daytime running lights

[John Dirks Jr]

We're on the road alot so safety is important.

My friends, if your vehicles don't already have daytime running lights and you want a great safety upgrade for them, try these. I put them on my Cherokee and they are excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-12820WLED ... 709&sr=8-1

[Jim Katen]

What to they do? Can't you just turn on your lights?

[rkenney]

...or, save yourself a 'buck' and turn your lights on under the appropriate conditions: rain, fog, dawn, dusk! If it isn't automatic you young uns can't operate it!

[John Dirks Jr]

Coming up on 48 so not necessarily a young un.

There's a module. From the module, the power wires go to the lights. There are three other wires coming from the module.

1) ground - self explanatory

2) directly to the positive battery terminal - it notices charging curent when the engine is running and tells the module to turn the DRL's on.

3) connects to any point in the vehicle parking light circuit - this tells the module that you have turned on your normal lights, the module then turns off the DRL's

These things draw very low voltage and put out a highly visible bright white light. They are designed as DRL's and are better than normal headlights in the daytime. You already see these as original equipment on higher end cars from the factory.

[John Dirks Jr]

They are better for safety in daytime driving. Super bright. You can't tell me you haven't noticed them on some of the newer high end cars can you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp

[rkenney]

I doubt that candlepower has anything to do with it. The idea behind daytime driving lights is simply that 'you' are more visible to others during low light conditions with your lights on. Not that you will see better because of your lights. In fact brightness is a disadvantage in the fog. Fog lights need to hit the road and be mounted low to be effective.

MD law says no more than 4 white lights operating on the front of the vehicle at any time. Hence fog lights for example can only operate with low beams. High beams already are 4 beams (2low 2 high), and plenty annoying if your driving towards them. Roof spots can't be operated at all on a public roadway and need to be covered.

Just turn your low beams on.

Most Japanese cars (if there is such a thing anymore) will turn your lights off with the key off (relay). So you can't possibly leave your lights on and you have 'daytime running lights always!

[Erby]

KISS

[rkenney]

KISS

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Who woulda' thought Erby was . . .

[John Dirks Jr]

Here's a convincing (at least to me) study on the effectiveness of DRL's to reduce accidents.

In my opinion, they're worth every penny.

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/r-97-36.pdf

[John Kogel]

John, I installed a module in my old '87 Chev that would turn the headlights OFF with the ignition. That was when I did bush work and couldn't risk a dead battery.

[Inspectorjoe]

Here's a convincing (at least to me) study on the effectiveness of DRL's to reduce accidents.

In my opinion, they're worth every penny.

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/r-97-36.pdf

And here's the other side: http://nordicgroup.us/drl/

No DRL's for me.

[John Dirks Jr]

I don't know if the factory headlamps will go out automatically on my 98 Cherokee or not.

I do know that these LED DRL's are multiple times more visible in any lighting conditions then the factory lights and they draw a fraction of the energy. That puts less load on my old higher mileage charging system and if it begins to fail, it might be the difference in battery only power getting me to a safe place.

[Jim Katen]

Here's a convincing (at least to me) study on the effectiveness of DRL's to reduce accidents.

In my opinion, they're worth every penny.

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/r-97-36.pdf

It's a poor study. It never defines what daytime running lights are; it makes no allowance for brightness or placement.

That aside, it doesn't make much of a case for the use of DRLs in lower latitudes. The benefit seems to be in the higher latitudes, in places where the days are dusky during the winter months.

[John Dirks Jr]

Here's a convincing (at least to me) study on the effectiveness of DRL's to reduce accidents.

In my opinion, they're worth every penny.

http://www.swov.nl/rapport/r-97-36.pdf

And here's the other side: http://nordicgroup.us/drl/

No DRL's for me.

I love number 8 > The people in favor of DRLs are so dimwitted and have such weak positions that DRLs must really be bad.

Wow, some scientific effort must have gone into that article!

