Daytime running lights...

[Silvia]

Has anyone come up with an affordable system for Daytime Running Lights? I currently often use the headlights as my silver colour NB can be hard to see apparently. Don't want to spend heaps or look bad.

[taminga16]

Has anyone come up with an affordable system for Daytime Running Lights? I currently often use the headlights as my silver colour NB can be hard to see apparently. Don't want to spend heaps or look bad.

Hi Silv,
Shoot Mr Morlock a PM.
Greg.

[bootz]

This has already been covered extensively under electronics.

What we need is affordable plug in led replacements for the foglights. Apparently the wiring modification is no big deal.

[Regie]

ive been running LED's in the foglight housings since ive had my car

its a NC though

H11 LED bulbs are easy to get

[Kev05]

Has anyone come up with an affordable system for Daytime Running Lights? I currently often use the headlights as my silver colour NB can be hard to see apparently. Don't want to spend heaps or look bad.

Go check out MINX's SE. Need to scroll down to the bottom of the page. He fitted LED lights.

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=32900&start=210

[Lokiel]

I think that the foglights are too low to be effective enough, they need to be much higher - on a NA/NB, even the headlights are pretty low

Maybe daytime running lights mounted on the rear of the rearview mirror could be an option? Wouldn't affect aerodynamics and is up high enough.

When I drove a friend to Warwick to pick up his Aero FT86 and drove back, I was quite impressed by how noticeable his daytime running lights were in the rear-view mirror and would like to do that on my car too.

[Silvia]

On looking at the photos I'm inclined to agree now. They are a nice fitment but I'm doubting the visibility aspect. Recently had the woman in the big 4wd start to turn into my lane directly in front and when I beeped she swerved violently back into her lane with shock - clearly hadn't seen me and I doubt the effectiveness of the DRL placed in the grill in such situations. If my headlights had been on that would have been different. What is needed is the DRL lights on top of the headlights a la Audi etc. and I guess I'll use the headlights until I/we come up with an answer.....

[Smacca]

I've been toying with the idea of installing DRL's on my NA for a while now. But this mod has moved straight to the top of the ASAP list after a bus merged on top of me and crunched the front right corner of my car last week The bus driver's excuse: well he didn't have one as he didn't see me, didn't feel the impact and didn't actually believe we collided. The car's still driveable and is booked in next week for an assessment.

In the mean time I'm considering hacking the rear housing of the NA's front indicators and installing DRL's with built-in amber indicator LED's (plenty to choose from on eBay) inside the lens. Inspiration comes from the new Porsche 911's DRL's and Droo's soft fade switchback indicators which he created for his NA. Although I know this isn't a solution for NB's.

Have you considered maybe installing super bright white LED front parking lights to substitute as DRL's? I'm not sure how it will look on an MX-5 but most new base model VW's simply use their parking lights as "DRL's" and it doesn't look too bad. Obviously VW headlight housings were designed with that in mind, unlike retrofitting them to an NB. But it's one idea you could try...

[Silvia]

I did put brighter LED globes in the parkers in my NB but they are deep in a recess and not really noticeable in sunlight.
I guess headlights on is the go...

[MINX]

The DRLs on my car are very noticeable.
I have dríven in front and around my car when Lisa has been driving it.
And the LEDs do show up well in the mirrors during the day.

Doesn't stop incompetent drivers cutting you off though.
Couple of hours ago, had a dopey in a SAab try to side swip me off the road.
I was watching him closely as I passed in the right lane, and he didnt look over his shoulder, or even in the mirrors, he just indicated and started to push over. Until my HORN woke him up.

Doesnt matter what lights you have on, in our cars, we need to keep our brains switched to defensive at all times.

I have to admit, I dont like the look of the DRLs on MINX, but they are staying for now, for safety.
I fitted the same ones to the M6, and they look reasonably oem. And missus likes them.

[Mr Morlock]

If you fit DRLs then use a kit that is designed specifically for the task. A drl is not just a bright led. A drl has to meet the legal requirements and to do this they have a module to control lights on lights off etc. The beauty of the operation is that it is illuminated when it needs to be and switched off when it is not needed and that requires a "black box" . There is also a legal requirement in terms off dimensions ie height and distance between the inboard dims of the lamps. One needs to fit them as FAR outboard as possible - ie most OEMs mount them under or around the headlamps. Take the test just look at every DRL you see and it becomes obvious.

