DRL-Fog Light Hack

[itskenallen]

Cheers Particlewave. Ur a gentleman

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[itskenallen]

Particlewave have I the right wire in the front passenger side (drivers side US)? I tapped into the yellow/black, connected to the relay for the DRL'S and I have no dims on that side only since. Checked the voltage with the engine running and nothing. I do however have 13V in the top right hand pin as you're looking at it.
Edit.. Blew the headlight dim fuse.
OK.. So which wire do I use now.

As these headlight wires are very awkward to tap into is there any other wire I could use that's easily accessible?



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[particlewave]

Replace the fuse and try again.
That wire from the DRL controller is signal only, so will not increase the load enough to blow a fuse. Make sure you're using the correct controller wire and that nothing is shorting to ground.

To answer your question, no. The headlight dim circuit has a high rating.

[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Replace the fuse and try again.
That wire from the DRL controller is signal only, so will not increase the load enough to blow a fuse. Make sure you're using the correct controller wire and that nothing is shorting to ground.

To answer your question, no. The headlight dim circuit has a high rating.

Excuse my ignorance but I'm either really thick
Or I'm not understanding you.

In the diagram above, what wire do I connect the black wire coming from the controller that says "headlight /dashlight"?

The switch live in my headlights is the grey wire with a black strip, when connected to that I have only 50% power in the DRL's. Fml

I have the 2 DRL's wired together ( red to red and black to black) and then run to the controller.

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[particlewave]

The headlight/dashboard light wire should be tied into the yellow wire with black stripe, just like you did. Just make sure that it's the correct wire (headlight/dashboard light) and not the ground wire.
I find it odd that the headlight/dashboard light wire is black at all. Trigger wires are usually positive and would be yellow, blue, grey...anything but black.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by itskenallen

The switch live in my headlights is the grey wire with a black strip, when connected to that I have only 50% power in the DRL's. Fml

Please clarify. When what is connected to that wire?

[oldskool73]

"The switch live in my headlights is the grey wire with a black strip, when connected to that I have only 50% power in the DRL's. Fml " ... isn't that the point of that wire? Your DRL controller looks like one of the auto sensing ones that turns itself on and off via the battery voltage. That extra wire is to dim the DRL's when the main lights are on. If you don't want that to happen, just don't connect that wire... though MOT rules might require them to dim when the lights are on?

[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Please clarify. When what is connected to that wire?

I mean when I connect the wire from the controller that's marked "headlight /dashboard light" to the grey /black stripe (13V when lights switched on).

There is no voltage on the yellow/ black stripe when the lights are on.

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[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by oldskool73

"The switch live in my headlights is the grey wire with a black strip, when connected to that I have only 50% power in the DRL's. Fml " ... isn't that the point of that wire? Your DRL controller looks like one of the auto sensing ones that turns itself on and off via the battery voltage. That extra wire is to dim the DRL's when the main lights are on. If you don't want that to happen, just don't connect that wire... though MOT rules might require them to dim when the lights are on?

Problem is they're not lighting fully at all, even with the ignition on and the headlights off.

[particlewave]

There's definitely some weirdness happening here. The yellow/black wire is, without a doubt, the low beam 12V+ feed to the headlight (all 986 models, every country).

I'm also confused by your grey/black wire inside the headlight. With the 100+ headlights I've worked on, I've never seen a grey/black wire inside the headlight. On every set I've worked on, the low beam + is yellow, high beam + is white/red, and parking light + is solid grey. Can you post a picture of the wiring inside the headlight? Where are you getting your main 12V+ (red controller wire input) and ground from?

Can you post a link to the controller you're using?

The top right pin you are referring to is the parking light positive voltage, so it will have power when the headlights are in. The bottom right pin is the low beam positive power and should be getting voltage with the low beams on (it's what the yellow black wire feeds to).

Here is the pinout for the headlight connector (reverse left/right for car side, of course).

[oldskool73]

Originally Posted by itskenallen

Problem is they're not lighting fully at all, even with the ignition on and the headlights off.

I'd not connect that wire to anything yet then, take the headlights completely out of the equation, just connect the controller to the battery and the red & black wires to the DRL and see if they light fully. If they still don't light fully you have a faulty drl and/or controller.

