Car headlight into house lamp

[Mandalore]

Hello everyone.

I have found this forum as I'm looking to turn a headlight unit (as no one seems interested in taking it off my hands) into a lamp. My problem is I haven't got a scooby on where to start - google search landed me here but it seems either the OP had more knowledge than me or it was a simpler job because the light in question was old enough hence didn't need multiple adaptors in order to work.
The headlight in question is from a Tesla Model S, and has two plugs, and I don't know how they're called or what they do (ie if I'd need both for what I need to do).
The headlight has three functions,

DRL (which is LED)
Turn signal (which is LED)
Main headlight (which is xenon)

My understanding of what I need to do is at least get a 240v to 12v adaptor (and one powerful enough to have full functionality presumably)
I'd also have to get something to be able to toggle between the three functions as well as turn the light on/off.

Attached are pictures of the plugs, as well as the headlight. Any and all pointers would be most welcome

PS: the xenon light mentions input of 13.2 VDC NOM and output 25W @ 40 VAC. However the headlight unit (as can also be seen in one of the attached pictures) has markings on (I believe) the wattage required for each function, and the highest one is 65W. Presumably that's the minimum wattage my 240v to 12v converter must output?

 

[Geoff1946]

What are you planning to do with it ? I can't imagine that you want a xenon lamp as a reading light. It's unclear from the pictures if you have the high voltage invertor for the zenon built in there. It's quite a big separate unit on my car.

 

[ipf]

Waste not want not, eh?

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Mandalore, your basic idea is correct, but your Xenon light will also need a ballast unit (£70 ) which is why it says 40v AC.

I have also not looked at the cost (But you will need)
1) Plugs to connect to what you already have.
2) Plugs to connect the ballast unit
3) Suitable switches
4) Suitable enclosure for the ballast unit and switches and power supply
5) Suitable mount for the headlight itself
6) Flasher unit for indicator
7) Wiring diagram to show how each plug should be connected.

It may sound an interesting project, but the more you look into it, the more expensive it becomes.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Just for your considerations of your proposed project..
Bit of info about car headlamp ballasts..
https://www.powerbulbs.com/blog/2016/10/what-does-a-hid-ballast-do

 

[binky]

I would forget the existing lamps, far too bright, and just modify it to a 1W led lamp if some sort.

 

[Mandalore]

What are you planning to do with it ? I can't imagine that you want a xenon lamp as a reading light. It's unclear from the pictures if you have the high voltage invertor for the zenon built in there. It's quite a big separate unit on my car.

Presumably that's one of the two things in the following pictures. The headlight is fully functional and plug in a play in the car (not so in the house )





The main beam is a nice to have really as a gimmick (but then again this whole project is). As you say it will be too bright for anything other than the wow factor when people first see it. The DRL alone is more than enough for lighting purposes in a room, they're bright enough to navigate at ~5mph on the road. Turn signal equally is a nice to have as with the main beam, I do not plan to use it for practical reasons but thought, when in Rome...

If it is overly complex or expensive I'd stick to just making the DRL work, but currently trying to get an idea of what each option would entail.

Mandalore, your basic idea is correct, but your Xenon light will also need a ballast unit (£70 ) which is why it says 40v AC.

I have also not looked at the cost (But you will need)
1) Plugs to connect to what you already have.
2) Plugs to connect the ballast unit
3) Suitable switches
4) Suitable enclosure for the ballast unit and switches and power supply
5) Suitable mount for the headlight itself
6) Flasher unit for indicator
7) Wiring diagram to show how each plug should be connected.

It may sound an interesting project, but the more you look into it, the more expensive it becomes.

Got the ballast and it's within the the headlight already which is #4 half done.
Re: plugs, the headlight only has two, hence would think I only need the two maximum. I'm investigating separately on seeing if one is for communication (so the light knows which function to use) and the other for power - have an inkling the communication bit will be the trickier one of the whole project.
For #6 I wasn't thinking of having an actual flashing effect, rather than just a simple permanent on/off, same with the other two functions (at least for starters, might get greedy later if I sort out the rest of it).

I would forget the existing lamps, far too bright, and just modify it to a 1W led lamp if some sort.

I might in fact go with that and only power the existing DRL, depending on how expensive it will become.

 

[Geoff1946]

Simplest approach is perhaps to strip most of the existing wiring out, put an led lamp in the main beam, forget about the car type connectors, and just wire the lamps to three switches and a suitable psu.