Adapting Combination Switchback DRL / Turn Indicators for FD

The Gonz · **October 13, 2018, 06:28:31**

OK, i30 dudes and dudettes.

1 Set T20 W21W 7440 42SMD Switchback Car Auto Dual Color LED Turn Signal Lights | eBay

These bad boys are in and doing their thang.

For each side, I removed the front light cluster using the 3 10mm bolts, then twisted and removed the turn globe bases. These new bases were smaller but I reused the grey rubber washer from the original base and then fashioned a clamp to keep the new base centred and airtight using spring tensioned coathanger wire fixed to a bar of coathanger wire slipped through the full length of what looks like a narrow shaft used to adjust beam angle from above using a long screwdriver when fitted.

I now have all the normal turn, hazard and lock indications in LED form but the new feature of DRL I have left until I determine the best source for its voltage. ACC is generally assumed but since I'm in the engine bay I'd rather pick off something that appears once the engine is running.

Any suggestions?

**Reply #1: October 13, 2018, 06:39:37**

Not sure what you’ll get feed from Gonz but I’m guessing you’ll need another relay so that when main beam/low beam is turned on the DRL’s must switch off, they’re allowed on with park lights.

The Gonz · **Reply #2: October 13, 2018, 07:00:27**

I've seen both behaviours, Craig. Off when beams are on and on all the time. There's some blurb about them having to go off if they interfere with the clarity of turn indicators but much of that seems to come down to spatial separation.

Without getting into the legalistics, I prefer them to go off when beams are on, so I'll get a relay, which will most likely resolve my problem of finding the right source.

**Reply #3: October 13, 2018, 07:06:33**

tla · **Reply #4: October 13, 2018, 07:51:29**

There are some DRL controllers (like this) that detects when the voltage at the battery +ve goes above 13V, i.e. when the engine is on and the alternator is charging the battery. So, there is no need for a separate signal to indicate when the engine is on.
The only downside is that the DRL remains on for 10+ seconds after the engine is turned off, while the voltage is still above 13V.

I'm sure you can DIY a similar voltage detection mechanism to control a standard relay.

The Gonz · **Reply #5: October 13, 2018, 13:06:08**

Nothing too complex. I'll just use the normally closed contacts of a simple 12V relay energised by the parking light voltage and switching the ignition signal. The resulting behaviour will be DRLs coming on only when the ignition is on and parkers are off. The bonus of this arrangement is that my relay is switching only DRL current, not halogen current.

The Gonz · **Reply #6: October 14, 2018, 10:28:08**

One last question before I head out for a relay:

Does the existing relay switching the parkers include a normally closed contact? If so, I shouldn't be needing to add another relay at all. Does anyone have a spec on said relay?

tla · **Reply #7: October 14, 2018, 21:26:31**

Below is a schematic of the relevant circuit for the parkers on the FD. It looks like it shares the tail lamp relay and fuse. Looks like the relay is normally open.

(click to show/hide)

Looking forward to photos of your DRLs in action.

The Gonz · **Reply #8: October 15, 2018, 20:08:50**

Thanks. Strange it only shows a tail lamp relay, but the mention of a DRL connection is unexpected. What follows on that connection?

tla · **Reply #9: October 15, 2018, 21:13:18**

Here you go:

(click to show/hide)

The Gonz · **Reply #10: October 16, 2018, 06:02:12**

Thanks, TLA. There's a certain seduction into getting the OEM parts to restore an intended design but good sense tells me the simple addition of a relay will suffice.

The Gonz · **Reply #11: October 31, 2018, 07:19:00**

Sorry about the delay in showing off my cool (pun) DRL blinkers. They've been working brilliantly (pun) but I'm waiting on the arrival of the SPDT relay to activate the DRL function. Once it gets here and I wire it up, I'll post some pics.

**Reply #12: October 31, 2018, 08:39:50**

Gonz, I'm keen to see ya handy work when it's done

The Gonz · **Reply #13: October 31, 2018, 10:31:29**

I must say that already the change to LED is impressive. Instead of that gradual glowing into brightness, the amber indicators now deliver an aggressive instantaneous transition from off to bright.

The Gonz · **Reply #14: November 17, 2018, 07:06:23**

Today I searched the forum and found references to using the B/U fuse (15) in the engine bay as a source of IGN power, which is happily half the problem solved.

The half not solved is trying to get voltage out of HL LO LH or HL LO RH (16 and 17) for a similar voltage.

The idea is to find the low beam headlamp voltage supply at a fuse so I can finish wiring my newly arrived 5-pin changeover relay's Normally Closed contacts (30 as the DRL feed and 87a getting 15's power) to open when coil contact 86 has headlamp power applied, with 85 to ground.

Hence I'll have the DRLs shut off when headlamps are turned on, but be on when the ignition is on. So, any better fuse I can use for headlamp power?

tw2005 · **Reply #15: November 17, 2018, 20:43:07**

Quote from: tla on October 14, 2018, 21:26:31

Below is a schematic of the relevant circuit for the parkers on the FD. It looks like it shares the tail lamp relay and fuse. Looks like the relay is normally open.
(click to show/hide)

Looking forward to photos of your DRLs in action.

@tla

Mate, just checking what vehicle these schematics are for. GD or FD? To my knowledge there is no FD 3 door

tla · **Reply #16: November 17, 2018, 20:50:24**

These schematics are for the Kia Ceed of the same vintage as the i30 FD.

tw2005 · **Reply #17: November 17, 2018, 21:05:49**

Thanks @tla

@The Gonz

From what I can see there may have been a DRL feature built into the BCM that ran the headlamp Lo beam

There's no discrete DRL module for FD that I can find.

