Dimming control on Angel Eyes?

I just installed my Predator Chromiums this week, and everything looks great (pics to come soon). But I can't help but wonder what they would look like at about 25-50% brightness, to give it more of an OEM look (in brightness, not the color). Is it possible to hook up a dimming switch to adjust the brightness to whatever I want? Has anyone attempted this?

i do not believe so however you might have better luck looking in the lighting forums and searching there as its more specific to what your asking.

you could have bought the 4300 angel eyes and they better match the oem

I don't think a dimmer would work on a CCFL tube like angel eyes. Trying to use a dimmer would keep the halo from lighting up completely or maybe even at all.

Originally Posted by mcr_driver

i do not believe so however you might have better luck looking in the lighting forums and searching there as its more specific to what your asking.

I tried, and also did a search across the entire forum, but found nothing linking a dimmer to angel eyes.

Originally Posted by 330i ZHP

you could have bought the 4300 angel eyes and they better match the oem

Although I do like the amber/yellow look of the OEM angel eyes, I'm quite happy with the 6000k color. I'm not so much concerned with the color as the brightness.

Originally Posted by DwrdSpyrl

I don't think a dimmer would work on a CCFL tube like angel eyes. Trying to use a dimmer would keep the halo from lighting up completely or maybe even at all.

The only reason I thought it might work is that when I lock my car, the angel eyes dim down to about half brightness and then turn off. I suppose I could do some research on CCFLs in general to find out for sure.

Thank you guys for your input.

Originally Posted by relentlessone

I tried, and also did a search across the entire forum, but found nothing linking a dimmer to angel eyes.



Although I do like the amber/yellow look of the OEM angel eyes, I'm quite happy with the 6000k color. I'm not so much concerned with the color as the brightness.



The only reason I thought it might work is that when I lock my car, the angel eyes dim down to about half brightness and then turn off. I suppose I could do some research on CCFLs in general to find out for sure.

Thank you guys for your input.

Looks like you might have to be the guinea pig, but like you said, theoretically I see no reason why you can't because they dim on and off, which I am assuming is done only my increasing/decreasing the power output (if I used the wrong term sorry, I am no electrician).

I wonder if you could use a resistor to reduce the power going to the angel eyes.

Originally Posted by Wes328i

Looks like you might have to be the guinea pig, but like you said, theoretically I see no reason why you can't because they dim on and off, which I am assuming is done only my increasing/decreasing the power output (if I used the wrong term sorry, I am no electrician).

I wonder if you could use a resistor to reduce the power going to the angel eyes.

Haha looks like I might have to be...the resistor idea isn't bad one either, though I don't know much about electricity and don't want to modify my angel eyes to the point where it could cause damage.

I've been googling this subject to death and finally thought that maybe I should go to the source. On umnitza's website their Angel Eye FAQ states that the Predator Chromiums CAN be dimmed!

Could someone from Umnitza maybe jump in here and tell me how this is done and what I will need? Most importantly, will this hurt them at all?

I just keep laughing at this because it seems that the angel eyes are marketed as being brighter than ever, and I just want them dimmer, haha.

lower k rating=dimmer

4300-closer to oem color, not so white, dimmer than 6 k.

6000-white/bright

8000-purple/blue-even brighter

works just like the kelvin scale for headlights. the higher you go the brighter they get.

^ The higher you get after a certain point, the less output you get.

ORION

Maybe you could try the older LED style angel eyes??

Originally Posted by T330

ORION

Originally Posted by MatthewLFD

Maybe you could try the older LED style angel eyes??

Thanks guys but I'm trying to dim the angel eyes I just bought.

Send 'em an e-mail. I bet the solution will be a resistor, but maybe they can tell you what kind, how to install, etc.

Originally Posted by relentlessone

I just installed my Predator Chromiums this week, and everything looks great (pics to come soon). But I can't help but wonder what they would look like at about 25-50% brightness, to give it more of an OEM look (in brightness, not the color). Is it possible to hook up a dimming switch to adjust the brightness to whatever I want? Has anyone attempted this?

Should have gone with DDE Titaniums or Raptors. They're thicker and brighter than Chromiums.

Originally Posted by grnbmr808

lower k rating=dimmer

4300-closer to oem color, not so white, dimmer than 6 k.

6000-white/bright

8000-purple/blue-even brighter

works just like the kelvin scale for headlights. the higher you go the brighter they get.

This is totally false. Kelvin denotes color, not brightness. If anything, the higher the number, the dimmer the light.

Originally Posted by Penguin Koolaid

Should have gone with DDE Titaniums or Raptors. They're thicker and brighter than Chromiums.

I don't want thicker or brighter rings, I want them to be dimmer.

Originally Posted by Owtlaw333

This is totally false. Kelvin denotes color, not brightness. If anything, the higher the number, the dimmer the light.

I thought so too, but I am no expert so I wasn't quick to call them out. I have always read that the higher in Kelvin you go, the more colorful (blue/purple), but the less light output.

I believe the dimming they're talking about is not what you're looking for. CCFLs will fade over time naturally whether you want them to or not. A 3 year old set of Predator Chromiums will be dimmer than a brand new set for example. If you try to dim the CCFLs with a resistor you'll probably get a flicker like a bad fluorescent tube...

Originally Posted by relentlessone

I don't want thicker or brighter rings, I want them to be dimmer.

NM THEN

If you're good with electrical, its cheap, easy, and completely reversible to wire in a rheostat or resistors using a few t-taps. Parts would run under 5 bucks and you'll have a definite answer. My experience with CCFL says that you'll have either flickering or partially illuminated rings, but at that price, it might be worth it to try.

Disclaimer: Don't mess with electrical if you're not sure what you're doing!