I want to install daytime LED lights - where should I connect the power?

Connect them to an IGN wire. This is a common way to refer to a wire that is live (+12v) when the car is on, and off when the car is off. This is the same wire that tells the radio or amplifier of any other car to turn on when the car is on.

 

I do not know the year or wiring harness design for your European market car, but with my 2005 US market Prius, I merely leave the headlight switch ON continuously. The headlights turn on when the Power button is pressed ON, and go off when I open the driver's door after pressing the Power button OFF.

For those concerned about excessive wear and early failure of the headlight bulbs, it should not be a problem. I replaced the original equipment headlight bulbs last month after 5 years and 53,000 miles.

 

The wires that go to the auxiliary power outlets (AKA cigarette lighter) should work as the current drain of your LED lights should be low. They are off when your Prius is off.

JeffD

 

In Canada we are mandated to use DRL's.

I have had connections made on two cars (Prius)

I suggest you NOT use the +12 ignition line . The computer sees the a voltage drop and "has a fit" . Getting to the aux. in the cabin through the firewall is real nightmare .

My cars are both American . I have DRL's on both .

Here is the simple solution . The windshield washer motor on the right side of the front fender. It's a "hot" line when the car is in ready mode.

Just tap into that line and find a ground elsewhere .

It works ... !

Good luck

 

This is false.

And your washer line would be classified as a +12v ign line anyways. Anything that turns on when the car is on and off when the car is off, is referred to as an ignition controlled line.

 

This is powered up when the car is ACC-ON, IG-ON, and READY.

This is the better solution, not because of issues of DTC or not, but because this is powered up when the car is IG-ON and READY. No need for vehicle exterior lights to be on when the car is ACC-ON.

 

I have become interested in adding DRLs as this thread has advanced, especially as a way to stop using my headlights continuously.

Is there a source in the US or Canada for the LEDs similar to those JackMilas mentioned? Are there any fully assembled DRL-like products available that can be attached to the car easily, or perhaps installed within the headlight assembly behind the plastic cover?

 

To 2k1Toaster ....

You are WRONG. I have "been there and done that" to the tune of $200.00 + . Connecting to the igniion wire causes an error (check engine) . This method was tried by the second largest Toyota dealer in the US!
They couldn't find a work around that was "easy" .

Frankly I was the one that suggested the washer motor . Not the
tech .

As I said I have two cars with DRL's and they work on the washer motor line not the ignition wire !

 

Then you are using the wrong wire. This would imply driving with the radio on or off would effect the car differently and have it throw errors. The radio is a load like any other.

I have installed many ampplifiers, many radios, and full blown car computers. Either you did not find the correct wire and just used any wire that showed hot when the car was on which could have very well been a data line, or sensor line, or your tech was just lazy.

The entire point of an ignition line is to give electronics a reference voltage when the car is on and when it is not on. Seeing as how the dash lights, the radio, and the cig lighters all use this reference just fine no matter what setting or what is plugged in prooves that it does not make a difference if the correct wire is selected.

I know what I am talking about here, and the fact remains to use an IGN hot +12v line. If your car doesnt work this way, then you have a very serious problem.

 

Where did you obtain the lamp assemblies, were they kits, assembled units, or just something you designed yourself and scrounged parts from different suppliers? Where and how did you physically install the lamps? I don't foresee having a problem with the electrical installation once I have the lamp assemblies themselves. Thanks for your help.

 

Here is an example:

New!!! Xenon White Hella Style High Power LEDayLine LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) Kit

courtesy forum member KK6PD in this post:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-modifications/72592-led-bulbs-my-2008-a-12.html#post1082806

 

No lamp assembly ! The headlights are turned into DRL's . So they are on when the car is in ready mode.
Off when the car is switched off .
DRL's can be either parking or headlights .

It's the law in Canada that new cars have DRL's for all driving.


Interesingly enough the Prius DRL connectin is present in the connection block . In the US Prius the wiring harness and the DRL module is missing. Aparently in 2003 Toyota stopped including the module in the US . It was an option . But the space it still there.
See the attachment

 

Rogart1, I now understand what you have done. I achieve the same result by leaving the headlight switch turned on continuously. The difference being that the headlamps are turned on when Power is in Ready, and turned off when the driver's door is opened after Power is turned OFF.

