Blue Bullet DRL - Version 2 (OEM Style)

[RedRobin]

^^^^
In my opinion, all other lights should go off when DRL's are on.

[muckipup]

^^^^
In my opinion, all other lights should go off when DRL's are on.

I think I would agree with you, Robin - that would be my preference too.

On saying that, I do not think that there would be anything illegal about having the DRLs dim when other lights are switched on since the law only seems to say that it is not acceptable to dazzle others. I am certainly less happy with the DRLs being on full power at night even with headlamps lit - could be a bit 'iffy' legally and I am not comfortable with it morally....

....which brings me to Update #2....

I have been able to get the DRLs to dim with the sidelights. So Picture 5 in my previous post showing sidelights on has the DRLs operating but with the brightness shown in Picture 6.

This is done by wiring the yellow DRL wire into the grey/black wire going into position 10 on the wiring loom for the car lights. It seems that things behave differently when the headlamp is attached to the wiring connector which was why I was getting misleading readings with my multimeter when testing voltages on the connector only (without lamp unit attached).

However, I can not find any way of getting these DRLs to automatically go off when either the side lights or headlights are switched on - they only dim.  There may be something I haven't discovered yet but I don't think so.

Interestingly Philips seem to have a competitor product to the DRLs that Carl and I have which look like they do switch off when other lights are on. However, they also seem to have an integrated control unit which may explain the clever stuff (and the price tag!).  Here is a link to the installation book for them which also gives some useful information on what is legal in terms of DRLs and their positioning on a car

[pdf]http://www.powerbulbs.com/drl_guide_all_languages_final.pdf[/pdf]

[RedRobin]

Here is a link to the installation book for them which also gives some useful information on what is legal in terms of DRLs and their positioning on a car

[pdf]http://www.powerbulbs.com/drl_guide_all_languages_final.pdf[/pdf]

^^^^ Link not displaying. I think you need to omit the html [pdf] enclosures.

http://www.powerbulbs.com/drl_guide_all_languages_final.pdf

Grrrr! Added problem is that my system rarely loads pdf files in the web browser (Firefox). I'll try Safari.

[RedRobin]

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I must admit that, style-wise, I prefer the LED strips to my round monkey-face LED's. But mine do look very well integrated on the Mk5 GTI and, most importantly, are functional and legal.

I still get the odd driver telling me he thinks my fogs are on, but at least he's seen me!

I once had a pedestrian politely tell me when I was at traffic lights. I thanked him but explained they were Daytime Running Lights. He looked totally blank and obviously didn't understand what they were!

[muckipup]

I must admit that, style-wise, I prefer the LED strips to my round monkey-face LED's. But mine do look very well integrated on the Mk5 GTI and, most importantly, are functional and legal.

I am very pleased with the overall look but I have to admit that I could not call them a 'seamless integration' like yours.  I think Carl's DIY skills are better than mine as hidden behind my pretty pictures is a sordid tale of butchery, mutilation, silicone sealant and blasphemy !   

On the plus side, these strip DRLs are ECE approved and, from what I can work out from the link to the fitting instructions for the Philips DRLs in my earllier link (that you kindly fixed for me!), also seem to be road legal.

I still get the odd driver telling me he thinks my fogs are on, but at least he's seen me!

I can see why folks may be confused with your DRLs, Robin but I guess getting seen (for all the right reasons) is what it's all about. I was reading about some anti-DRL campaign where one of their main arguments was that DRLs take away from other road users, like motorbikes, who use their lights to get themselves seen. Personally, I don't buy that - I would rather see both and can't see how a DRL on a car would 'reduce' the visibility of a motorbike.

[vRS Carl]

All this bollocks about DRL being dazzling and averting attention away from other road user is just that…..Bollocks.

If a strip of LED lights stop someone from seeing anything other than that particular car they shouldn't be driving and need to go straight to an Optician.

It's a sad state of todays society that people will always complain about anything.

Oh and my DIY Skills are probably the same as yours but 15 years in the Army you learn to Improvise, Adapt & Overcome and hide anything else in a layer of bullsh*t 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

^^^^
In some countries, the legal requirement (either proposed or established) is for DRL's to be switched off whenever other lights are switched on.

You keep on posting this tosh.

There is catgorically NO legal requirement for the DRLs to be compulsorily switched off when other lights are switched on.  If it were as you claim, every Audi with DRLs would be breaking the law!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Could the 'foglight as DRL' option in vcds play a part in something like Carls setup or similar?

That's good news however if the dealer mentioned its possible to configure?

....Is there actually an option in VCDS to use the foglights as DRL's on the Mk5 GTI or Octy?

I don't know about the Octy, but the Mk5 GTI definately has an option to set the standard fog lamps as DRLs.

[vRS Carl]

TT as good as you are i doubt you know the Road Legalities of EVERY country on the planet.

