Daylight running lights

[grumpygrandad]

I recently fitted led daylight running lights to my Nissan Juke. For the picky, because I wanted to. The controller was the second generation sort you connect directly to the battery. It turns on the drls when you fire up the engine, and shuts them down 15 seconds or so after you turn the engine off. Very simple to fit, but there is a problem. The controller works by sensing the initial voltage drop when the starter motor draws current to turn over the engine, and turns on the drls. When the engine is turned off the battery volts drop to around 12 and the controller senses the drop and shuts off the lights. The Juke has a system for charging the battery which means that it is not always charging. When the battery is fully charged the alternator stops charging until the volts drop below a preset level. Trouble is, the drls think the engine is off and shut down. Ho hum.

I have thought of all sorts of ways to get round this, but I can't think of one that will work. Yes, you can wire into a spare fuse position which is live when the ignition is on so the lights come on and off with the ignition switch, but that simply bypasses the controller. Has anybody fitted one of these 'second generation' controllers and got it to work without being switched off by the 'smart charging' Juke system, and if so, how? Please!! It's driving me and my car mechanic son in law nuts.

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[UNG]

Have you thought of trying a Nissan forum or doing a google search for a solution

 

[grumpygrandad]

Yes. This is my last hope.

 

[Geordie Spark]

What's wrong with a simple, straightforward switch??

 

[grumpygrandad]

The controller fits directly on to the battery, switches the lights on with the engine, turns them off 20 seconds after the engine shuts down, dims the drls when the headlights turn on and avoids having to take a wire from the fusebox through the bulkhead. If I connect directly to the fusebox, I won't need a switch because the ignition switch will do the trick. But it won't dim the drls etc., and that's what I want to do.

 

[gnuuser]

typical drls when installed properly are focused at the low beam level so there is no need to dim them
same with fog lights they are supposed to be aimed in the same location as low beam.
contrary to belief fog lights and drls do not "cut through the fog"
they provide a larger penumbra of visible light to warn oncoming drivers that you are there.
if you have ever tried driving in dense fog or snow having your beams on high will blind you a bit from reflected glare.

 

[grumpygrandad]

All very well, but it doesn't address my problem. If I ask a tradesman to fit, for instance, an outside security light, I would like him to fit it for me. Not express his personal view on the efficacy of the light. So far the only suggestion received (not only on this forum) has been to use a plain switch or to express an opinion regarding DRLs. Which seems to negate the purpose of these forums, which is surely to suggest solutions to problems, not find reasons why the problem should not have arisen in somebody's unasked for opinion.

Since neither the manufacturer nor the supplier of the controller are willing to suggest a solution I will no doubt have to accept that operating DRLs on a Juke and other cars with similar charging systems will not be possible in the way that they can be used on other vehicles. It's just a pity that nobody out there in the great wide world of experts can come up with some feasible work around.

 

[ifindoubtdont]

As you say neither the manufacturer nor the supplier of the controller are willing to suggest a solution it is probable there isn't one, and a get around the problem solution has been put forward, just because it wasn't what you wanted to hear there is no need to bit his head off. We do understand what you are trying to achieve it's just that we are not Auto-electricians.

 

[gnuuser]

As you say neither the manufacturer nor the supplier of the controller are willing to suggest a solution it is probable there isn't one, and a get around the problem solution has been put forward, just because it wasn't what you
Wanted to hear there is no need to bit his head off. We do understand what you are trying to achieve it's just that we are not Auto-electricians.

Correct without a schematic of the device we can't really give an answer

 

[Resu]

All very well, but it doesn't address my problem. If I ask a tradesman to fit, for instance, an outside security light, I would like him to fit it for me. Not express his personal view on the efficacy of the light. So far the only suggestion received (not only on this forum) has been to use a plain switch or to express an opinion regarding DRLs.

Would you ask that same tradesman how to service this vehicle of yours? This is an Electrician's forum with a small sub-forum containing only a few dozen topics, hardly the best place to ask such a specific question. The best place to look would be an auto-electrician forum or Juke forum. Otherwise book your car into a garage and get it done properly! There's no need to get upset about someone voicing their opinion - that's what a forum is for is it not? You're obviously living up to your name. As for my opinion DRL's are a waste of time and the Nissan Juke is the most hideous vehicle I've ever seen.

