Day running lights

antprice1970

antprice1970

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Bessacarr E635 2008
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Hi all, I want to fix some daytime running lights on my Ducato 2008 Bessacarr. Are they difficult to install yourself.
Thanks in advance
Anthony
 
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It depends which type you buy. Some come with an installation kit. Once mounted it is simple to wire them in with a relay to switch them off when headlights come on. Hardest part is mouting them properly
 
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TheBig1 said:
It depends which type you buy. Some come with an installation kit. Once mounted it is simple to wire them in with a relay to switch them off when headlights come on. Hardest part is mouting them properly
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Thanks, do you have any recommendations?
Ant
 
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You need an ignition switched live wire to relay and out to the lights on the normally closed terminal. A wire from the headlights to the coil of the relay and an earth wire to both lights and relay.

Obviously you would need to fit a fuse for the circuit from where you take the ignition switched feed. You can piggyback the other side DRL from the first one you wire in
 
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TheBig1 said:
You need an ignition switched live wire to relay and out to the lights on the normally closed terminal. A wire from the headlights to the coil of the relay and an earth wire to both lights and relay.

Obviously you would need to fit a fuse for the circuit from where you take the ignition switched feed. You can piggyback the other side DRL from the first one you wire in
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Thank you 👍

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antprice1970 said:
Thanks, do you have any recommendations?
Ant
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There are many out there and it will depend on the model of your cab. Some fit DRLs in the fog light position on the x250 cab
 
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TheBig1 said:
It depends which type you buy. Some come with an installation kit. Once mounted it is simple to wire them in with a relay to switch them off when headlights come on. Hardest part is mouting them properly
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Why do they need to go off when the headlights come on?
 
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Brize said:
They don't, but they do need to dim. Some aftermarket DRLs don't have the capability to dim, so they need to go off.
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Ah didn't know that, you live n learn, thank you.

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Hi All,
I have a 2014 Elddis Autoquest 175, which is not fitted with DRLs, and we are planning to go over to France in the next few months, and hence my question is, do I need DRLs in France to be legal, or does their legislation follow UK rules in that if they are not fitted as the time of manufacture, I have nothing to worry about? Thanks.
 
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In my previous 2007 van, I just switched the side lights for (canbus compatible) LEDs, which made them significantly brighter. And left the side lights on all the time. As far as I could tell, the only difference between my solution and DRLs was that I could turn them off if I wanted, and I didn't have to worry about forgetting to turn on my main beams at dusk because my rear lights were also on.
 
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Klooid said:
Hi All,
I have a 2014 Elddis Autoquest 175, which is not fitted with DRLs, and we are planning to go over to France in the next few months, and hence my question is, do I need DRLs in France to be legal, or does their legislation follow UK rules in that if they are not fitted as the time of manufacture, I have nothing to worry about? Thanks.
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These days, if you don't have DRL's, I would drive with dipped headlights all the time. Makes you safer, just ensure that you have headlight deflectors fitted if you can't physically or electronically change the dip. (y)
 
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Blue Moon said:
Why do they need to go off when the headlights come on?
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Incidentally, I bought a set of these lights from Ledcom but haven't fitted them yet as it’s been too cold. But I looked at the fairly comprehensive instructions and noted that there has been a slight change from earlier models. In the earlier instructions and kits, you needed to connect the white lead to the black and green wire that feeds the nearside headlight. This meant that, as soon as the headlights came on the running lights went off.

Now, you have the option of connecting either the white lead with the result described or there’s a yellow lead which will only dim the running lights when the headlights are on. (Or possibly vice versa, the instructions are in the van. Either way, you only connect one wire, the white or the yellow depending what you want).

Good luck with fitting them. The only thing putting me off from fitting my set (apart from the cold) is that it looks like I may need to remove some of the trim/cover to access the holes where the lights are fitted. I have opted for the Ledcom lights which fit into the small round holes at the front of our Boxer based van rather than the wider slot beneath the headlights.

 
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Brize said:
These days, if you don't have DRL's, I would drive with dipped headlights all the time. Makes you safer, just ensure that you have headlight deflectors fitted if you can't physically or electronically change the dip. (y)
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Yes me too....
Just like 70/80's Volvos (and another make, i can't remember) that did just that... turn on engine and dipped beams came on..
Remember the slagging Volvo owners used to get for that.....
ITS DAY LIGHT... WHY THE FECK HAS HE GOT HIS LIGHTS ON!!!
However that said on motorway (M5 M6) today and could not believe how many eejits were bombing along with no lights on at all front or rear, and it was pissing down and visibility down to couple hundred yards. ( remember them🤣)..
DRL don't work in those conditions as most vehicles do not have rear DRL's but, yes you need front lights on a motor/dual carriage way, IMO rear illumination is far more, and much much more important...and drivers need to make that happen by turning on lights... Yes some models have auto lights.. but going by today, not many have them !!
 
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Fitted the Ledcom set earlier this year into the fog light holes on our 2018 Boxer. It’s fairly straightforward, the biggest issue was removing the fog light blanks which have three tabs. This will be far easier if you can get the van in the air or on a high kerb etc.

I didn’t want to splice into the van loom so removed the ns headlight, drilled a small hole in the bottom to feed one of the trigger wires through a grommet. Also placed a super seal connector between the control unit and headlight so it is easy to remove for bulb changes etc.

Although the DRL,s do dim with headlights on they give a really useful illumination close to the van which the headlights don’t cover.
 
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