Daytime running lights...

[Silvia]

Are there DDL's bright enough that you can simply swap with parking light globes? I'm currently using the headlights as DDL's but a simple swap with the parking lights using very bright led replacements would be good - if they exist?
Anything on EBay maybe?

[fastfreddygassit]

I'm using 25w LEDs in my fog lights (25w is the maximum for a DRL).
I'm not discussing the legality here, but driving a lowered black SE (NB8C), these LEDs appear to make the car more visible front on without dazzling anyone.
I bought the LEDs off eBay last year...<$25 IIRC

[Mr Morlock]

I am sure you raised this before, It's simple buy a legal daytime running lamp kit which does the job properly ( mounts in the grille opening and uses quality leds and components). If there is a legal drl kit which will go into the fog cavity that would be good- the range has improved and Narva may have a kit that will fit. drl 's iare a big plus for safety in such a low slung car.

[Silvia]

Any reason why you replaced the foglights rather than parkers Freddy?

I've seen DRL's in grill opening and I feel they are not visible enough to the sides - only straight ahead. Most of my problems have been from cars pushing in from the sides not seeing me properly.

[taminga16]

Silvie, Again already!
Send me the details of your current fog and parker lamps and I will quote you on some LED replacements.
Greg.

[Mr Morlock]

My friends reckon they can spot me easily in a convoy from the front.

People need to understand drls are not visible from the side because of design intent. Take the test look at any oem drl and see with your own eyes. Understand trucks run side marker lamps cars dont.

Maybe taminga can tell us what set up for legal drl works on NCs it would be a good tip and useful for safety.

[taminga16]

Mr M,
Silvia does not want to go the road of independent DRL's and as such my suggestion would be to replace both fog lamp bulbs and the front parking bulbs with LED's and just run the gauntlet.
Greg.

[Mr Morlock]

Yes Greg get your point.
I see ffg point as well. Fog lamp is ideal position but a proper drl in the cavity would be even better.

[Silvia]

I did put LED globes in the parkers about a year ago but was disappointed . I thought they had to be the same power as the standard globes though. Can I fit 20 or 25 W globes in parkers or does it have to be in the foglights ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Super-white- ... 2011338734

[joshuam]

I am making new headlights all together next year; custom DRLs designed to look like factory fitment (series of 1W LEDs on each side), with LED high/low headlights from a Japanese Mazda 6 probably, all put together in a 3D printed housing insert. That is a long way off though and will not be easy to implement. I am hoping for it to all look stock when I am done. Everything is being done to ADRs, not that that would help when pulled over for it because I'm sure I won't be able to get them approved by a relevant enough authority.

There is nothing that you can do to replace the parker in its stock location that will be bright enough. The parker light also has different legal requirements to DRL, which makes it not suitable.

It would not be very hard to retrofit a DRL setup into the indicator section of a NB8B headlight; you would need a high output LED (10W) with suitable heat management and a LED indicator somehow (perhaps a ring around the DRL). Something like the LED used in these would be perfect;
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/led-l ... kgiMHYrJD8

The above could also be used to simply replace the fog lights. Unfortunately according to most things I have seen having a fully ADR approved DRL is still illegal if it is placed in a housing originally designed for a fog light.... stupid rule, since its only a standard piece of clear glass in front -.- Having said that, the fine for it isn't that big, and I am not comfortable driving mine without headlights on and would like some brighter DRLs.

[Silvia]

All too hard. Think I'll just go on using the headlights as DDL's.....

[taminga16]

Silvie, 25 watt parkers will get you done, whip down to your local Jaycar Store and pick up a pair of these.
Greg.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/Automotive-%26 ... 9/p/ZD0394
P.S. Let me know if you want to go along the LED inserts for the fog lamps and i will source some for you.

[Mr Morlock]

joshuam comments are interesting but at what cost? Sounds like he has done a lot of homework. Designing a headlamp and optics is a specialist job. I did ask an automotive photometrist what the leds were like but he merely said they were ok provided you can get enough light output?? There are still many QH systems which perform very well on high and low beam. Many of us agree that on an MX-5 a drl ( std now on an ND) is a good thing to have. LED headlamps are increasingly being used as well but whether they really offer any big benefit over a halogen projector I am not sure. I am fussy with my lights but still find the low beam projector very good on the NBP2. The link does show some products that may well be usable and should be full plug in and perform as required by a drl. The units I bought are Philips daylight 4's and easy to fit on an NB and fully functional and the fog lights remain untouched.

Sivia is right - you can use the headlamps and many authorities actually recommend it but its a somewhat wasteful use of the resource and a bit of nuisance having the tailights lit to no good use in the day.

[Silvia]

Bought the Jaycar units (though they said there's no way of knowing if they are 25W as they use Lumens as LED measurement) but they are the most powerful T10 bulbs they have. They are very bright little specks in the light fitting but don't fill the whole fitting as halogens seem to. With the bright white light of LED's , the headlight low beam looks positively yellow and old , but I think the LED parkers alone will do the job , specially as they are visible better to the sides, where the 4WD's and trucks seem to not see me.....

I don't understand why using headlights in daytime is a "wasteful use of a resource " though, or any problem with taillights being on ??

[madjak]

Compared to a 50kW engine, the 100 watts of lighting is nothing... 0.2% wasted energy maybe a little bit more given the losses in the alternator.

not really worth worrying about...