Need help with connecting driving lights to high-beams (1 Viewer)

[sonk76]

I used to have my driving lights connected to my factory fog light switch, so that they would come on with the fog lights at any time I wanted.

Over time I realized that I often wanted to have my fog lights on, but did not want to have my driving lights on (i.e., don't want to blind on-coming traffic.) So I decided to try and connect the driving lights so that they would come on automatically with my high-beams instead.

To accomplish this, I connected the driving light relay to key off of the DRL relay connector A5 (on the same connector as the A3 wire that is sometimes clipped to disable DRL lights.)

The good news is that now my driving lights come on every-time my high beams come on. The bad news is that they also come on every-time the day-light running lights are on :-(

I'm still trying to figure out a solution that doesn't require an extra switch--rather they should go off and on in sync with the high-beams. (I already tried disabling the daylight running lights, by disconnecting A3 above, but as I have it wired, the driving lights still come on when the DRL lights would have previously come on--even though the DRL's no longer come on at all...)

Perhaps I will try disabling DRL's using the C-BEST programming at the dealer and see what happens, but thought I'd throw it out to the mud guru before then. Thoughts?

This is for an '06 LX -- I understand that some of the wiring setups, etc. appear to have shifted over the years...

[EDIT: I've searched around, and I've seen some diagrams, etc. that could be the answer. But so far, I have not seen anything that provides the "easy" solution for the problem that I was hoping to find--i.e., not requiring additional relays, etc.]

Thanks.

 

[FullyLitLED]

How bout adding the switch that robred added to his hundy? It shuts off the drl function and leaves the hi beam functionality

I could be wrong but IIRC robred has done this mod

 

[sonk76]

Mission Accomplished

So after some further digging and scratching my head while looking at the EWD, I started to believe that the EWD does not accurately reflect the wiring of my vehicle.

With the topic of the DRLs there has often been mention of a resistor in somewhere in the circuit--though one does not appear in the EWD, which made me dubious... Until I came across the recall for the LX470, which sure enough indicates that a resistor is to be added to the DRL circuit to make the lights dimmer.

I believe that it is this resistor that was causing me the headaches that I was experiences. So with the help of my trusty volt meter I started taking some readings, and sure enough there was a mysterious ~2.4v voltage drop between the pin A3 and ground. As you can see from the EWD below, pin A3 should be tied directly to ground, and thus no drop should occur there.

This made me believe that the resistor that was inserted in response to the recall was in fact inserted between pin A3 and ground. See below for my quick attempt to estimate the size of the resistor in place.

By running a ground directly to A3--and thus effectively removing the resistor from the circuit, everything started working exactly as one would expected. Including having slightly brighter DRL lights than before.

Now my high-beams control my driving lights off-and-on, while the DRL's can turn on-and-off to their hearts content without turning on the driving lights.

Thought I'd post with a little bit more detail in case this is helpful to others.

Disclaimer: above represents my hypothesis of what is happening based on my naive understanding of the circuits and electronics involved--reality may be much different

 

[Lx470iH8Mud]

Can anyone confirm that this is the way to go when trying to hardwire LED spots to high beams? I am doing this install tomorrow and anyone with a better suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Please keep in mind that it's for an 06 LX and the lights/DRL/Resistor is different than the Toyota so anyone with direct knowledge would be greatly appreciated!!!! I have posted in the lighting section and also here in tech with not much luck. Cheers!!!

 

[2000UZJ]

Can anyone confirm that this is the way to go when trying to hardwire LED spots to high beams? I am doing this install tomorrow and anyone with a better suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Please keep in mind that it's for an 06 LX and the lights/DRL/Resistor is different than the Toyota so anyone with direct knowledge would be greatly appreciated!!!! I have posted in the lighting section and also here in tech with not much luck. Cheers!!!

Your best bet is to intercept the signal before it reaches the ECU. You will need to splice into the wiring before the control module for the DRL/High beams. I have looked at the EWD, and played around with the wiring, and I have not had success. I have my DRL's disabled permanently so I can't experiment.

Does anybody know if the high beams are positive switch or ground switch (meaning the hot wire is always hot, and the ground is the switch on/off?). If it's grounded that would allow you to run hot on the low beams and ground the light bars off the high beam ground wire.

I know very little about the high beam circuit...I can play around with mind if I can find the wire I snipped 5 years ago.

I think your best bet, and easiest way to install is on a separate switch mounted on the dash or a very small push button mounted to the steering wheel or light stalk.

 

[Lx470iH8Mud]

Appreciate your feedback. A switch is an absolute last resort. I would really want to figure out how to tap into the High-beam without activating the aux lights during DRL mode. If you or anyone else could take a look and get back to me I would be super grateful. Then we will all know and then add this to the FAQ. Cheers!!

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

Anyone figure out how to tap into the high beams circuit to power a relay for a light bar? I have my light bar hooked to my fog switch but it would be much more convenient to have it hooked to the high beam circuit.

