Factory look DRLs for VRX with Fog Lights

[Lancer1993]

As far as I remember there are 3 wires from the control unit.

Power - which need to be on something that is powered only when the car is running or starting up, not ACC as they will be on when you're sitting in the car listening to the stereo.

Earth - at earth point will do near or inside the fuse box.

Dimming - used the parkers on mine for dimming. Legally they need to dim with the head lights but chose the parkers. Some do say they need to turn off with the head lights but it all depends on the controller unit and most factory ones don't turn off, and as these look factory I don't think you'll be hassled by the police.

DRLs are so common now that the police are a bit more relaxed unless it's clear your fog or driving lights are on when they shouldn't be. I do love that with my CJ the fog lights automatically turn off when you restart the car so if you've forgotten to turn them off they return to the off setting the next time.

Only ever used mine once or twice in the year or so I've owned my CJ.

BTW looking back at the photos the chrome doesn't look that bad, still glade I painted mine black though.

[mmjjee]

Cheers for the little write up.
I'm waiting on a few piggyback fuses to come that I ordered to hard-wire my dash-cam in so I might wait it out for those.
Installed; the chrome doesn't look TOO bad, haven't decided yet if I will paint them or not.

Next up is mars halo headlights+HIDs

[mmjjee]

OK!
Had them all wired up until check engine light came on.

I had the power wire connected to 'Engine Power' fuse. (Not an ideal fuse, but there isn't much of a choice) I assume the lights don't 'communicate' with the electric canbus system, hence the check engine light. (Which turns off when the lights are disconnected)

Could you tell me what fuse you are using for power?

There is a specfic DRL empty fuse, however, I believe this doesn't communicate the the light's relay very well as it causes them to flicker.

[Lancer1993]

The only communication I know of is the wire that dims them when you put the head lights or parkers on, otherwise they should be wired so they come on when you start the engine and off when you turn it off, unlike the headlights which in non auto mode stay on when you turn the engine on.

As for the fuse I have no idea which one it is, I'll try and take a look tomorrow.

[mmjjee]

Yeah sweet, if you could take a quick look whenever you can, that would be awesome!

It's the red wire btw.

[Lancer1993]

Here we go.

The Red DRL wire appears to have been connected to the yellow/blue wire on in the middle of the front row of wires on the connector at the back of the fuse box next to the tool used to remove fuses. Might depend on how you CJ is wires if it's the same or not.

I have no idea what that wire does but it's on when the car starts or the key is in the ON position.

[mmjjee]

Oh wow, thanks for that.
I was just trying to tap into a fuse, I'll look up the wiring diagram for that loom/see if it matches mine and split into that

Thanks a lot

[Lancer1993]

They made a small hole in the back of the bottom cover (not the lid) so the wire can go in, just use some tape around the wire to seal the hope, not that too much water should get back there anyway.

I'd just use a tester and someone on the key to see it the power is there only with it running. Personally I would have preferred mine only to be on once the car was started, not while its being started to lesson the load on the battery, but being a LED light the load should not be that great until the battery is old and due for replacement.

[mmjjee]

I had a quick look at a wiring diagram, however, it says the Blue/Yellow wire is for headlights - which doesn't make sense.

I'll give it a try tomorrow, with a tester and see how I go.

Yeah I managed too thread the wires through the hole where all the other wires run into the fuse box.
Yah, being LED's they shouldn't draw too much, however I'm also running a hardwired dash cam with a relay that shuts off if it drains the battery. So yes, a patch that doesn't draw from ignition would be ideal
Thanks again man, really appreciate it.

[Lancer1993]

I know with my VRX the headlight don't work when the engine is off, unless left on in manual mode, even then they turn off after a minute.

Basically you just need a power source which is only on when the key is on or engine running, shouldn't matter which one you use.

[mmjjee]

All installed and working with no check engine light! Cheers for all the help

[Lancer1993]

Glade to help.

So was wondering, would mine look better painted yellow

[mmjjee]

They might actually not look too bad in yellow!

[Viking]

Long time between posts, but finally installed the DRLs today. The don't look too bad at all, especially with the chrome repainted with satin black.

In anyone's interested, I ran the white (LED brightness control) wire into the fusebox and tapped it into one of the headlight fuses.

[Lancer1993]

Yeah paint the chrome if you don't like it. I wasn't 100% pleased when I first installed them, would like them longer and not sticking out as much. But almost 2 years down and I think they look great with the fog lights and might are working fine, no issues to report.

Only thing better is new headlights with a built in DRL strip and is a proper DRL and not just a parker light but the ones I like cost way more than these DRLs.