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Who wants a Volvo P1 specific, WMM safe, HID Retrofit?

68K views 362 replies 43 participants last post by  Bernie (NoVA) 
#1 · (Edited)
SwedeSpeed P1 (C30, S40, V50, C70) HID Retrofit Index
  1. SKBOWE Plug-and-Play harness for P1 HID conversion (you are here)
  2. Background info, general questions, and share your HID setup <- Non-SKBOWE HID install issues/discussion/WMM kills
  3. KBOWE How-To (Original 2009 Version) build your own PWM filter <- if you want to build your own
  4. Original 2009 investigation and technical discussion on S40 HID issues <- Technical/Engineering discussion on the CEM, PWM, WMM, and alternate designs
  5. ForceFed's E46 D2S Bi-Xenon Projector Retrofit guide
  6. Rewire OEM Bi-Xenon headlights to work on the halogen harness
  7. DRL Disable Alone not enough for safe Aftermarket HID retrofits
  8. LizardOfBodom's EU/RHD Bosch ("E46") Bi-Xenon replica retrofitting writeup + angle eyes + running lights

This thread is for discussion of the SKBOWE PWM filter, a plug-and-play error harness that I developed to help the P1 community with HID retrofits. If you have a question that's not related to the SKBOWE, please see if it fits in one of the other HID threads (above) before posting here or starting a new one.

Lets face it, the OEM halogen headlights in our cars suck. We should all know by now the issues with HID retrofits, and that the DIY solution is not trivial since it takes some soldering and hacks up the CEM harness. I have been PMed dozens of times over the years asking for a better way...

So... I found something really sweet ;) If you are interested in a commercial, plug-and-play (no cut wires!) solution that was designed specifically for Volvo P1 cars (S40, V50, C30, C70) check out:

https://www.skbowe.com/ - Shipping Now! Limited Quantity Remaining

Orders as of October 2017 (82 total): boulderc30, V50toS40, thefisch33, rhags138, persianelf, nhiggins, S40R-by-design, walky_talky20, taskmule, viggen, Puddlepirate56, chrisasdf, Noswal, beachnut, stevien1, evy0311, MJC70, MCRDSM-S40, hq_, et al... *
  • Prototype: #001A (test) #002 (mine), #003 (display unit/open box)
  • Batch 1: #004-#028 CLOSED & SHIPPED (JUL 2017)
  • Batch 2: #029-#050 CLOSED & SHIPPED (DEC 2017)
  • Batch 3: #051-#075 CLOSED & SHIPPED (FEB 2018)
  • Batch 4: #075-#100 - Shipping Now (OCT 2018)
* Don't see your username here? PM me with your SN#



Click here to see SKBOWE Installs!!

rhags138 (007) - Install
mgm7890 (024) - Install + writeup
:thumbup: SirScarFace - Install
:thumbup: Saab - Install

SKBOWEs have shipped all over...

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Useful Snip

For those of you looking for projectors, I put together a reference sheet to help you identify compatible Bosch AL 3-inch "E46" projectors in auctions or at salvage yards:



See the full resolution PDF here: https://www.theeshadow.com/files/volvo/e46/guide/al_projector_guide_v1_web.pdf

You want to look for "Gen 2" projectors, they have the best optics and the wiring is simple. Gen 1 requires a solenoid controller for bi-xenon functionality. All projectors with black plastic rings will fit D2S, the ones with octagon-shaped bulb holders might need a simple modification (bending a small tab) to allow them to take D2S bulbs.

If junkyard hunting and eBay stalking aren't your thing, Nick has been nice enough to hold a few for us:
matched sets of gen 2 projectors... PM if you're interested.
Here are some projector beam patterns:

<a href="https://www.skbowe.com/a/2017/08/01/al-projector-e46-identification-chart-selection-guide-pdf/" target="_blank"><img width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.skbowe.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/al_projectors_hid_cutoffs_sixup_montauge-683x1024.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="" srcset="https://www.skbowe.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/al_projectors_hid_cutoffs_sixup_montauge-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.skbowe.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/al_projectors_hid_cutoffs_sixup_montauge-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.skbowe.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/al_projectors_hid_cutoffs_sixup_montauge-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.skbowe.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/al_projectors_hid_cutoffs_sixup_montauge-1200x1800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px"></a>

SKBOWE install is plug-and-play:
</img>
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Survey Stats as of May 2017: 87 responses, 82 on board.

VENDOR INFORMATION

We need a reliable manufacturer / distributor for high volume manufacturing of a specialized error canceling circuit designed specifically for the Volvo P1 series. A complete validated production ready design is available. If you are a vendor and are interested in taking on this project, please contact me!
 