 

[grumpygrandad]

As suggested here and elsewhere, I tried Google and other forums. The problem had defeated me and my son in law, a car mechanic who fitted the unit in a garage. Although you are obviously unaware of it, this forum is billed as an auto electrical forum, so it seemed to be the right place to ask an auto electrical question, but apparently I was mistaken for which I apologise.

The failure of anyone including the manufacturer to come up with a solution to the question I actually asked makes me fairly confident that at the moment so called easy fit second generation DRL controllers do not work properlyon cars with smart charging. Knowing this I can move on, so to those who read my query and said nothing, my thanks.

The thing I was trying to point out to some of the respondents was that if a forum is intended at least in part to try to solve problems encountered, it is not useful to question the reason for doing something in the first place. Parking sensors, satnav, in car video recorders. We could all make a list of things we think are pointless in cars, but if somebody asks how to fit, say, a hands free phone in a car, and I know how, why should I tell him to chuck the phone because I think it's an abomination? And to cap it all, a 'senior member' tells me that in his opinion, DRLs are a waste of time and the Juke is the most hideous vehicle he has ever seen. Which makes my point for me. How does that help in any way to solve a problem?

This forum says it is friendly. Perhaps some of you might post a sticky note to that effect to remind yourselves of that claim.

 

[Richard Burns]

If you arrange a switching mechanism to come in a few seconds after the car has started (and turned on the lights) then you can either bypass the controller until the ignition is switched off at which point the controller comes in again and will switch off the lights when the voltage drops, or you could supply a DC to DC voltage converter to a voltage regulator to supply a constant 12V to the controller whilst the vehicle is running.

 

[Resu]

Although you are obviously unaware of it, this forum is billed as an auto electrical forum, so it seemed to be the right place to ask an auto electrical question, but apparently I was mistaken for which I apologise.

The thing I was trying to point out to some of the respondents was that if a forum is intended at least in part to try to solve problems encountered, it is not useful to question the reason for doing something in the first place. Parking sensors, satnav, in car video recorders. We could all make a list of things we think are pointless in cars, but if somebody asks how to fit, say, a hands free phone in a car, and I know how, why should I tell him to chuck the phone because I think it's an abomination? And to cap it all, a 'senior member' tells me that in his opinion, DRLs are a waste of time and the Juke is the most hideous vehicle he has ever seen. Which makes my point for me. How does that help in any way to solve a problem?

This forum says it is friendly. Perhaps some of you might post a sticky note to that effect to remind yourselves of that claim.

Would you ask that same tradesman how to service this vehicle of yours? This is an Electrician's forum with a small sub-forum containing only a few dozen topics, hardly the best place to ask such a specific question. The best place to look would be an auto-electrician forum or Juke forum. Otherwise book your car into a garage and get it done properly! There's no need to get upset about someone voicing their opinion - that's what a forum is for is it not? You're obviously living up to your name. As for my opinion DRL's are a waste of time and the Nissan Juke is the most hideous vehicle I've ever seen.

I think you'll find I'm aware of what this forum is "billed".

I apologize for part of my response last night. I took one of your previous comments the wrong way and probably should of kept it at that.

I think you'll find the forum will be just fine without a sticky note, as it was before you joined.

 

[gnuuser]

dont know if the op seen it yet but heres a link to the juke forum in the UK
Nissan Juke Forum

Juke LED DRLS - Nissan Juke Forum
hope it helps

 

[Andy Marham]

you can just pick up a switched supply, usually a spare one in the under bonnet fuse box that becomes live with the engine running and connect your light directly to that via a fuse and if required relay though relay probably not required due to low current draw of your lights and bypass the controller that came with the lights. that way they will come on and off with the engine.

 

[LairdScooby]

After reading this (and another similar) thread regarding DRLs, can i just point out they are meant to function automatically, without a switch and turn off when the lights are switched on?

As for the problem with the Nissan Joke, have you tried a Renault Forum? No, i'm not being facetious, unless i'm mistaken the Nissan Joke is a rebadged Renault Captur or similar, as is the Vauxhall Mukka.
I have to confess i've never come across a charging system that switches off completely when the battery is fully charged. Also the idea of "cycling" the battery voltage down to a pre-set level before charging begins again seems to be a totally idiotic idea. Perhaps (not sure how those aftermarket DRL controllers are set up) you could take the feed for the DRL controller from a switched ignition feed to prevent the controller shutting down when the battery is charged?