Linking headlights to interior light

[Meir]

Originally Posted by particlewave

If your courtesy lights dim out, you'd need a controller circuit to power the relay. Otherwise, the relay would chatter as the voltage drops to near the relay solenoids threshold. This would cause premature failure of said relay and wreak havoc on the HID ballasts and bulbs.
You'd need a micro controller that applies/cuts power to the relay at a predetermined threshold.

Even with the controller, they'd want to come on and off a lot and would not be good for the HIDs. Incandescent fog or parking lights would be better.

Advise taken.
On the bench the relay acted fine when I simulated the voltage drop, but I will test it on the actual wire in the car.
Agree on the fog/parking lights instead of abusing the litronics (in my case).

[thstone]

Originally Posted by particlewave

None.

A switch and some fuses is all (this is why our switches are so prone to failure).

Whaaat? There's no headlight relay?

I thought there had to be one, but didn't have time to check the wiring diagrams.

Sorry for the misdirection and thanks for the correction.

[geraintthomas]

Any news on the testing side?

[Meir]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Any news on the testing side?

Didn't get a chance to look at it this past weekend.
Hopefully later this week, as I have to do some other electrical projects on the car.
I already have an OEM relay holder, and just got these today
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G7KKBYG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So I can replace the wires with thicker ones.
Also have this on the way
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZYXHR6S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To remove the existing pins from the relay holder.
The idea is to use the correct wire gauge and locate the relay on the relay carrier above the fuse box.

[Meir]

so i spend some time today going over the diagrams, and looking at the fog light circuit.
it looks like the lights should be isolated from the switch before power is directed to them. otherwise, the light switch will be probably damage.
not a big problem, will just have to use a 5 legs relay.
i also tested the wire that comes from the BCM, and basically going to trigger the relay.
wanted to confirm that the relay will not chatter when the power gradually drops, and the lights are dimming out.
i made a short video of the process.
https://youtu.be/jPfQFOOu45c
after filming the video, i thought it will be a good idea to add a timer to the setup, so i will be able to control the length of the "On time" after locking the car.
so i will probably get something like that, and also use it as the relay.



might even go pro and add a Photoelectric Switch :dance:
Zing Ear SNR100A Photo-Electric-Resistor-Cell Light Detector Sensor Switch 25W | eBay

[Meir]

just because i don't like threads that don't end
i just got today the parts i order from fleebay (under a month from china is not bad).



the big board is the timer, that has a NO/NC 30Amp relay.
so i can connect it directly to the fog light wires.
the small board is the photoelectric sensor that will control the timer.
so basically it is going to be connected to the interior lights, and will trigger the timer only when it's dark. the lights will stay on (after i lock the car) for 10 seconds or any other settings i will put in the timer.

so before i start i want to modify the components, and check the power consumption.
if it will be within reasonable values, i will install it.
will keep you posted when i make any progress.

[geraintthomas]

Well that's complicated lol!

I just wanted them to come on and off with the courtesy light lol. Going back to the original question, would that be easy to do? Rather than adding timers and photoelectric sensors? Literally just want the headlights (or parking lights) to mimic the courtesy lights.

Going back to basics: would a 12v feed with a diode from the courtesy lights to the side lights work? So that when the courtesy light turns on, the sidelights turn on, but when the sidelights are manually turned on, it doesn't turn the courtesy lights on.

If that works, that's literally all I originally wanted the only thing I'd need to know is the wattage of the diode. It would be a 12v diode, but what wattage?

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Well that's complicated lol!

I just wanted them to come on and off with the courtesy light lol. Going back to the original question, would that be easy to do? Rather than adding timers and photoelectric sensors? Literally just want the headlights (or parking lights) to mimic the courtesy lights.

Going back to basics: would a 12v feed with a diode from the courtesy lights to the side lights work? So that when the courtesy light turns on, the sidelights turn on, but when the sidelights are manually turned on, it doesn't turn the courtesy lights on.

If that works, that's literally all I originally wanted the only thing I'd need to know is the wattage of the diode. It would be a 12v diode, but what wattage?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple due to the side lights being positive voltage actuated and the courtesy lights being negative ground actuated. The circuit I posted won't work, either. You're not going to find a diode big enough. I was rushing.
You would need to use microcontrollers and relays like Meir is doing.

[geraintthomas]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Unfortunately, it's not the simple due to the side lights being positive voltage actuated and the courtesy lights being negative ground actuated. You'd need the diode relay setup that I posted for you.
That's still fairly simple, though. Just use a big a$$ diode to ensure it doesn't break down and cause issues. Forward voltage 20V or more, breakdown (reverse) voltage good and high (30-50V or something).

Watts = volts x amps, so just check the fuse amperage for the circuit you use the diode on and multiply x 15V.

Totally forgot about that relay! That's what I'll have to do

But I'll admit, got quite confused by how you work out the wattage. So, would it be 12v multiply by the amps of the sidelight fuse? :/

[particlewave]

See my edit. It won't work because you're not going to find a diode big enough. It's late here and my brain is shutting down, lol

[geraintthomas]

Damn it. So there's literally no quick way of doing it?

[Meir]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Well that's complicated lol!

I just wanted them to come on and off with the courtesy light lol. Going back to the original question, would that be easy to do? Rather than adding timers and photoelectric sensors? Literally just want the headlights (or parking lights) to mimic the courtesy lights.

