FlyingPete
Well-Known Member
Like them or loathe them, most cars from 2011 onwards will have some form of daytime running lights (DRLs). Often (and in many cases, justifiably) derided as a chavvy styling feature, some of the LED types are excessively bright, or incorrectly wired in the case of aftermarket retrofits. However, a sensible set of DRLs can serve as a useful substitute to using your headlights during the day. While in the UK it's currently not compulsory to drive with headlights on, it's possible that we may soon follow suit with other countries, which require the use of headlights or DRLs during the day in winter months.
For my 90, I've been trying to keep things close to standard where possible, or at least period-correct. So I didn't want to add aftermarket LED strips to the front of my Landy. There is however an alternative which was originally done by Volvo on their 240. Dual-filament bulbs in the front marker lights can double up as DRLs as well as parking lights, with no cosmetic changes to the vehicle. This is what I decided to do.
You will need:
Since DRLs are necessarily bright enough for daytime use, they are too bright for use in the dark and may dazzle other drivers. So when the headlights are switched on, DRLs should go off or dim down to front marker light intensity.
DRLs ideally need a power supply which is active with the engine running. You could use a key-switched supply, but my 90 doesn't have an 'accessory' position on the switch, and I didn't want to have DRLs on when I'm just parked listening to the radio. Twin towbar electrics (12N+12S) have a connection which is live with the engine running, so I used that to switch my DRLs. Otherwise you will need to install a new circuit, using the alternator warning light connection to trigger a relay.
How it works:
When you start the engine (or alternatively turn the key to the 'run' position) the power supply to the brighter 21w filaments in the bulbs will be energised, lighting up your DRLs. When you turn the lights on (energising the 5w filaments in the same bulbs as marker lights) the power to the DRLs will be interrupted by a relay. When the engine is off, the 5w filaments can be used as parking lights in the usual way.
Connecting it up:
The first job is to arrange the power supply for the lights. I made use of the relay in the towbar wiring for this. This is triggered by the brown/yellow wire that operates the charge warning light- which rises to 12V once the alternator starts generating power. From this relay I connected two fused circuits- the existing one at 15A for the towbar socket, plus a new one fused at 5A for my DRLs. You'll need to run a wire through the bulkhead and into the engine bay. This will provide power to the DRLs when the engine is running.
On the other side of the bulkhead, we need to interrupt the power supply to the DRLs when the standard lights are switched on. The simplest way to do this is to connect the DRLs to the 'normally closed' terminal (87a) of a 5-pin relay. The relay takes a trigger from the parking light circuit, so breaking the connection to the DRLs when the lights are switched on. I installed this relay in the engine bay, but you could install it in the main fuse box instead if there is space. Either way, run new connections from the relay to the light clusters in the front corners of the Landy.
Now we can fit the new lights. Since the lights on a Land Rover are all the same size, it's a simple matter of removing the old front lights, and replacing them with the combined tail/brake light assemblies. The dimmer filament (normally the tail light) connects to the existing parking light circuit and functions in the same way. The brighter 'brake light' filament connects to the new feeds for the DRLs. Refit the clear lenses you took from the old lights, and you're done!
Now, when you start the engine, the bright DRLs should come on, for extra conspicuity during the day. Switch on the lights, and they will dim down to the parking light intensity. Best of all, no changes to the exterior appearance of your Land Rover.
The difference in intensity between the two filaments- DRL on the left, parking light on the right.
Other ideas:
An additional function can be obtained 'for free' from this circuit. As it stands, pin 87 on the relay is unused. This can provide a circuit which is live only when the engine is running and the lights are on. One possible use for this is extra front position lights- for example if you've installed extra high-beam headlights which have an inbuilt marker light. You wouldn't necessarily want these to be lit if you're just parked on the road at night. But by connecting them to the unused terminal on the DRL relay, they will be lit when driving at night, but not while parked. The DRL circuit should be fused at 5A, which is enough for four pairs of extra marker lights.
For my 90, I've been trying to keep things close to standard where possible, or at least period-correct. So I didn't want to add aftermarket LED strips to the front of my Landy. There is however an alternative which was originally done by Volvo on their 240. Dual-filament bulbs in the front marker lights can double up as DRLs as well as parking lights, with no cosmetic changes to the vehicle. This is what I decided to do.
You will need:
A Land Rover 90/110/series2/series3.
A 5-pin relay
Possibly an extra 4-pin relay (see below)
Two defender tail/brake light housings with bulbs
General wiring bits
A 5-pin relay
Possibly an extra 4-pin relay (see below)
Two defender tail/brake light housings with bulbs
General wiring bits
Since DRLs are necessarily bright enough for daytime use, they are too bright for use in the dark and may dazzle other drivers. So when the headlights are switched on, DRLs should go off or dim down to front marker light intensity.
DRLs ideally need a power supply which is active with the engine running. You could use a key-switched supply, but my 90 doesn't have an 'accessory' position on the switch, and I didn't want to have DRLs on when I'm just parked listening to the radio. Twin towbar electrics (12N+12S) have a connection which is live with the engine running, so I used that to switch my DRLs. Otherwise you will need to install a new circuit, using the alternator warning light connection to trigger a relay.
How it works:
When you start the engine (or alternatively turn the key to the 'run' position) the power supply to the brighter 21w filaments in the bulbs will be energised, lighting up your DRLs. When you turn the lights on (energising the 5w filaments in the same bulbs as marker lights) the power to the DRLs will be interrupted by a relay. When the engine is off, the 5w filaments can be used as parking lights in the usual way.
Connecting it up:
The first job is to arrange the power supply for the lights. I made use of the relay in the towbar wiring for this. This is triggered by the brown/yellow wire that operates the charge warning light- which rises to 12V once the alternator starts generating power. From this relay I connected two fused circuits- the existing one at 15A for the towbar socket, plus a new one fused at 5A for my DRLs. You'll need to run a wire through the bulkhead and into the engine bay. This will provide power to the DRLs when the engine is running.
On the other side of the bulkhead, we need to interrupt the power supply to the DRLs when the standard lights are switched on. The simplest way to do this is to connect the DRLs to the 'normally closed' terminal (87a) of a 5-pin relay. The relay takes a trigger from the parking light circuit, so breaking the connection to the DRLs when the lights are switched on. I installed this relay in the engine bay, but you could install it in the main fuse box instead if there is space. Either way, run new connections from the relay to the light clusters in the front corners of the Landy.
Now we can fit the new lights. Since the lights on a Land Rover are all the same size, it's a simple matter of removing the old front lights, and replacing them with the combined tail/brake light assemblies. The dimmer filament (normally the tail light) connects to the existing parking light circuit and functions in the same way. The brighter 'brake light' filament connects to the new feeds for the DRLs. Refit the clear lenses you took from the old lights, and you're done!
Now, when you start the engine, the bright DRLs should come on, for extra conspicuity during the day. Switch on the lights, and they will dim down to the parking light intensity. Best of all, no changes to the exterior appearance of your Land Rover.
The difference in intensity between the two filaments- DRL on the left, parking light on the right.
Other ideas:
An additional function can be obtained 'for free' from this circuit. As it stands, pin 87 on the relay is unused. This can provide a circuit which is live only when the engine is running and the lights are on. One possible use for this is extra front position lights- for example if you've installed extra high-beam headlights which have an inbuilt marker light. You wouldn't necessarily want these to be lit if you're just parked on the road at night. But by connecting them to the unused terminal on the DRL relay, they will be lit when driving at night, but not while parked. The DRL circuit should be fused at 5A, which is enough for four pairs of extra marker lights.
