Stock -> s2k HID -> Corolla LED -> TLX LEDs

[iShift_6]

9-27-15
More installed teaser pictures on page 2!!!

10-11-15
INSTALLED photos page 2

I have to admit I am always looking for something better and brighter when headlights are concerned.
So needless to say the stock halogens were out in a matter of months of picking up my Si.

First up was AP1 projectors done by Lightwerks here in NJ.



Next up I did up a set of Corolla LED headlights. Took me several months but I'm pretty pleased with the results.
They were modeled after AlienPrimes setup and his DIY.



Now I'm on to the next thing. TLX jewel eye lights.
While they are still a work in progress here are a few teaser pics.
One with a mock up of the shroud I have to make, the other of them on the car for alignment testing.





I'll update the thread as I make progess.

 

[derekfriedrice]

That's gonna looks great. How was the cutoff from s2k vs corolla LED's?

 

[webby]

Wow man. Did you ever take output shots at night with any of them? Is lightwerks the company that did all the retros?

@ethlar check out the tlx

 

[FRDRICE]

The TLX/MDX output is pretty decent at best but the coolness factor of doing them is through the roof for sure! One of the guys here did the MDX in his TL:

 

[ethlar]

@FRDRICE if there was a picture in there it didnt come through

Ive had Rich at HIDIllusionz working on a set of MDXs for my accord for a while, hes got one headlight pretty much done but still has to do the other side

 

[webby]

The TLX/MDX output is pretty decent at best but the coolness factor of doing them is through the roof for sure! One of the guys here did the MDX in his TL:

so the jewel eye lights don't have a great output? You guys have any comparison shots versus other single projector lights?

 

[iShift_6]

@derekfriedrice - the s2ks have a great step and awesome color at the cutoff. The corolla doesn't have a step, it has a "flare" where the cutoff would be.
But the line at the cutoff is just as defined. Also they are not as wide as the s2ks, but the s2ks are known for that.

@webby - no I don't have any night shots...yet. I'll try to get some of at least the corolla ones that are on the car now. Lightwerkz is the company that did the s2ks for me.
The corolla ones I did myself, as I am also doing the TLX ones.

@FRDRICE : Totally agree with you on the coolness factor, it just looks awesome. I saw the MDX ones in the TL. It was nicely done. I hope mine come out that well.
There's a lot of cosmetic work to be done now to make them look like they belong in there. Along with building the harness and additional controller so they function properly.

@ethlar: that looks awesome. I can't wait to see what they look like all done.
Also looks like much less work on the shroud then I have to do to mine.

Some general thoughts comparing the TLX's to the S2K's and Corolla's:
1. The TLX's are brighter and wider than the Corolla's. Also has more foreground illumination.
2. The TLX's are not as wide as the S2k's, but a touch brighter. At least to my eye, I don't have equipment to verify that statement.
3. The TLX's has smoother foreground illumination than the S2K's. Keeping in mind that I have first gen AP1s, which has a weird pattern in the foreground.
4. While the S2k's projectors and Corolla's LEDs are both made by Koito, the quality is not the same. The Corolla ones pale compared to the S2K's

I'll update that list as I find more out about the TLX's

 

[webby]

I'll update that list as I find more out about the TLX's

You should totally do a build thread on the tlx's in the lighting forum with pictures of your process. I'd love to see how you progress with it honestly.

 

[iShift_6]

@webby - I probably should...but....I'd be rather embarrassed of some of the work that has gone on behind the scenes.
The professional retrofit guys would hang me for some of the things I have done. Not to mention that they are already
installed on the "skeletons" of the civic's reflectors, ...so there are several steps already missing...

 

[webby]

@webby - I probably should...but....I'd be rather embarrassed of some of the work that has gone on behind the scenes.
The professional retrofit guys would hang me for some of the things I have done. Not to mention that they are already
installed on the "skeletons" of the civic's reflectors, ...so there are several steps already missing...

well I didn't mean a full blown DIY. Just updates of how it's progressing for you.

 

[iShift_6]

@webby - D'OH....That I will do. Always a fan of feedback, good or bad.

 

[ethlar]

@webby - I probably should...but....I'd be rather embarrassed of some of the work that has gone on behind the scenes.
The professional retrofit guys would hang me for some of the things I have done. Not to mention that they are already
installed on the "skeletons" of the civic's reflectors, ...so there are several steps already missing...

you should see some of the pictures ive gotten from my lights, its pretty much a frankensteined shell of an accord headlight assembled with patchwork plastic welded in from the mdx light. They arent a easy retro so whatever you can do to make them work for you is fine

 

[iShift_6]

you should see some of the pictures ive gotten from my lights, its pretty much a frankensteined shell of an accord headlight assembled with patchwork plastic welded in from the mdx light. They arent a easy retro so whatever you can do to make them work for you is fine

That pretty much sums up what I've got going on in terms of what's left of the civics reflector and the TLX being mounted to it. Along with some assorted "machined" pieces of metal to support the whole thing.
Thankfully I have access to some cool stuff at work to help make the cosmetic items, waterjet for cutting parts, automotive paint to finish it with, etc.

