DIY-powering of modern LED car headlights

[abvgdee]

Hello everyone!

I want to experiment with modern auto LED headlights, in home environment, powering them from some DIY electronics. Nothing special, just to take wall beamshots for comparison with bike's. But really, in room's environment.

I want these experiments to be cheap (because it's a hobby). Electronic (power) unit is normally sold separately, and is several times more expensive than a used headlight with the broken housing ($100 vs. $20). So I'd like to avoid buying it.

I'll have no problem powering a normal string of LEDs. But with all this latest smart, matrix LED technology, I'm not sure it'll be easy to power them properly (each individual segment at its proper level). I want the original beam pattern.

Anybody knows pinouts of any connectors? Some links, forum posts where someone powered modern car headlights? Such things. Can't think of any keywords, how I can search myself.

I don't have any particular headlight in mind, any (good, original, modern) headlight will work for me (as it's a hobby). But just for example, any comments on these two: 1. Mercedes C180 C200 C250 (w205), 2017; and 2. BMW 3 (F30), 2018?

Thanks

 

[-Virgil-]

The controls for Matrix beams are very complex and highly integrated with the vehicle. There are sensors and cameras involved, and computers (electronic control units). It would take a whole lot of work to reverse-engineer the output signals from the computer to figure out how to make a smart headlamp do its tricks for you at home on a wall; this information is not published. I wish you the best of success!

 

[Hilldweller]

why not start with the simple stuff first.
http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...p_category=&parent_category_rn=&storeId=10001

 

[abvgdee]

Thank you!

...It would take a whole lot of work to reverse-engineer the output signals...

Yes, I was aware of sensors, and even a camera. Ok, let me soften my expectations, let's assume I'll buy electronic control unit (ECU).

Anybody knows any headlight that, when its ECU doesn't get any signals from its sensors (suppose there's no physical contact for sensor wires in the connector), would really power on, and give some "standard", default beam pattern? In such sensor-disconnected case the beam pattern will of course be static, that's ok. Pinout (datasheet/whatever) for the ECU input wires is needed here.

> why not start with the simple stuff first

Because there's no path from such old type to the modern. And I'm just not interested in the old type.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Anybody knows any headlight that, when its ECU doesn't get any signals from its sensors (suppose there's no physical contact for sensor wires in the connector) would really power on

Maybe... Most of them? I'm sure they can get a basic low beam/high beam signal and have other inputs for the adaptive beams beyond that. Or... None of them? In that there is only a power input and the rest is all by separate control wires.

Piggybacking on the control signals in situ might help but it could be a digital signal, not analog, so really reading it may be a trick-and-a-half. Maybe an Arduino system to monitor all the control wires to try to make sense of it, but sounds like you're in for some hair pulling.

 

[Magio]

I have had the Accord, MDX, RLX, Q50, Nissan Leaf, MKZ, and countless HID headlights here to tinker with. All of them have been super simple to power on. Some of them even have color coded wires on the plugs to make it easy. They were also reverse polarity protected. The most difficult one was the MKZ as it had about 30 wires all the same color. I eventually figured it out with the help of a guy with a parts diagram. If you are interested in any of those I mentioned shoot me a pm and I'll see what I can do for you.

 

[abvgdee]

I have had the Accord, MDX, RLX, Q50, Nissan Leaf, MKZ...

Actually, I think your reply is almost as helpful as it can be! If it's super simple, I can safely buy one of them (I'll keep your PM-offer as a raincheck ). The only missing thing is generation of the model - for those that have more than 1 gen. Could you specify the gen? (if you had not-latest gen, may be the latest changed, and is not simple anymore)

Honda Accord - 10 generations. 7th 2002-2007, 8th 2007-2012, 9th 2012-2019 (there are halogen and LED variants), 10th from 2017.

Honda/Acura MDX - 3 generations. 2nd 2007–2013, 3d 2014-present. 1st gen looks like projector type with halogen bulb.

Acura RLX - one gen. 2012–present.

Infiniti Q50 - one gen. 2013–present.

Nissan Leaf - 2 generations. 2nd 2017–present.

Lincoln MKZ - 2 generations. 2nd 2013–present. In 2nd gen, standard is HID, LED is an option? Adaptive pattern.

 

[Magio]

Actually, I think your reply is almost as helpful as it can be! If it's super simple, I can safely buy one of them (I'll keep your PM-offer as a raincheck ). The only missing thing is generation of the model - for those that have more than 1 gen. Could you specify the gen? (if you had not-latest gen, may be the latest changed, and is not simple anymore)

Honda Accord - 10 generations. 7th 2002-2007, 8th 2007-2012, 9th 2012-2019 (there are halogen and LED variants), 10th from 2017.

Honda/Acura MDX - 3 generations. 2nd 2007–2013, 3d 2014-present. 1st gen looks like projector type with halogen bulb.

Acura RLX - one gen. 2012–present.

Infiniti Q50 - one gen. 2013–present.

Nissan Leaf - 2 generations. 2nd 2017–present.

Lincoln MKZ - 2 generations. 2nd 2013–present. In 2nd gen, standard is HID, LED is an option? Adaptive pattern.

Honda Accord is the 16-17 Touring full led headlights. I actually have one on my desk at the moment.

MDX is the 14-17 pre-facelift I no longer have a wiring diagram for these but its readily available online.

RLX pre-facelift

2013 Q50

Nissan leaf 2010-2017

MKZ 2013-2017

From the little tinkering I've done it seems like the Japanese wiring is much more simple than the German and American wiring. All the lights that I had that came from Japan, I was able to figure out by trial and error how to power them in less than 5 mins and they were reverse polarity protected. The MKZ though was a booger bear and took several days to figure out. I had to utilize the help of someone with access to a full vehicle wiring diagram to power them. Without their help I wouldn't have gotten it. A couple of other guys I knew had similar trouble powering some Audi and BMW LED headlights, and these were not even the adaptive driving beam version. I imagine those would be a lot worse.

 

[abvgdee]

Thank you! And I'll definitely keep in mind this note about Japanese lights.