Hey Guys, I got a new set of the F56-style headlights from ECS this week, and while i'm waiting for some other parts to show up, i'm wondering if there is an easy place to tap a switched 12v line under the hood for the integrated DRL. Most of the articles I've seen have people tapping the fog or edge lights, but I'd like the DRLs to come on and off with the ignition regardless of what the headlight switch is set too. I know I can run to the footwell fusebox and grab the lighter socket fuse, but i'd rather not pull the battery and fish wires through from the engine bay if I don't have to. Any thoughts? I have add-a-fuse connectors, and I don't think the DRLs are going to pull all that much power, is there a fuse in the engine bay fusebox I can use?

Any info is appreciated.

Also, let me know if you'd like any specific pictures or info on the lights. I'm planning to put a 4500K H9 kit from DDM in them if the slow boat from China ever gets here with them.

 

Can I tap the F10 fuse in the underhood fusebox, or is that going to be a constant on circuit?

 

Thanks for the purchase.

We tapped our at the position light to come on with the Ziza led position lights installed. We did not test or tap into other power terminals other then those position light wire plug.

http://www.ecstuning.com/News/MINI_R55_R56_R57_Cooper_Clubman_Convertible_Base_S _JCW_Spyder_Projector_Blackout_LED_DRL_Daytime_Run ning_Lights_Headlights_Plug_and_Play_2007_2008_200 9_2010_2011_2012_2013_2014/







Most are tapping into the front position lights which then it turns on with the those for the DRL, the wires are pretty long so they can be used to tap around those area. I cant think of a good power on - constant at the front of the car.

You would have to find a power on near the fuse box and add a fuse. You will need to test with voltmeter for the power on function. Make sure its turn off with the car.

Good luck and if I find a good power on terminal I will post up.

 

Thanks yeah, I'd like to have the DRLs on the headlights run without having to turn on the full time low beam DRLs or the parking lights. Going to test some taps from the underhood fuses tonight.

 

Welcome. They look even better in person. Driving around with them people really stare at the front end. Pretty bright DRL's and look like OEM. Even with them off you have that white translucent arch design. Pretty cool.

All lights and DRL turned off:



Let us know when you find a circuit.

 

Can't wait to throw them on, just waiting for my 4500K HID kit and a dry enough day to plastidip the washer blanks!

 

If it's just for a signal you can try the same wire that is used for the MINI LED Fog/DRL retrofit kit. You would have to run the wire through the firewall however and the installation instructions show you where. I would think that would be ideal because if I'm not mistaken, it is the same wire that is tapped for the Auxiliary lights.

 

Well, if I run through the firewall I could just tap the lighter fuse for a switched 12v. Ideally i'm looking for a switched circuit under the hood I can safely tap so I don't have to pull the battery and cowling. Or I could wire straight to battery with a relay, but again, simplicity is the goal.

 

Well, no luck finding a switched circuit under the hood. But it does look like i can run wires through to the cabin via the cabin air filter without having to pull the battery or cut anything. Hoping bulbs show up before the weekend and I can get everything thrown together. I'm interested to see if the ballasts will fit in the housings, or if I'll have to mount them externally. Heat would probably be an issue.

 

is your car halogen stock?

 

Yeah, and even with some decent PIAA bulbs the light output is abysmal.

 

Yea im in the same boat as you. its terrible....My wife has an r60 with the xenon headlights and im beyond jealous...I actually sent a message to ECS a couple weeks ago asking if anyone tried to put these xenons into the halogen r56. Let me know how it goes, and be sure to take lots of photos!! I was worried about flickering headlights.

 

I ordered a can-bus friendly set of ballasts, I don't think it will be an issue since the lights switch from a dual filament hi/low bulb to a single filament bulb and use the projector to change the high/low beams.

Of course, I could be way off on that!

 

Playing with the headlights a little more last night while I masked of the washer blank to get plasti-dipped. Interesting note, there are 2 rubber plugs on the back that wires run through to the inside of the housing, one set of wires isn't connected to anything (I assume this plug is for the HID version). The rubber plugs come out pretty easy, hoping i can run the ballast wires and such through the same hole (fingers crossed the rubber plug on the kit is the same size) so I won't have to drill anything.

 

" ECS a couple weeks ago asking if anyone tried to put these xenons into the halogen r56. " Yea, we have not seen anyone do this yet. As they are halogen for halogen and Xenon for Xenon direct fit.

Yea, they share the main wiring for the Halogen and Xenon on the inside, we saw this while installing both.

Let us know how your project goes.

 

Still waiting on USPS to finish driving my bulbs around the state. But I got the chrome blanks painted!

https://goo.gl/photos/495VfiBAY4vTrbHt6

 

looks good but will link will not work on NAM.

 

http://www.xenondepot.com/H9-LED-hea.../h9-led-hl.htm

wonder if these leds would fit into that small compartment area. i have these in my fogs on my jeep and they work really well with the halogen projector housings........

 

So I finally got my bulbs in and the lights thrown on this weekend. I did end up having to dremel out one of the wire pass throughs on the back of the housings to get all the HID plugs through it. You could get around it if you wanted to pull the pins on the plugs, but this way the rubber grommet that came with my HID kit fit the hole as well.

I ended up wiring the DRL to an add-a-fuse connected to my 12 lighter socket fuse. Worked ok and it was easy to pass through the cabin filter access. No drilling or anything.

I will say that with the Canbus kit I got there was ALOT of wiring to tuck in behind the housings once mounted. And my ballasts didn't mount the the factory location under the headlight. Gonna test for a few days and see if everything is secured well enough.

Other wise, everything works like factory as far as high beams and low beams, I haven't tested flash to pass, but I would assume it works, it would just be tough on the bulbs/ballasts.

The only issue i do have is that the car still runs the startup bulb checks and strobes each bulb twice on engine startup. Not a huge issue, but i'm sure it's not good for the bulbs, have to see about my options to program that out. No bulb out warnings though, so that's a plus.

Just have the one picture downloaded, if anyone wants some specific shots let me know and I'll grab them tonight.

 

Depends on how hot they get, there's a fair amount of room in the housing, but you're not going to get any kind of airflow in there.

 

Nice!!!!! they look good.
Did you have any issues with a gap between the hood and the lights?

 

There is some gap, you can adjust a little using the top bolt that gives you some travel room but it's hard to get right since you can't have the hood down and adjust the lights at the same time!

 

How about the light output at night?

 

Good so far, still fine tuning the height, be default they're pretty much aimed straight down. It's a little disconcerting to have such a drastic cutoff in light when you're used to the halogens.

 

I`ve been thinking on getting a pair, but I would like to order the HL as if I had xenon lights and then program the computer and of course buying the oem control modules and bulbs.