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Old 10-17-2014, 07:49 AM   #16
BlackBMWs
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John F. If you still have the conversion gizmos I'd be interested in at least one. Perhaps up to four.

I like the lighting in my E39. I see how that could enhance a TI.

Thanks John!
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1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top
1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52
1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior
1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior

Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it

1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP
1995 318ti Active - RIP
1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold
1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold
1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold
1985 635csi sold
1984 533i "Max" Sold
1984 318i sold

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Old 11-04-2014, 04:16 PM   #17
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I am sorry to be so slow replying. I got sidetracked by a couple urgent projects.

If you guys are still interested, it would be fun to refine some more dome lights.

To start things off, as you could see from my earlier pictures, I replaced the orange, e39 dome light ambient LEDs with white ones with the idea that I could crank them up and also use them as map and reading lights. The Nichia 3mm LEDs I substituted were about the brightest you could get at the time, but still could have been brighter. Since then, Nichia has improved their phosphors and epoxies, and managed to triple the brightness of their LEDs. After upgrading the e39 dome light to the latest white LEDs, and replacing the series resistor with a neat, little constant current regulator, I can now get the LEDs as bright as a stock, incandescent reading light. I like the LEDs because they cast a more uniform, white light, and you can use them when the ignition in off.

The following picture shows the changes I just made to the e39 dome light, above and around the middle button:



The current regulator on the purple board to the left, passes 20 ma through the LEDs, the middle diode blocks reverse voltages, and all that MMA and MS polymer adhesive protects the soldered connections from metal fatigue.

Let me know what you guys are up to!

Last edited by John Firestone; 11-04-2014 at 04:27 PM.
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Old 11-04-2014, 07:00 PM   #18
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Hi John! I'd be interested in at least two retrofits for two of my four TIs. I can get the E39 dome lights and can try to wield a soldering iron. 😎


1998 & 1997 318ti Sport Schwartz II
1995 318ti Active Alpineweib III
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1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top
1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52
1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior
1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior

Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it

1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP
1995 318ti Active - RIP
1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold
1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold
1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold
1985 635csi sold
1984 533i "Max" Sold
1984 318i sold

BMWCCA #160411

SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE!
Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!
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Old 11-04-2014, 08:28 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackBMWs View Post
Hi John! I'd be interested in at least two retrofits for two of my four TIs. I can get the E39 dome lights and can try to wield a soldering iron....
If you could take some measurements, I bet I could make up a plug-and-play to almost plug-and-play harness.

How much would you like the interiors lighting to do beyond what you have in your e39? I have been refining the dome light in my car for about eight years, and have gotten it to do a few more things you might like.
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Old 11-04-2014, 08:32 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Anthony View Post
can you assist me with interior lighting module for my e36 1995 sedan. l want to install an e39 interior light with mood lighting leds....
Do you know if your sedan has a ZKE (central chassis electronics module) or a ZVM (central locking module)?

Do your interior lights gradually dim off when you lock the car, or do they snap off?
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Old 03-03-2015, 09:16 AM   #21
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Default e39 dome light in e36

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Firestone View Post
If you could take some measurements, I bet I could make up a plug-and-play to almost plug-and-play harness.



How much would you like the interiors lighting to do beyond what you have in your e39? I have been refining the dome light in my car for about eight years, and have gotten it to do a few more things you might like.


Sorry John, for the way late response. I got sidetracked. What measurements should I take?



As far as features, I'd be happy with it simply functioning like it does in my E39 today, all three buttons functional, gradual dim and the ambient orange lighting in sync with my dimmer switch for the interior instrument/HVAC lights. Maybe LEDs in place of the bulbs if that makes a difference?



I'll start collecting 4 E39 interior light bars. I'd need 4 adapter gizmos for four TIs.
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1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top
1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52
1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior
1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior

Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it

1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP
1995 318ti Active - RIP
1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold
1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold
1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold
1985 635csi sold
1984 533i "Max" Sold
1984 318i sold

BMWCCA #160411

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Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!

Last edited by BlackBMWs; 03-04-2015 at 03:27 PM.
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Old 03-05-2015, 04:37 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackBMWs View Post
Sorry John, for the way late response. I got sidetracked.
You and me both!

Quote:
What measurements should I take?
Oh, perhaps how long to make the wire runs from the dome light to a few places.

Quote:
As far as features, I'd be happy with it simply functioning like it does in my E39 today, all three buttons functional, gradual dim and the ambient orange lighting in sync with my dimmer switch for the interior instrument/HVAC lights. Maybe LEDs in place of the bulbs if that makes a difference?
I have got all that covered, including substituting LEDs which need something like a square-law dimming curve to dim off agreeably.

Quote:
I'll start collecting 4 E39 interior light bars. I'd need 4 adapter gizmos for four TIs.
See if you can snarf some E36 dome lights with the short cable and a white, 6 x 1 pin plug. Just the white plug is of interest, at it will make the install more plug-and-play.
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Old 03-05-2015, 07:58 PM   #23
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John. E36 plug or E39 dome light plug?


1998 & 1997 318ti Sport Schwartz II
1995 318ti Active Alpineweib III
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1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top
1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52
1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior
1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior

Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it

1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP
1995 318ti Active - RIP
1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold
1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold
1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold
1985 635csi sold
1984 533i "Max" Sold
1984 318i sold

BMWCCA #160411

SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE!
Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!
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Old 03-05-2015, 08:05 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackBMWs View Post
John. E36 plug or E39 dome light plug?
The natural (white) nylon, 1x6, 2.5 mm^2 plug that is part of the E36 dome light. Does the 'ti use the same dome light connectors as the E36 coupe and sedan?
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Old 03-05-2015, 08:07 PM   #25
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I can cross check as I also have a E36 Sedan. As far as measurements, what do you think the wiring runs would need to be. I currently have a TI shell I can measure on. 😎


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1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top
1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52
1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior
1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior

Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it

1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP
1995 318ti Active - RIP
1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold
1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold
1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold
1985 635csi sold
1984 533i "Max" Sold
1984 318i sold

BMWCCA #160411

SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE!
Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!
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Old 03-05-2015, 08:25 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackBMWs View Post
I can cross check as I also have a E36 Sedan.
Sounds good. I expect they should be the same.

Quote:
As far as measurements, what do you think the wiring runs would need to be. I currently have a TI shell I can measure on....
I need to dig out my notes which may take a little excavating, and starting my spring cleaning a little earlier.
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