This is what I have for the circuits, may not be exact for our market

The Gonz · **Reply #18: November 17, 2018, 21:19:46**

It doesn't quite sound like English to me and may need some digesting. For starters, I'll have to locate the BCM! Thanks for the effort and info.

tw2005 · **Reply #19: November 17, 2018, 21:35:12**

Quote from: The Gonz on November 17, 2018, 21:19:46

It doesn't quite sound like English to me and may need some digesting. For starters, I'll have to locate the BCM! Thanks for the effort and info.

In behind centre fascia, will have to be removed, and it's tight in there, the antenna will give it away

I think there's 3 plugs and a lot of pins

The Gonz · **Reply #20: November 17, 2018, 21:45:39**

It sounds like a lot of drama just to locate 12V off the headlamp feed.

I'm thinking I'll keep probing the engine bay fuse box. If nothing there, I'll pick it off the cluster connector.

The Gonz · **Reply #21: November 20, 2018, 06:47:00**

So ...

I picked the IGN feed off the high side of fuse 15 and hooked it up to the Normally Closed pin of the relay, then hooked up the DRL supply line to the switch Common relay pin.

Without going any further, since I was keen on seeing the DRLs work, I turned the key to IGN and ...

WOW! Those suckers are bright!

To test the relay's job of turning them off when the headlights go on would mean hooking up a ground for the low side of the relay coil, although I already had the headlight pin in the cluster connected to the coil's high side.

So I decided to test the interaction of DRL and turn indicator for now. eBay tells me they are white until turning, then off/amber, then back to white.

Well, the off bit isn't really happening to my satisfaction, so it's back to non-DRL blinking for now until I investigate further.

It may be that the desired behaviour is only possible via relay anyway!

**Reply #22: November 20, 2018, 07:03:34**

Quote from: The Gonz on November 20, 2018, 06:47:00

WOW! Those suckers are bright!

Must I do the reminding

tw2005 · **Reply #23: November 20, 2018, 07:32:55**

Quote from: The Gonz on November 20, 2018, 06:47:00

So ...

I picked the IGN feed off the high side of fuse 15 and hooked it up to the Normally Closed pin of the relay, then hooked up the DRL supply line to the switch Common relay pin.

Without going any further, since I was keen on seeing the DRLs work, I turned the key to IGN and ...

WOW! Those suckers are bright!

To test the relay's job of turning them off when the headlights go on would mean hooking up a ground for the low side of the relay coil, although I already had the headlight pin in the cluster connected to the coil's high side.

So I decided to test the interaction of DRL and turn indicator for now. eBay tells me they are white until turning, then off/amber, then back to white.

Well, the off bit isn't really happening to my satisfaction, so it's back to non-DRL blinking for now until I investigate further.

It may be that the desired behaviour is only possible via relay anyway!

DOn't forget some pics, I'm a visual person

The Gonz · **Reply #24: November 20, 2018, 07:39:55**

I hear you, @CraigB I dislike using 3rd party multimedia sites but I'll try.

I guess I was hoping the logic to switch between DRL and Turn Indicator was all built into the base but what I saw has me thinking there's nothing there but the wiring to deliver 'dumb' current.

The next step will need to be sourcing yet another relay to pick off the turn signal, preferably before it becomes intermittent, to switch the DRL feed off while the blinker operates. I can easily pick the intermittent voltage off the cluster where I already have but that would be sub-optimal.

So ... any idea whether a steady voltage exists anywhere in the engine bay to run the blinkers?

The Gonz · **Reply #25: November 22, 2018, 00:03:29**

For those a bit lost on my discussion of relays, here's a link worth reading:

Automotive Relay Guide | 12 Volt Planet

So I've ordered 2 more of the same relay I've used to inhibit the DRLs during lights on. They will be fitted 1 each behind the indicator wiring to inhibit the DRL during the amber voltage. It won't give me black-amber back to white but will give me white-amber back to white, and I can live with that. I promise video when the new relays arrive.

And yes, no surprise I have my sights set on a new eBay mod, this time a solution looking for a problem:

1PCS TEC1-12706 Heatsink Thermoelectric Cooler Cooling Peltier Plate Module | eBay

tw2005 · **Reply #26: November 22, 2018, 08:25:16**

The Gonz · **Reply #27: December 17, 2018, 02:26:57**

Ok, crew, here's what I have just done:

Using a 5 pin relay, I tapped fuse 15's high side to feed IGN to the DRL function of my blinkers along with a tap of the parking lamp voltage out of the cluster connector such that with IGN on the DRLs are on but off with headlights on.

The other two 5 pin relays tap the turn signai out of the cluster connectors as well as the DRL feed from the first relay in order to behave normally with DRL but to blink the DRL as a turn indication when on.

The 3 states of turn, DRL and headlight behaviour have been photographed and uploaded to the Facebook site:

i30 Owners Club Public Group | Facebook

The Gonz · **Reply #28: December 22, 2018, 09:57:48**

For those keen on emulating the switchback implementation, here's the schematic for the relays I used:

You should be able to trace the behaviour of the DRLs and blinkers by following the logic. Energising the relays switches them from where they are currently at rest (normally closed) to an open state (the normally open contacts are unused).

tw2005 · **Reply #29: December 26, 2018, 10:17:56**

Quote from: The Gonz on December 22, 2018, 09:57:48

For those keen on emulating the switchback implementation, here's the schematic for the relays I used:

You should be able to trace the behaviour of the DRLs and blinkers by following the logic. Energising the relays switches them from where they are currently at rest (normally closed) to an open state (the normally open contacts are unused).

Hi, The relays appear to do what you intend and back emf was on my mine too but since the diodes did nothing then not the case I would think.

what happens when hazards are selected?