 

[FRDRICE]

so the jewel eye lights don't have a great output? You guys have any comparison shots versus other single projector lights?

For a LED setup its good, but compared to something like the S2K, No. Especially if you do a custom curved shield and clear lens swap on the S2K the overall output is much better. Unfortunately I don't have any comparison photos handy but Val who has the MDXs in his TL had S2Ks in there before and he said that the output isn't close. Its certainly not horrible, much better than the single based LED projectors like the Rouge or Corolla but still doesn't quite compare to a proper HID setup.

 

[iShift_6]

I was able to get some 37hrs of work done to the tlx lights done over the last 2 weeks....I know it doesn't look like 37hrs of work but it was....
I got the electronics figured out, parts on order. Driving 3 12v rails from 2 and retaining all the functionality of both cars setups took a little tinkering.
I will post up details on that when I get all the parts in....

For now a good part of the cosmetic work on the shroud is done. Now it's just lots of sanding
getting it ready for paint. I have a few little details to figure out but they are coming along
nicely I think.

 

[ethlar]

Looks great, interested in how youre doing the DRL hook up just cause im trying to plan that out myself

 

[iShift_6]

So got the DRL/High beam controller finished today....

Here's the story behind it....tried to get it all worked out using a 5pin relay.
However due to the way that the TLX controller is built I could not get everything to work properly.
I was either giving up DRL or flash-to-pass, both of which would not work for me....

Came up with an idea, and after running it passed some of the electrical engineers at work I came up with this.
And yes the "name" on it is absurd, but most of the products where I work have crazy names on them,
so I just adopted that for this....

Solution to High beams, DRL, and flash-to-pass....the SLC-712-DCVBR = Supplemental Logic Controller 7-12V DV Booster/Regulator

Yeah the "name" is kinda lame, but it is descriptive. The TLX the controller has a "LED Telltale"(pin 4 on the controller) that outputs
a digital signal of some form that goes to the MCU(aka fuse box under the dashboard), at least that's what I think it does. In there that signal
has to control the DRL/flash-to-pass function, how I don't know. So whatever it does in there has to be replicated.

Now that the TLX controller won't let the DRL and high beam rails to work at the same time, the power has to be cut to one,
again at least as far as I can tell. Hence the supplemental logic controller part of the name. The rest is based on the fact that the DRL
and high beam rails on the TLX both need 12V, while the Civic uses 12V for the high beams and 7Vish for the DRL.
Enter the voltage booster/regulator, it will take the 7V or 12V and output a constant 12V. That gets the 12V to both rails,
but now to control it properly, enter a voltage comparator. It has a 5pin relay that is controlled by a "logic" chip.
It has 2 inputs, one for a baseline voltage, the other for comparison. So 12V from the regulator goes to the baseline rail
on the comparator module and the "power pin" on the relay. To the other input runs the direct line from the high beam,
which switches from 7V to 12V. The comparator flips the relay when it detects the 12V on that rail.
This allows the DRL to turn off and the high beams to go on for the flash-to-pass function,
and leaves the high beam function alone when the low beams are on.

Attached is a photo of what I put together, and a PDF of the wiring diagram, so all that gibberish above makes some sense.



This also would work for anyone wanting to run halos, civic hybrid LED DRLs, LED bars in some aftermarket headlights, or any other type of 12V device.
The only thing that you have to watch out for is the wattage on the output from the regulator. I used one that's good for 100W, but I wouldn't
want to tax it for more than 60W due to heat in the project box.

Sorry for the long post.

@ethlar I hope this all helps with your setup as well.

 

[ethlar]

thats actually really interesting, especially since when i had my mdx arrays in my lap i was able to fire the DRLs and high beams at the same time without issue, so i guess i could make use of the 5pin relay and a voltage booster circuit to get the drl to 12v

 

[ethlar]

your solution is actually really nicely executed, never would have thought of doing it that way, i might see about building the SLC-712-DCVBR anyway

 

[iShift_6]

thats actually really interesting, especially since when i had my mdx arrays in my lap i was able to fire the DRLs and high beams at the same time without issue, so i guess i could make use of the 5pin relay and a voltage booster circuit to get the drl to 12v

That is really interesting. I had my TLX ones powered up and went down the pins and got each one to light up. With the DRL powered up, if I hit the low beam rail with 12V it would turn off the DRL. If I it the high beam rail with 12V I got nothing. If I tried Low DRL and High all I got was low.... Wish mine would have worked like yours. But I did learn something from this so yeah.....

Parts list:
Smakin - 1 Channel 12V DC Comparator Module - Ebay or Amazon
Generic 12V 100W DC Step up Booster - Ebay
Some form of project box - mine is 4.75 X 3.75 X 1.125 - Ebay, Amazon, Mouser
Deutsch 4 pin automotive connector - Ebay or Mouser - This could vary depending on how many pins out you need. Could be 5 if you need an additional ground.