How about daytime running lights?

[refugeefromcalif]

IIRC, Motorcycles have had to have headlights on since the late 1970's.
Alabama also has the law that if your windshield wipers are on, you must also have headlights on.

George

[Bitsyncmaster]

My 2005 Malibu uses the front signal (amber) for DRL. Both the plastic lens on those melted a hole in the top and plastic dripped onto the bulbs. Guess they did not plan people to get caught in traffic jams on 100 degree summer days.

I was going to put LEDs in those DRLs but the blinker is part of the body computer so the only way to do LEDs is to load each bulb with a resistor.

Note: The load resistor everybody uses is a 6 ohm 50 watt. That draws more than 2 amps on each light circuit.

[Notifier]

I was actually looking into an automatic headlight system at the time and came across the Hamsar product. If I really wanted to, I could just disconnect the one wire and not have the DRLs (which was my original intent). With all the internal distractions drivers create for themselves out there - cell phones, GPS systems, kids fighting in the back seat, etc - if my headlights get someone to notice my vehicle out of the corner of their eye, the system has paid for itself! Problem is, I'll personally never know if that's true.

On a side note, I do believe that such systems should be optional seeing as they are not required. Even if a vehicle is equipped with one from the factory, it should be up to the owner if he/she wants the system disabled, but it should be reversible if the next owner wants to use the system. I put one on my vehicle and that's my choice. If someone doesn't want the system on their vehicle, then don't install it. To each his own!

One thing that's been going on around here is that the state of Maryland is now requiring headlight use on certain heavily traveled and high accident prone highways. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is one for example. You will get a ticket for failing to comply with the law! At least with the DRLs if you forget to turn your lights on, you'll avoid the fine.

[David T]

I was actually looking into an automatic headlight system at the time and came across the Hamsar product. If I really wanted to, I could just disconnect the one wire and not have the DRLs (which was my original intent). With all the internal distractions drivers create for themselves out there - cell phones, GPS systems, kids fighting in the back seat, etc - if my headlights get someone to notice my vehicle out of the corner of their eye, the system has paid for itself! Problem is, I'll personally never know if that's true.

On a side note, I do believe that such systems should be optional seeing as they are not required. Even if a vehicle is equipped with one from the factory, it should be up to the owner if he/she wants the system disabled, but it should be reversible if the next owner wants to use the system. I put one on my vehicle and that's my choice. If someone doesn't want the system on their vehicle, then don't install it. To each his own!

One thing that's been going on around here is that the state of Maryland is now requiring headlight use on certain heavily traveled and high accident prone highways. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is one for example. You will get a ticket for failing to comply with the law! At least with the DRLs if you forget to turn your lights on, you'll avoid the fine.

GM's DRL version runs the headlights but NOT the tail lights. I agree it should be a programmable thing so the end user can decide to use it or not like a LOT of the things on cars nowadays like side warning, front warning, turn signal timer, auto door locks, etc. In some States when you drive through a Work Area you MUST turn your head lights on! I say anything that can make your car more visible (Deloreans are invisible under certain lighting conditions!) the better. At least get the 3rd brake light!

[Bitsyncmaster]

I added the third brake light but will never know if it has saved me from a rear end accident. The third brake light was the high brake light to prevent a vehicle coming over a hill and not seeing your standard brake lights. Now it's only a high brake light on vans and pickup trucks. Most others put them in the trunk lid which is only a few inches higher than the standard lights.

[DMCVegas]

Because laws? Here in Ohio, it's state law to have some sort of headlights on when your wipers are used (i.e. when it's raining or snowing).

But that is a reduced visibility type of situation. That isn't speaking to clear days. More importantly, DRLs are NOT regular headlights. So if a cop wanted to, they can in fact give you a ticket if you're driving around in the rain with only DRLs. And with just DRLs, you have no running lamps on the sides or rears on. Yes there are areas in the Mojave desert with LONG stretches of highway where headlights are required during the day. Which in that situation is because of mirages that bend light and you need the lights turned on so that you can see approaching cars. When you try and overtake slower moving vehicles and start doing 90-100mph, you need to see ahead.



On some long straightaways you can have so many little inclines and drops in the road, that cars actually become invisible until it's too late. The light will bend and actually wash out the rest of the road by reflecting either the sky or distant horizon over it.



Now in cases like these, amber turn signals to not stand out enough to keep the car safe, and high beam lights like GM has used in the past do nothing but blind you, or the newer dim ones aren't bright enough. Which just like the rain is a reduced visibility situation where regular headlights are required. Even though it's the daytime, you can still be blinded by high beams. Most importantly too is that once you drive out of these areas, they also have warning signs telling you to turn your lights off.

The assumption that someone simply wouldn't noti7ce that their headlight output is dim and they had no taillights at night is farfetched to say the least. i can't imagine anyone being that oblivious without someone telling them along the way that they're idiots...

Trust me, this happens a whole helluva lot more often than you'd think.