Going back to basics: would a 12v feed with a diode from the courtesy lights to the side lights work? So that when the courtesy light turns on, the sidelights turn on, but when the sidelights are manually turned on, it doesn't turn the courtesy lights on.

If that works, that's literally all I originally wanted the only thing I'd need to know is the wattage of the diode. It would be a 12v diode, but what wattage?

LOL!
no the whole timer and light sensor is my flavor for the idea that you got (and i like).
but you will need a 30 amp (at minimum) relay. two if you want to connect to the runing lights.
when i get to it, i'm going to connect to the fog lights, but will show also the connection to the running light.
just one clarification needed. when you say corner lights, are you referring to the parking lights?

[Meir]

just so we all use the same terms.



so witch one you were thinking to link?

[geraintthomas]

Parking lights with courtesy lights. When the courtesy lights come on, I wanted the parking lights come on too, so that your tail lights, number plate lights and front parking lights illuminate. But I wouldn't want the switch to turn on the courtesy lights if I switch it to the parking lights position, if you see what I mean. So a diode would be needed.

I just thought "Oh! I'll just bridge the 12v from the courtesy light feed to the parking light feed with a diode, so the parking lights don't switch on the courtesy lights, but the courtesy lights do turn on the parking lights whenever the courtesy light is on". But as particlewave said, the courtesy lights have a switched ground, whereas the parking lights have a switched positive. If they were both the same, it would be that easy.

I thought about jumping the fuses but, there's a separate fuse for each bloody bulb. So that wouldn't work either.

[RichRobby]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Parking lights with courtesy lights. When the courtesy lights come on, I wanted the parking lights come on too, so that your tail lights, number plate lights and front parking lights illuminate. But I wouldn't want the switch to turn on the courtesy lights if I switch it to the parking lights position, if you see what I mean. So a diode would be needed.

I just thought "Oh! I'll just bridge the 12v from the courtesy light feed to the parking light feed with a diode, so the parking lights don't switch on the courtesy lights, but the courtesy lights do turn on the parking lights whenever the courtesy light is on". But as particlewave said, the courtesy lights have a switched ground, whereas the parking lights have a switched positive. If they were both the same, it would be that easy.

I thought about jumping the fuses but, there's a separate fuse for each bloody bulb. So that wouldn't work either.

Ger.

I believe you have your new DRL's wired to your parking lights. Having them come on with the courtesy light would be great but have you got a hack where they come on automatically with the ignition?
Seems there is a hack for the foglights to come on as automatic DRL's but could do with a hack for parking / sidelights to come on in this instance.

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[geraintthomas]

Originally Posted by RichRobby

Ger.

I believe you have your new DRL's wired to your parking lights. Having them come on with the courtesy light would be great but have you got a hack where they come on automatically with the ignition?
Seems there is a hack for the foglights to come on as automatic DRL's but could do with a hack for parking / sidelights to come on in this instance.

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Probably going to do that anyway with the DRL's, but that's not a massive bother for me. It's having them come on when I unlock the car, that's what I'd love. The DRL's are very powerful and light up the road quite well, so they'd also serve a purpose when walking back to the car in the night.

[geraintthomas]

Anyway - It's a good project that you're doing with the photometric sensor and all, and I'd be keen to see it work, but for now and for the purpose of the original question and the reason for the thread - is there any way to just simply wire up the parking lights to the courtesy lights?

Even with the use of a 5 pin relay, for example? That's literally all I'd want at the moment - I didn't expect this to get carried away into photometric sensors that leave lights on for 10 seconds after the car is turned off etc etc. Like I said, I massively appreciate it and it sounds amazing (and be sure to show us when you're done), but I'm just interested in turning the parking lights on when the courtesy lights come on.

So is there a way to do this with a simple bit of wiring and relays? This is me talking off the top of my head and probably absolute rubbish, but could the courtesy light's ground wire be wired into a relay, that when given a current, tells the relay to send power to one of its pins, which is the 12v feed for the sidelights? That may not make sense, but it's something like that which I'm thinking of.

Is that not possible?

[RichRobby]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

Probably going to do that anyway with the DRL's, but that's not a massive bother for me. It's having them come on when I unlock the car, that's what I'd love. The DRL's are very powerful and light up the road quite well, so they'd also serve a purpose when walking back to the car in the night.

Yes, I realised that. Can they be tripped on by anything to do with the central locking?

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[geraintthomas]

Originally Posted by RichRobby

Yes, I realised that. Can they be tripped on by anything to do with the central locking?

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Had an idea (post I just made above), but if the car's unlocked, the courtesy light can turn off to save the car's battery. If you wire them up to the central locking, the lights would permanently stay on for as long as the car is unlocked, which wouldn't be good.

Just trying to figure out if there's a way to wire a relay so that if one pin gets a current (in this case, the courtesy light's ground), then it can switch on another one of its pins (a 12v feed to the sidelights). That's all I'm after, a way to wire that up. It probably sounds easier than to actually do it and it may not be possible, but that's why I started the thread as good as it is, I'm not really after any special light sensors and timers. Just a way to make this work.

[RichRobby]

I see that there are relays with timers built in. Would this work

http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/12v-universal-interior-light-delay-timer-relay-10-sec-delay.html


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