True DRLs also use the headlamps, however there is a special DRL circuit module that "chops" the voltage supplied to the lamps if the headlight switch is not turned on. This reduces power supplied to the headlamps by about 50% without lowering the perceived intensity. The result is that the headlamps do not age as quickly as when the power is at 100%.

You indicated there is a harness block that contains connections and power for the DRL circuit, just that the module and DRL-specific harness are not installed in US market cars. Do you happen to know if the DRL module, and possibly the DRL harness are available from Canadian dealers? When I installed DRLs in my Mazda Miata, I was able to purchase the DRL module from a dealer in Ontario. Fortunately, Mazda had included the DRL wiring in the original harness.

2009prius, thank you for the links, I will look intro them.

 

In Canada, an imported car (US) will NOT pass the inspection if the
DRL's don't come on automatically when the car is started. So just leaving the headlight switch does not meet the inspection requiremetns. I found that out the hard way .

There are modules that can be installed that, as you say, "chop the voltage supply" .

There is a $40 one , that I used , made by Hamsar Lighting and Electronics in Ontario Canada. It's sold through Canadian Tire .
I notice that Hamsar now has LED's available for cars.

There is a link somewhere on Prius Chat that shows a different setup for DRL's . But the Hamsar module is easier to install .

It should be noted that HID's won't work with most modules at a reduced voltage !

One of my cars has HID's the DRL's are clear fog lights. The other car has halogen and they dim to about half.

 

I'm not sure how the chopping thing will play with the hid lights.... maybe that's why we have the halogens up here. The drls do have the headlights on, but not the tail lights, license plate lights, etc, so it's not the same as having the lights on.

We also get the auto headlight sensor to turn our headlights on when the ambient light is low. This might turn the lights on more often than required, which may also be an issue with hid systems.

 

Rogart1, your comment about Canada's "official" response puzzles me. My headlamps immediately illuminate when the Power button is pressed, and the brake pedal is pressed, and the Headlight switch is in the ON position....NOT the Auto position, which my car does not have, BTW. They stay on regardless of other conditions until the Power button is pressed OFF, and the driver's door is opened.

Thanks for the Hamsar info, I'll check it out.

Re: HID lamps, I don't any info, as I use Halogens...sorry.

 

But you can drive around with your headlights off, if it's in the off position, right? In Canada, your car can not be capable of driving around without some amount of headlight on at all times.

 

Remember we are dealing (???) with bureaucrats when it comes to
regulations . There is no reasoning . Everything is cut and dried. .

The main issues with importing a car into Canada are :
1 DRL's
2. engine immobilizer ( which is another Prius story)
3. Metric speedometer and metric tag for the ODO
4. Bumper standard of 8 km/h (5 mph) not the 4 km/h (2.5 mph) US standard.


The regulations basically state that the DRL's start when the key is turned . (in the case of a Prius "ready mode"!)

The fact that the stalk switch CAN turn off the DRL's is the main sticking point .
If the engine in running the DRL's MUST be on and not be able to be turned off ! the end .. game over !
The Canadian DRL rules began on January 1, 1990. (Wikipedia)"

If these requirements are not met then the car can not be licensed or driven .
If you manage to get the car over the border and hit a snag ... then you have an expensive lawn ornament !

To ... BallanJ
Further to HID comments . They should NOT be used as DRl's
simply from a cost point !!!! . Also they will not work at a reduced voltage
because of the pulsing arc .
I checked with Hamsar Lighting on this HID issue . That is why on my
2007 the DRL's are fog lights . My main head lights are HID's Fog lights are legal for DRL's in Canada

But back to the main issue of power for DRL's . Say what you may and
look where you want . There probability several ways to run DRL's .
In my case I was dealing with a Toyota Dealer and time was $$$ . I was not going for "through the firewall" with necessary removal of the dash .

The Hamsar Lighting module gives the basic instructions and pretty well duplicates the missing Toyota DRL module .

But when the module was hooked up to the main power line the "check engine" light comes on every time .

I have imported two Priuses . I have helped a number of other people with their imports. The Dealer in AA now uses the washer motor method for DRL's .