 

[varythings]

Anyone have an answer? Installing Lightforce HID's soon, and would like to switch them with high beams. I'll have a cabin switch and relay, just looking for either a switched ground or hot that activates with high beam.

 

[Spock Dingledong]

Hello All. I know this is an old post, but I'm having trouble getting/locating a definitive answer. Id also like to tap into the Hi Beam circuit with higher watt LED's and a relay. I'm pretty good with my 60, but I just got this 100 and don't want to FRY anything. Thanks!

 

[fish2live]

Here is how I did it way back when, still works great today... I like having the switch AND having them activated by the high beams, and I can turn them on without the engine running... here is the thread - but sure to read to the end, there is a final wiring diagram - and the part number on that first relay is SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) 1207, the second relay is the stock on that comes with the Hellas, and has a 30A blade fuse on the side of it. Don't remember were I got the 3 diodes though, probably radio shack
let there be light... Hella light

 

[Spock Dingledong]

Here is how I did it way back when, still works great today... I like having the switch AND having them activated by the high beams, and I can turn them on without the engine running... here is the thread - but sure to read to the end, there is a final wiring diagram - and the part number on that first relay is SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) 1207, the second relay is the stock on that comes with the Hellas, and has a 30A blade fuse on the side of it. Don't remember were I got the 3 diodes though, probably radio shack
let there be light... Hella light

Haha, thanks. Great Thread. I think I'm ready to hook them up. This is my plan.

I have a wiring harness with a relay. My plan is to tap into the ground and hot line for the high beams, directing a splice to 86 and 85. Then hooking up the rest of the relay normally (Power to 30 and 87 to lights).

 

[Patineto]

Haha, thanks. Great Thread. I think I'm ready to hook them up. This is my plan.

I have a wiring harness with a relay. My plan is to tap into the ground and hot line for the high beams, directing a splice to 86 and 85. Then hooking up the rest of the relay normally (Power to 30 and 87 to lights).

View attachment 1354336

Sorry for asking the Ultra Stupid, but in the place of a fuse you replace it with a Blue Sea fuse block or not...??, For some reason my logic tells me that the BlueSea will bethe very last step before conneting to the switch..

like this.

Note: Yes I know the Bluesea us upside Down..

 

[Spock Dingledong]

That's what I was thinking too actually:

Daniel Stern just emailed me for more details, so I'm hoping he'll have some insight.

Or were you thinking, I run the hbeam to the fuse box, with a lower amp fuse then back into the relay?

 

[fish2live]

There's another diagram I used, not that one... look further down in my thread and there's another picture with a second relay running on the high beams and 3 diodes.... that's the one that gives you BOTH the ability to use the lights off a switch, but ALSO off of the high beams

 

[fish2live]

this post... Post #31
let there be light... Hella light

 

[Spock Dingledong]

Gotcha, thanks! Not sure if I'm going to have an extra switch yet. This is in though!

 

[Spock Dingledong]

Got everything working... More or less. I wired a relay into the high beam hot and negative. Work great with the car off; on, Drivers side high beam stays on til I turn on my headlights, where everything works normally (high beams and everything). Still not sure why JUST the driver side stays on while car is on. BTW I tapped into the Passenger side HB/not the DS/. Posting pic shortly.

 

[FranceJohnson]

I have a couple questions after reading through this entire thread and @fish2live thread. First off, this if for my my wife's LX470 (2000), and I am not sure if the daytime running lights (DRLs) are any different than that of the Land Cruiser. My setup is slightly different, I want them solely wired to be tired into the high beams. So the switch will turn the LED bar on/off, but the power to the relay (switched +12v) only when the High beams are activated. At this point I have everything wired up and working nicely, EXCEPT that trigger wire. First, I know fish2live stated he found some pins (A2, B2) that were only hot when the high beams were actually on, not just the DRLs.

So, here are my questions:

1) Can I tie my simpler setup into one of these pins to trigger power to my setup? If not is there another option?
2) If there is a pin I can tie into, can anyone tell me specifically where this is? Wiring diagrams are black magic to me, so I need some extra special assistance to know I am not messing anything up.

I appreciate any assistance, and hopefully this isn't a hijack of the OPs thread; didn't see the worth in making a new one.

 

[Spock Dingledong]

Well, I hope I can be some help, although... I still haven't worked the kinks out yet, but its yet to be an issue. I have a BlueSea Fuse box, just for safety, but this is my set up:

• Power from battery to relay (via fusebx), to aux lights.
• 86/85 to the passenger-side high beam hot/ground.
• (I'm sure you can throw a switch in the cab somewhere)

This triggers the Aux lights with the High beam. Threw Diodes in there with no results... Still pops driver-side highbeam when switching the lights completely off.

 

[FranceJohnson]

I have the switch wired in, and the relay, and the light bar. The only thing disconnected is the switched power to the relay. I was hoping there was some place in the engine bay that would be hot when the high beams were actually on, not always with the DRLs.