BTCC LED running lights

[BraddersThe3rd]

I have started doing this. we have wired into the back of the fuse box i believe, using the wires which are used for ignition. The lights currently turn on when the ignition is on and off when its off.

Unfortunately maplins ran out of Super white LEDS so i only have 4 (2 each side) I will be finishing this off when i have some free time next weekend. My friend did all the electrical work lol i just sat there looking pretty. We will also be fitting a relay which will cut the power to the LED's when the sidelights/dipped beams are on.

I'll post some pictures up later. But its a good little mod, even it is unfinished! I plan on having 12 LED's in total, 2 per fin section.

 

[rik_t]

Sounds good, would really like some more info on the wire location at the back of the fuse box please and pics

 

[Benzy]

iv now got everything i need for this except the glue and the wiring. gonna pop into maplins tomorrow i think and get some bits and bobs then crack on it

 

[robthebubble]

Well I can't seem to get the Genlabs to work. I've wired them up correctly as far as I'm concerned and the drl's work but no dimming or even turning off when I follow the guide.

Not sure if I've connected the cable to the correct light positive. It's number 2 (blue/red) on the passenger wiring loom.

what now?

I think the correct wire to use is green/yellow...will double check later. I understand from Genlabs that i can connect this cable to the 12v battery to check if everything else is wired up correctly as this will make them turn off.

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

It wont let me post to external URLS so i cant post any pics up etc.

Guess i need to get posting around the forums!

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

Unfortunately Its not finished. Maplins didn't have enough LED's in stock, and we didn't have time to run it through a relay so when my sidelights/dipped beams are on, the DRL go out. Here is what we have so far. I need another 8 LED + Resistors to finish it off.

using the guide on here we made a few changes so the lights dont stay on after the car is locked. we will also be adding a relay as i said above.

Anyway Here is what we have done so far.

Before

During - Bit of cutting, soldering,glueing etc
Cutting into the ignition

Had to take the battery out so I could feed the wires through the bulkhead and then to the fuse box to the side of the dash.

Making the LEDS

Fitting The LED's in the Vents

I want 2 LEDs per fin section so 6 LEDs per vent.

Finished

Im wanting to add another 8 LED's 2 per fin section, 6 per vent. We started out doing this just as provisional attempt until "better" LEDs were available, that was until we saw how bright these LED's actually are.

Total Spend so far just around £10.

 

[rik_t]

Looks great, those LEDs are really bright. What LEDs are they? Have you thought of buying the DRL control unit mentioned earlier to dim them?
I already have a wire from the ignition inside like you have done for my parking sensors so hoping I can run off that wire,

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

erm they are £1.34 super bright LEDs from maplins. when my mate sends me the code ill post it up.

Also we will be running a relay into the circuit so they will turn off when the lights are on. then it wont be "too much" when its dark. But will be looking to see if i can put an over ride switch in so at night time meets etc run all the lights.

Also thre should be a few wires going into the top of the fuse box, you need to use them. if you have one of them toosl which says if the wire is live or not, use it to see if the light comes on when the ignition is on/off etc.

 

[robthebubble]

erm they are £1.34 super bright LEDs from maplins. when my mate sends me the code ill post it up.

Also we will be running a relay into the circuit so they will turn off when the lights are on. then it wont be "too much" when its dark. But will be looking to see if i can put an over ride switch in so at night time meets etc run all the lights.

Also thre should be a few wires going into the top of the fuse box, you need to use them. if you have one of them toosl which says if the wire is live or not, use it to see if the light comes on when the ignition is on/off etc.

You mean a multimeter! I used it on the engine fusebox and had the problems mentioned previously. I just need to get round to checking the fuses in the side of the dash to see which is only ignition live. As you say, there is a rubber entry point behind the battery which you can feed the cables through.

I like what you have done with the LED's however they don't look OEM (just my opinion), could you replace them with smaller ones and set them within the vent where you have fed the cables through? If not you could use the single smd's (there are 5 on each of my individual lights) which are so small they would fit in perfectly. The would be easy to wire up as I dismanteled one for external door handle lights...very bright and about 3mm across!

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

Yeah, he had one of them screwdrivers which lit up when theres current. The top row of fuses all are only ignition live. Fuse 1-5 I believe.

I do have a picture of the rubber grommet somewhere. its a pig to get to in the k1, got to cut the nipple and then use a wire hanger to pull the cable through.

I know what you mean. we started with the LED just to enable us to set up the wiring. If its a case of a 3mm LED I might be able to get a 3mm one from maplins. They are easy to remove, we used a hot glue gun so that will pick right off and all the LEDs are crimped/spade fixings so its just a case of a few new LEDs and wires.

I need to speak to my mate as he was the one who has the knowledge lol But for the time being I will be keeping the LEDs as they are, maybe see if i can get a smaller LED to fit more flush in the small hole.