In RR defence he did say "in some countries" and cars are set up differently depending on the market

[vRS Carl]

Could the 'foglight as DRL' option in vcds play a part in something like Carls setup or similar?

That's good news however if the dealer mentioned its possible to configure?

....Is there actually an option in VCDS to use the foglights as DRL's on the Mk5 GTI or Octy?

I don't know about the Octy, but the Mk5 GTI definately has an option to set the standard fog lamps as DRLs.

Im almost certain you can set the Foglight to be used as a DRL on the Octy. If i get chance i will have a look on the car later.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

AFAIK there's no DRL legislation in the UK as yet.

Erm, that is because the UK no longer makes its own laws regarding the construction of motor vehicles.  The UKs long established "Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations Act" (known by the old bill as 'CUR') simply enshirines the relevent European Union "Type Approval".

The UK has been one of the slowest European countries to even take part in international consultations (surprise, surprise!) and when doing so has been generally anti.

Really, where do you get that from?  Because from all my research, the UK has a very positive attidude about the inclusion of DRLs.  I'm not referring to internet forums, but specifically referring to professional motoring organisations, such as RoSPA and the IAM - who both fully support the DRL inclusion.

I think it will be left to the car manufacturers to imitate Audi and follow generic European regulations.

Huh - there are NO 'generic' European regs or laws.  European regulations are COMPULSORY for ALL EU member states (unless a country-specific exemption was initially agreed by member states).  And no, before you ask, I am NOT a lawyer, but I did formerly study law relating to motor vehicle construction and use.  And I have three close family members who are heavily involved in law in one way or another (Roads Policing Unit instructors and international barrister) - so I can generally post legalese issues with some high degree of confidence!

DRL's will be almost a marketing feature rather than their full safety advantages be recognised.

And . . . . what makes that any difference to say Ford, and their 'Intelligent Protection Systems' they very heavily marketed on the telly a few years back (which to the un-initiated was Ford-speak for an airbag and seatbelt tensioner system)!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

It's pointless having LED DRL's on at night because they're what's called a passive light and hardly illuminate the road.

Robin I disagree with you there.

Forgive me, but I think you may have misunderstood the Red leader.  I think Red was trying to state that DRLs are NOT intended to illuminate the road ahead, DRLs are simply to attract attention from other road users - similar say to strobe lighting on aircraft.

My DRL's give quite a lot of light actually and light up the area immediately to the front of the car quite well.

That may be the case - but they wont (or shouldn't) throw a 'beam' of light down the road similar to either a conventional dipped beam, a conventional fog lamp, or a conventional main beam.  Basically, you couldn't drive down a pitch black road at night with only your DRLs - and successfully navigate in the same proficient mannner as you would with headlamps.

Also LED can't be that bad considering the R8 V10 has LED headlights.

Yes, agreed.  But those all-LED headlamps were painstakingly designed (it actually took them longer than they planned - rumour has it they were initially wanting them to go on the R8 V8 when it was first launched).  And from the early mixed feedback, they arnt as good as the Xenons!

But DRL are designed to get you noticed rather than illuminate the road.

Exactly! 

From what I have been reading lately manufacturers are starting to do more research into LED technology as they can get more light for less power than halogen or HID.

LEDs can certainly be better than tungsten and even halogen - which is why they are becoming common in tail lights.  The jury is still out on the LED vs HID arguement - yes, LEDs will consume less power than the 35 watt HID capsule - but in the R8 application, don't they need sommat like 130 separate LEDs to match the lumen output of a single HID?  And the beam pattern of LEDs is considerably more difficult to engineer into a usable forward 'beam' (this was what took Audi so long to achieve).

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Pete/Carl/anyone - so the Audis have their DRLs switch off with the sidelights or the main lamps??

Audis with tungsten DRLs generally all switch off with sidelamps or headlamps.  Audis with LED DRLs allow either option - ie, permanently on, or switch off with sides/heads.  This is changeable via either the DIS or MMI.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I don't know that they all do Dave. Some do but i think some don't. I know they dim when they use Indicators but thats because they are part of the Main light cluster.

That is because Audi are clever! 

Actually, it is only the side which the indicator is flashing where the LED DRL dims - well cool me thinks!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

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I very much agree with you, Pete - Very messy looking when closely positioned and mixed with headlights. And utterly pointless when daylight has said nite-nite. I don't understand why some car manufacturers are giving the option of simultaneous headlights and DRL's.

The reason that they allow them to be on in conjuntion with the headlamps remains the same reason why DRLs are used by themselves in daylight - that is to attract attention.  It is categorically NO different to say a motorcyclist who rides with headlamps on during the daytime, but who still get whiped out by dizzy ba$tards who just cant be arsed looking.  DRLs (particularly LEDs) 'catch your eye' from a far greater range of angles than any headlamp, be that halogen or Xenon.