[constipated]

Revisiting the idea of a DRL.

Keen on it, but do I have technical know how being not handy at all.

Before committing.

What do you guys think of possible positions.

Option 1: About 45cm from the edge of the car, though I can't find any requirement on Australian design rules that states it has to be within 40cm from edge. From the Australian web site the instruction diagram does not have this requirement anyway.

Would have something to screw the bracket into, ie the solid plastic grille behind



Option 2:
More conventional horizontal look, but will only fit on that part of the grille which is criss cross in pattern and nothing to screw it onto directly behind. Could screw one end of it upwards onto the underneath part of the grille where the number plate attaches and then perhaps use a cable tie to tie it to the grille on the lateral end but perhaps not as sturdy.



What do people think?

[rustynutz]

This, from RACQ may help decide your positioning.....

http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/car_fact_sheets/daytime_running_lights

I think the Peugeot look looks best.

[constipated]

This, from RACQ may help decide your positioning.....

http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/car_fact_sheets/daytime_running_lights

Thanks. I think the Peugeot look will meet all of those requirements.

I'm looking at Philips Daylight 4 system off Amazon US.

I will post another pic of the headlight cable to get more advice about connecting it to that. It has a sleeve that I think I will need to open up to find the individual wires.

My basic reading is that the control box connects to the battery terminals. The DRLs turn on only when they sense alternator running hence >13-14V. The headlight wire to parking lights senses when it is switched on and turns off DRL.

Sounds easy enough.

[neptune]

you can get DRL's from Germany that replace the eyelids of your foglamps and give you that natural, original equipment look....

[rustynutz]

This video may help.....

[constipated]

you can get DRL's from Germany that replace the eyelids of your foglamps and give you that natural, original equipment look....

Do you have a link?

[neptune]

Try this one.....

http://www.ath-hinsberger.de/tuning_mazda_kia_hyundai_zubehoer.php/sid/694b379bac839e7134e9e7b979e7cab7/cl/alist/cnid/3af4b21056c549176.55377193

[rustynutz]

These ones would be good, I reckon.....except you'd probably get booked for driving with your fog lights on.....

[constipated]

Thanks for the links.

Wow, though. Expensive. Almost AU$300 compared to about $95 for the Philips version.

What about just wiring the (front) parkers to be on with engine running? No good? This is what many do anyway when a little dark or overcast.

[constipated]

What about just wiring the (front) parkers to be on with engine running? No good? This is what many do anyway when a little dark or overcast.

I don't think they compare in terms of brightness. I think 100m away you'd struggle to notice parking lamps on a car especially on a brightish day but DRLs make a car quite obvious.

Having a grey car I've always been a bit wary that people may not see it well.

This even more so even with just a bit of rain when I usually put headlights on. I can't believe some drivers out there when it's pissing down rain and it doesn't even cross their mind to put on their headlights.

So basically I believe in the safety benefits of DRLs and probably more economical (and brighter) than permanent low beams.

[Dazzler]

What about just wiring the (front) parkers to be on with engine running? No good? This is what many do anyway when a little dark or overcast.

I don't think they compare in terms of brightness. I think 100m away you'd struggle to notice parking lamps on a car especially on a brightish day but DRLs make a car quite obvious.

Having a grey car I've always been a bit wary that people may not see it well.

This even more so even with just a bit of rain when I usually put headlights on. I can't believe some drivers out there when it's pissing down rain and it doesn't even cross their mind to put on their headlights.

So basically I believe in the safety benefits of DRLs and probably more economical (and brighter) than permanent low beams.

  (Except for the grey car bit)

[Phil №❶]

I have a grey car too. It is a dangerous colour, they can disappear completely in heat shimmer, I've seen it happen. I have some LED DRL's but haven't put them on yet, they are also orange turning lights too.

What about just wiring the (front) parkers to be on with engine running? No good? This is what many do anyway when a little dark or overcast.

I don't think they compare in terms of brightness. I think 100m away you'd struggle to notice parking lamps on a car especially on a brightish day but DRLs make a car quite obvious.

