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Thread: DIY: Central dome lighting with diodes from E39 to be installed in E36

  1. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Yes, you’re right.
    btw... how is your front pdc doing?
    That is next in the list but been busy around dome lights and some other minor things.
    That is how I did the E39 dome light but was not sure if every time the front center light is on should also the rear interior lights turn on?
    Will post some pictures of my work later.

  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by M3C View Post
    Regarding the BRN-RED wire....what is the purpouse of this wire, does it provide 12V every time when the center front light is on?
    Can you please clarify?
    brown/red...or you mean gray/red?

    Well just to be sure, gray/red is the interior +12v light feed, that is behind the dimmer. So all light connected to this go on with the interior light and will react to the dash dimmer.
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  3. #53
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    Would this install be for ANY e36?

  4. #54
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    except cabrio... they have thinner lamp.

  5. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Yesterday I made this... now I need to compare what looks better in the car.


    Hi dancerst, would you please let me know how did you fit leds to E36 dome light? Perhaps a photo w/o cover can be enough. And do you use E39 dome light or this one now?
    Last edited by Mert E36; 08-05-2011 at 05:49 PM.

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mert E36 View Post
    Hi dancerst, would you please let me know how did you fit leds to E36 dome light? Perhaps a photo w/o cover can be enough. And do you use E39 dome light or this one now?



    I use E36 dome light, but maybe go back to E39, don’t know yet, they both looks good.

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    I use E36 dome light, but maybe go back to E39, don’t know yet, they both looks good.

    Thanks for response. In my opinion E36 dome light has better visual. But E39 one touch buttons are attractive
    Last edited by Mert E36; 08-05-2011 at 06:52 PM.

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mert E36 View Post
    Thanks for response. In my opinion E36 dome light has better visual. But E39 one touch buttons are attractive
    And also E39 lamp has more light, cause it has a reflective surface inside and 10W side bulbs instead of 5W in E36 lamp.

  9. #59
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    Doesn't the E36 dome light have a 10W bulb as well? That's what I remember, and what my owner's manuals claim. The E39 dome light does have better inner reflectors, and I also like the buttons!
    Last edited by johnf; 08-09-2011 at 03:15 PM.

  10. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnf View Post
    Doesn't the E36 dome light have a 10W bulb as well? That's what I remember, and what my owner's manuals claim. The E39 dome light does have better inner reflectors, and I also like the buttons!
    Did you read my previous post carefully? I was talking about side bulbs only! The central bulb in E36 is 10W by default.

  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Did you read my previous post carefully?
    Apparently not. It's been a long day.

  12. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnf View Post
    Apparently not. It's been a long day.


    I replaced 5W side bulbs with 10W - works fine, they produce not to much heat to melt the cover.

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    That's good to know. I'd like to put the reading lights on a load-sensing timer so that they will give, say, 15 minutes of light at any time without turning on the ignition. That will have to be a project for next summer.

  14. #64
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    I've just done it by using E39 diodes on E36 interior light.








  15. #65
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    Nice work! Congrats!

  16. #66
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    very good tutorial

  17. #67
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    Ok! I really need help! I have the E39 lamp. I have cut and soldered the points to the best of my knowledge. At this point I need put into very simple terms where to put the wires together. Also, I dont understand the part about finding a wire inside the car I need more specifics please. here is the diagram. please if you can, look it over, and let me know what number to what number.

  18. #68
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bianca98 View Post
    Ok! I really need help! I have the E39 lamp. I have cut and soldered the points to the best of my knowledge. At this point I need put into very simple terms where to put the wires together. Also, I dont understand the part about finding a wire inside the car I need more specifics please. here is the diagram. please if you can, look it over, and let me know what number to what number.
    First the numbers (or pins) for E36 in your picture are wrong...they should be by pin numbers:
    E36:
    1. violet/white...12V for map lights
    2. red/white...12V center button
    3. brown/black...12V door open
    4. brown...ground
    5. brown/red...12V output when c. light is on
    6. ...not used

    Now have to ask did you modify the E39 light or you want to use it as is and most likely cause electric problems in your E36.

