Category: Build Updates

SKBOWE V2 is SOLD OUT!

All 100 SKBOWEv2 units have shipped! Sorry, I do not have plans to produce more at this time. You may contact me if you are interested in a notification if they become available again. Sorry if you missed it, but I was upfront about the quantity being limited to 100!

So what should I do?

You could build the circuit yourself, as it is an open source design… But if that isn’t an option, per the Retrofit Guide, a relay harness is the only safe way to retrofit. Unfortunately you won’t get factory bulb-failure functionality (either always on without resistors, or always off with them).

SKBOWE Stats

  • 100 units sold
  • 0 units returned in 83.1 years of car-install time (30330 days, and counting)
  • 100% testbench pass rate (no defective during manufacturing!)

Where did they go?

About 3/4 went to the US (expected, due to extremely expensive shipping & tariffs abroad), the rest to basically Europe:

  • USA – 73
  • UK/Great Briton – 7
  • Netherlands – 7
  • Ireland – 3
  • Canada – 3
  • Poland – 2
  • Germany – 2
  • Estonia – 1
  • Finland – 1
  • Sweden – 1

Kinda bummed none went down under 🙁

In the USA:

  • VA – 9 (some local)
  • CA – 6
  • NY, CO – 5 each
  • WA, PA, FL – 4 each
  • TX, TN, MI, MA, GA – 3 each
  • UT, OR, OH, ME, CT, AL – 2 each
  • WI, RI, NE, NC, MD, KS, IN, IL – 1 each

 

Batch 3 Sold Out – Batch 4 In Production

The last of Batch 3 sold out today, so I have opened SKBOWE Batch 4 up for preorders, estimated ship date is October 15th 2018, though they may ship before that if I can find time to finish them. The boards are populated, but they need to be potted and get the harness & connectors. This will be the last batch, since I am out of PCBs, enclosures, and 9005 connectors. Get them while you can!

One Year Anniversary

That’s right, we are coming up on the one-year anniversary of the SKBOWE pre-order with 70 units sold and a total of 15,535 car-days (estimated) installed! To celebrate, the remainder of Batch 3 has been discounted to the pre-order price ($99)! Batch 4 later this year will be the last production run, so get yours while you still can.

SKBOWE Batch 3 Ready to Ship

Of 25 units potted so far in Batch3, 12 have sold, and 13 are ready to ship! There are still two AL Gen2 bi-xenon pigtails available as well.

There are another 17 units of PCB assemblies ready for potting, but without an ETA on when they will be finished, they are being pushed to Batch4.

SKBOWE Batch 4 is ready to pot

When these are complete, I am waiting on 8 units worth of capacitors which are backorder until Mid-April, to round out all 100 SKBOWEs.  Based on average monthly sales, total remaining inventory should cover until October or November. After that, the future of the SKBOWE project is uncertain…

Batch 3 In Production

Batch 3 is on schedule for Feb 15 ship date! Building 40 sets this time, which leaves 10 sets worth of parts left in Batch 4 to experiment with different designs or for custom orders (harnesses, DRLs, etc).

Batch 3 – 80x PCBs fully assembled

Some fun stats about 40 sets of SKBOWE (80 units):

  • 320 wires cut, 640 stripped, 400 soldered
  • 400 capacitors + 240 diodes + 80 resistors = 1440 leads soldered
  • 80 heatsinks cut and bent, 80 enclosures notched, 80 covers taped
Bending the heatsinks for batch 3

After stuffing the enclosures (heat wire, form wires, tape wires, then test-fit heatsink and insulator), it’s time to mix up some potting compound.

Stuffing enclosures, prepping covers

Then each one gets a thin layer of compound, board goes back in, another layer of compound, cover gets glued and goes on, then the whole thing gets wrapped with electrical tape to compress it. Once all of them are done, into the oven for 2 hours at 165F.

Baking the first potting pour of Batch 3

I ran out of ABS cement (more on order) so for now there are 11 (so the 9 pre-orders will go out on time).

Stay tuned for more updates!

SKBOWE Batch 2 Sold Out, Batch3 open for Pre Order

Batch 2 Sold Out!

Wow! Hard to believe but all 50 of the original Batch 1 / Batch 2 SKBOWEs have sold in just 6 months. They have shipped all over the US, as well as Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Netherlands. While there were 16 units in the initial pre-order, sales have been stronger than I expected, averaging 6 units/month from August onwards.

Batch 3 / 4 open for Pre Order

It’s sad to see the bin empty, and thinking of the stories that I have heard I can’t let it stay that way – so I have decided to go ahead and order parts for another 50 SKBOWEv2. Again, some the capacitors are backordered so there will be a Batch 3 shipping in February and Batch 4 shipping some time after that. The pre-order is open now if you want to guarantee yourself a set.

Looking Forward

The original SKBOWE business plan called for 100 units total, and at this time it looks like Batch 4 will be the last of SKBOWE v2. There are several ideas for features to SKBOWEv3, such as a removable harness and a DRL detector, but the design is still tentative. I guess for now, you’ll just have to wait and see!

AL Gen2 Projector Pigtails in Volvo OEM Colors

I found the connectors that AL use on their bi-xenon projector solenoid control boards (Mouser #571-2-1718346-1 and #571-965906-1-CT) and ordered a few to make pigtails that connect the high beam solenoid into the factory wiring. The OEM connector locks securely into place, and the 12″ (30cm) automotive GXL wire is designed to hold up inside of the headlight housing. Wire is color-coded to match factory wires (yellow = +12, brown = ground) to ensure correct polarity and not look out of place inside of the housing.

AL (OEM) Salvaged Projectors

Image of projector pigtails in brown and yellow wiring
Custom made Volvo OEM color AL projector bi-xenon solenoid controller PCB pigtails.

Most used (salvaged) projectors come with short (cut pigtails) of various colors or no harness at all. I have never seen a set in yellow and brown, the wire colors used in the Volvo headlight housing for the 9005 high-beam connector.

If you want to wire up a projector retrofit without using messy splitters, I am selling these for $20 shipped (Priority Mail) to the US, or $12 with your SKBOWE order (just contact me first!) anywhere. Each order comes with a pair (2x) of 12″ GXL pigtails and four (4x) 4″ black zip-ties to match the OEM internals. You will need to provide insulated butt-style (if you cut-and-splice) or 9005 female (join inside of the high-beam connector) crimps – see this post for details.

Replica Projector Pigtails

Replicas use the same connector but a different pinout: the yellow wire is on the center (pin 2) rather than on the end (pin 1). All new replica projectors come with pigtails, usually white (+12) and black (ground). These will work fine, but if you want to go for a 100% OEM look, you can order a set of these color matched pigtails and swap the pin across. It is pretty easy to swap the pin over using a jewelers screwdriver. Or let me know first and I’d be glad to do it for you.