I want to use a pair of spotlights as DLRs. I want them to come on with the ignition but go off when the headlights are switched on. I also want an override switch so I can turn them off whenever I want while driving. Can any of you clever electrical bods draw me a basic diagram that would do this using the existing cars wiring (non Golf specific) please? TIA
There was a thread ages ago of someone looking for a relay to do it, believe it was a bmw one, but may possibly have been country specific, Canada or Norway seems to ring a bell. Now on the polo 9n3 headlight switch there is a specific pin that controls the daytime running lights, but isn't on normal uk switches, I managed to get an import one for Pedro when fitted front fogs. Must be a way of doing it with relays, bit like a lights on buzzer? Double pole, energized with headlight power, but supplied from ignition if that makes sense? I'll see if can work a diagram out...
Thanks Dave. I’ve been looking at a 5 pin relay which would supply 87 or 87a depending on whether energised by the headlamp switch or not. This in theory should work but I think I’m missing something because it can’t be that straightforward.
Something like that I presume would work, excuse my scrawl. It is simple, but that's all the fuel pump is controlled by on an mg metro turbo, a standard 5 pin relay and it allows power while cranking, and when oil pressure is reached (from normal oil pressure light switch) it clicks in and works.
assume the lamps have suitable beam pattern to be used this way or have lower wattage bulbs if they were originally spot lamps? this is how the MK2 Golf in the US is wired. the wire down to 30 is wired to the X pin on the headlight switch or any ignition live will do. wire 85 to the white/black on headlight switch or flasher switch then the lights will be on till you put headlight switch on 2nd click, or wire to sidelight/boot light feed if you want them off with the sidelights on. 87 is the output to your lamps, the resistance inline is to reduce the voltage to the lights when running from the DRL relay you would do away with that what fusebox do you have? you can get all the feeds from aux pins most likely depending on how you want it to work
Right, criteria has slightly changed. I would now like the DRLs to stay on with the headlamps but dimmed. I realised that to turn the DRLs off when the headlamps are switch on would need just a relay switch by the headlamp switch. That's great for on off functionality when the headlamps are switched on but not for keeping the DRLs on, dimmed. So I then moved on to a changeover relay switching between two power sources, one 12v and one 5-8v. But, using one conventionally it wouldn't work as the 30 terminal would only be connected to one power source. A bit of reading revealed that the relay could be used backwards. 12v to 87a, NC and 5-8v to 87, NO but closed when headlamp switched on. Thoughts? Apologies for it being upside down.
Would that little box off ebay do the trick then? Wire to ignition and the dim lead to sidelight supply . Obviously your diagram is for NZDM
The little box would work but it works off voltage drops and rises. The issue may be with my trickle charger which raises the battery voltage quite high and could confuse the box, turning the lights on. What on earth is NZDM
you could add a feed from headlights on through a resistor and diode to the DRL relay output to lights. when drl are on and lights off diode stops flow out to the lights, and when lights are on you get dimmed 12v to the DRL. you could use a standard mk2 dimdip resistor, afaik thats what the US mk2 use
But you could wire the main supply from the ignition so it's not permanently on, then also the trickle charger won't have an effect on it. Isn't running lights through resistance basically the same as the polo mints of doom did on the mk2, and my 91 mini had a similar set up. NZDM, New Zealand Domestic Market, I'll get me coat.
I’d have got it if it was ADM…..still not Could wire from ignition but that has given me an idea (where is the light bulb emoji) and that would be to have it wired direct from the battery as it should be but via relay which is triggered from ignition live!
yeah the dimdip runs thru a resistor, the problem with it was if the wires short out theres no fuse on that circuit so it melts the headlight switch loom. that plus the unfortunate location of the resistor and routing of the wiring to it in the mk2 golf means it is quite a common issue. the mk3 and late cabrio and scirocco also also have the same setup but since the routing is better they are much less likely to suffer from it (mk1 chassis on the other hand has its own problem, the dimdip plug is next to the front fog light plug and they will fit together. but if you do that, you'll melt your headlight switch loom ) long story short, pop a fuse somewhere and you'll be fine so a diode will only allow current to pass thru it one way, you wire up your DRL as above but also tap into a lights on feed somewhere. put the diode in place so the lights wont be powered by the DRL as it stops current from the DRL back feeding to the lights. the diode will however allow current to pass from the lights to the drl when they are turned on, via a resistor of some kind to reduce the light output. make sure the drl relay is only powered while the lights are off using my original idea above, jobs a goodun. or ignore all that and go your own way, whatever does the job
Phil. I know you love a bit of DIY , but for 20 quid.... https://www.powerfuluk.com/drl-controller-board.html
Yep, I'm in an email conversation with them at the moment. It's still not clear if it will work correctly with a trickle charger. I have asked them if it will work with a relay as per Daves idea above and await an answer. However, it only does what all the eBay £5 hobbies do, just looks a bit better made.
Confirmation from the company that the board will work with a relay but the “see you home” function won’t as it relies on power from the battery and the relay would prevent that. This is actually good as I park in the garage and the light comes on so I can see what I’m doing anyway I’m ordering one and will update with progress as and when the post office see fit to deliver.
Job finally done and I don’t mind saying it was a pain in the proverbial. The board from PowerfulUK is great. I did nearly burn it out but we will get to that As mentioned above the board has a “see you home” function which can be an issue with a trickle charger. The battery voltage rise and drop can cause the lights to come on of their own free will which I didn’t want, no point in lighting up the garage when there is no one in there. The SYH function relies on battery live to work and so to negate this I decided to wire via relay. I wired the relay to switch with ign live and therefore completely isolate the board when the ignition was off and therefore prevent the DRLs coming on unwantedly (is that a word?). Finding the right wires on a 48 year old car that has had an engine transplant is no mean feat but I finally identified suitable ign live, battery live, headlight power and grounds. Of course wires had to be run from the DRLs to the board. After much shortening and then lengthening of wires (and repeat ) I got it all connected up. This was when I found it didn’t work and the board started to smoke! I had a feeling that it may have been because I still had halogen bulbs in the lamps. I contacted the company and they confirmed that the board will not work with halogens and only LEDs (they have since updated their website to this effect). I had already bought some 30w LED halogen replacements so I popped them in. Then it all worked Now the DRLs come on when I turn the ignition on and dim by 30% when I turn the headlights on, it’s very cool. An added bonus and absolutely by luck, when I turn the main beam on the DRLs come back to full brightness and not only that, when I flash the main beams the DRLs flash as well thats even cooler . I didn’t take a pic of the lights on, we all know the difference…. I printed a bespoke box for the board with pins for screwing the board to and everything (it has a lid). Placed in the scuttle. I am very pleased with the result but if I had known how much effort it would be I wouldn’t have bothered