    E39:
    1. violet/white...map lights
    2. brown...ground
    3. ...
    4. gray/red... leds
    5. red/blue... door open
    6.brown/red...light on when center button is pushed

    Someone please correct me on E39 pins because I am not 100% positive.

    I did this mod few months ago as per instructions on initial posts and about to mount it now. Just have done it slightly different.
    Will post pictures later.

  19. #69
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    I almost forgott about pictures so took some now.
    Pictures as I promised...all done from E39 M5 light and all the functions operable as in E36 M3 light, nothing missing plus the ambient orange leds are now extra, also iluminated buttons (warning!! do not attempt this at home).

    I have removed the headlining so this is in the mounting process now with the rest of headlining projects.
    Thanks to all who contributed, I could not have done without your help.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  20. #70
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    Ha I like the lit buttons. Did you modify the switches themselves, as on the E38/E39 they are momentary (sp?) swicthes in stead of the simple make/break contact ones we have.

    In that last pic, I don't see the 2 ambient leds lit, only the button lights?
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  21. #71
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    What I was really looking for is someone to say, "ok you need to put #1 to #6..." And so fourth.

    I just don't get which goes to which one.

  22. #72
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    MParaller,
    switches have been modified to work as on/off instead of momentary.
    The 3rd picture shows only iluminated buttons with ambient leds and lights off. Will post more pics when mounted back in the car.

    Bianca98,
    I di try to help you by describing pins for E36 and E39 on my previous post.
    If you see the same names you just connect the wires together, for example map lights with map light, ground with ground etc.
    If you do not see names matching this indicates you can not wire them together because they have to be modified.
    How to modify please read the earlier posts from dancerst and others.

  23. #73
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    Ok, honestly, Im doing my best here guys. I think i thought this would be a straight forward, "cut here, tape here, and yer done" job, but there is just a little more going on here than I understand. That said. I got some connections figured out and need just a little more clarification. I have

    violet/white to red/yellow(brownish on mine) and that is as you say the 12v for map lights
    brown/black to red/blue which is the door open signal
    Brown/red to brown/yellow which is the 12v for center button when on
    Brown to brown which is the ground

    That leaves one open wire on each side.

    so, the red white on the E36 harness is supposed to go to the pin 3 ?INSIDE? the lamp, as in I need to run a bit of wire back to the inside where there was solder work?

    and the gray/red on the E39 harness which is the illumination for the LEDs or ambient lighting (the whole reason for doing this, haha) and that has to go to the illumination wire for the sunroof switch? I have taken a photo of that as well if you can point that out to me as well, please! I really want to put my car back together.



    So pin3 is in the lower right of these pin points, correct?



  24. #74
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    I have just applied E39 diodes in E36 dome light second time for my friend's coupe..




    Uploaded with ImageShack.us

  25. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by dancerst View Post
    Hi...
    Once I’ve been looking at the web page where MParallel shows his upgraded central dome lighting (E36 conv.) with the diodes from E39....

    I decided to do differently.

    That’s how I’ve done this.
    ————————————————————————————————

    central lamp from E39


    take off front cover


    from the back side unclick inside (black) part and push it out


    this is that part we gonna work with



    take off the central switch


    now we need to do some cuts and do some soldering.
    before and after photos



    put the wire for power doides into connector (grey-red wire)


    solder together connector from E39 lamp and from your E36 lamp

    now more ditailed what to solder:
    1 VIO-WHT to RED-YELL (+12V hot in ACC and start)
    2 RED-WHT extand and put it to pin 3 in the lamp(+12V hot at all time)
    3 BRN-BLK к RED-BLU (open door signal)
    4 BRN to BRN (ground)
    5 BRN-RED to BRN-YELL (to make the lamp light when push the central button)

    then we put the button on it’s place and assemble everything else
    slightly correct the lamp housing with a file or knife


    in the car we need to find only one wire (GRY-RED)
    if you have sliding roof, you likely find this wire on the roof switch, you should connect to this wire and put in the central lamp connector in the car








    video on youtube


    Can you please clarify which two pins to solder because I see five pins. Also can you clarify where you soldered the ground to? It's hard to see in those pictures. Thanks!

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