[Coope]

My car came with DRL's but they are wired to a seperate dimmer switch and i keep forgetting to turn them off when i leave the car ......can anyone explain in SIMPLE terms how to wire then into my igntion so they come on when i start the car please ?

any help will be very much appreciated.

Gary

 

[warrenstuart]

I've just fitted DRLs and wired them to come on with the ignition here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=285847

Basically you need to disconnect the 12v feed to them from the dimmer and wire as i did in the above post.
It will be very difficult for anyone to give you an exact step-by-step guide without knowing the exact set-up at the moment but if you're fairly handy and have a multi-meter it should be easy, if not i'd leave it to someone who is.

Are they Was DRLs or Halfords/E-bay etc type DRLs?

 

[Coope]

Hey there, thanks for the link my friend...... not that confident but have a few work colleagues who will chip in hopefully.

Has the halfrauds/ebay straight ones on the lower side grill but would love to upgrade if I could !

Thanks again

Gary

 

[Coope]

Ok, so I now know how to wire them in from scratch and i am really gratfull for that help but I already have power to them that comes from the dimmer switch ...... What I could really do with is help with using the existing wiring so as not to have to take too much apart if possible ?

Gary

 

[warrenstuart]

Ok, so I now know how to wire them in from scratch and i am really gratfull for that help but I already have power to them that comes from the dimmer switch ...... What I could really do with is help with using the existing wiring so as not to have to take too much apart if possible ?

Fit an automotive relay like the one i used http://www.maplin.co.uk/40a-spno-and-30 ... elay-37526 (you want the one with stock code N02AW) behind your dash or glove box so that the switch contacts are in place of the dimmer switch and the coil contacts are energised using the ignition switched 12v from the heater motor "hot side" or other similar switched 12v supply.

Hope this helps.

 

[Coope]

......... A colleague at work who is going to give me a hand has asked why use a relay ?

 

[thesonya]

wow, don't know this reason

 

[warrenstuart]

......... A colleague at work who is going to give me a hand has asked why use a relay ?

I have to say with questions like that should you/he really be doing the job? :?
Please don't take offence as none is intended but not getting the electrics right can end with a melt down of the wiring or worse

However in answer to your question, if you wire the DRLs direct to an ingition switched feed whether it be from the heater motor or anywhere else you run the risk of overloading that circuit and the fuse to that circuit may keep blowing and/or the wiring start to overheat.
Using the power to energise a relay however should make no noticable difference to a circuit like the heater motor circuit as it's already fairly beefy.

If both DRLs on at the same time draw less than 0.5A you will no doubt get away with powering them directly from the heater motor but if a job's worth doing it's worth doing properly... fit a relay or don't do it at all :wink:

 

[Coope]

Hey my friend, no offence taken and I agree is a jobs worth doing it's worth doing well.

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond .

Gary

 

[warrenstuart]

No probs mate, if you we're local i'd do it for you

 

[Coope]

...... Really appreciate the thought my friend and thank you. Picked up a relay unit on the way home tonight and am going to have crack at it tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help and advice.

Gary

 

[bigsyd]

When I fitted some DRL for les I also fitted a voltage regulator / stabiliser as any spikes in the voltage has a bad effect on led's

That's thrown a cat amongst the pigeons lol

 

[Coope]

Hey BigSyd, thanks for that mate ! Lol

My colleague has decided he dosent want to help now so after all that I will probably leave it as is..........as stated if I'm not sure what I'm doing I shouldn't be trying to do it !

Tried my local ICE guy but he wanted £45 to do it ...........told him £20 is max it would be worth to me and he says he dosent work for that sort of money !

If anyone is local to me and is interested let me know ?

Thanks again for everyones advice and my apologies if I have wasted your time.

Gary

 

[TT51]

Hi Gary

Behind the dimmer switch if you cut either of the wires connected to it and connect each end of the cut wire to pins 30 and 87 on the relay (you need a normally open relay) then connect pin 85 to 0v and pin 86 to any ignition switched live it will work.

You can leave the dimmer switch in place and in the on position so the LEDs will come on with the ignition. You will still be able to use the dimmer and override them by switching off if you don't want them on.

The fuse for the LEDs is under the battery cover next to the big fuses, you can't miss it as its the only fuse holder like it and think it only has a 1 amp fuse in it. Take the fuse out before you attemp anything. The LEDs have their own wiring direct from the battery so you won't have any problems with other circuits.

Neil

 

[Coope]

Hey Neil, didn't realise you had fitted them my friend......would have asked you first and had a bash myself.

I had an ICE guy come and do it for me in the end, cost me a tenner so not too bad.

Thanks for replying to my thread and have a great weekend.

Gary