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#3 ·
filled the google doc. since i already did a projector swap/hid, i'd love a kbowe to ensure wiper motor safety (although, knock on wood the morimoto canbus harness still doing the trick for 2 years now)
 
#5 ·
Yeahhh, projectors are a tough one on that $450 kit idea.
Much as our headlight housings are pretty big, the mounting position for the projector is fairly recessed in the headlight. To use any aftermarket projector with a mounting bracket spells disaster if it's D2S, since, after adding igniters, pretty much every mainstream projector will extend past the back end of the housing lid (especially on facelifts). Push the projector forward to resolve it, and you have to modify the shroud. Keep it in place, you have to grind down the lid. If you have a careful eye, you'll notice the factory bi-xenon headlights have a projector shroud that is ever so slightly longer than the Halogen flavor, sticking out a tiny bit further and allowing the projector/igniter combo to not interfere with the rear cover.

Bi-xenon
Halogen

This is clearly by design, as even with my E46 projectors from a 2015 Mini, the space left over for the igniter is really tight and requires cutting the inside structure of the rear lid for it to fit properly. E46 projectors are (surprisingly) some of the shortest style projectors out there...so even in the best case scenario, some cutting is required if you're running an integrated igniter with no HV wires.

But the issues don't end there. You want to use E46 projectors because it's the simplest solution? Good luck sourcing projectors. That's an Ebay dumpster diving experiment, because AL will not bother looking at your requests to buy parts that aren't in any catalogs, damn near all OEM straight-fit E46s on the internet are never labeled as such, and the replicas you can find on TRS or AliExpress are total garbage.

In other news, survey filled :)
 
#6 ·
Survey Filled.

$300 for new halogen housings (mine are SHOT)
$350 for a harness adapter and HID's
$450 for a harness adapter and everything needed for Projectors
$685 for new housings custom reflectors and LED bulbs

Sadly at this point I am about tempted to put anything better in there than what is there. I even considered CAD'ing out the available space and putting in 2x 5x7 GE Nighthawks and the marker/blinker light and then 3d printing out a new headlight retainer with a more Chevy Aveo look.
 
#7 ·
Wow keep it up guys, 15 responses in under 8 hours! Have any of you C30 folks cross posted yet?

Nick - there was some discussion a while back (2009) with TRS on machining a bracket for their FX-R projector to mate to our housings. With help from Scott and Kyle, as well as Matt from TRS, we actually got pretty far towards getting a bracket speced. It never made it to production, but if they are introducing a Volvo P1 specific KBOWE, it would make sense to cross-sell their in-house FX-Rs. IIRC the FX-R is much shallower than most OEM setups and would allow extra clearance for the igniter. The R&D is online if you're interested, specifically my FX-R drawing and Scott's dimensioning of the Volvo unit are the final product that could be merged into a adapter plate.

Alternately, I'm sure we could find a 2" OD boot to bundle with the kit that could act as the grommet and allow clearance for the ignitor in the cover. Something like this (off a triumph motorcycle headlight):
http://www.steadfastcycles.com/cart/images/hlight.JPG
 
#8 ·
There's a huuuuuge amount of cars which use E46-dimensioned mounting holes, so it would make sense for TRS to make an FXR mounting plate - they can market it as such and see easy widespread use. No idea if it exists or not, but I've seen E46 brackets for the mini D2S floating around so I'm sure it's not that far fetched of an idea.

The FXR's dimensions, however, are no smaller than the E46...in fact it's almost identical in critical dimensions. From tip of lens to mounting point (which is important so that the planoconvex lens is ~flush with the shroud) is 88mm on the FXR, 84mm on the E46. Behind the bracket the FXR is 67mm to the bulb base, the E46 is 64mm. Add in a mounting bracket and the dimensions are more or less the same. Add an igniter and you're interfering with the inner lid structure again - it's tight no matter how you slice it.

Though I'm not a fan of super-flicker sharp cutoffs, the FXR is a fine projector. Anyone who wants to look for E46's on their own can find used, albeit poorly labelled specimens on ebay for $20 or 30 per projector, and I'll take E46 distance and OEM quality over Morimoto any day. If you want lots of width and TRS support, then FXR all the way.

Something I forgot to mention in the previous post which I should bring up here is also the spacing behind the lid (when the lights are mounted) where wires will actually fit. There are power steering pipes butting up against the light on one side, the windshield washer reservoir on the other. The area where you can place a hole in the rear lid is really, really limited, both inside and outside each headlight. My point is that DIYing something is effectively guaranteed. It's not a ton of work, but some end-user measuring, cutting, and potentially epoxying may be required.

If the goal is to avoid the OEM-connector DIY of cutting two wires near the CEM, then I assume it's a corollary that you want to limit the DIY here, too. Some best practices/guidelines would be a good idea, especially if you're going to advocate for low EMI igniters immediately adjacent the bulb.
 
#9 ·
The FXR's dimensions, however, are no smaller than the E46... Add an igniter and you're interfering with the inner lid structure again - it's tight no matter how you slice it.
Good to know. Yep I agree about the tight clearance, but there is at least 1/4" back there. It would have to be worked out for sure, but a drill template + rubber cap would likely do the trick, even if the wires have to come out a separate grommet.

My point is that DIYing something is effectively guaranteed. It's not a ton of work, but some end-user measuring, cutting, and potentially epoxying may be required.

