DRL wiring diagram

freelandie71 · Oct 9, 2013

Got a set of LED lamps small enough to be fitted to the underside of the bumper. I would like to set them up as DRL but not sure about the wiring. Would it be the usual fog light type set up with relay and the switch wire patched to something that it live when ignition is turned on EG ciggy lighter. Or is it another set up completely.

Duncp73 · Oct 9, 2013

It should have it's own circuit. When I wired in my roof lights I used a socket in the fuse box for the power. The connection on the left was a negative with was switched on the side lights, it confused me for a while trying to work out why my roof lights were going out when I put the lights on. The other 2 connections were a permanent live and a ignition live.

Hopefully the pic will help. It's the socket on the right.

freelandie71 · Oct 10, 2013

Thanks for that ill give it a go. So just to confirm, the pin on the left is an earth? And one of the other 2 is either a live or switched live.

RichStone · Oct 10, 2013

To wire them up correctly as DRLs you will need a double throw relay. This is because DRLs should come on with ignition live but go off when the lights are switched on. If using LEDs for lighting, their current drain is small and so can be powered by a suitably fused ignition live connection without having to use a second relay to switch in a direct battery feed. The double throw relay would allow power through to the DRLs when not activated and cut the power when a positive feed from the sidelight circuit is applied to it.

Did you follow that? I know it works as I've done it on my MGF. I haven't got round to doing it on my Freelander as I've tended to use the sidelights instead which are fitted with bright LED clusters. However, I may do the job properly one day!

Hope that helps a little...

Duncp73 · Oct 10, 2013

freelandie71 said:
Thanks for that ill give it a go. So just to confirm, the pin on the left is an earth? And one of the other 2 is either a live or switched live.

Yes mate. If I remember rightly the orange wire is the permanent live.

freelandie71 · Oct 10, 2013

RichStone said:
To wire them up correctly as DRLs you will need a double throw relay. This is because DRLs should come on with ignition live but go off when the lights are switched on. If using LEDs for lighting, their current drain is small and so can be powered by a suitably fused ignition live connection without having to use a second relay to switch in a direct battery feed. The double throw relay would allow power through to the DRLs when not activated and cut the power when a positive feed from the sidelight circuit is applied to it.

Did you follow that? I know it works as I've done it on my MGF. I haven't got round to doing it on my Freelander as I've tended to use the sidelights instead which are fitted with bright LED clusters. However, I may do the job properly one day!

Hope that helps a little...

I too have/ had led side lights but I find with them being so close to the main bulb they get cooked and don't last long.. I don't suppose you have a diagram for your method of wiring up. I can follow electrical diagrams but not written instructions.

freelandie71 · Oct 10, 2013

Duncp73 said:
Yes mate. If I remember rightly the orange wire is the permanent live.

Thanks dunk I now have a good tucked away source for the wire connection and once I can get my head around how to incorporate a double throw relay I'll be all set to go.

Duncp73 · Oct 10, 2013

freelandie71 said:
Thanks dunk I now have a good tucked away source for the wire connection and once I can get my head around how to incorporate a double throw relay I'll be all set to go.

If you use the 3 connections you won't need a double throw relay.

Ignition live 1 side of the the relay coil, earth on the other side.
The earth "turns off" when you turn the lights on.

Permanent live will feed the lights through the relay if that makes?

freelandie71 · Oct 10, 2013

Duncp73 said:
If you use the 3 connections you won't need a double throw relay.

Ignition live 1 side of the the relay coil, earth on the other side.
The earth "turns off" when you turn the lights on.

Permanent live will feed the lights through the relay if that makes?

I'm confused, so the three pins in the fused box you pictured, the left pin is an earth, and when the light are turned on the earth is canceled. So if I wire the LED earth wire to that pin instead the The LEDs will go out when I turn the lights on so I would not need a relay, yeah?

Duncp73 · Oct 10, 2013

freelandie71 said:
I'm confused, so the three pins in the fused box you pictured, the left pin is an earth, and when the light are turned on the earth is canceled. So if I wire the LED earth wire to that pin instead the The LEDs will go out when I turn the lights on so I would not need a relay, yeah?

Yes, that's right. I just prefer to use a relay. Don't forget to incorporate a fuse.

freelandie71 · Oct 10, 2013

Duncp73 said:
Yes, that's right. I just prefer to use a relay. Don't forget to incorporate a fuse.

Would the fuse go on the switched live wire? And what size fuse, a 5 amp? Thanks for the replies by the way.

Duncp73 · Oct 10, 2013

freelandie71 said:
Would the fuse go on the switched live wire? And what size fuse, a 5 amp? Thanks for the replies by the way.

Yes mate, put the fuse on the live. The size would depend on what power the LEDs are drawing. No worries.

freelandie71 · Oct 11, 2013

Thanks all

DRL wiring diagram

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