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

60571 Views 362 Replies 43 Participants Last post by  Bernie (NoVA)
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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>
</img>

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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Im in. I can barley see 4 feet in front at night.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
Got mine ordered. Can't wait to retrofit in some e46 projectors and finally be able to see at night.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
Awesome stuff, and moving right along. Ordered some e46 projectors from TRS today. Can't wait for all of this stuff to come in and have some proper night lighting.

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Just want to thank you for doing this for the community Jacob. Just got my shipping confirmation. You put your money where your mouth was and delivered on all promises. THANK YOU.

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Received mine today. Ordering a 35w morimoto ballast and some d2s bulbs this weekend. Also still need to find a dealer to deactivate my DRLs. I know, im slacking.


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No. And I probably was going to do it anyway. Actually, I have a FPS, TCV, and AC clutch to be reshimmed. Its been too damn hot to work on anything lately.

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Yeah, I understand. I'm just forgetful some times and wanted to idiot proof it against myself. Plus, last time my wife left it in II overnight and killed the batt. Anyway, I ordered a cheap Kensun 35w kit from Amazon and it is supposed to arrive tomorrow. So I might install the projectors, and everything else tomorrow night if I can get around to it. Just finished wiring my 30a/240v brew panel today and everything works except the contactor coils. Now I have to troubleshoot that. Ill probably just do the headlights tomorrow though. They are more straight forward and I'm an electrical noob so ill go with the easiest thing first I'm sure. Thank god that these headlight housings come out so easily. Its the 5th straight day with the heat index above 100. Ill take pics and document

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Amazon Prime is pretty awesome. Looks like I know what I am doing now...


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Installed and working. Ill get some nightshots and fine tuning tonight hopefully. Writeup soon to follow......hopefully. I did take pics and document. The only thing left to do is figuring how to splice in the shield actuator for bi-xenon. Thank you for delivering this to the community.


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Yeah, fired right up. I just went with kensun because I have Amazon prime and it had 1 day shipping. I will eventually switch out to morimoto. I just wanted to get it in. It only took less than n hour.....and that was with taking pics.

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The acme reps I got on clearance from TRS are actually pretty good quality so far(time will tell) and came with pre-installed clear lenses.

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Yeah, if I don't find a set I will probably buy one from you

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Just had them temporarily mounted behind the light housing mounts with zip ties. When the morimoto ballasts come later this week, I'll probably mount them in the same spot for now.


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Well, the Morimotos came last night......but my retrofit just got more complicated.


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Heavy rain+hard turn+guardrail-good suspension/too much weight transfer= new bumper cover and pass headlight assembly. Mechanically it seems fine. Hopefully its just cosmetic.

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I've been having weird issues with mine lately. Worked great with a cheap kensun setup (just wanted cheap, quick and dirty.) The kensuns flickered, but still better than stock halogen. Then I got morimoto ballasts and ds2 bulbs. Passenger side worked great. When I swapped out the Kensun kit on the driver side for the morimoto, I got no ignition on the bulb. Swapped everything on the other side to see if it was a bad ballast or igniter, and still no dice. Pop the cheap kensun kit back in and it works fine. Now the passenger side randomly goes out and I get the BOW. Going to resand the ground points and see if it is just a bad ground. Maybe I didn't sand as well as I thought. Hard to tell with a light silver car. It might not even later now though (a little off topic) as I am hearing a loud ratcheting sound under light throttle and am getting jerky acceleration. Off to the shop it goes tomorrow. Worst case scenario I will have a e46, skbowe, morimoto kit for sale and will no longer be a member of the volvo community. The wife has been eyeing the CX-5

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Yeah, everything works fine on the pass side, minus the occasional BOW now. Only the cheap kensun works on the drivers side. I didn't start getting the BOW until I tried to install the other morimoto ballast. Even with the first ballast install, I had to plug/unplug the power input from the ballast several times before it stopped going out after 30sec. I probably just have to fiddle around with it more........after I get the mechanic's diagnosis.


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No, you didn't miss an email. It is in Pos II. It resolved after I fiddled with the ballast a while(5 min) I figured it was just the ballast "learning" the system. Didn't think anything of it until it started happening again after I tried to install the other ballast(I had the kensun on the drivers side and morimoto on the pass side. The kensun still flickered but the morimoto was fine. That was good for 2+ weeks until I tried to install the 2nd morimoto ballast.

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Well, spun bearing....so I guess I will be posting a set up on the classifieds.

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