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Thread: front light strip resistors?

  1. #1
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    front light strip resistors?

    I'm going over my front light strips, that have the daytime running light, the signal light and the corner light... there appears to be some melting going on, there are two white boxes in the wiring harness, are they resistors? what do the do? the housings are cracked, I'm epoxying them, and the wiring is brittle and some insulation is stripped, i'd like to replace things, but don't know what to do about the hot white boxes.

  2. #2
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    From the inside edge you have - FTP flashers (used as main beams in the Euro versions), sidelights (in Canada this bulb is also used for DLR's - the bulb is a two-element type, one for sidelights, one for DRL) - and finally, at the outside edge are the indicators:



    As you have a couple of boxes I guess that someone has fitted LED's that require external regulators. More info here:

    https://www.meeknet.co.uk/E31/E31_FTP_Improvements.htm

    https://www.meeknet.co.uk/E31/BMW_E3...in_the_FTP.htm
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  3. #3
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    I've never replaced any of the bulbs, so haven't checked the bulbs...I do run smoke coloured covers over the lenses, so I'm losing any performance gains of the LEDS...

    All I'm worried about is the heat from the resistors, i'll reinsulate the bare wires etc, and go from there...

  4. #4
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    radlaw is offline SoCalEights Member BMW CCA Member
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    Replace the FTP harnesses. Get rid of any LED's. Go with the stock lights.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by radlaw View Post
    Replace the FTP harnesses. Get rid of any LED's. Go with the stock lights.
    Just to alleviate the heat issue? or something else? If I can find stock harnesses at a wrecker it would be easy, putting it back from what it is now, using the existing isn't easy, since I don't know what the original configuration was...I can use a wiring diagram, but the harnesses have been cut and pasted....

  6. #6
    radlaw's Avatar
    radlaw is offline SoCalEights Member BMW CCA Member
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    I believe new harnesses are available.

  7. #7
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    They are - but more expensive than the light strip itself!
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  8. #8
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    There was a resistor in the turn signal circuit, with a two element 1157 bulb. I have a rapid blink signal now, all bulbs front and rear are ok, so I think the resistor is gone. Should this have dual circuits? or just a single 7506 bulb?

  9. #9
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    It's a single element in the Euro lights (and for ROW as well AFAIK) - check all three bulbs for each side of the indicators - I bet at least one is an LED....
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timm View Post
    It's a single element in the Euro lights (and for ROW as well AFAIK) - check all three bulbs for each side of the indicators - I bet at least one is an LED....

    The centre light had an LED, I've cut out the resistors( they were in parallel) taped up the wires, and put normal bulbs in. See new thread about the fast blinker I have...that I had when this started, I thought is was a bad resistor...but it's not...
    Last edited by Sundancer; 08-10-2018 at 09:31 AM.

  11. #11
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    The center bulb is a 2-element bulb, but not a 1157. It’s a P21/5W. They are different.

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