If the goal is to avoid the OEM-connector DIY of cutting two wires near the CEM, then I assume it's a corollary that you want to limit the DIY here, too. Some best practices/guidelines would be a good idea, especially if you're going to advocate for low EMI igniters immediately adjacent the bulb.
Eliminating all DIY isn't the intention - every HID kit requires at least one hole in the headlight cover. I think the main goal is to avoid having to DIY fabricate/solder/test a KBOWE, secondary goal is to avoid having to cut wires.

The complete kit is a stretch for sure, and would have to come from somewhere like TRS. For the record, I'm not advocating for anything except a commercial KBOWE. If we don't get enough interest to entice a manufacturer, at least you'll know how many parts to order ;)
 
#11 ·
Yes, it would be a replacement projector assembly. As Nick explained above, it's a good deal of work to swap projectors without cracking the lens seal. Then there will be some DIY hacking to get the dust cap back on without messing with the alignment. Mostly tedious, with the added difficulty of tight spaces and cooked-brittle plastic.
 
#12 ·
Filled out the survey now make this happen. I'm very interested in either but would prefer the bi-xenon D2S
 
#14 ·
Up to 26 responses - but I feel like the C30 folks could really kick this into high-gear...

@MNIWT - any ideas on how to get that crew involved?

P.S. Happy Holidays!
 
#15 ·
Just putting this here for reference:

Using Vehicle sales stats: https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/corporate/sales-volumes?year=2006&month=11 also numbers on wiki for S40, V50, C30, put together P1 vehicle sales data:

2004 69,164
2005 86,415
2006 160,950
2007 189,554
2008 165,382
2009 134,217
2010 133,925
2011 106,594
2012 69,885

which is like 1.3 million total, on average 20% of that in the US (225k). Full data here (XLSX, 60kb). With average vehicle age around 11 years it is fair to assume 75% of that (165k) are still on the road. This is substantially more than I expected...
 
#17 ·
You can always join C30crew lol. Ill start a thread this weekend.
 
#18 ·
Obviously lol, but I personally would hate it if someone who joined that day with 0 posts starts a new thread out of the blue demanding action, especially if they don't have a C30... So I was thinking it'd be more effective if someone who has been around a while would vouch for the effort over here.
 
#19 ·
I don't have a C30 and I'm a member. Both platforms share many common components plus C30 has more technical information. I also like how the C30 site is setup. But I can see your point - it's worth joining though.
 
#20 ·
#21 ·
Thank you sir, I'm monitoring that thread now. We are up to 38 responses - still a bit short. Might need to start thinking bout doing it ourselves (still interested Nick?)
 
#25 · (Edited)
#26 ·
For the record after sending another email (this time pointing to the hidplanet post) I got back

Jamielle (The Retrofit Source) said:
Thanks for your reply and information! I will forward this onto our COO who deals with this kind of product development and see what he has to say.
Hopefully this will start the wheels turning.
 
#27 ·
57 respondents. If this gets to 100 and TRS hasn't committed I'll build a batch myself....
 
#28 ·
Shameless bump/quick update: So the survey is up to 67 responses, which is pretty darn strong.

TRS haven't gotten back to me in over a week and I'm starting to get concerned. If you have an HID Planet account, it wouldn't hurt to say something inthe thread I started there.

If TRS backs out, I have some alternatives lined up - the downside being that the retrofit/full kits wouldn't be available as a bundle. If there is interest in a kit version (including PCB, capacitors, diodes, enclosure - you add wire, solder, silicone) then I can offer that as a reduced-priced option (~$50 shipped) alongside a pre-assembled/tested version (~$99 shipped).
 
#29 ·
What ever happened to this?
 
#31 ·
My guess is nothing unfortunately
Well, not exactly. I tried to start a Crowd Supply campaign, which looked very promising, but it turns out they don't have manufacturing capabilities (or contacts that have the right setup) which leaves me in the same position as before.

Then, I spent two months working with SparkHID and his OEM in China. All was going well but then they suddenly stopped returning my emails. With any luck, they've ripped off the design and will sell it dirt cheap in the near future :rolleyes: (in all seriousness, I wouldn't be the least bit upset by this outcome)

It's been 6 months and there have been 87 responses (and that's with an aggressive, multi-forum campaign), with only 58 indicating interest. Like I said in the OP, realistically there needs 100+ to have a chance at a place like TRS taking it seriously.

I still think about doing it myself... But at the bare minimum, a batch for 50 cars - that's 100 boxes and ~40 hours of work... Wish I had that sort of free time.
 
#30 ·
My guess is nothing unfortunately
 
#33 ·
I thought I replied in the AFFIRMATIVE way back when this started, but I don't see my entry. So Im saying once again, money is almost no object. the headlights on my 07 V50 are so bad I will not drive the car in unfamiliar territory. they are class action suit BAD! Volvo prides themselves on safety, well they were out to lunch when headlight design was discussed.
 
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