frybel Posted March 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2012 Please, I do not want to highjack frybel’s DRL thread, so if you want any specific information or to ask any questions relating to what I described above, please PM me. Do not post it here. Unless frybel objects, replies with comments and/or opinions would be welcomed. If I get a good number of PMs from interested members, I will begin a new thread specifically concerning my Light Strip DRL / Light Bar Upgrades. Thanks, Dan No worries Dan, this is exactly what I started this thread for! :happy feet: On a less happy note, the PWM did not work to dim the LEDs. It retains full brightness until I turn the knob to about 60% and then goes into full strobe mode. I got one of their techs on the phone and he was really confused as to what would be causing it to go from solid to strobing. He thought it may be something with the way Ford cycles the power in the electrical system. Does this sound right to any of you electrical folk? The PWM cycles on the negative side of the circuit, so he had me move the ground from the battery to the chassis which had zero effect. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frybel Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) Yup, I've got it wired +/- in to the PWM directly from the battery and then +/- from the PWM to the DRL control box. I wonder if it has something to do with the Phillips control box itself? I'd like to try and isolate the box from the entire circuit to see if that's what's causing it, but I think the Phillips setup uses it as a power distribution block. I'm not sure that I can direct wire the LEDs to a 12v source. One thing I do notice now that didn't happen before is when the engine 1st cranks on the LEDs flicker a few times before going solid where before they were instant on...but of course I have no idea what that means. Edit: Dan, I just read your response in the Angel Eye thread that the best part about the Phillips LEDs is that they dim automatically when the lights come on. I know you're using the 8 LED kits for your projects, but do they use the same control box as the one I used for my job? http://store.ijdmtoy.com/Philips-Day-Light-LED-Daytime-Running-Lights-DRL-p/led_ddl_sku_7c.htm The (very) basic wiring diagram that came with the set shows 2 other setups, one which uses an orange wire, the other that uses a yellow wire connected to "small lamp". I assume it means to tap into the marker lamps in the headlight harness, but I really have no idea where to do that. Is this how you're wiring in your LEDs? Edited March 20, 2012 by frybel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingo Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Frybel, those say "Philips Style" in the description. I have the Philips Daylight 8s, and to dim, they modulate. Most people can't see the flicker, but I can if I move my eyes. It's similar to when I watch a DLP TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal3thousand Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I imagine that you will need to interface directly to the LEDs to use an external PWM circuit. That box that Phillips uses might already be cycling the LEDs to limit duty cycle. Have an oscilloscope? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingo Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 It's redundant. It's also redundant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr.edge Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 It's redundant. It's also redundant. Not only that, it's also redundant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I received a brand new set of OEM vertical parking lights and a set of the Philips DayLight 8 LED DRLs. I finished one last night and took some photos today. Below is a slideshow of the photos I took during the day on Friday. I'll be posting a video soon showing what the new DRLs look like on the road. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-JIC6vAxic I like the lights KC, I like the brightness of them, really like the way Dingo's looked with it blacked out though, it mad the front of the car look more aggressive. Great job though, from looking at them would think they were OEM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingo Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Holy crap. That light pipe is diffusing the light too much. You've lost a ton of brightness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frybel Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 frybel, Here is the link to a pdf of the Philips DRL installation guide. This is the only info I have and unfortunately it doesn't give any specifics on what's in the control box. Philips LED DayLight 8 Manual: http://www.invisionsales.com/lighting/pdfs/led_daylight_8_installation_guide.pdf Wealth of info guys, thanks! I think it's becoming a tad clearer now. Dingo, good observation about the "Phillips style". I thought the control box and packaging looked a little....umm...cheesy I guess is a nice way to put it, compared to what a Phillips product would look like. So after looking at the real Phillips diagram it does appear that they are similar, so if I am going to operate on the assumption that the orange wire out of my control box is similar to the Phillips one I should be able to connect it to the position light wire and if there truly is a modulator in the control box it should dim the LEDs at night. I'll go with this route 1st as it involves connecting one wire instead of all the splicing required to direct wire from the PWM to the DRLs. Sooooo....I'm