The problem is twofold. DRLs cast light out in front of the vehicle. It's not as bright as a headlight, but none the less it's visible and fools the driver into thinking that their headlights are on. The second is with many instrument clusters. The gauges still light up in the daytime, as do the LCD display screens for the Information Center and the radio. Once the headlights come on they dim, sure. But without the headlights on they run full brightness. Not something entirely new though. After all, even our cars have this feature with the A/C Panels.

I added the third brake light but will never know if it has saved me from a rear end accident. The third brake light was the high brake light to prevent a vehicle coming over a hill and not seeing your standard brake lights. Now it's only a high brake light on vans and pickup trucks. Most others put them in the trunk lid which is only a few inches higher than the standard lights.

It's not just the hight, but the fact that it's a dedicated light explicitly for signaling deceleration. The effects of crash-avoidance were immediately recognized. And while their efficiency has decreased over the years in part to increased driver distraction and desensitization, it's still a good warning for those who are staring at your car behind you.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/808696.pdf

[Ryan S.]

Nice. This is actually better with automatic headlight system. My other cars all have the auto headlight system. You are right. Looks like 45070, 4 headlight system is not available. How about 45060, 2 headlight system? Would that work? Also I have a newer DMC headlight switch. Not sure if that would make the installation easier or harder.

I installed a Hamsar 45070 DRL module on my DeLorean for daytime running lights. Works pretty well too! It runs the low beams only at 80% power during daylight and a sensor installed on the dash will turn on all the lights (parking and headlights) when it gets dark enough. I rarely touch the headlight switch. I installed it with a 3 pole double throw relay - mostly for isolation purposes. You could connect the module directly to the headlight and parking light circuit as shown in the instructions, but with the relay if the module ever fails, all I have to do is unplug the relay to get my original lighting setup back. Plus, the way they show in their instructions, they have you connect up the white wire before the dip switch for the headlights and I didn't like that. I also use a dummy switch on the center console to turn off the DRL system if I ever needed to. Here is the wiring schematic for the relay:



For the DRL module:
RED - constant 12V
WHITE - feed to relay for low beam 80% illumination
YELLOW - feed to relay for coil and for parking lights (via wings-a-light relay)
GREEN - switched 12V
BLACK - ground (not shown)
BLUE - delay switch (not shown)

A separate power wire feeds to the relay to turn the headlights on at 100%

Note about the model number - the model number on the DRL module is 45070, the model number in the instruction sheet is 70991. Not sure why there are two different model numbers but I would assume they are identical in function. A quick search shows the 45070 (or 70991) is no longer available. Not sure what the replacement model could be.

[driveintim]

If you are planning to use high or low for DRL's I suggest that you upgrade your headlight harness. Here is one I just used on my sons elcamino. After installing it I have ordered one for my D.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=331214602226
It moves the electrical load direct to the battery and only uses a small amount of current on the old headlight circuit to control the relays. It has ceramic sockets to handle the heat of the bulbs.
This also allows you to send a signal to the high or low relay when the motor is running for DRL's.

Actually it's is an upgrade all Delorean owners should consider, even if you don't want DRL's. I know there are headlight switch bypass relays available, but they still leave the current draw on the old wiring harness. This one moves the current draw off the 30+ year old wiring and direct from the battery to the headlights.

[Notifier]

Nice. This is actually better with automatic headlight system. My other cars all have the auto headlight system. You are right. Looks like 45070, 4 headlight system is not available. How about 45060, 2 headlight system? Would that work? Also I have a newer DMC headlight switch. Not sure if that would make the installation easier or harder.

I'm not sure about the 45060, I just tried to look up the one I had and didn't see it on the web site. The one I have, they show you tapping into the headlight circuit with their white wire (the white wire gives 80% during DRL mode and 100% voltage during night mode) BEFORE the dip switch, so essentially you are deciding (by the position of the dip switch) whether you are running the low beams or high beams as DRLs. I don't like that so that's why I tapped into the blue/red wire in the relay compartment for the DRL output and added the isolation relay. The center and right contacts on my schematic turn on the headlights at 100% and the parking lights during night mode and I fed wires to the the existing headlight switch to accomplish that. I don't believe I have the newer DMC switch (although it is not the original) but I did install the wings-a-light relay to take the load off the headlight switch. That's why I reference going to the Wings-a-light on the schamatic (if you don't have that installed, you would have to check the wiring diagram to verify the connection but it would probably be the same wire to tap).

You might want to look into this one - Directed Electronics 545T
Looks like this unit does four things:
1.) Automatic headlights/parking lights via photocell sensor
2.) Automatic headlights/parking lights with windshield wiper activation
3.) Headlight DRL mode (which can be deactivated) but looks like it's 100% on
4.) Security input for use with an alarm system or remote keyless system to turn on headlights and flash parking lights

[Ryan S.]

Excellent. Thanks for that info.

Regarding front indicator lights, I just realized that they are using 1157 type bulb that has dual mode so I don't need to worry about blinking portion of wiring. Are there easier ways to connect the front indicator lights to ACC power? Keep the front indicator on with ignition on.