Vehicle Modifications

Iceweasel

vinylmusic wrote: »

Not so complicated really. All you'd need is a length of twin cable going to a switch on the dash
cut the + wire which sends power to the DRL's and attatch the 2 ends to the the two other ends of your twin cable.
You can switch them off yourself when turning on headlights.
My car recently went thgrough an MOT with them on and nothing was said about it. I would have removed them had they made a big difference to the insurance but it made no difference at all

Do you really think that satisfies the rules? - that they need to extinguish when other lights are switched on.

vinylmusic

Iceweasel wrote: »

Do you really think that satisfies the rules? - that they need to extinguish when other lights are switched on.

and why not?
The only difference would be is that you'd turn them on and off manually at will.
Setting them up to extinguish automatically would be far more complicated and probably involve extra components

Iceweasel

Good idea!

If you wire them like that with a manual switch (hopefully with a warning light so you don't forget about them) then they are not DRLs - they are simply additional marker or side lamps.

No problem in doing that as there are no regs against doing that, that I know of. As long as you switch them off when you have other lights on - you should have no bother.

I actually like this idea as it the cheapest - this is MSE after all.

DRLs must come on with the ignition switch and go off (or dim) when the side lights are turned on.

Bit of a grey area IMHO - so expect a MOT change in the not so distant future as loads of chavs (and folks who haven't read or aren't bothered about the regs) are fitting them wired into the side light circuit which is obviously wrong.

King_Nothing

99% of the time DRL's look !!!!, 100% of the time DRL's retrofitted to older cars look !!!!, I wouldn't bother personally.

Ultrasonic

vinylmusic wrote: »

Not so complicated really. All you'd need is a length of twin cable going to a switch on the dash
cut the + wire which sends power to the DRL's and attatch the 2 ends to the the two other ends of your twin cable.
You can switch them off yourself when turning on headlights.
My car recently went thgrough an MOT with them on and nothing was said about it. I would have removed them had they made a big difference to the insurance but it made no difference at all

I didn't say it was complicated. Although it's not a 5 minute job, and it would take a bit of thought such that the additional switch didn't look frankly naff.

Something like this looks like an inexpensive way of getting the lights to switch on and off automatically, provided it works of course:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Daytime-Running-lights-DRL-Auto-switch-relay-/300811367141?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4609c132e5

Edit: what I can't work out is how this device is supposed to know when the car is running or not?

Ultrasonic

King_Nothing wrote: »

99% of the time DRL's look !!!!, 100% of the time DRL's retrofitted to older cars look !!!!, I wouldn't bother personally.

Despite what the likes of Audi and Citroen may want you to believe, DRLs are a safety feature not a style feature...

Gloomendoom

Iceweasel wrote: »

Absolutely correct - DRLs MUST be wired in so that as soon as you select ANY other lights - side lights or low beam - the DRLs are extinguished.

I see loads of DRLs at night time - all wrongly wired.

Just wait - the correct operation of DRLs will be in the MOT very soon if not there already. And it will be a fail if they stay on.

DRLs don't have to go off completely when the headlamps are on. They can dim. Some also dim when the indicators are used.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/daytime-running-lights.html

Ultrasonic

Gloomendoom wrote: »

DRLs don't have to go off completely when the headlamps are on. They can dim. Some also dim when the indicators are used.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/daytime-running-lights.html

I guess from the post above about a new car with DRLs that don't fully turn off your are probably correct (assuming the car in question doesn't have a fault!), but that particular AA link states that:

Daytime running lights should therefore go off automatically when headlights or sidelights are switched on.

and

Retrofitted daytime running lights should be installed so that they come on with the engine and go off when other lights are turned on. Manually operated daytime running lights must be turned off at night to avoid dazzling other road users.

(I realise you posted the link in relation to some DRLs dimming when indicators are used, which I didn't know and is interesting. And the AA certainly isn't the authority on this subject!)

londonTiger

all three would cause an increase, although I don't know if they're all increase in premium or just admin charges for disclosure.

My thoughts:

Towbar - definite premium increase as it means you're carrying loads on your vehicle which increases risk and danger.

parking sensors - on the fence here, some insurers will say it increases the value and therefore risk for them. IMO £20 sensor does diddly squat to the value - it might be an increase or just admin cost for amending insurance cover.

Lights - probably just admin cost, may be a little bit increase in premium. Mine was just £15 increase (I think it was admin), Just make sure the lights are legal - if you have a costly accident and you are at fault. The insurance company may void cover due to lights being illegal (especially the case if driving at night).

Gloomendoom

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I guess from the post above about a new car with DRLs that don't fully turn off your are probably correct (assuming the car in question doesn't have a fault!), but that particular AA link states that:

and

(I realise you posted the link in relation to some DRLs dimming when indicators are used, which I didn't know and is interesting. And the AA certainly isn't the authority on this subject!)

Just before the bit about dimming with the indicators, the AA link also states that...

Daytime running lights don't have to be separate lights - some car manufacturers combine them with the front position lamps (side lights) in which case the daytime running lights will dim when the headlights are turned on.

Which is exactly what the DRLs on my wife's car do. It isn't a fault.

I realise that the AA isn't an authority on the subject but if you search there is plenty of info on the web that will corroborate what they are stating. For example...

http://www.just-auto.com/news/lighting-laws-led-to-dimming-drls_id113148.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_lighting
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