really hoping that is the way you have yours wired up Dan and that you can tell me which wire in the headlight harness is the one I need to tap in to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingo Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Tap the middle wire on the driver's side blinker bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal3thousand Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 Dingo has got to be getting sick of all of the notification emails he is getting with my video posting of his DRL configuration. Sorry. I made a new set of DRL upgrades matching Dingo's setup, black painted reflector / interior and removed the light pipe allowing the LEDs to shine unobstructed. Crap, they are bright! Let me know what you think. vid removed Now those are bright! Nice intense light straight forward with good spill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 Dingo has got to be getting sick of all of the notification emails he is getting with my video posting of his DRL configuration. Sorry. I made a new set of DRL upgrades matching Dingo's setup, black painted reflector / interior and removed the light pipe allowing the LEDs to shine unobstructed. Crap, they are bright! Let me know what you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P8PxdbijyE&feature=youtu.be Now that's what I'm talking about KC, those look GOOD!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 I just could not give up until I found a good way to incorporate the LED Light Pipe in my DRL upgrade design. Good thing because I think I found an awesome configuration that allows the DRL light to be unobstructed. Below are three photos and a video slide show (with more photos). Let me know what you think. VIDEO SLIDESHOW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdSEGy1KiT0&feature=youtu.be kc, the lights nice and bright with the light pipe, but it's only my opinion, I do think it still looks better without it. I feel as if there is too much going on with the light pipe and doesn't give that clean OEM look, like when you have it without the light pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal3thousand Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Sam, I didn't think the offset light pipe was for everyone. I just want to throw out a few additional options for folks to consider. I'm going to offer three models of my DRL upgrades. 1) Basic DRL only upgrade, 2) DRL upgrade with offset light pipe, and 3) DRL upgrade with OEM light pipe diffuser (light pipe positioned directly in front of the DRL lens to diffuse more light to out to the sides. Here are some side by side photos of the three models: I'm digging the offset pipe style. I think it's very unique and still has quite an OE look to it. GOOD JOB! only thing I can point out about it is that the light looks more intense on the bottom. Is that light pipe still being "lit" from the stock vertical firing LED or is it getting some light from the front facers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted March 31, 2012 Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 KC, looking at a clearer pic of the light pipe it does look pretty nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted March 31, 2012 Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 I used my prototype light housing that has been cut and patched several times. I don't think theres an unwrapped surface on it anymore, so the light pipe isn't positioned very true. I received some new Lights from Ford today and will be building a brand new light with the offset light pipe tomorrow. I'll install the new one and the prototype tomorrow and will post pics by the end of the weekend. Wow!! You must have this down packed by now to get it done so fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioldsnut Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) New to the Forum.. and great stuff guys... I do have one question. I just bought a 2011 SE ( havent even picked it up yet) and dont have any lights there from the factory ( I think I'm right there). What would it take to get some simple lights? Can I make something work with the factory blanks? Thanks much... Edited June 11, 2012 by ioldsnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystichrome Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 I am thinking of trying this myself with the philips 8 led. My question is how deep did you put the philips into the original light housing? Is it touching the front clear part of the original lens? Thanks for any input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc300c Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Bumping the thread since all of my replies were deleted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogersmj Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Hey everyone-- I'd like to mod my LED bars like frybel did in the first post. I'm just trying to figure out the right stuff because the original items linked to earlier in the thread don't seem to be available anymore. What about these: LEDs: http://store.ijdmtoy.com/Hella-LEDayline-LED-Daytime-Running-Lights-DRL-p/led_ddl_sku78.htm And then what else would I need? What would be the equivalent of the "control box" that came with the kit that was linked to in the original post? Thanks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtbalser Posted November 10, 2012 Report Share Posted November 10, 2012 The relay that comes with the kit replaces the control box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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