DRL (Daytime Running Lights) wiring source

I purchased some LED lights I'd like to use as DRL. I haven't poked around under the hood or under the dash much. Does anyone know of an ignition-on wire that can accommodate (a whopping: ) 60mA ?

The fuse block/bus bar in front of the mighty 12v battery has some spots to a tiny fuse.

But, you want it switched, right?

I have completed the installation. I connected to a secondary fuse panel that is between the battery and firewall. There are switched and non-switched fuses in the panel. Beware, the switched fuses activate with the ignition as well as when the vehicle is connected to a charger. I don't anticipate this being a problem since the lights draw only about .5 amps.
I'd post pics, but I don't see how to attach pics to a post in this forum.

I'd like to see some pics. Upload them to http://imageshack.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://tinypic.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and then come back here and paste in the code they give you. If the pics are really large, you can use the resize feature on the site - 640x480 works well.

Pics available
http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k492/skpnsf/Leaf%20LED%20DRL/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k492/skpnsf/Leaf LED DRL/

Slight correction, the circuit is active with ignition on and when vehicle is charging.

Does anyone know where the regular DRL circuit is? I realize that it isn't enabled for the U.S. market, but isn't it still required for Canada? Also, in the U.K. they are able to use their fog lights as DRL (without the headlights also on) also, however on the U.S. model you can't turn on the fog lights unless the headlights are on too.

I've been digging around the service manual, but haven't come up with anything...

It would be interesting to find out how to enable DRLs on the LEAF for us Canadians that wish to purchase one south of the border.

Unless you replace the fog lights with LEDS, as I have, they make very inefficient DRLS as that draw a total of 110 watts...

DarkStar said:

Does anyone know where the regular DRL circuit is? I realize that it isn't enabled for the U.S. market, but isn't it still required for Canada? Also, in the U.K. they are able to use their fog lights as DRL (without the headlights also on) also, however on the U.S. model you can't turn on the fog lights unless the headlights are on too.

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mogur said:

Unless you replace the fog lights with LEDS, as I have, they make very inefficient DRLS as that draw a total of 110 watts...

DarkStar said:

Does anyone know where the regular DRL circuit is? I realize that it isn't enabled for the U.S. market, but isn't it still required for Canada? Also, in the U.K. they are able to use their fog lights as DRL (without the headlights also on) also, however on the U.S. model you can't turn on the fog lights unless the headlights are on too.

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Which bulbs did you use? Link? I wish I could just turn on my headlights (leave on) and have them go off with the ignition like my truck. More Nissan silliness.

EVDRIVER said:

mogur said:

I wish I could just turn on my headlights (leave on) and have them go off with the ignition like my truck. More Nissan silliness.

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Just cover the light sensor on the passenger side dashboard, very close to the windshield, then turn the light to "auto". Works very well.

Maybe this will help.
Posted on this site is a list of all bulbs
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2773" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (thanks DarkStar)

Go to a website like Super Bright LEDs. or V-LEDs and find the bulb you would like to replace such as the driving/fog lights

I personally don't care for the logic nissan used to be able to utilize the fog lights. They are on ONLY with the low beam head lights,
Oh.. and what's up with those high beams that seem to make the lights LESS bright? Kudos, though, for the (bug eyed) yummie low beams

SKPnSF said:

I personally don't care for the logic nissan used to be able to utilize the fog lights. They are on ONLY with the low beam head lights

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The vehicle code in California at least does not allow using foglamps without headlamps.

From http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc24403.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution of, headlamps.

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Yes, as the statute is listed: 24403. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two foglamps that may be used with, but may not be used in substitution of, headlamps.

Its a matter of interpretation since headlights are not required until sunset (in California), the "fog lamps" would not be used in substitution of the headlights during daylight hours. In addition, the lights used on my Leaf are not "Foglamps", but driving lights so it would appear the wording of this statute does not apply.
The later is a stretch, but it would appear the law was enacted to prevent people from using non-certified lighting in place of certified headlights when/where headlights are required.

