HELP! Advice needed on electrical connection for DRLs...

[Ldub]

This may be of some help...

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...&highlight=DRL

A search of "DRL" will provide many hours of entertainment...

Who ya Buddy...

[etlsport]

Rudy,

The A/C blower/controls work only when the engine is running. However I'm not sure how this is accomplished. The power for it in the fuse box is constant, and then there is an ign relay in the fuse box that pulses once when the car is started it and once when the engine is turned off, signaling the AC to turn on or off. I would probably start checking the wires going into the AC controls though.

In my case what I would do is wire the 86 terminal to the cigar outlet, and the 85 to the ground on the e-brake. then i would run 30 directly to the battery and 87 obviously out to your lights.

This will provide power to the DRLs any time the ACC or IGN is on, but will turn them off when you pull the e-brake. This would work for me because any time my vx is turned off the e-brake is on. This is how Subaru sets up their DRLs, they are on any time the vehicle is running and e-brake is off. So you could pull the e-brake if you are sitting in a parking lot or wherever and they would be off.

This option does not allow for them turning off when the low beams come on. Your current set up does not allow for this either. In fact, it looks like your current set up will only work when you have your low beams switched on?

The best way I can think of to disable the DRLs is to take the ground off the low beam and run it into the 87a terminal and make 30 a direct ground. Then you can provide constant power to the DRLs and make the 87 terminal the ground for the DRLs. This will provide a ground to the low beams any time the DRLs are turned off. However I'm not sure how to make the DRL relay to switch off and make this happen.

I'll think on it a bit more today, hopefully my thinking out loud helps trigger something for you or someone else to chime in

[etlsport]

Just had another thought. What if you put a solar battery charger in the VX somewhere. The 12v signal from that could be used to trigger the relay. Then when there was not enough sun to provide current from the solar charger, the low beams would work. Only problem with this is the sensitivity of the charger, because your headlights wouldnt work as long as the charger is getting adequate sunlight.

It should be much easier to wire it to do everything you want by using 2 different relays. If you are ok doing that I can come up with a wiring diagram for that.

[ron]

This option does not allow for them turning off when the low beams come on. Your current set up does not allow for this either. In fact, it looks like your current set up will only work when you have your low beams switched on?

Thanks etlsport for your insight. That's what I'm trying to achieve. When you turn ON your headlights, then the drls would turn OFF. As I mentioned to Ldubs reply, I'm inorporating seperate led lamps instead of tryng to convert the head lights to drls. I liked your idea of using the e-brake. But, as you said, it'll remain ON even when you turn on the headlights. Really hoping that I can keep that from happening. Do you think my set up won't work w/ seperate led lamps?

[Marlin]

Hmm, why can't they be on at the same time? Any particular reason? If not, just use the power window fuse, it only has power when the truck is on, or better yet, get a foglight switch, run the power to that off of the the power window/defrost take your pick. I have all of my accessories, digital rear view, ac inverter, cb and whatnot wired that way. They are only on when the truck the key is in ACC. It also gives me the ability to turn everything off and it it is OEM. Just a thought. (The foglight switch output would go to power your relay, power to the load would come straight off the battery. I keep all of my stuff in a Radioshack hobby box inside the glovebox. Works great, wiring tips from the foglight how-to made by the bossman, just move it around as needed to fit your setup)
I think this may be your best option, it wouldn't automatically turn off with your headlights though, but I am not sure what difference it makes? Aren't most DRL just a lower voltage provided to the regular HL?

[ron]

This may be of some help...

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...&highlight=DRL

A search of "DRL" will provide many hours of entertainment...

Who ya Buddy...

Thanks Ldub. Yeah, I researched that thread along with others to no avail. I'm incorporatint separate led lamps for my drls. I believe the thread you suggest was more for converting the headlights temporarily to drls. But, thanks for the input!