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Topic ClosedXenon conversion Caravelle

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Maggy View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Jun 09
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Xenon conversion Caravelle
    Posted: 22 Sep 09 at 12:19
Hi,

I was at the local car parts supplier at lunchtime today to get some bulbs for my Caravelle.
They told me to go for Xenon conversions instead! And why not, had my T4 converted and it was great.
They had xenon converted their -08 transporter and they didn't even have to go for the expensive can bus conversion kit. But they have other headlights than me.
So the questions are:
Do I have to buy a xenon conversion kit for my low-beams with can bus cancellers or not?
Same question about the parking lights. Do I have to buy the LED ones with can bus cancellers?

My Caravelle was build 2006/08
/Maggy, The (Male) Swede

T5 Caravelle 2,5 TDI AXE LWB 174hp (210hp)LWB 4motion -07

BMW K1600GTLE -16
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gregozedobe View Drop Down
Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 09 at 13:06
Is it legal to put HID (true Xenon) globes into reflectors designed for halogen globes in Sweden ?  In most countries it is illegal, and even if you do get the proper (HID approved) reflectors you also need to add self-levelling (auto) and headlight washers.
 
AFAIK the only legal (ie approved, not "frankestein" made from bits) HID headlights for T5s are those made by Projektzwo, and last time I talked to them they only made headlights for LHD, and had no plans to make a RHD version.
 
If you want more light for Lo beam I can recommend Osram H7 65W Rallye bulbs for the T5 twin reflector headlights (OEM), they produce the most illumination of any H7 globe that is less than 100W.
 
If you want to find out whether you will need special wiring for a HID conversion ( to avoid the "globe blown" error/message) you could just remove a globe, make sure the connecting wires won't short out, then switch your lights on.  If you get a message you will need the special wiring, no message and you won't.


Edited by gregozedobe - 23 Sep 09 at 13:09
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Maggy View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 09 at 14:23
Its not legal with Xenon conversion kits here either. Same rules all over the European Union I guess. BUT I live WAY up northern Sweden and the Police doesn't seem to care as long as you use "standard" 4300K colour instead of the very blue 6-8000K bulbs (often seen on the youngsters cars). I have managed to drive around with my T4 three years with 6000K H4 BiXenon bulbs without getting "caught".

The method to unplug a bulb and see if you get an error for lighting isn't good enough. If the circuit is broken (bulb burnt or removed) you WILL get an error. But what if you have different resistance? As the Xenon bulbs are 35W instead of the original 55w H7/H1 bulb.
Any ideas of how to try this is welcome! 
/Maggy, The (Male) Swede

T5 Caravelle 2,5 TDI AXE LWB 174hp (210hp)LWB 4motion -07

BMW K1600GTLE -16
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borg View Drop Down
Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 09 at 14:37
I use Osram Nightbreakers in my Caravelle lights. They are not HID's but are Xenon bulbs that are direct replacements for the standard H1 and H7 bulbs in the Caravelle lights.

By using this method you don't need to do any rewiring just swap the bulbs over. They are also fairly cheap at around £10 per pair from eBay.

The Osram Nightbreakers are meant to be 90% brighter than standard bulbs. I have to say that I am very impressed with them as they are very bright and give a really nice clear white light.




Edited by borg - 23 Sep 09 at 14:38
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blackvanman View Drop Down
Vanorak
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 09 at 20:22
whats the wattage on them borg? am a little concerned putting 65w ones in when 55w is the standard? i have simply done the wiring re-configure as u did at the steering wheel.  Ermm
'09' 174 kombi, swb, pearl black
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 09 at 00:53
Maggy, my suggestion was to find out if your van has "bulb out" detetection or not.  If it doesn't, then no need for special wiring.  Mine doesn't have this feature, I put a 35W HID conversion on Hi beam only, and no errors (BTW hi beam conversions are legal in my State as long as I don't alter Lo beam). 
 
The only way you will know for sure if yours will object to a 35W load or not is to put a 35W load in place of your 55W globe.  Maybe find a 35W globe and jury rig that into the std circuit to see what will happen ?
 
bvm, The Osram Nightbreakers are 55W (same as std). I tried them (as well as Philips X-treme and the Osram 65W Rallye bulbs).
 
The Nightbreakers are nowhere near a real 90% improvement over std globes, I'd say more like 25-30% better (still a worthwhile improvement, but not what they claim).
 
I preferred the X-treme globes to the Nightbreakers for output (by a small margin), and the Nightbreakers have a bit of a reputation for short life (IIRC there are some posts around about it). The Nightbreakers are slightly "whiter" than the X-treme (they have a blue filter on the glass) if that is important to you.
 
I haven't heard of anyone haveing problems with the extra current draw of the 65W globes, and they were more like a 40-50% improvement over std.
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Maggy View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 09 at 20:31
Asked the same question on the Norwegian http://www.vwbus.no/forum/ and got the answer that there is no canbus at the headlights in a T5 03-09.
/Maggy, The (Male) Swede

T5 Caravelle 2,5 TDI AXE LWB 174hp (210hp)LWB 4motion -07

BMW K1600GTLE -16
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