DRL feed for additional LED lights

[Shaun Witts]

@Shaun Witts - does it come on with ignition or side lights / headlights?

Any chance (pretty please) of photos re wiring routes & terminations?

Mine currently come on with the ignition, though I want to eventually configure them to come on with the welcome lights as well.
I used the same wiring connections as @VioletVW showed in post #59, so a tap on the fuse box in front of the battery, and a ring terminal under that body bolt. The wiring is cable tied around the bonnet hinge as shown in photos below:

 

[Georgeo]

This is all you see on a bright day:
View attachment 191544
I went for the blue option, and you can only really see it above the headlights here. But it is a lot more noticeable when it is a bit darker. I could, maybe, have positioned the strip closer to the leading edge of the bonnet, but I didn’t want it to be directly visible, so I am happy with this.
Note to self - must get some night time or at least dull day photos of it,

not being a killjoy but only white lights should be shown at front of vehicle. Gives police opportunities to pull you over.

 

[DXX]

not being a killjoy but only white lights should be shown at front of vehicle. Gives police opportunities to pull you over.

I‘d put 6 points on their licence just for possession with intent.

 

[Bav]

not being a killjoy but only white lights should be shown at front of vehicle. Gives police opportunities to pull you over.

As I understood it, blue lights - be they on the front, rear or side of the vehicle - are restricted to emergency vehicles only, and the Police don't take too kindly to anyone impersonating them. In fact it's a specific criminal offence punishable by up to 6 months at His Majesty's pleasure (Police Act 1996, Section 90).

 

[Shaun Witts]

not being a killjoy but only white lights should be shown at front of vehicle. Gives police opportunities to pull you over.

Actually, I asked a traffic officer about that once, and he told me that blue lights are only illegal if they are flashing (because I thought the same as you).
Of course, he might have meant that he, personally, would only bother to stop someone if they had flashing blue lights, and another officer might feel differently?
But my understanding is, that so long as they are not flashing, blue lights to the front are not illegal. I’ve just done a quick check and found a video where a police officer states that colours such as green or blue (but not red) are not illegal on the front of a vehicle so long as they are not flashing. Of course, t’internet being what it is, there are also various sources saying that it is illegal (but not a police source).

None of the above, though, changes the fact that if it catches plods eye, then they may be more likely to pull you over. Can’t argue with that.

 

[Bav]

It'll really catch plod's eye if it's doing that Knight Rider swooshing from side-to-side.

 

[moomin-j]

It'll really catch plod's eye if it's doing that Knight Rider swooshing from side-to-side.

Looks good though!!

 

[archersam]

It'll really catch plod's eye if it's doing that Knight Rider swooshing from side-to-side.

It only does that on start up then it goes solid. Now of course if you had a switch on dash etc it would go on and off

 

[Bav]

It only does that on start up then it goes solid. Now of course if you had a switch on dash etc it would go on and off

Do it!

 

[Wills]

What’s the preferred feed for the LED strips? I get the ignition live but what about the factory LED headlight option for unlocking and DRL working?

 

[Drew007]

I wired mine to come on with full beam

 

[SAF1981]

I wired mine to come on with full beam

Where did you wire them up to make them come on with DRL/welcome home lights?

 

[archersam]

I wired mine to come on with full beam

Hang on wait a minute. You’re in the wrong place with a 5.1 we don’t go that low

 

[Drew007]

Sorry @archersam il get my coat then!! dont be mad or sad that the Old T5’s drive better then the T6.1’s bud

 

[archersam]

Sorry @archersam il get my coat then!! dont be mad or sad that the Old T5’s drive better then the T6.1’s bud

Ha ha it was sarcasm/joke. The old t5’s might drive better but clearly the forums aren’t

 

[MarkW-T6]

Attached to to bonnet, temp connection to side light feed.

 

[True Romance]

Brilliant. Next project once I sort out the pop top gas struts.

 

[Shaun Witts]

Attached to to bonnet, temp connection to side light feed.

Where did you pick up your sidelight feed?

 

[MarkW-T6]

Where did you pick up your sidelight feed

Currently tapped into the sidelight feed and the Earth at the headlight plug. There is a problem though, the voltage drops for some reason when the ignition is turned on the light strip goes off. further investigation today.

 

[MarkW-T6]

So, on testing, the voltage with the ignition on dropped to less than 11v. This wasn’t enough to trigger the lightstrip. I didn’t really investigate this any further but think this could be for a number of reasons. I have after market lights into which I have fitted LED bulbs. I believe the original lights may have had a dual filament bulb. If so, the side light feed MAY still be providing a supply to the LED’s which is not required which is somehow pulling the voltage down? It is therefore possible that with standard lights the volt drop may not occur? It MAY be that the voltage is somehow controlled through the vehicle monitoring (Canbus system) and this reduced the voltage? It also could just be something specific to my van. So I‘ve rewired to my original plan using an optocoupler relay (never heard of these till I read this thread so thanks to @Deaky) still don’t understand how they work, just accept the magic!
So, using the relay and the lights set to “auto”, during the day the lightstrip doesn’t work (installed on the bonnet it‘s hardly visible anyway) When it’s dark enough for the lights to come on via the “auto” setting, unlocking the van or the lights coming on will activate the lightstrip. Currently I have picked up a feed from the fuse box under the bonnet, SB35 Battery Monitor (can anyone advise if this is NOT suitable?), which appears to be constantly live. This feeds both the relay and the lightstrip via the N/O contact. The trigger signal is from the side light feed at the light connection. I‘m monitoring for battery drain so will see what happens over the next few days.
Just to reiterate, it could just be as simple as connecting the lightstrip to the side light feed and all will be well. On my van, March 2016, Euro 5, on the N/S light connector, sidelight feed (12v+) is no. 10, (12v-) is no. 5.