Of course, brilliant is spelled wrong...But hopefully that doesn't mean the reset of the idea is bad:

I am a big believer in DRLs. To get them on my car, I've currently gone the cheap route and put a piece of tape over my light sensor. Leaving the headlights in automatic mode, I always have headlights when the ignition is on. On the down side, my rearview mirror has reverted to "manual" because when it is switched on it is always darkened and my navigation screen is also manual in that I can no longer use the auto dimming feature.

I realize that I could swap my headlight switch for a Canadian one, but then I'd have to manually switch on the dash lights.

I've lived with this setup for years. But today I say NO MORE (well, maybe)

I am installing HIDs and along with them a TGP H1 HID Xenon Digital Relay Wiring Harness with Fuse. My thought is this:

Instead of plugging the relay into on of the low beam power connectors, I'll tap into a switched circuit. Therefore, whenever the circuit is energized, the low beams will come on. This will allow me to take off the tape on the light sensor. When it gets dark outside, the light sensor will turn on the other exterior lights and dash lights.

 

Sounds do-able. Which switched circuit? Do remember that the headlight will consume a fair amount of power and will need a fuse and support wiring that can handle this additional load. Or are you going to come straight off the battery?

The daytime running lights are a bit peculiar in my metro. During the day, they automatically come on, and are essentially the headlights. At night, I have to manually turn the headlights on. Makes me wonder why there is even a headlight switch at all.

My motorcycles are set up this way. Headlights are on all the time, just the high beams are switched.

 

Heima,

The HID relay will tap into the battery, so the only thing the switched circuit "should" be doing is acting as on on/off switch. As for which circuit I'll tap into, I haven't isolated it but I figure I should be able to find one fairly easily.

 

Mick, you have a good idea. the only caution that I may warn you about is the possibility of getting warning lights from the car thinking the headlights are burned out (as it will see no power being used by the headlights).

I solved the running light issue a bit different. I took nine 285K MCD LEDs and soldered them together and then encased them in a clear resin block. From there, I mounted them under the fin in the lower grille area. From there, wired them up like you are except I didn't need a relay as each light only pulls about 0.1 amp. So, I hard wired them. Each set of LEDs puts out the light of about a 45W bulb. So, they are plenty bright. to let other people know I am coming.

 

I thought the DRL's were already programmed into the car? Just ask a dealer to turn them on ( or get the Mongoose tool, "in the close dealer tool thread") and you're good to go.

The Canadian style DRL's turn on all the lights, side, marker and taillights, as Jaguar has always done with DRL's. Dash lights do have to be turned on and off manually.

 

On thing to ponder on, DRL are not 100% on unless they have a motor to adjust the beam angle. They are illuminated at a slightly reduced power level. My Wife's X-Type has an option to turn it on or off, when it is on, it is at a reduced power level. The same on my VDP with one exception, when the DRLs are on, the lowbeam units are automatically tilted down a bit and the bulbs remain at 100% power (HID). I also prefer to leave them off.

When my DRLs are on, all the other lights are also on till I place the tranny in park, all lights are off till the tranny is once again placed in drive.

 

isnt the difference between the US and Canadian headlamp for DRL a matter of having the dealership program it?

 

Thanks for the input everybody.

As for it being a program change at the dealership, the 2005 that I have requires a different headlight switch. There is unfortunately no way to simply change a setting. I have no problem buying a switch, but the issue becomes that I lose the automatic/light sensing feature, so when it becomes dark you have to turn the headlight switch to get dash lights. If only the DRL switch also allowed for the light sensor to continue to activate the rest of the lights when dark. I know that isn't a big deal, but I'd rather have it all automatic if I can.

Thermo,

Thanks for the ideas on the LEDs. Tell me, do you know which switched circuit would be a good one to tap into for my relay?

 

I like your tape over the light sensor trick.... Haha... I just might do that... I don't like turning on and off my lights either but I feel safer when they are on. The way I drive... >D

 

Mick, let me look at the diagrams and see what I can come up with for you.