What if they were brightened up with leds? Parking or sidelights seem like a very old fashioned idea to me.  I mean, who really leaves their car parked with the lights on?

[Dazzler]

What about just wiring the (front) parkers to be on with engine running? No good? This is what many do anyway when a little dark or overcast.

I don't think they compare in terms of brightness. I think 100m away you'd struggle to notice parking lamps on a car especially on a brightish day but DRLs make a car quite obvious.

What if they were brightened up with leds? Parking or sidelights seem like a very old fashioned idea to me.  I mean, who really leaves their car parked with the lights on?

I think that idea is very valid Pip. Some aftermarket DRLs can look dodgy 

[constipated]

I have a grey car too. It is a dangerous colour, they can disappear completely in heat shimmer, I've seen it happen. I have some LED DRL's but haven't put them on yet, they are also orange turning lights too.

What model of DRL did you end up getting?

[cewi]

Hi,

I also installed last year DRLs - Mercedes L-Style 

[constipated]

Researching this more before committing.

This is the headlight plug in the FD i30.



Fitting instructions suggest to identify the parking light wire, you insert the end of an orange wire from the control box into the different holes and it will light up when it detects the powered parking light wire.

However the plug is at a nice 90 degree angle and I'm not sure how figuring out a particular hole had the right connection translates to identifying the wire behind it.

Also the headlight wires are all encased in a nice tight sleeve. Anyone know how many wires would be within that bundle and any alternative way of identifying the right wire?

[Maximum]

I may have missed this suggestion before as I can't see pictures from the computer I'm posting from but the most OEM looking place to locate the DRLs would probably be the small trim above the fogs but below the headlights. 

[constipated]

I may have missed this suggestion before as I can't see pictures from the computer I'm posting from but the most OEM looking place to locate the DRLs would probably be the small trim above the fogs but below the headlights. 

Unfortunately, that's not possible with this aftermarket setup unless you are talking about cutting into the bumper which I wouldn't want to or be able to do.

Above all, I guess I'm looking for functionality so I'll accept it looking a bit non-OEM for the benefits of DRLs.

The suggestions from Germany above about more integrated solutions seemed quite prohibitively expensive.

[Maximum]

Yep - definitely would be drilling involved so scratch that last  That being said, I'd be really interested to see how that set up actually looked - I reckon' it would look actually quite nice and would make the front end a little more sophisticated. 

[tla]

Do you know why a line to the parking lights are needed?  Typically, the DRLs are dimmed or shut off when the headlights are on, rather than the parking lights.

If you can use the headlights, then you can use one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GKEXK2/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p263 to tap a signal frrom a headlight fuse in the engine bay.   So, there would be no need to cut into the cables.  AFAIK there is no dedicated fuse for the parking lights.

[constipated]

Do you know why a line to the parking lights are needed?  Typically, the DRLs are dimmed or shut off when the headlights are on, rather than the parking lights.

Here in Australia, the DRLs must switch off both with parking lights as well as headlights (unless they reduce to parking light intensity). DRLs with parking lights on might get you noticed by the police depending on how much spare time they have.

The control box for the DRLs connects to the battery but has a sensing wire.  There is a "scotch-lock" to connect to the parking light wire to sense when it has current. It then switches off the DRLs.

I've now figured I can undo the base of the headlight connector and see the 6 wires entering it.  I just need to use the control box to help me identify which one is the parking wire.

I'm confident enough to order the kit now.

[tla]

Good luck with it.  I gave up on fitting DRLs to my FD because I couldn't find a good position to fit them.

[The Gonz]

With European cars all mandated with DRLs, it will be merely a matter of time before all new cars here will have them, so I'll just hold out so I can stand out from the crowd for not having DRLs. 

[Doggie 1]

People knock Volvos but they invented DRLs and had them as standard equipment on the 244 in 1975.
I've owned a couple of Volvos in my time (a 1979 244 GL manual & a 1979 264 GLE V6 auto) and they were damn good cars.

[rustynutz]

I think we actually knock the people who drive Volvos....   

[Doggie 1]

Careful Rusty, you'll upset our newcomer. 

[rustynutz]