I have used auxiliary lighting on my cars for years in leu of standard DRL and have never had an issue. I have never used them in the place of my regular headlights when headlights are required, nor do I condone the use of them in a fashion that is unsafe. Driving without headlights on when required is unsafe.

I'm a proponent of the safety of DRL, it's unfortunate that Nissan (and many others) do not include them.

Additionally, the Nissan driving lights go off when the high beams are triggered, which seems counter to the reason to having them on in the first place... It may be another regulation, but again, counter intuitive.

SKPnSF said:

I purchased some LED lights I'd like to use as DRL. I haven't poked around under the hood or under the dash much. Does anyone know of an ignition-on wire that can accommodate (a whopping: ) 60mA ?

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I like that. Where did you get the LED kits?

Just a little correction regarding DLRs...

Certainly in the U.K., DLRs became law this year for any new cars. In other words, anything after 2011 model year has to have DLRs.

It was made law because of the European Union -- prior to this E.U. law let the U.K. do what it wanted.

I love the DLRs as I think all cars should have them worldwide. As a biker, I understand the importance of being seen by other road users.

In terms of using them, I tend to leave my car's lights on AUTO -- meaning the DLRs switch over to dipped beam lights when the car thinks it's dark enough.

The DLR bulbs sit in the same housing as the Fog lights - but they're not the fog lights. It's a dual bulb arrangement and I believe the reflector is modified inside there to prevent the DLRs from shining in the wrong way.

I'd advise checking your Fog light housings to see if there's a blanking over an additional hole? -- but setting the lights to auto-on? That should be easy with a relay and I'm sure it's already on the car somwehre since the U.S. cars are probably made exactly the same as the other market cars in Oppama.

Anyone do this -- install a relay attached to the LED headlights such that the illuminates DRL's (either fog lights with the bulbs replaced with LED's or after market ones) illuminate when the LED headlights are powered off?

The fog lights and DRLs (and most other exterior lights) are controlled by the CPU in the lighting control module. I suspect that the difference between the U.S. non-DRL and Canada/UK DRL versions is the software in the respective versions of the control unit.

The fog lights are on pins 19 and 20 of that module and it would be a simply task to move them to a switched bus if you wanted them powered up when the car is on.

aminorjourney said:

I'd advise checking your Fog light housings to see if there's a blanking over an additional hole? -- but setting the lights to auto-on? That should be easy with a relay and I'm sure it's already on the car somwehre since the U.S. cars are probably made exactly the same as the other market cars in Oppama.

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Hey guys, I undertook this mod myself and did a full writeup of it over here: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=6134" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy!

Here in Canada, it appears that the DRLs are just the high beam bulbs running at a lower wattage. I was hoping they were separate bulbs that I could replace with LEDs, because even if the 65W high beams are only at 30 or 40, that's still a lot worse than LEDs. So I tried cfl's suggestion

cfl said:

Just cover the light sensor on the passenger side dashboard, very close to the windshield, then turn the light to "auto". Works very well.

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That works great, even though the parking lights are also on, but they're apparently only 5W, so no big deal. Of course all the dash and centre console lights dim as well. I'm assuming that the LED headlights are in the mW range, yes?
I thought it was amusing that while I was checking all this in the car just now, The Wallflowers "One Headlight" was on the radio.

Steve

myev said:

Here in Canada, it appears that the DRLs are just the high beam bulbs running at a lower wattage. I was hoping they were separate bulbs that I could replace with LEDs, because even if the 65W high beams are only at 30 or 40, that's still a lot worse than LEDs. So I tried cfl's suggestion

cfl said:

Just cover the light sensor on the passenger side dashboard, very close to the windshield, then turn the light to "auto". Works very well.

Click to expand...

That works great, even though the parking lights are also on, but they're apparently only 5W, so no big deal. Of course all the dash and centre console lights dim as well. I'm assuming that the LED headlights are in the mW range, yes?
I thought it was amusing that while I was checking all this in the car just now, The Wallflowers "One Headlight" was on the radio.

Steve

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Interesting. I was told (at a local Leaf meeting) by a British visitor that the UK DRLs are a second bulb in the fog housings. I'd be surprised that Nissan would do differently in Canada.