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-   -   DRL problem please help! (https://www.civicforums.com/forums/191-electrical-wiring-car-entertainment/365196-drl-problem-please-help.html)

shaejb15 09-11-2015 02:00 AM

DRL problem please help!
 
Hi everyone,
So recently I swapped out both of my headlights for LED's. As soon as I switched the bulbs my driver's side light is not staying on during the day. When the car starts and I put my parking break down, it flashes quickly but doesn't stay on, the passenger side one does. And remember, this is right after I installed the headlights.

Is anyone able to give me a list of things that may be causing this sudden issue? I have talked to my honda dealership and they have no idea, they say no problem with the module.

Thanks

CraigW 09-11-2015 07:29 AM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 
Swap positions, then see if the same led still flashes.

mcnoople 09-11-2015 11:13 AM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 
Year make and model please. Which country of origin. These facts change how the car is wired, which allows people to better inform you of possible solutions.

I will just give you a link to a very well informed guru of all knowledge involving automotive lighting. Anything you want to know about how headlight work or don't work can be found there. He really is an expert and a "car guy." I personally have issues with putting led's in headlight housings.

www.danielsternlighting.com

shaejb15 09-11-2015 12:23 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by mcnoople (Post 4693041)
Year make and model please. Which country of origin. These facts change how the car is wired, which allows people to better inform you of possible solutions.

I will just give you a link to a very well informed guru of all knowledge involving automotive lighting. Anything you want to know about how headlight work or don't work can be found there. He really is an expert and a "car guy." I personally have issues with putting led's in headlight housings.

www.danielsternlighting.com

Thanks for the info.
It is a 2002 civic coupe lx - canada

ezone 09-11-2015 07:31 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 
If the Canadian car DRL unit connects 2 lights in series, both lights run at half of system voltage (half voltage = half brightness).

Are the LED lights designed to work at half of system voltage?

shaejb15 09-11-2015 07:35 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by ezone (Post 4693068)
If the Canadian car DRL unit connects 2 lights in series, both lights run at half of system voltage (half voltage = half brightness).

Are the LED lights designed to work at half of system voltage?

That sounds about right. The lights I'd say is half on compared to the headlights being on.

ezone 09-11-2015 09:28 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by shaejb15 (Post 4693069)
That sounds about right. The lights I'd say is half on compared to the headlights being on.

I'm asking if the LED lights you got are capable of operating at 6-7 volts.

I'm guessing that's damn close to their threshold voltage, so they probably cannot be reliably lit at that low of a voltage.


"Similar to standard diodes, nothing happens in an LED until the threshold voltage of (?) is applied across the LED."
A plain LED might require a minimum of 2.7v, but an array connected in series to run on 12-14v should have a much higher threshold voltage.


Reinstall your original headlight bulbs and verify they do work correctly, to be sure the car is not the problem here.

shaejb15 09-11-2015 09:33 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by ezone (Post 4693073)
I'm asking if the LED lights you got are capable of operating at 6-7 volts.

I'm guessing that's damn close to their threshold voltage, so they probably cannot be reliably lit at that low of a voltage.

I did. Same thing happening. Pretty sure it's something in the car.

"Similar to standard diodes, nothing happens in an LED until the threshold voltage of (?) is applied across the LED."
A plain LED might require a minimum of 2.7v, but an array connected in series to run on 12-14v should have a much higher threshold voltage.


Reinstall your original headlight bulbs and verify they do work correctly, to be sure the car is not the problem here.

I did. Same thing happening. Pretty sure something burned out in the car, i'm not sure. Thats what I'm asking, if anyone knows what could go suddenly wrong after installing Led's. Thanks

ezone 09-11-2015 09:38 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 
Check and wiggle bulb connectors (keep the lights ON so you can see any change, even a flicker)

Tap on the DRL control unit and see if anything happens with the lights (keep the lights ON so you can see any change, even a flicker)

Pull out the DRL control unit and resolder everything you can on the circuit board. The relay connections tend to crack their solder joints causing loss of connection.


If you don't want guesses, get a wiring diagram and test light or voltmeter and figure out where the real fault is.
I'm in the US, we don't have DRL on cars that old but I've had to fix a few, resolder did the trick for me.

shaejb15 09-11-2015 09:45 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by ezone (Post 4693076)
Check and wiggle bulb connectors (keep the lights ON so you can see any change, even a flicker)

Tap on the DRL control unit and see if anything happens with the lights (keep the lights ON so you can see any change, even a flicker)

Thanks for the info.
If I tap the control unit and it does flicker or flash, what does that mean? I did get the board resoldered already.

Pull out the DRL control unit and resolder everything you can on the circuit board. The relay connections tend to crack their solder joints causing loss of connection.


If you don't want guesses, get a wiring diagram and test light or voltmeter and figure out where the real fault is.
I'm in the US, we don't have DRL on cars that old but I've had to fix a few, resolder did the trick for me.

Thanks for the info
I did already get the board resoldered, no luck. If i do tap the control unit and it does flash, what does that mean?

ezone 09-11-2015 10:09 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by shaejb15 (Post 4693078)
Thanks for the info
I did already get the board resoldered, no luck.

Uhhh....


If i do tap the control unit and it does flash, what does that mean?
All it would mean is you are near a poor connection and you are probably on the right track.

The vibration from tapping would (hopefully) cause a poor connection to make/break contact, thus lights flicker or do something different (flicker, work, or quit).

"Poor connection" does not necessarily mean wires. It could be internal in the control unit or whatever you are tapping on.
Sleuth it out.

shaejb15 09-11-2015 10:49 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by ezone (Post 4693082)
Uhhh....

All it would mean is you are near a poor connection and you are probably on the right track.

The vibration from tapping would (hopefully) cause a poor connection to make/break contact, thus lights flicker or do something different (flicker, work, or quit).

"Poor connection" does not necessarily mean wires. It could be internal in the control unit or whatever you are tapping on.
Sleuth it out.

Understood. Thanks. Also forgot to mention, when I was unplugging the headlight that doesnt work the one on the other side was flickering (car was on) any hints?

ezone 09-11-2015 11:05 PM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by shaejb15 (Post 4693085)
Understood. Thanks. Also forgot to mention, when I was unplugging the headlight that doesnt work the one on the other side was flickering (car was on) any hints?

Depends, and your observation may or may not be meaningful without more info and observation.
Could just be due to voltage spike for all I know.

What were the lights set on? Headlights? DRLs? Low beam? High beam?


For that matter,
What still works correctly?
Which does not work correctly?

How about if you switch back to the correct bulbs, what all does and does not work?
Swap bulbs side to side, does the problem move with the bulbs or not?


wiring diagram and test light or voltmeter

shaejb15 09-12-2015 01:02 AM

Re: DRL problem please help!
 

Originally Posted by ezone (Post 4693087)
Depends, and your observation may or may not be meaningful without more info and observation.
Could just be due to voltage spike for all I know.

What were the lights set on? Headlights? DRLs? Low beam? High beams


For that matter,
What still works correctly?
Which does not work correctly?

How about if you switch back to the correct bulbs, what all does and does not work?
Swap bulbs side to side, does the problem move with the bulbs or not?


wiring diagram and test light or voltmeter

I put the old bulb in and tried it with no luck on the DRL. And I'm pretty sure the headlights were on Drl. I'll be doing some futhur testing next week. Thanks for your help


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