Advice on DLR Lights

[Majestic]

Hey all,

Living out in the sticks a bit, I am constantly using my lights and forgetting to turn them off. I blame my wife's R31 TI as it has a buzzer to tell me to turn them off and my GQ doesn't. Anyway so I have decided to install some Day Light Running lights, saves the hassle of using the headlights at day altogether. I don't want anything too big or glaring to impact on other drivers they are after all just there to make me a little easier to see. I also want some that are easy to install and doesn't require too much alteration to my bullbar and since I read somewhere you can't have protrusions on your bar the average ones with a bracket won't do. Plus I don't want to cut huge holes into my bullbar to fit those larger ones.

So I have decided to go for some 10W eagle eye LED lights from China. Ebay 10W eagle eye lights link (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10W-12V-LED-Eagle-Eye-Daytime-Running-DRL-Tail-Backup-Car-Motor-4-Color-Light-/271635485650?pt=AU_Lighting_Fans&var=&hash=item3f3ebc93d2)

They are clearly under the 25W and are available in white and yellow that are required by law. They can also be fitted easily with just a hole drilled into the bullbar.
I looked up the regulations, found this a few times on several google searches. I just want to double check it's accurate:


67 Daytime running lights
(1) A pair of daytime running lights may be fitted to a motor
vehicle.
(2) A pair of daytime running lights fitted to a motor vehicle with
4 or more wheels must be fitted with the centre of each light—
(a) at least 600mm from the centre of the other light; and
(b) not over 510mm from the nearer side of the vehicle.
(3) However, a pair of daytime running lights fitted to a motor
vehicle under 1300mm wide may be fitted with the centre of
each light not under 400mm from the centre of the other light.
(4) When on, a daytime running light must—
(a) show a white or yellow light visible from the front of the
vehicle; and
(b) not use over 25W.
(5) Daytime running lights must be wired so they are off when a
headlight, other than a headlight being used as a flashing
signal, is on.
(6) For subsection (3), the width of a motor vehicle is measured
disregarding any anti-skid device mounted on wheels, central
tyre inflation systems, lights, mirrors, reflectors, signalling
devices and tyre pressure gauges.

Also not being that cluey in electrical work, can someone confirm or deny that this is the correct way to wire them up?


Wire it up like so with a 5 pin relay:
(30) 12v main: Accessory wire (spliced into cigarette lighter)
(85) Earth: Car Chassis
(87A) Load on NC circuit: Wired down to DRLs positive
(87) Load on NO Circuit: Not used
(86) Switch Wire: For this I spliced into the blue wire leading to the driver side park lamp.

With this setup, whenever the ACC power is on, the DRLs operate. When the headlights/parkers come on, the circuit gets broken, so the DRLs turn off.

^ If this is correct any other easy options other than to wire it into the cig lighter or stereo? I have my UHF wired into the stereo and I plan to install some usb and an addition cig lighter socket at a later date that I plan to come off the original cig lighter socket wires. So I don't want to put too much onto it if I can avoid it.

I do however have a few additional questions.


With these do I need a relay? I would prefer to use one just for peace of mind. Also what size inline fuse should I use? Should I use one?
Considering they are only small and only 10W would I legally be able to use two per side, a total of four? I am assuming that the 25W is per light/side so if I did use two (one above the other) they would only be 20W each side. If I can and do this, can I wire all four to a single relay like I would if it was a pair of driving lights? Is it worth bothering with 2 per side at all?


Thanks for any advice and help you guys could offer me. Overall I want this safe and legal.

[threedogs]

You could wire them to your parkers and have a toggle switch on the earth wire,
to turn them off when your headlights are on, The toggle could have a LED in the
end of the lever

[Majestic]

You could wire them to your parkers and have a toggle switch on the earth wire,
to turn them off when your headlights are on, The toggle could have a LED in the
end of the lever

Thanks for the response. By law I believe they have to automatically go off when the headlights come on. I want this to be as legal as possible as I have read online on various motoring forums that cops in recent years are keeping an eye out for older vehicles that don't have them fitted as factory standard and some cops even confuse them with fog lights. Having it hooked up correctly to automatically go off would be easy to show any Cop that might pull me over that they are DLR by simply turning on the headlights.

Might not be that much of an issue out here, but when I do go to towns like Sydney and Newcastle it could become a problem if they aren't done legally. :)

[the evil twin]

It is a weird rule like a lot of others but, Yes, aftermarket DRL's must turn off when headlights are on whilst Factory fitted don't (altho most do).

I wouldn't bother with a relay for load as the current flow will be around 2 amps.
You could chage your parkers to LED and then the total current draw for DRL and parkers would be less than with normal incandescent bulbs and no DRL.

