How to turn BRZ Headlight LED into DRL

[ericvanderwoodsen]

Originally Posted by Lithium

It will, I would advise you to use a connection on the source wire (DRL 12Volt). I personally life delphi connections myself

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....233+4294759211

Thanks, I like those connections. I'm not to picky about the lights coming with the headlights, is there a way to have the DRLs to a switch and them on manually when the headlight are on? Reason is I'd love to have them on the highway but not in the city.

[codesplice]

I think I'm going to tackle this mod this weekend, and will probably build a "harness" like @modena mentioned so I don't have to solder diodes on the car.

Originally Posted by modena

To make the install a bit easier, solder the diode between your wires.
Just made one in about 5 minutes, (To take some pictures)
Shrink-tubed my cable from the headlight to the DRL's to make it look like a wiring harness.
(If you wouldn't know you might think it was part of the car)
A connecter on the DRL side will make it easy to disconnect when removing the bumper.

If I'm digesting things correctly, I would cut the green wire to the headlight connector, connect the car-side of that to the the black lead in modena's wiring rig, and the right-hand red lead to the connector-side of the cut green wire. To keep the DRLs from turning on with the main headlamp beam I would stick another diode on the left-hand red lead (cathode toward the headlamp end of things), and connect the end of that red lead to the white wire on the DRL?

Am I close?

[TM]

Originally Posted by EvilBeaverFace

Happened to notice that when I finished one side and turned my lights on that both of my DRLs stayed on and it kind of surprised me, shouldn't only the side I completed stay on? It doesn't really matter and isn't important I was just curious.

Just to be clear. After you did one side, both DRL came on, but only one boomerang lit up, when DRL is turned on. Is this correct?

BTW, awesome write-up, Lithium. I would do this, but I've never soldered anything before. Makes me kind of nervous.

What heat-shrink tubing size would I need to fit the diode and wires?

[EvilBeaverFace]

Originally Posted by TM

Just to be clear. After you did one side, both DRL came on, but only one boomerang lit up, when DRL is turned on. Is this correct?

BTW, awesome write-up, Lithium. I would do this, but I've never soldered anything before. Makes me kind of nervous.

What heat-shrink tubing size would I need to fit the diode and wires?

Both boomerangs were on, both headlights were on, and both DRLs were on when it should have only been one DRL, IIRC - its been a few weeks now.

For tips on soldering I would just watch a youtube how to video and you should be good man, its not like welding or anything. Use flux and it almost does the work for you.

For heat shrink the easiest thing to do is get a small assortment and just eyeball it. You only need about 6 inches to do the whole thing.

[TM]

Originally Posted by EvilBeaverFace

Both boomerangs were on, both headlights were on, and both DRLs were on when it should have only been one DRL, IIRC - its been a few weeks now.

The headlights turned on, too?? Why does that happen?

I'm wondering if I will need to do it on both sides or just one.

[Deathalo]

Originally Posted by TM

Just to be clear. After you did one side, both DRL came on, but only one boomerang lit up, when DRL is turned on. Is this correct?

BTW, awesome write-up, Lithium. I would do this, but I've never soldered anything before. Makes me kind of nervous.

What heat-shrink tubing size would I need to fit the diode and wires?

Watch a couple good HOW-TO solder videos, and practice on some spare wire FIRST.

[sshole]

Originally Posted by EvilBeaverFace

Both boomerangs were on, both headlights were on, and both DRLs were on when it should have only been one DRL, IIRC - its been a few weeks now.

For tips on soldering I would just watch a youtube how to video and you should be good man, its not like welding or anything. Use flux and it almost does the work for you.

For heat shrink the easiest thing to do is get a small assortment and just eyeball it. You only need about 6 inches to do the whole thing.

Could be that the DRLs are wired together somehow? I know on the 08+ STIs, if you jumped the DRL relay to the passenger side fog light, both fog lights would turn on.

[EvilBeaverFace]

Originally Posted by TM

The headlights turned on, too?? Why does that happen?

I'm wondering if I will need to do it on both sides or just one.

No no, when I turned my headlights on the DRLs would normally be off. I had only modded one side but both DRLs were on.

[Lithium]

Originally Posted by ericvanderwoodsen

Thanks, I like those connections. I'm not to picky about the lights coming with the headlights, is there a way to have the DRLs to a switch and them on manually when the headlight are on? Reason is I'd love to have them on the highway but not in the city.

Absolutely, I would grab 12 volts from an ignition source (12 volts when key is in the run position) to the switch of your choice. Than from the switch to DRL anode (positive). Make sure to do a write up if you do this.

[Lithium]

Originally Posted by codesplice

I think I'm going to tackle this mod this weekend, and will probably build a "harness" like @modena mentioned so I don't have to solder diodes on the car.



If I'm digesting things correctly, I would cut the green wire to the headlight connector, connect the car-side of that to the the black lead in modena's wiring rig, and the right-hand red lead to the connector-side of the cut green wire. To keep the DRLs from turning on with the main headlamp beam I would stick another diode on the left-hand red lead (cathode toward the headlamp end of things), and connect the end of that red lead to the white wire on the DRL?

Am I close?

I'm not following well, what color wire is the diode attached to in Modena's adapter harness?

[Lithium]

Originally Posted by EvilBeaverFace

No no, when I turned my headlights on the DRLs would normally be off. I had only modded one side but both DRLs were on.

did you ever get it figured out?

[codesplice]

Originally Posted by Lithium

I'm not following well, what color wire is the diode attached to in Modena's adapter harness?

No worries, I got it sorted once I stopped trying to overthink it. Works great!

Thanks for posting the DIY

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[EvilBeaverFace]

Originally Posted by Lithium

did you ever get it figured out?

It was never really a problem. I just modded both sides and it was the same anyway. Just thought it was weird on one setting that both sides were the same even though only one side was modded. No big deal.

[Cato]

I like the idea of this mod and will probably get around to it eventually. One thing that no one has pointed out is that the diode has a voltage drop of 0.6 volts or so, though you probably wouldn't notice that loss in brightness.

If someone electronically inclined could try wiring a simple MOSFET circuit together on small breadboard, you might be able to get around this.

Thanks for all of the pictures and instructions on accessing the wires. That's the toughest part to figure out.