LED headlight strips as DRL

[parisgrey]

going to give these a try:
https://www.diodedynamics.com/store/catalog/product/view/id/22660/s/s1-switchback-module-pair/category/1448/ I'll post an update once they arrive and I can wire them in.

 

[parisgrey]

update #5,283:

SUCCESS! although partial. One of the two switchback relays works fine with a resistor pack on the input side, and exactly as desired, the other won't even light up on the bench. So on the passenger side I have full stock functionality. The bright DRL turns off when the indicator is turned on, and turns itself back on within 1 second of the indicator being cancelled. I've contacted the company and I'm waiting for a replacement of the bad unit.

 

[parisgrey]

turns out it was only the label on the switchback was on upside down, so the inputs were on the opposite side. both sides work great now!

 

[jrvoix]

Any more pictures?! and anyone near Los Angeles or on the West Coast that could help me out with this Im not mechanically inclined. or Electrically for this Matter. Parisgrey your car looks great!

 

[DM2015GENE]

Do you have a part number for the hobby shop wire harness?

OK, I took on the project over the weekend.

A few notes:

1. I was able to do this WITHOUT removing the front bumper. You need smaller hands, but i was able to unscrew the bottom cover off the headlight and between that and the rear cover, I was able to reach in there and disconnect the DRL harness, allowing me enough slack to add the extra pin outside. I used a wire harness from a RC car hobby shop, the wire fit right into the harness and clicked into place once you open the harness cover up. I then drilled the hole for the wire in the round access panel, leaving enough slack inside to be able to rotate the panel as needed to install/remove.

2. Do yourself a favor and order a 50-pack of the push-pin plastic plugs from eBay before you start. http://www.ebay.com/itm/361225336403 You *WILL* break at least 50% of the existing ones on the front black radiator shroud, which you need to remove to have decent access to the lights. No fancy tool can help you here, I tried. They're just very brittle.

3. I used a fuse panel mounted add-a-fuse so I wouldn't have to splice any cables in the cabin.

4. If you do buy those time delay relays I mentioned a few posts up, PROGRAM THEM WITH A 9V BATTERY AND TEST LED LIGHT BEFORE YOU PUT THEM IN THE CAR. There is no way to program them in the car. You'll thank me later. Watch the videos from the supplier.

5. I took the opportunity to replace the front amber bulbs with LEDs. I used these http://www.ebay.com/itm/232209344860 and they are brighter than stock and light up the entire reflector nicely. Note that the passenger side bulb socket is wired backwards so an LED bulb won't work without rewiring; I swapped out the pins on the harness while I was in there anyhow. No fast-blink since you're using the relays instead of flashers.

Having said all of the above, I had considerable issues programming the relays and getting everything to work; so I ended up giving up on the time delay relays and just wiring it like danemania1. Of the two time delays I received, one was faulty, wouldn't turn on at all. The other worked fine on the test bench, but didn't seem to like the load, or who knows what, because it wouldn't work in the car and made the blinker blink fast. Not sure if that's because the second relay wouldn't work, but I didn't see the full DRLs until I removed both time delay relays. The vendor is sending a replacement for the faulty unit, i might try adding a 50ohm resistor on those to see if that cures the issues with the delay timers.

 

[parisgrey]

Do you have a part number for the hobby shop wire harness?

I don't, unfortunately, just walked in and asked to see what small harnesses they had in stock and picked a couple by sight. If you show that photo to a hobby shop they might be able to help you. He mentioned what it was for but i don't remember.

 

[DM2015GENE]

Okay Thanks

 

[danemania1]

i havnt been on here in awhile so i just saw this link to the switychbacks. i think ill order them. thanks for finding them

 

[youngforever]

Anybody in Pennsylvania or Close to Pennsylvania willing to lend their hand for this project.

 

[kaigoss69]

Thank you for posting this. I will be tackling this project soon.

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[parisgrey]

Update after almost 9 months:

The last switchback relays I used work great, with the catch that they didn't always turn on the DRLs on the first try. sometimes I'd have to turn on the parking lights or the indicator first to get one or both to kick on. There must be some sort of sensing going on at the car's lighting module. resistors didn't help the situation.

