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[pics] Upgraded factory projector HIDs to aftermarket Laser projectors
- Thread starter lonertic
- Start date
This might be the difference on LED lights and HID. But there should be adjustable panel on the LED ones too or Tesla only can adjusts them by computer. On air suspension the weight of the car automatically adjusts the beam but on coil suspension driver has the ability to adjusts by the menu on MCU. Mine is 2016 and has coils.
On my previous cars (non Tesla) the automatic adjustment had dedicated high sensors (front and rear) for the headlights but I do not know is this same on Tesla. They might use the overall suspension hight settings for the same purpose.
That looks identical to what's so sold on AliExpress under the "Ronan" brand which has subsequently been pulled.
It looks like the Ronan store have pulled all their laser offerings too for some reason?. I had that one on my list too and it was around $50 USD less than the one i ended up with, but personally i didn't like the design of the split projector lens and external LED driver (whereas the Sanvi one has the driver board built into the projector and is part of the heatsink so that felt like a more thought-through design). In my case it just came down to personal preference that's all.
In any case, i was very much conflicted on whether to do it, but now that I went guinea pig and did it, I'm so glad I did... Hence the post hoping others who might be sitting on the fence can have some real-life feedback... The factory projectors are terrible compared to a full LED projector retrofit. Even if you don't go for the laser option, just go for a bi-led projector module and it'll already be night and day difference.
I am gonna look this morning and see what mine looks like.......I just hate the lights on my S....If I could change the for the ones on my wife's M3, I would in a heartbeat.....her lights are terrific and the throw of usb;e light is great.....this is the only thing I wish I could find an answer for....
ElectricTravel
Member
That function isn't on U.S.-market cars. It's only in some markets, and only for cars with coil springs.
The thinking is that if the car is heavily loaded, the back end will sag, causing the headlight beams to be too high and annoy other traffic. The driver is supposed to lower them manually based on whatever load is in the car on that trip, and then remember to raise them back up to "normal" when the car is minimally loaded. It's not a Tesla-specific feature; I assume it's required by federal authorities in some countries.
For any permanent changes like this projector retrofit, or after collision repairs, you'd want to adjust the headlights using the screws under the frunk trim.
Ostrichsak
Well-Known Member
I know that on my Supra the European versions of the cars (right hand drive) were glass housing headlights and included a levelling motor with 5-positions that were tied to a knob inside the car on the dash accessible by the driver. The idea was that if you loaded your hatch with hundreds of pounds of groceries you could adjust that knob to keep your headlights from blinding oncoming traffic. The idea is solid but my guess is that 909% of drivers don't even know their car has that and the other 1% probably don't care. Lots of extra bureaucratic BS for no measurable gain in practice. Just like most .gov programs I guess. lulz
M3 as in Tesla model 3? Or as in BMW M3? Cos the TM3 headlights have a rather diffuse beam pattern same as the facelifted model S LED headlights. I've found only projector types of lights can give off a neat beam cutoff, that part is important because it means nothing above the cutoff will blind other drivers, therefore anything below the cutoff can be as bright as u want it to be
beatle
Active Member
OP, that's a pretty nice mod. I wonder what the difference would look like if you were coming from a 35w ballast.
those ones on TRS aren't the same as the one the OP listed. Those are LED with the "laser assist" for the highbeam. Look at the lens on the TRS ones and the one the OP posted and its pretty apparent difference with one having a bulge for the top of the lens and the other being the traditional shape.
Ostrichsak
Well-Known Member
The logic solution would be calling it what it is: a Model 3.This question does create cofusion quite often and even disagreement when actually there is none! I think BM3 vs M3 (since it is a tesla forum) would make it clearer!
this is a Tesla site so I am talking about the Model 3......Well if the MS is the same as the M3, then I would not have an issue....the problem with LEDs is not the cut off, it is the light throw.....it is not as great as the HIDs.....the reflectors are is problem....Also, in some cases. the heat associated with some LEDs will damage the light front cover....I just want to find a way to change my 2020 MS lights from the current LEDs to HIDs....
I've tried that too but not installed. I have a spare US-spec whole headlight with 35W ballast and have ran it off battery next to my 25W car, unfortunately i didnt take a pic or vid cos required both hands... the 35W was only marginally brighter (if anything, less yellow)... whereas the laser projectors were easily 2-3 times brighter from observation and much wider spread.
ahh yes I assumed the same too. But considering many TM3 owners were previously ICE owners, or still have other ICE at home, it was also conceivable that you meant your wife was driving a BMW M3 which has great headlights.. the car that is, for the avoidance of doubt. Apparently active matrix LED's are now on the latest TM3's since late 2020 too, which obviously changes things, but the ones that had been on them were the same reflectors as the facelifted S, and X LED headlights, those were obviously better than the 25W nosecone projectors, but I really don't like their beam pattern (and throw).
I had 3D printed a cover plate that is the exact size of the ballast opening. A ring of silicone was added to the inside edge that pushed against the headlight housing to ensure the cap is watertight.
as for sealing the lens, they sell the OEM seals online. But I just used a tube of black sikaflex in my case but that's just me.
Great project! A few months ago I did the 25W->35W conversion and 98W led bar for high beams. I wish I had known this alternative back then!
Heh, Suomi mainittu! I didn't know Sikaflex is a thing outside Finland. Here we use Sikaflex for everything.
Heh, Suomi mainittu! I didn't know Sikaflex is a thing outside Finland. Here we use Sikaflex for everything.
I am on my journey of buying all these things to try the entire Headlights upgrade in one try. I am debating on upgrading the Projectors as it seems, is the most difficult part. How long was your process to change the lens and was it plug and play to another 3" projector lens for a D3S?
Because it was my first time taking my tesla headlight housing apart (taking ANY headlight housing apart!), and that I wanted to get rid of every last bit of glue before I sealed it back, it took much longer than it needed to. Most people will tell you it's between a 2-4 hour job, I took about 11 hours with mine.
And no it's not plug and play. And don't buy another D3S projector. Read the post again, this is a complete projector module swap. there is no longer any "bulbs" to swap, EVER... if this one LED chip inside blows, then I'll need to repeat the process and take apart the whole housing to remove the projector itself, which of course we're betting will never happen since LED's last much longer and being a dedicated module, has far better cooling than "LED conversion bulbs" that you see on fleabay for <$100.. Just think like what happens if the Model 3's have a blown headlight, they can't replace individual LED chips, they'd have to swap the entire headlight. Same theory.
And the ones in your picture seems a bit wrong, they dont look like they have the mounting holes I linked here [pics] Upgraded factory projector HIDs to aftermarket Laser projectors, to be fair, the one that I got were Hella mounts and had holes in the wrong position. So I had to drill my own holes and make a pinch washer to hold it down.
But honestly after I've done the mod and now half a year on, it's the best thing ever.. I don't miss the pathetic old HID's at all! These new projectors are way brighter than even the latest factory LED cars as long as you aim them properly and don't dazzle oncoming traffic.
