Daytime running lights? New halo lights

[Freshyfresh]

Hey I just got my BDR and was trying to change out the factory Hella lights with new day maker LED lights with a Halo ring. I assumed since the Hella lights have the main hi/low beam bulb and that the extra little bulb below was a daytime running light. I start taking the Factory Hella head light out and there's a 3 prong connector (hi, low, ground) and 2 more wires (ground, mystery red wire). It looks perfect, it's the exact same connections on my new day makers with halo. Plug everything in the same and turn on the ignition, no halo. Turn on the lights and low beams work, high beams work. I break out the test light and can't get power on the mystery red wire. I try ignition, blinkers, emergency lights, fan switch, everything I can think of and still nothing. So I crawl under and follow the wires to the connection in the wheel well and see there's only 3 wires coming out. I cut the sheathing back 1/2" and there's my red wire folded back into the sheathing connected to nothing???

So were daytime running lights an option back in the day?

Has anyone else installed these? And if so what did you connect to for power? The grommet hole from the wheel well to the engine bay is super tight but I don't see any other option. I thought about hooking into the parking light power, but would rather be off the ignition somehow.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Freshyfresh

So were daytime running lights an option back in the day?

.

In a nutshell, no. Those are a recent innovation. Heck "back in the day" the headlights barely reached a few car lengths ahead. And then, only in a deserted country road in Nebraska. The stars and moon were brighter.

[Freshyfresh]

delete

[Freshyfresh]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

In a nutshell, no. Those are a recent innovation. Heck "back in the day" the headlights barely reached a few car lengths ahead. And then, only in a deserted country road in Nebraska. The stars and moon were brighter.

Haha. Sorry I meant back in the day of 2015 when this Backdraft was built. Didn't know if the newer model BDR's had running daylights.

[spdbrake]

My Hellas came wired to the parking lights. The BDR headlight switch itself does not have a DRL position.

I capped & stowed the DRL wiring inside the headlight buckets as the Lucas replica headlights I installed did not have that provision.

[Freshyfresh]

Originally Posted by spdbrake

My Hellas came wired to the parking lights. The BDR headlight switch itself does not have a DRL position.

I capped & stowed the DRL wiring inside the headlight buckets as the Lucas replica headlights I installed did not have that provision.

Yeah, I thought about wiring into the parking lights, but I'd like the look of the Halo's with nothing else that come on with ignition.

Does anyone know the best spot in the engine bay that has ignition power I could wire into?

[spdbrake]

There is no spare wiring (future expansion) wiring in the car. You could scab into an existing circuit like the Coil. Although the Halo leds don't pull much wattage its never a good idea to borrow from an existing circuit.

Years ago I was taxiing a Biz Jet to the run-up area and flipped on the Freon A/C. The Compressor light came on and also the Gear Unlock light. Scared the crap out of me. After reviewing the logbooks I found someone had installed the Freon kit "using existing spare wiring". Luckily for me it was only the indication panel and not the hyd control valve as well.


I'd add a new circuit and a toggle switch, but thats just me.

I've bought from both of these vendors without any ill issues.
ID plates for Lucas diameter switches can be found here:
https://www.bits4landys.co.uk/series...s-switches.htm

ID plates for 1/2 dia standard toggles are here:
https://www.cckhistoric.com/shop/Cla...2mm-p112639431

[Quentin Z]

There should be a spare unswitched space in the fuse block you can use (at least there was in mine). Like you said, you'd have to run all the way into the cockpit, so you might as well drill a small hole in the footbox for wires and install an electronic brake switch, if you haven't already (I drilled mine through the top and back towards the firewall to keep it out of site). Then you can run all three wires into the cockpit at the same time. Kill two birds...

[Freshyfresh]

Originally Posted by Quentin Z

There should be a spare unswitched space in the fuse block you can use (at least there was in mine). Like you said, you'd have to run all the way into the cockpit, so you might as well drill a small hole in the footbox for wires and install an electronic brake switch, if you haven't already (I drilled mine through the top and back towards the firewall to keep it out of site). Then you can run all three wires into the cockpit at the same time. Kill two birds...

Can you tell me more about the electronic brake switch? How do you wire this in? Thanks

[Quentin Z]

The hydraulic brake light switches fail on a regular basis. They also use pressure to activate the brake lights, so they take longer to light up than electronic switches (the faster, the safer). You can search this forum to see how bad the hydro switches are.
The replacement is cheap and fairly easy. This is the switch I used ($12):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
All you have to do is unplug the hydraulic switch, make up some longer jumpers to run from the hydro switch wires through the foot box to the electronic switch. (I used plugs on the hydro end, so the modification could easily be reversed, in case I ever need a backup). Mount the switch, I use a 'T' bracket from Ace hardware (I know, not the fanciest for a Cobra, but it just worked so perfectly!). I had to drill out one of the holes in the bracket, but it was easy. Here's a link to some pics:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pplph2b2p...n8UXn1oFa?dl=0

[Ozzie Goat]

There is a line by the fuse box
Label is spare 12v