new connection losing juice?
unless you're using a really thin wire, i think resistance is negligible lol.

p.s make sure you connect the OJ to the positive side marker wire and not the ground.

 

@FullMetalJacket - Your solution sounds very interesting, Can you post photos of the setup and/or the results?

 

Hi Bill. i figured since we do not get that much fog here on the other side of the big pond, why not use the FL's as DRL's. Here's what I did to convert my yellow fog lights to white DRL's.

I got this DRL Auto Switch off ebay which cost around 25 bucks. You basically hook it up to the DRL's and connect it directly to the positive and negative terminals of your battery and voila it automatically turns on and off the DRL's when your ignition is turned on or off.



I tucked in the old H7 fog light terminals and insulated them using electrical rubber tape. I left them inside the headlight assembly but out of the way. I then got new H7 Terminals and drilled holes on the plastic covers at the back of the headlight assemblies to route the wires coming from the DRL auto switch. I applied the rubber gasket thing you use on windshields (silicone gaskets will work) just to make sure no moisture comes in through those holes I made. I also installed new snap on clip connectors so that I can disconnect the DRL connection without opening the headlight assembly.

I then used a very bright H7 LED BULB that looks like this...



The bulbs do not generate that much heat so the Headlight lens is OK. I think it serves the purpose. Spent around $100 bucks (connectors drl switch and bulbs included). And 1.5 hours of garage time :-) hope this helps and gives ideas to those in a hurry to have DRL's.

 

@saibot..I was concerned about tucking the orange wire into the side marker light connection because i have led bulbs there and did not know if that would matter or not.
I will try this weekend, i will run the orange wire from the control box down to the side marker bulb and either stuff into the connection with the led bulb or splice into the white/red wire...i think. Do i only have to tap into one side marker light or both. Thanks..
Brian

 

I think the orange wire is for detecting a signal rather than drawing current. If you really want to be sure though, hook up a multimeter to the orange and black wires of your dimmer box and see what the resistance across the two are (resistance in). I'd suspect it to be pretty high.
For this reason, I think tapping into one side is sufficient for the orange wire; as you won't be putting much extra load on your fuses(its in paralelle to your side markers and rear night lights).

 

FullMetalJacket - thanks for the detailed explanation and photos. We have very few choices with MKI stock bumpers and this sounds like a good solution.

 

I agree.
I don't need any more attention from the popo as is so I will not be doing this personally, but for mk1 owners this looks to be a great solution for drl's and something that looks like a factory option for that period. IMO, it looks tacky on most older cars that stick on those led strips to simulate led drl's found on some newer cars.

 

I am so f...ing mad right now...i hooked up my drls like the directions say to with the connections to the battery and nothing...I spliced into the side marker light as well and nothing...I did all this work and nothing. checked the fuse on red wire seems fine...
I thought as soon as you make the battery connections the drls should come on..no? i hope i am doing something wrong but i do not think so..i might have to send these Phillips 8 lights back... HELP!!!

Thanks,
B

 

Try reversing the polarity.

 

are you talking about the polarity of the actual connections from the end of the drl light that click into the module plugs...i had them lined up so red to go with red and black to go with black..Thanks.

 

I meant the ones that connect to the battery or supply. Try connecting the wires directly to the battery and see if they work.

 

I will not be able to hook the actual drl light connections to the battery because they have the plastic connection plugs on the end of them(i would have to cut off) and the wires from the module: i am thinking i should not hook the black wire to the positive terminal of battery and the red to negative battery terminal?

 

You can always insert a piece of wire into each connector and then connect to the battery to check if it works. The second option you have is to just go to any local auto shop and have them check to see if the DRLs are defective. Should take them less than 5 mins to figure out.

 

2) possiblities (from simple deductive reasoning)
- your LEDs dont work.
OR
- your LEDs arent getting any juice.

To test #1, hook up your leds to a diff 12v power supply to see if they actually light up or not. If they do, you know theres a problem with the power supply (dimmer box).


To test #2, do you have a multimeter? it'd be a good idea to see if the wires you hooked your drls up to are actually supplying any juice.
alternatively you can stick a 12v light bulb inbetween the two contacts and see if it ligths up.

 

Thanks to Zeeee and saibot for basically walking me through some basic electrical processes to help figure out what i was doing wrong. I got the drls to work tonight as i had a ground wire hooked up to the side marker light instead of the positive. bingo..
You also have to start the car as well to get everything going. They look great, i couldn't be happier..

Thanks to everyone else who put their input in...