Wiring question as I install facelift headlights

[extra]

I'm putting oem facelift headlights on my 2000 540. Since there's an extra bulb (angel eye bulb), what should I wire it into? I've noticed that people who modify their stock pre-facelift lights with aftermarket rings will wire them into the parking lights. When I'm driving with the parking lights on and use the turn indicator, one side will flash. If the angel eye bulb is wired into the parking lights, will the angel eyes flash too (I assume they will.)? What do you recommend I do as far as what I wire where? Thanks in advance.

[extra]

bump - need help with this

[jstern]

I have a 2000 528iT with pre-facelift headlights and aftermarket CCFL AEs. I wired them to turn on with the ignition so they act like DRL. I used a +12 volt always hot wire, and ignition wire and a relay.

I tapped into the battery + terminal on the engine. Some say that there's too much amperage at this wire but I put a 15 amp fuse at the terminal end of the wire (12 gauge) to guard against burning up that wire. You could use one of the wires in the DME box if you want. I'm assuming you have the 20 pin diagnostic port in the engine compartment. There is a purple with white stripe wire that goes to that port. It is an ignition wire. I spliced into that wire to activate the solenoid in the relay.

I did all this about 7 years ago and have had zero problems.

[Stück]

Uh... wires don't have amperage, they carry current... they will only carry what is drawn by the lamp on the circuit.. unless there is a short to ground of course.

A 5w angel eye bulb should pull about 0.36A.

[MacLoGoS]

You can just tap them into the foglight wiring like i did. That way they are on a switch.

[Wojtek79]

Your turn signal has 3 wires going to it. I used that. Kept the turn signal the way it was and spliced into the parking wire

[MacLoGoS]

Your turn signal has 3 wires going to it. I used that. Kept the turn signal the way it was and spliced into the parking wire

This is not entirely true for all cases. My 99 540it only uses 2 wires for the turn signals. Thats why in my case i had to route to foglight harness unless i wanted DRL setup.

[jstern]

Uh... wires don't have amperage, they carry current... they will only carry what is drawn by the lamp on the circuit.. unless there is a short to ground of course.

A 5w angel eye bulb should pull about 0.36A.

Yes, I understand that completely, but, as you say, a short to ground (chaffed wire) would be a problem. I'm not sure that my fuse would even prevent the wire from heating the insulation to the burning point but it's there anyway. Plus the wire is firmly secured so chaffing would be impossible.

Maybe I should have said "too much amperage available at that connection" so as not to cause misunderstanding.

[JaxPlanet]

+1 jstern. Halos on with ignition FTW! Here are two DIYs:
http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/faq...e39-65689.html
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39...eyes-drls.html

[SpeedsterBek]

I'm putting oem facelift headlights on my 2000 540. Since there's an extra bulb (angel eye bulb), what should I wire it into? I've noticed that people who modify their stock pre-facelift lights with aftermarket rings will wire them into the parking lights. When I'm driving with the parking lights on and use the turn indicator, one side will flash. If the angel eye bulb is wired into the parking lights, will the angel eyes flash too (I assume they will.)? What do you recommend I do as far as what I wire where? Thanks in advance.

You should be ok to wire them to parking lights, since parking light/turn signal bulb has 2 filaments (one for turn signal, and other is for parking light) and you need the tap into the latter