 

[robthebubble]

Yeah, he had one of them screwdrivers which lit up when theres current. The top row of fuses all are only ignition live. Fuse 1-5 I believe.

I do have a picture of the rubber grommet somewhere. its a pig to get to in the k1, got to cut the nipple and then use a wire hanger to pull the cable through.

I know what you mean. we started with the LED just to enable us to set up the wiring. If its a case of a 3mm LED I might be able to get a 3mm one from maplins. They are easy to remove, we used a hot glue gun so that will pick right off and all the LEDs are crimped/spade fixings so its just a case of a few new LEDs and wires.

I need to speak to my mate as he was the one who has the knowledge lol But for the time being I will be keeping the LEDs as they are, maybe see if i can get a smaller LED to fit more flush in the small hole.

A multimeter is more accurate and will give you the voltage etc. but the infor you have given is useful so might give it a go at the weekend and use one of fuse 1 to 5.

I cut the nipple off for my amp power cable, as you say, a metal coat hanger did the job to get the cable through.

I've measured the smd's I mad into single spot lights and they are 3mm x 3.25mm but I know you cause smaller ones. I've taken a photo of them...the one is connected to a 9v battery and is very bright, 12 of these would easily do the job!

I think smaller flush LEDs would be much better, you can also put a dab of clear silicone to fill the small vent and make them fully waterproof.

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

For who ever asked for it, here are the LED's i used. http://www.maplin.co.uk/5mm-super-bright-leds-220752 you also need a 470Ω Resistor (M470R).

I have shown my friend this page and he also agrees that having them flush would look a lot better, so he is now trying to find something to suit. maplins dont have super bright white LEDs 3mm, so im going to have a hunt for some other.

Also for your info this may help my friend just said "If you mention that they need to spur of the thick black cable that goes to the top row and spur an inline fuse" That's what i was trying to explain earlier

 

[robthebubble]

For who ever asked for it, here are the LED's i used. http://www.maplin.co.uk/5mm-super-bright-leds-220752 you also need a 470Ω Resistor (M470R).

I have shown my friend this page and he also agrees that having them flush would look a lot better, so he is now trying to find something to suit. maplins dont have super bright white LEDs 3mm, so im going to have a hunt for some other.

Also for your info this may help my friend just said "If you mention that they need to spur of the thick black cable that goes to the top row and spur an inline fuse" That's what i was trying to explain earlier

Ive just poked the smd's I made into the same location as our LEDs and the fit perfectly so looks like 3mm is the way to go....or just do what I did!

I have also connected up the Genlabs correctly and the smd's now dim to 50% once the main head lights are on.

What your mate says makes sense so I'll have a look at the weekend.

 

[BraddersThe3rd]

I've just found some 3mm super bright white LEDs on ebay+Resistors. they are 6000mcd less than the 5mm but should hopefully fit in the vents better.

also do the DRL not need to dim to 50% when the sidelights are on?

 

[robthebubble]

Did you get the DRL control unit installed okay Rob? Also any luck finding a better power source?

Got the DRL control unit working now with the 50% dimming when the main headlights are on. I connected it up with a scotchloc to the yellow/green (although it looked more black than green) cable from the passenger side light cable loom. Just pull back some of the tape and you can get to it that way although getting the light loom connector off is a pain!

I think the new location for the power source is from the side dash fuses and any of the 1-5. I gather there is the option to use the black cable that is found running behind them/to them and you can to tap into this.

Also, as a side line I've added some red LEDs in the footwells that ony come on with the headlights to match the other red lights. Also going to add some white ones which will light up with the ceiling lights as courtesy lights!

 

[robthebubble]

I've just found some 3mm super bright white LEDs on ebay+Resistors. they are 6000mcd less than the 5mm but should hopefully fit in the vents better.

also do the DRL not need to dim to 50% when the sidelights are on?

Not as far as I'm aware, only when the main beam is on. Either 50% or off completely however I can easily have them off as there are two cables which you unplug from each other.

 

[rik_t]

Cool, you got any pics of the wiring stuff where you have got the 50% dimming working, also where you stored the control unit etc?

 

[robthebubble]

Cool, you got any pics of the wiring stuff where you have got the 50% dimming working, also where you stored the control unit etc?

This is of the headlight wire loom. You can see where I originally tapped into the blue/red wire in location 2 but the one to use is the yellow/black in location 6. You can see the brown wire at the bottom of the photo which clips into the other part of the scotchloc, this wire comes from the control unit.
You can see the blue control unit and using the white sticky pad I attached it to the side of the plastic headlight housing. You could put it anywhere depending on how long you extend all the wires.

This is at 100% with only the side lights on (or without any lights on).

And at 50% once the main headlights are on.

 

[rik_t]

Rob, did you just glue the black dvd bits to the grills?

 

[robthebubble]

Rob, did you just glue the black dvd bits to the grills?

Yep, used superglue. I then added the black silicone after just to be on the safe side. No problems so far!