bulb out warnings. I will probably have these installed until it gets too annoying. If there are not any LEDs that work then I will probably just bite the bullet and buy the 3,850 Hoen w5w city lights even though they are not as bright.

 

at first, it didn't bother me...now, sometimes its like every 5 mins

 

thanks for the pic and effort

 

The Hoen 3850 w5w city lights look almost orangish next to the xeon match fogs. I've been searching for a city light that is closer to the fogs for a while now. I'm more interested in matching the color more than getting really bright leds for the city lights. I've also tried the Philips BlueVision city lights, but they are almost identical to the Hoen.