OT: Car Daytime Running Light Switch

I want to install a switch to allow me the capability of turning on and off my daytime running lights on my car when needed. The vision I have is using two wires from each side of the where the fuse inserts and connecting them to another inline fuse and switch but my electronic knowledge isn't the greatest and unsure of that method.

What is the easiest method to install a switch for accomplish my objective?

Thanks

Reply to
Meanie
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How are you going to get a connection to both sides of where the fuse inserts? If you're going to find the wire coming from that fuse to power the lights, then you could just put your switch in series with that wire, no new fuse. If you do what you're suggesting, then the new wire from the battery side of the old fuse that goes to your new switch is now unfused, ie it has no over current protection.

Aside from that, whether it will work depends on how your car is wired. If it's an old style, where the path is battery, fuse, switch, lights, it will work. But many cars now have various lights driven by electronic modules. How that responds to what you're proposing, who knows.

Inquiring minds of course want to know, what is the purpose of this modification? Sounds to me like you're fixing a problem that doesn't exist. Another issue would be whether current fed or state law requires daytime running lights.

Reply to
trader_4

If this is GM (possibly others), there is a sensor for full brightness when it's dark. I wouldn't mess with it...

Reply to
bob_villain

Some vehicles these lights can be deactivated by input to the ODB II connector. This of course won't allow random on/off changes without additional input.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

I do surveillance work and often, I need to cut the lights for obvious reasons.

My car uses the DRL as the high beams when needed, but I am able to remove the fuse to completely turn them off and still use them as high beams since they require a separate fuse, but I like the DRL. Therefore, my thought was to use that DRL fuse and install a switch since technically, removing it turns it off, a switch would provide that option without having to remove it when on a job.

Reply to
Meanie

Well, I'll be damned, you actually have a good reason. Have you tried pulling the fuse, seeing what happens? If it does what you want and nothing else bad happens, then you could do what I suggested, find the wire from the fuse, insert your switch, no extra fuse.

Reply to
trader_4

I prefer something as simple as a switch because I want to keep them on as required, but only need to turn them off occasionally.

Reply to
Meanie

Yes, as I stated, pulling the fuse will deactivate them and nothing more, at least that I discovered. I will ensure nothing more becomes of the pulled fused and if confirmed, I like your suggestion of tapping into the light side of the wiring.

Thanks

Reply to
Meanie

To avoid cutting into the car's wiring, you might do this:

  1. disconnect the battery and remove the existing fuse
  2. with an "inline fuse holder", attach its wire from the "barrel" side to the battery-side terminal of the car's fuse holder.
  3. from the other end of the inline fuse holder, splice on a wire that you run to one terminal of the switch
  4. from the other terminal of the switch, run a wire to the other side of the car's fuse holder.

That way the fuse is "nearest" to the battery feed, and you have not cut any of the existing car wiring, should you want to remove the switch later.

Depending on what type of fuse (blade, round, etc) is in the car now, NAPA, etc should have terminal lugs to use to make the connections to each end of the car's fuse holder.

Reply to
Retired

I think there is a compelling reason to be able to turn off all of this crap. The alternator crapped out on my wife's fairly new Lincoln. I was able to jump start it and put enough juice into the battery to drive it home ... but not with the lights on and all the other stuff that is there whether you want it or not.

Reply to
gfretwell

Depending upon the make/model of vehicle, SOME will deactivate the DRLs by merely engaging the parking brake to the FIRST detent while the car is turned off. The theory is that that position is not sufficient to engage the brake but is sufficient to deactivate the DRLs.

Try it

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

That should be step 2

Step one is to find out the consequences of disconnecting the battery. You may have to enter a radio security code to use it again. Battery shops insert a power source in the the lighter to keep some power when the battery it taken out.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

put the handbrake/parkinfg brake on the first notch

Reply to
clare

Have you considered the insurance implications?

Are you getting a discount because your car is listed as having DRL? Wouldn't it suck if they denied a claim because they determined that you modified a built-in safety feature?

(Before anybody tosses something derogatory in my direction, I seriously doubt that this would ever be an issue. I'm just putting it out there. Heck for all I know, the Ins Co may not even know that the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes. Now *that's* something that could be an issue.)

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Meanie wrote in news:nn0jm6$3g0$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Why on earth would you want to disable a safety feature that makes it easier for other drivers to see you?

Reply to
Doug Miller

If this is what I think you're saying, this was the general idea I have.

If you don't mind helping me understand.....I'm not certain what the "barrel" side of the inline fuse holder is if I use one like this >>>

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You're saying insert the wire from one end of the fuse holder into the open battery side of the car's fuse which was removed. After running through the switch, insert the other wire to the other side of the empty car's fuse holder and that's it?

I assume the terminal lugs are what I will use to secure those two wires into the empty fuse holder? I also assume the fuse I removed from the car will be the same one I reuse in the inline holder?

Thanks

Reply to
Meanie

True. A friend did that on his vehicle.

Reply to
cowabunga dude

Re "barrel", I was thinking of the older tubular fuse type.

Yes, you are creating a new current path from the battery, thru the new fuse, thru the switch, and back to the lights.

Yes, something like this:

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Yes.

Reply to
Retired

Others have suggested putting the park brake down a notch. There must be a switch right there. Maybe you could use that circuit for your on/off switch if you don't want to depress the park brake pedal.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Excellent. Thank you

Reply to
Meanie

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