Also, looks to me like in the image you attached they have mislabeled the wires. Looks like the one labeled 'DRL negative' is a white wire in a black sheath, from all the controllers I've seen it's normally a white wire that should be connected to the headlights for the dimming function. And the one marked 'Headlight / dashboard light' looks like the black negative wire that should be going to the DRL. If you've followed the labelling in that image, it's possible you have those 2 swapped around, which would blow the fuse and/or cause them not to light.

[itskenallen]

I've just awoken so I'll get a pic of the wiring in a bit.

I'm getting my positive and ground inputs direct from my battery.
Weird how I'm getting no voltage on the yellow/black wire with the ignition and lights on.

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[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by oldskool73

I'd not connect that wire to anything yet then, take the headlights completely out of the equation, just connect the controller to the battery and the red & black wires to the DRL and see if they light fully. If they still don't light fully you have a faulty drl and/or controller.

Also, looks to me like in the image you attached they have mislabeled the wires. Looks like the one labeled 'DRL negative' is a white wire in a black sheath, from all the controllers I've seen it's normally a white wire that should be connected to the headlights for the dimming function. And the one marked 'Headlight / dashboard light' looks like the black negative wire that should be going to the DRL. If you've followed the labelling in that image, it's possible you have those 2 swapped around, which would blow the fuse and/or cause them not to light.

Yiu could possibly be right. I thought that wiring diagram was very strange too. Maybe that is the issue. Maybe I've blown the controller now because of that.

Here's the link to the controller I got so u can see for yourself it's wiring.

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281928002375

[oldskool73]

Yeah if you take a look at this one, it looks like the same thing but they properly describe the wire colours, I think you have just the black and white wires the wrong way around.

12V LED Daytime Running Light DRL Relay Harness Automatic On/Off Switch Control

Try swapping them (black from controller to drl-, white tapped to yellow/black wire), the fuse may have protected it? Otherwise it's only another couple of quid to get a new one, not the end of the world

[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by oldskool73

Yeah if you take a look at this one, it looks like the same thing but they properly describe the wire colours, I think you have just the black and white wires the wrong way around.

12V LED Daytime Running Light DRL Relay Harness Automatic On/Off Switch Control

Try swapping them (black from controller to drl-, white tapped to yellow/black wire), the fuse may have protected it? Otherwise it's only another couple of quid to get a new one, not the end of the world

Yes I agree fully. I've checked out a few more controllers on eBay and they ALL contradict the wiring on the diagram that came with my one. No harm done, they're a cheap set anyway. I'm more curious to see can I get it working now. I've already ordered a more expensive Osram set which is all connectors.
I'll reverse

I think this time I'll take out the fuse, and put in a 12V bulb I made up . An auto student friend of mine tells me if this lights up, I'm wrong.. Without blowing any fuse. Handy.

[itskenallen]

In relation to the new set I bought I've attached a screenshot. Would I be right in saying I attach #58 wire (no. 1 in pic) wire to pin 6 (top right on car) on my headlight connector (Park +)?

And where's the best place to connect no.2 (ignition +)?

[itskenallen]

Any idea on the Above @particlewave?

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[particlewave]

Yes. Green wire to top right pin, orange wire to switched 12V+.

Tapping the green wire to that pin will dim the DRLs when the headlight switch is in any on position (parking lights or headlights on). Tapping it into the yellow/black wire that you already tapped will dim them only when the headlights are on (DRLs at 100% with headlight switch off or in parking light position).

If you're still not getting 12V+ on the yellow/black wire (bottom right pin), then your fuse is probably blown again.

[oldskool73]

I think I've read (though not tried) you can get the switched 12v from the wiper motor, or just punch a small hole through the large rubber blank down behind the battery into the footwell and run tap into one of the switched fuses there.

[itskenallen]

Originally Posted by oldskool73

I think I've read (though not tried) you can get the switched 12v from the wiper motor, or just punch a small hole through the large rubber blank down behind the battery into the footwell and run tap into one of the switched fuses there.

Yes I read about tapping into the fusebox but wondered where u get through the bulkhead, thanks.

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