Rather than try a fourth type of relay, I wired the DRLs directly to their own switched 12v from the fuse box in the engine compartment and installed a second set of switchbacks to dim them when the parking or headlights are turned on. The lights function 100% like factory 2016s now and I don't have to ever check to see if they're on.

 

[danemania1]

I picked up these http://www.exledusa.com/tdc-module-led-switchback-turnsignal-and-drl-control-module-pair.html
i have only installed 1 so far with good results. i will show a diagram of how I am wiring them in. i also will need to install a set of
50watt 6 ohm resistors.

 

[danemania1]

So I tried a couple different switchback relays but couldn't get the results I wanted. one gave me hyperflash and I added a resistor but it made my LED strip flicker.
so I made my own and they work great. they also make it so i dont need to run the 12v constant power. and I also don't need the relays as the switchback takes their place. it keeps everything working like factory. if the front blinker bulb blows the car will hyperflash to let you know. the way its wired with the harnesses I used if something ever goes wrong with the switchbacks i just unplug it and then connect the 2 connectors and its back to factory.
here is a diagram to build one and what it wires to.


here is a diagram of how to wire it into the car

 

[parisgrey]

could I interest you in making an extra pair of those? also, would this hyperflash if you have LED bulbs in the front turn signals?

 

[danemania1]

im not sure if it would hyperflash as i have the factory bulbs in.. i suppose if it does you could connect the resistor from the output off the NO lead going to the blinker bulb. I think I have enough parts to build the circuits except the boxes to put them in. I might have to order some more harnesses. so it might take a week or 2 to get them built.
does your car hyperflash now with the LEDs? if it doesn't than it shouldn't with these switshbacks as they use the DRL/ blinker power from the car that powers them when its completely factory.

 

[parisgrey]

im not sure if it would hyperflash as i have the factory bulbs in.. i suppose if it does you could connect the resistor from the output off the NO lead going to the blinker bulb. I think I have enough parts to build the circuits except the boxes to put them in. I might have to order some more harnesses. so it might take a week or 2 to get them built.
does your car hyperflash now with the LEDs? if it doesn't than it shouldn't with these switshbacks as they use the DRL/ blinker power from the car that powers them when its completely factory.

my car doesn't hyperflash now because it's using the relays from the rear blinkers to turn on the front ones, as per your original instructions. I'm not using the original front turn/DRL signal wire at all, they have resistors on them to fool the computer and that's it. it did hyperflash when i plugged these bulbs in with everything stock.

i suspect your setup wouldn't hyperflash if the circuit is seeing the load from the DRL LED while the turn signal is off, but only one way to know for sure.

so yes, if you have the time, i'd be interested in purchasing a pair of your relays, boxes and all, set up with the resistors to prevent the hyperflashing. we can continue this over PM if you'd prefer.

 

[kaigoss69]

So can OP or anyone else who is electronically-inclined build these custom relays for me? PM me please. Thx!

 

[danemania1]

my car doesn't hyperflash now because it's using the relays from the rear blinkers to turn on the front ones, as per your original instructions. I'm not using the original front turn/DRL signal wire at all, they have resistors on them to fool the computer and that's it. it did hyperflash when i plugged these bulbs in with everything stock.

i suspect your setup wouldn't hyperflash if the circuit is seeing the load from the DRL LED while the turn signal is off, but only one way to know for sure.

so yes, if you have the time, i'd be interested in purchasing a pair of your relays, boxes and all, set up with the resistors to prevent the hyperflashing. we can continue this over PM if you'd prefer.

ok, ill order some of the pieces i need and build them. if you already have the resistors on the blinker led bulb i would just leave it in place. as long as its after
this box. I can add a resistor if you like but it will be mounted to the outside of the box because of the heat it generates and the size of it.

 

[Lucanjo]

Hey guys, I just picked up my '15 yesterday. I am very interested in tackling this project. I've done some electrical/mechanical but nothing to this extent so it's a little daunting. Are there any already modified parts that I could buy from someone to simplify it for me? Any additional details or videos you guys have to help me follow the write up? Thanks.

 

[danemania1]

I would suggest building the custom switchback relays I show in this thread. they will eliminate the need for the relays in the write up and the 12v constant wire. if you dont mind the DRL flashing with the blinker then you don't need the circuits. to my knowledge there are no pre made parts unless you buy headlights for a 2017. i believe that already has a wire going to the LED strip. but you would still need to do all the other wiring.