Valeo LED Mk5 Tail Lights Modification....

[cmdrfire]

Robin there is a plug and play solution if they can manage to get the inners to perform 3 functions.

But it requires VCDS changes as the inners will use the feed from the old fog light.

Get Chris to call me and I can explain things much better 

I understand about the "plug-and-play" functionality and the VCDS changes - we can use VCDS to set the two inners as reverse lights (a la US cars) and use the fog-lamp signal to activate the third level of intensity on the PCBs.

[apollo13]

Robin there is a plug and play solution if they can manage to get the inners to perform 3 functions.

But it requires VCDS changes as the inners will use the feed from the old fog light.

Get Chris to call me and I can explain things much better  

I understand about the "plug-and-play" functionality and the VCDS changes - we can use VCDS to set the two inners as reverse lights (a la US cars) and use the fog-lamp signal to activate the third level of intensity on the PCBs.

You can actually use VCDS to activate brake and tail functions aswell as fog using the fog lamp signal...

As for the twin reverse lights, thats just a simple/crude wiring loom from the existing reverse light to the other. US cars dont have the fog light wired so they have twin reverse from factory.

[RedRobin]

Eeh, we could do inner LED foglamp functionality I suppose. There's no reason we cannot, it's just that the discussion I had with Chris we agreed on the "normal" and "brake" functionality. I'll have a chat with him again on Monday.

....Chris did say he'd forgotten to mention to you I wanted 2 fogs if possible.

Chris's controller, from what I can tell, is a proper electronic device capable of decoding analogue voltage levels sent to it by the car's control system. No bleed resistors here :S that doesn't strike me as a particularly nice solution, it's rather crude.

....Then I think that's something more for you to discuss with him.  

[cmdrfire]

Chris's controller, from what I can tell, is a proper electronic device capable of decoding analogue voltage levels sent to it by the car's control system. No bleed resistors here :S that doesn't strike me as a particularly nice solution, it's rather crude.

....Then I think that's something more for you to discuss with him.  

I'm waiting for Chris to email me the datasheet on the controller  As I understand, it's an OEM part used on some other cars that accepts an analogue input from the car and outputs an appropriate voltage.

[RedRobin]

I'm waiting for Chris to email me the datasheet on the controller   As I understand, it's an OEM part used on some other cars that accepts an analogue input from the car and outputs an appropriate voltage.

....I'm not sure he has your email. Best to txt him your E addy?

[cmdrfire]

I have done already!

[parks]

Am I right in thinking that you are hoping to sell these as uk spec?

[JamboV6]

All i want is twin rings, not interested in 2 reverse lights, indicators or fogs

[daboy3000]

This loks great.

I have had a look about but I can't find where to buy the lights? Could you point me in the right direction?

 If I can find some I will be looking to you guys to get them legal. 

[RedRobin]

Am I right in thinking that you are hoping to sell these as uk spec?

....No. A couple of us are wanting to modify our existing Valeo LED tail lights and a few others have expressed interest in doing the same. After solving how to do it for ourselves we might (according to how complicated or labour intensive it gets) offer to modify other people's units if they send them to us. They will be UK spec so that they pass MOT and are road legal. Not interested in any other result.

[RedRobin]

@ Neo and Lee:

Have spoken again to Chris and he thinks that the "relay interface" he's got (towing thingy box I mentioned earlier) doesn't need VCDS and he pointed out that its wires are capable of handling 3 or 12 volts through the same wire. He's got experience of using this relay interface box.

His next move is to email you, Neo, with the info you've discussed. (Yes, he has your email - My bad).

So far, so good and I'll keep up my job of coordinating and chasing so it all happens. Lee, we know you're willing and able and waiting in the wings if we need your input, mate.

[RedRobin]

.
Now seems as good a time as any to start a provisional list of folks interested in modifying the inner units of their Valeo's. This will give us a clue about quantity of PCB's Neo gets produced.

Please copy and add your name if seriously interested at this stage.

1 - RedRobin
2 - cmdrfire
3 -

[Gti_Mad]

i would be intrested robin if you could point me in the right direction 2 buy the lights

[RedRobin]

i would be intrested robin if you could point me in the right direction 2 buy the lights

....daboy3000 is also interested to source the Valeo lights and probably thinks I'm ignoring him. I best do a search and post up the info. Back soon...........

[cmdrfire]

@ Neo and Lee:

Have spoken again to Chris and he thinks that the "relay interface" he's got (towing thingy box I mentioned earlier) doesn't need VCDS and he pointed out that its wires are capable of handling 3 or 12 volts through the same wire. He's got experience of using this relay interface box.

His next move is to email you, Neo, with the info you've discussed. (Yes, he has your email - My bad).

So far, so good and I'll keep up my job of coordinating and chasing so it all happens. Lee, we know you're willing and able and waiting in the wings if we need your input, mate.

I know the controller does not require VCDS itself, but it may be necessary to set it so that both reverse lights work. Not sure, I'll wait 'til I've seen the datasheet and had a good look-over and seen the functionality.
Please bear in mind that it may be a little while before we get these - We've got to look at what sort of data we have to work with, I've got to design and lay out the PCBs, then we will get some one- or two-off prototypes made and assembled (which will probably be fairly expensive, maybe £50/side as a rough guess as there'll be machining work to be done etc). After that they need to be tested off the car, then on the car, and make sure all the functionality works as intended. After that we can got to a batch PCB house in China and get a whole bunch made for everyone, that will be a much more reasonable cost but the downside is that the batch processing will take some time (IIRC used to be 14-30 days, but may be less now).
After they come back, they'll have to be assembled, and tested, and then (being an auto engineer) I think I'd insist on a conformal coat to protect them, btu that shouldn't take too long.

The end goal will be for some inner tail LEDs that will be reasonably priced, built to near-automotive standard, and capable of a variety of functionality - "normal" operation (on with sidelights/dipped lights), brake functionality (if desired), and fog-lamp functionality (if desired) with the two inner filament lamps being used for reversing lights. No point messing about with half-assed fixes and electronics that will break over time.