HOW TO: Daytime Running Lights (DRL) installed for $35

[GeekEV]

So all done? Congrats!

[gascant]

Just ordered a set today. Hope to have them installed by the next SF BayLEAFs meeting on November 12th. If it's easy, we might start offering it as a clinic--we already offer a horn upgrade/installation clinic at 3 out of our 4 rotating venues (one doesn't have a parking lot).

Couple of questions:
1. Did you need to raise up the car to do the work from below? Or can you loosen/remove the pan without jacking.
2. Could we just make a pig tail off the upgraded horn ground connection and use that? The 120 mA would be un-noticeable in the horn's 8-10 Amp circuit.

[TomT]

Couple of questions:

You likely could do it without jacking or ramps, but it is much easier with them because of the increased ground clearance. I did it using ramps.
1. Did you need to raise up the car to do the work from below? Or can you loosen/remove the pan without jacking.

Yes, that would work fine. I simply used a convenient body ground nearby each light but any ground anywhere will work.
2. Could we just make a pig tail off the upgraded horn ground connection and use that? The 120 mA would be un-noticeable in the horn's 8-10 Amp circuit.

[detlefo]

I did mine a couple of days ago, Thanks GeekEV, with a few modifications. I routed the wires to between the grill and radiator and fished then using a wire hook. Worked fine. After one failure with the wire tap I chose to not tap the black/white wire. rather using an existing grounding screw. Works great and no crawling into the engine compartment. Smallish hands do help.

[91040]

2. Could we just make a pig tail off the upgraded horn ground connection and use that? The 120 mA would be un-noticeable in the horn's 8-10 Amp circuit.

Yes, that would work fine. I simply used a convenient body ground nearby each light but any ground anywhere will work.

TomT-
1) So the above avoids running the black wire from the PDM or LCM?
2) Would you describe the location and wire you tapped for the power wire more precisely? Is that location better/easier?
3) What amber fog lights did you use and why? In a prior post you denigrated using amber over white.

Thanks.

[TomT]

1) Yes, that way you only need a hot (+12) wire. Plus, I wired the two hots together at one lamp (driver's side) so that left only one wire I had to run in to the engine compartment. You can pick up the ground for the lights near the lights, by tapping in to the horn ground or pretty much any other metal surface you like anywhere in the area. You could also tie the two grounds together at one light if you liked so you only had one wire to connect to ground. They will all work equally well for this purpose.

2) I'm not home so I'll have to look up the exact wire for you later but it was one of the switched 12 volt wires from the JB box. There are a number of them there that will all work equally well. It is hot whenever the car is in Run Mode.

3) Here is what I used: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002E2WMWG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I like them because they have a deep yellow look which is best for fog lights (short wavelength light scatters more in fog than long wavelength light) and they also gave a nice contrasting look to all the other lights in front which are now cool white 6000K... Since I will be using them sparingly now that I have the LED DRLs, I wasn't concerned about power consumption any longer, and more about light quality and intensity.

1) So the above avoids running the black wire from the PDM or LCM?
2) Would you describe the location and wire you tapped for the power wire more precisely? Is that location better/easier?
3) What amber fog lights did you use and why? In a prior post you denigrated using amber over white.

[gascant]

1) Yes, that way you only need a hot (+12) wire. Plus, I wired the two hots together at one lamp (driver's side) so that left only one wire I had to run in to the engine compartment. You can pick up the ground for the lights near the lights, by tapping in to the horn ground or pretty much any other metal surface you like anywhere in the area. You could also tie the two grounds together at one light if you liked so you only had one wire to connect to ground. They will all work equally well for this purpose.

Yes, that sounds good--it's only 120 mA total so there should be no stress running both lights through a single wire for much of the circuit. Good idea. I'm also interested in where you take off the +12V. And, does cutting a notch or drilling a hole in the "cover" for the Power Distribution Module compromise it in any way (e.g., water splashing up)?

My DRL kit should arrive on Wednesday...really like the look.

[GeekEV]

And, does cutting a notch or drilling a hole in the "cover" for the Power Distribution Module compromise it in any way (e.g., water splashing up)?

I shouldn't think so, particularly if you take care to only notch just enough to run the wire(s) through. But even water does get in there, the actual PDM board snaps in upside down so it would just drain harmlessly into (and out of) the bottom of the box.

[EVDRIVER]

I just did a mod to my LEAF where ONLY the LED headlights come on when the car is started and the marker lights are off. If the lights are in "auto"mode and it is daytime the LED lights are on but nothing else and the illumination in the car is normal for day. If it it is night then the marker lights come on and all lights will shut off after the car is off based on the auto timer. If the lights are in the off position the LED headlights come on in the day and go off once I turn the car off. I now have DRL on the main lights with no need to ever turn them on or off and they are only active in the day when the car is in the "start" mode. I may enhance this mod to include raising of the LED headlights in the day for better visibility and lowering them at night automatically.

[GeekEV]

Wow, that sounds elaborate. Did you actually do that or is this one of your jokes? It's hard to tell sometimes.