Daytime Running Lights

[saunders1313]

I had somewhat of an electrical question. If I just remove the bulbs from the DRLs is it the same as removing the fuse? I want to get rid of the DRLs and reduce the load on the alternator, would removing the bulbs work?

[ATaylorRacing]

Originally Posted by saunders1313

I had somewhat of an electrical question. If I just remove the bulbs from the DRLs is it the same as removing the fuse? I want to get rid of the DRLs and reduce the load on the alternator, would removing the bulbs work?

I think this would depend on the vehicle....nearly all that I have seen are the headlights themselves, remove them and you have no lights. I found on my 96 Geo Metro that pulling up the E-brake to where it first latches will make them go off, but I can feel the car slow from brake drag....I then grounded the wire that goes to the E-brake and the DRL are disabled, but the headlights work just fine, but now there is the E-brake light on the dash. I might just remove that idiot light because I know when the brake is engaged....the car will not budge. I disable my DRL because when I do EOC then start the motor back up people wonder why I am flashing my lights at them.

[saunders1313]

The lights are different than the headlights. Would it be easier to pull the fuse?

[whitevette]

Originally Posted by ATaylorRacing

I think this would depend on the vehicle....nearly all that I have seen are the headlights themselves,
... I disable my DRL because when I do EOC then start the motor back up people wonder why I am flashing my lights at them.

Do you really care about what other people think about your lights flashing? In 5 seconds ( or less - LOL) they will have forgotten...IF they even notice!

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by saunders1313

The lights are different than the headlights. Would it be easier to pull the fuse?

It is usually easier to locate the fuse box and pull the fuse, than to get in and remove the bulbs. Id just pull the fuse, as long as its just DRLs that are on that fuse. If there are other things on that fuse, just pull the bulbs. You can check the owners manual to see if there are any other things controlled by that fuse.

[RH77]

Depends on the type -- some DRLs are the bright-beams on a lower current.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it... Um, well OK, I am...

For accident avoidance, I kinda like the idea. It's a minimal load vs. safety, but that's my take. I run headlights 24/7. I just need to figure out how to disable the tails and front markers (8 bulbs vs. 2).

RH77

[wagonman76]

Depends on the type -- some DRLs are the bright-beams on a lower current.

The poster said theirs are their own dedicated bulbs.

For accident avoidance, I kinda like the idea. It's a minimal load vs. safety, but that's my take. I run headlights 24/7. I just need to figure out how to disable the tails and front markers (8 bulbs vs. 2).

If you dont currently have DRLs and run your headlights instead all the time anyway, heres what you can do. Get a 30A relay and fuse from Autozone. Connect the relay coil to the fuel pump lead (usually the switched side of the fuel pump relay or oil pressure switch), and the other side of the coil to ground. Connect the "common" relay terminal to the battery positive terminal through the fuse. Connect the normally open terminal to the low beams. Theyll run whenever the engine is running, and wont be affected when you turn on the rest of your lights for nighttime. I did this on my 6000 wagon, but used the integrated factory fog lights for the DRLs.

[RH77]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

The poster said theirs are their own dedicated bulbs.

Oops -- helps to read the whole post first. I was thinking the Monte was Lumina-based.

If you dont currently have DRLs and run your headlights instead all the time anyway, heres what you can do. Get a 30A relay and fuse from Autozone. Connect the relay coil to the fuel pump lead (usually the switched side of the fuel pump relay or oil pressure switch), and the other side of the coil to ground. Connect the "common" relay terminal to the battery positive terminal through the fuse. Connect the normally open terminal to the low beams. Theyll run whenever the engine is running, and wont be affected when you turn on the rest of your lights for nighttime. I did this on my 6000 wagon, but used the integrated factory fog lights for the DRLs.

The integrated fogs on the 6000 were a nice touch -- it set Pontiac apart from the other GM makes.

I key-off once in a while for EOC, and don't want to "flash my lights" at people as mentioned before. Can you build-in a delay with the 30A/fuel-pump setup? I have a few relays lying around to try it out. The delay would involve some electronics that I haven't tried yet.

RH77

[wagonman76]

Ive never owned a car with factory DRLs (my newest vehicle is a 92 Pontiac Trans Sport van). I have heard about how some vehicles can disable the DRLs with the e-brake switch. So how does that flash the lights? Do they turn on when starting then go off once it realizes the e-brake is on?

Or is more like you want the lights to stay on when EOCing?

The lights wont flash if you just plain start the car. The fuel pump needs to run to get the car started, as well as keep it running. Now if you turn the key to on and leave it there without starting, the lights will come on while the fuel pump primes for a second or so, then go off.

There are delay circuits online, you can build one, then connect it into your power going to the relay coil. Youd have to figure out how much delay you want.

[Sean T.]

With my DRLs, they come on when I turn the key to "on", then flash off while the engine is turning over (to save the battery), then come back on once the key returns to the "on" position.

I would just pull the fuse....

here is a pic of 99 MC headlight for those that haven't seen them before:



You can see there is two headlight areas... can't remember which one is for DRLs.