The fog lamps on MX5 and many other cars are just about useless and highly restricted in their use anyway. If a legal DRL would fit in the fog lamp position it would seem to be a very good solution. An H11 is not the answer either. It does not matter what bulb you have in the fog lamp if it is burning during the day in normal sunlight ie not in a fog or rain etc then its illegal and you can be fined. Is there a legal quality kit which would fit in the fog lamp apertures?

A drl in an MX5 mounted in the nose is fully effective. The point of a drl is to be seen by oncoming vehicles and stand in front and they work. A drl has no side vision at all ie as soon as the vehicle pulls alongside or you view it from the side the light is not visible- that is the design intent.

Headlights are not the answer - its simple really. Apart from headlamps being bloody annoying during the day a headlight is designed to see in the dark and it packs at least 50W per side and the rear lights run as well. So 110W burning and killing the Halogen bulbs ie work out how long the bulbs last if you run them during daylight hours as well as the night. The leds are low wattage and have a very long life. They invented DRls in Eu to meet a demand for a specific requirement. Incidentally before LED drls they also had incandescent drls but now old hat.

[manga_blue]

A drl has to meet the legal requirements.

The following extract from Queensland’s Traffic Operations Road Use Management - Vehicle Standards and Safety Regulation 2012 outlines DRL operational and installation requirements.

Daytime running lights
A pair of daytime running lights may be fitted to a motor vehicle.
A pair of daytime running lights fitted to a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels must be fitted with the centre of each light:
(a) at least 600mm from the centre of the other light; and
(b) not over 510mm from the nearer side of the vehicle.

However, a pair of daytime running lights fitted to a motor vehicle under 1300mm wide may be fitted with the centre of each light not under 400mm from the centre of the other light.

When on, a daytime running light must:
(a) show a white or yellow light visible from the front of the vehicle; and
(b) not use over 25W.

Daytime running lights must be wired so they are off when a headlight, other than a headlight being used as a flashing signal, is on.

A number of automotive electrical equipment manufacturers offer DRL kits for retrofitting. Look for kits that comply with ADR 76/00 or ECE R87.

[Smacca]

Do NB8C's have a clear lens for the headlight's indicator housing (unlike the internal orange lens on an NB8A)?

Without wishing to enter a legality and function v form debate, another option could be installing switchback LED's from ijdmtoy.com in your front indicators. I didn't check compatibility, but i like the concept. They also seem to have plenty of light options to browse through for ideas. Food for thought...

[KAOS KURRI]

I've been toying with the idea of installing DRL's on my NA for a while now. But this mod has moved straight to the top of the ASAP list after a bus merged on top of me and crunched the front right corner of my car last week The bus driver's excuse: well he didn't have one as he didn't see me, didn't feel the impact and didn't actually believe we collided. The car's still driveable and is booked in next week for an assessment.

In the mean time I'm considering hacking the rear housing of the NA's front indicators and installing DRL's with built-in amber indicator LED's (plenty to choose from on eBay) inside the lens. Inspiration comes from the new Porsche 911's DRL's and Droo's soft fade switchback indicators which he created for his NA. Although I know this isn't a solution for NB's.

Have you considered maybe installing super bright white LED front parking lights to substitute as DRL's? I'm not sure how it will look on an MX-5 but most new base model VW's simply use their parking lights as "DRL's" and it doesn't look too bad. Obviously VW headlight housings were designed with that in mind, unlike retrofitting them to an NB. But it's one idea you could try...

I'm presently using what you suggest, have been for 3 months now / WHITE , LED's In Parking lights
they can be obtained via ebay. Look for T15's
They are Very Very BRIGHT and the loo is heaps Cool.

[Silvia]

Can't beat a cool loo !
They seem to vary from 5W to 20W - what are the right ones for MX5?
In my NB the parkers are deep inside recesses - I guess the longest globe would be best?