The article is out dated and many of it's claims do not apply to the specific (add on ) DRL's I installed.

These things are bright so they can be seen but they do not cast light any significant distance. I would never try to use them alone at night. They're not made to cast light. They're to "be seen" not "for seeing"

That article is mostly junk in my opinion.

[John Dirks Jr]

Tell me why it is that you now see a resurgence of LED DRL's on newer higher end vehicles. Is this a resurgence of the "dimwits" ?

[Jim Katen]

Tell me why it is that you now see a resurgence of LED DRL's on newer higher end vehicles. Is this a resurgence of the "dimwits" ?

It's a fad. Like running boards, curb feelers, & wheel well covers. It costs them next to nothing to include it and they can boast that the car is equipped with the latest safety features.

High end cars also have wipers on their headlights. It doesn't mean it's a good idea.

[John Dirks Jr]

If you drive on dirty wet city streets alot, why wouldn't headlight wipers be a good idea?

[Jim Katen]

If you drive on dirty wet city streets alot, why wouldn't headlight wipers be a good idea?

Depends on where you actually drive, what the feature adds to the cost of the car, how often they break down, and what it costs to fix them. They're a useless feature for most people. They're about the sizzle, not the steak.

[John Dirks Jr]

Well, I still believe I added a level of safety to my driving tasks by adding the DRL's. BTW, my old reliable Cherokee has plenty of steak so a tad of sizzle can't hurt either.

[Jim Katen]

Well, I still believe I added a level of safety to my driving tasks by adding the DRL's. BTW, my old reliable Cherokee has plenty of steak so a tad of sizzle can't hurt either.

You certainly might have. If someone were to ask me to design a way to make a vehicle more visible in the daytime, though, I wouldn't think that putting lights on the front of the car, down near the road, would be the best way to do that. I'd propose a paint job with alternating bright colors.

[Inspectorjoe]

I love number 8 > The people in favor of DRLs are so dimwitted and have such weak positions that DRLs must really be bad.

Wow, some scientific effort must have gone into that article!

You do understand it's hyperbole, don't you? He could have phrased it better, and he did go on to explain what he meant with a correlation. You didn't take that personally, did you?

The article is out dated and many of it's claims do not apply to the specific (add on ) DRL's I installed.

Outdated? It's seven years newer than the one you posted, plus it's written with US based references.

That article is mostly junk in my opinion.

I thought it was pretty good, with him laying his case out pretty solidly. Of course, if your mind is already made up the other way .......

[Inspectorjoe]

Tell me why it is that you now see a resurgence of LED DRL's on newer higher end vehicles. Is this a resurgence of the "dimwits" ?

Do you know how many useless features are are packed into high end vehicles? That's how they sell a Toyota for the price of a Lexus.

[Marc]

Well, I still believe I added a level of safety to my driving tasks by adding the DRL's. BTW, my old reliable Cherokee has plenty of steak so a tad of sizzle can't hurt either.

You certainly might have. If someone were to ask me to design a way to make a vehicle more visible in the daytime, though, I wouldn't think that putting lights on the front of the car, down near the road, would be the best way to do that. I'd propose a paint job with alternating bright colors.

Highway orange, unless the Bains of the world get so pissed that they start ramming them.

Marc

[Les]

back in the 1960's several models of American Motors had a running light (6077 bulb?) dead center in the grille as an option. The stated purpose was to let you know the engine was running. I don't think it was factory installed, rather an option the dealer installed.

The thought was folks would know your engine was running, just before slamming into you head on! They were replaced by those little jet engine like devices that scare deer out of your vehicle path.

Seems like flashing red and blue ights and a siren would help.

[gtblum]

Just buy a Chevy truck. They're standard equipment. Then get a bunch of replacement bulbs for the glove box. Get lots of them.

Since the truck has to be in drive for them to operate, you'll have to depend on help from others or the reflection from the shiny car in front of you to know if they're working, though.