You could definitely use a relay for switching if you wanted tho
I wouldn't wire them as per your first post.
Other than the DRL's turning off with "Ign Off" There is no point picking up Accessory power when the switching signal is off the parkers.
You may as well come straight off the parkers with power and use an under bonnet source as switching signal such as the wiper motor to do the same job but much simpler wiring and no need to go into the cabin.
If you want a switch for the DRLs then just run one wire into the cabin in the relay signal earth pin

Note that either of the above methods mean that the DRLs will stay on with the headlights

If you want to comply with ADRs so the DRLs switched automatically with the head lights you can use a second relay that breaks the circuit if the headlights are turned on

Another option which I did on all my GQ's was a headlight reminder buszzer.
A small piezo buzzer from Jaycar or wherever (cost less than $10)
Hook the positive to the low beam wire from the combination switch
Hook the negative to the drivers door courtesy light switch wire
Tuck the piezo up under the fuse panel or drivers kick panel
If you open any door and the headlamps are on then the buzzer sounds
If that gives you the shits you can put a $1 diode in the courtesy light wire so that only the drivers door switch will supply earth to the buzzer

[Majestic]

It is a weird rule like a lot of others but, Yes, aftermarket DRL's must turn off when headlights are on whilst Factory fitted don't (altho most do).

I wouldn't bother with a relay for load as the current flow will be around 2 amps.
You could chage your parkers to LED and then the total current draw for DRL and parkers would be less than with normal incandescent bulbs and no DRL.

Yeah I had already planned on upgrading to LED sometime early next year. I heard you needed one light to remain as standard and many choose the reversing light.


If you want to comply with ADRs so the DRLs switched automatically with the head lights you can use a second relay that breaks the circuit if the headlights are turned on

Yes I want it to comply, better safe than sorry. Plus the whole idea of doing this is so I don't been to remember to flip or turn a switch. How would I go about wiring this with a relay? I am not very knowledgeable in this area.


Another option which I did on all my GQ's was a headlight reminder buszzer.
A small piezo buzzer from Jaycar or wherever (cost less than $10)
Hook the positive to the low beam wire from the combination switch
Hook the negative to the drivers door courtesy light switch wire
Tuck the piezo up under the fuse panel or drivers kick panel
If you open any door and the headlamps are on then the buzzer sounds
If that gives you the shits you can put a $1 diode in the courtesy light wire so that only the drivers door switch will supply earth to the buzzer

I had thought about that, and I will probably at one point do this as well. However I still think for me the DLR are the best option. The buzzer option will help to be and added reminder for the main lights when I am using them at those dust and dawn times so I can see the instrument/speedo panel.

[the evil twin]

LED bulbs (my 99 GU is fully led 'cept for the philips +100 main beams) are as follows

Clearance Lamps - cut sick, you do not need an incandescents left in circuit at all

Reverse - same as clearance, but I prefer to fit flood beam LED lights as well

Indicators - you can either;
fit ballast resistors but I don't see the point of all the arrsing around, extra cost and still have the same current draw. or
fit an LED flasher unit for $3 ex china or $15 aussie sellers.
I fit the LED flasher unit myself and carry a spare but haven't had one fail yet

[gramgramfirey]

You can buy on ebay a complete set up and wired to turn off DRL`s when the, either parkers or headlamps are switched on.
I have done this and it works a treat.
I can`t help you with a link but can`t be too hard to find.
Cheers

[Majestic]

LED bulbs (my 99 GU is fully led 'cept for the philips +100 main beams) are as follows

Clearance Lamps - cut sick, you do not need an incandescents left in circuit at all

Reverse - same as clearance, but I prefer to fit flood beam LED lights as well

Indicators - you can either;
fit ballast resistors but I don't see the point of all the arrsing around, extra cost and still have the same current draw. or
fit an LED flasher unit for $3 ex china or $15 aussie sellers.
I fit the LED flasher unit myself and carry a spare but haven't had one fail yet

Thanks, I didn't know you needed a LED flasher unit. That will certainly come in handy when I make the switch over.


You can buy on ebay a complete set up and wired to turn off DRL`s when the, either parkers or headlamps are switched on.
I have done this and it works a treat.
I can`t help you with a link but can`t be too hard to find.
Cheers

Thanks for that, I am thinking of going that way, as I still don't know how to wire them up yet. I am cleaver enough to do some basic stuff like wiring in a UHF for example even a CD player but this is a tad above my skill level currently.

I contacted someone (Aussie) on ebay to find out about one of their wiring loom kits to make sure it will work for me and their diagram that they say is included with their product is for ADR legal rather than going off a switch like many online are offering.

[aazn]

your doing it the hard way... be lazy... go to jaycar/ebay and buy a headlight warning buzzer.. a depending on the kit you buy 4 wires to wire up
-accessories
-constant
-ground
-illumination

all these wires available behind the headunit.

[Majestic]

your doing it the hard way... be lazy... go to jaycar/ebay and buy a headlight warning buzzer.. a depending on the kit you buy 4 wires to wire up
-accessories
-constant
-ground
-illumination

all these wires available behind the headunit.

Thanks I might try that, the harness I got off Ebay (from China) didn't work. A total load of rubbish. I think I will just go the buzzer and be done with it. I'll re-use the clear lights I have gotten for additional reverse lights or something when I eventually get around to getting or building a dual wheel carrier rear bar.