Valeo LED Mk5 Tail Lights Modification....

[RedRobin]

^^^^
I'm with you on the quality kick, Neo 

[edd666999]

Give me some wires twisted together wrapped in electrical tape anyday! Haha

[Neimad]

Quick question: would one still need to do the lens-swap on the Valeo lights to make them RHD compatible before this mod was done or does this mod negate the lens-swap?

[RedRobin]

Quick question: would one still need to do the lens-swap on the Valeo lights to make them RHD compatible before this mod was done or does this mod negate the lens-swap?

....Depending on if you want the same reverse+fog arrangement as stock (centre lenses). If so, you'd have to swop only the inner lenses (simple to do) because of the Valeo's being supplied ex factory for European lefthand drive.

However, I'm hoping to twin my reversing lenses and give the new LEDs the rear fog function via increased intensity to MOT standard.

[apollo13]

Or....

You can have twin clear lenses and use a red bulb behind the one on the right for your fog light.

The red aspect of the fog light is just a red piece of plasic infront of a clear lense, once removed it looks the same as the reverse light side.

[RedRobin]

The red aspect of the fog light is just a red piece of plasic infront of a clear lense, once removed it looks the same as the reverse light side.

....Goodee! That's confirmed what I thought - You can have both centre lenses clear, both with 'white' lights and hence twin reversing lights.

The rear fogs can then be red LEDs at the appropriate MOT intensity.

Thanks, Lee 

[apollo13]

Yes thats right Robin.

IMO after connecting the inners up to perform fog functions I would stick with the normal fog light, albeit a red bulb behind a clear lense.

The trouble is where the inners were not designed to have LEDs in them there is no extra reflectors like in the outers which makes them quite hard to see in daylight.

During the day you can only see a ring of red dots not a full circle like the outers. The extra reflectors in the outers give out more light as they bounce it around.

I have tried increasing the intensity with VCDS but its not that thats the problem its just the lack of reflection.

At night its a different story as the back of the car looks like christmas tree 

[RedRobin]

Yes thats right Robin.

IMO after connecting the inners up to perform fog functions I would stick with the normal fog light, albeit a red bulb behind a clear lense.

The trouble is where the inners were not designed to have LEDs in them there is no extra reflectors like in the outers which makes them quite hard to see in daylight.

During the day you can only see a ring of red dots not a full circle like the outers. The extra reflectors in the outers give out more light as they bounce it around.

I have tried increasing the intensity with VCDS but its not that thats the problem its just the lack of reflection.

....Just so I understand this correctly (my fault, not yours):

- Where you say inners you're referring to the Valeo units mounted on the boot lid.

- Where you say outers you're referring to the Valeo units mounted on the bodywork.

So consequently it's not possible to achieve enough red LED intensity for the inner's rings to legally function as rear fogs.

So I couldn't achieve both twin rear fogs and twin reversers?

[apollo13]

Yes Robin, your understanding of my description of inners and outers is correct 

Im not saying they won't/can't meet the required output and did'nt have my car M.O.T'd with them in that configuration but to my untrained eye they did'nt look brighter (or as bright) as the brake lights in the outers in the daylight.

I don't think its because of the LED's themselves its just the lack of reflection in the inners.

[RedRobin]

@ Lee aka apollo13:

I'll have a word with Chris about the rear fog possibilities - I know he's already consulted his friendly MOT contact. Btw, he told me today that he had the info ready for Neo and just needs to email it.

[cmdrfire]

Looking forward to getting it 

[JamboV6]

Yes thats right Robin.

IMO after connecting the inners up to perform fog functions I would stick with the normal fog light, albeit a red bulb behind a clear lense.

The trouble is where the inners were not designed to have LEDs in them there is no extra reflectors like in the outers which makes them quite hard to see in daylight.

During the day you can only see a ring of red dots not a full circle like the outers. The extra reflectors in the outers give out more light as they bounce it around.

I have tried increasing the intensity with VCDS but its not that thats the problem its just the lack of reflection.

At night its a different story as the back of the car looks like christmas tree 

What about adding something in the inners to reflect the light around better, is there any space inside to add a piece of reflector lense over the silver reflector to match the outers

[apollo13]

Its the depth of the inners, they are much shallower than the outers.

In the outers the LED rings are deep in the body of the light itself surrounded by a mirror like reflector.

[RedRobin]

What about adding something in the inners to reflect the light around better, is there any space inside to add a piece of reflector lense over the silver reflector to match the outers

....I fear that even if there was room it would look somewhat homemade and what's taking a long time to sort out would take even longer!

[RedRobin]

IMO after connecting the inners up to perform fog functions I would stick with the normal fog light, albeit a red bulb behind a clear lense.

The trouble is where the inners were not designed to have LEDs in them there is no extra reflectors like in the outers which makes them quite hard to see in daylight.

During the day you can only see a ring of red dots not a full circle like the outers. The extra reflectors in the outers give out more light as they bounce it around.

I have tried increasing the intensity with VCDS but its not that thats the problem its just the lack of reflection.

At night its a different story as the back of the car looks like christmas tree 

....Perhaps the important question is how these twinned LED rear fogs on the inner units would look in fog.

I've spoken to Chris and passed on your thoughts on this but he nonetheless currently feels very confident that what he's doing will satisfy MOT foglight requirements and without any need for VCDS. We'll see. He will contact you if/when he feels you can help, Lee.

Meanwhile I can report that Chris and cmdrfire (Neo) are communicating with each other to progress the mod. I'm sorry this is taking time but those involved all have busy jobs to fit this around. I'm continuing to play my role of keeping everyone focussed and rolling.