Retrofitting DRL's Scandinavian style

Stealthirl

I have a 05 Octavia and i'm thinking of retrofitting DRL's
The 2 kits i was looking at are the Osram and Philips ones

Osram Light@day kit

The Philips Daylight 8


I was going to place them here


Am I right in saying to comply with the regs the front side lights will no longer run as both kits contain replacement sidelights that don't light up.

Both kits tap into the side light power feed so they will dim when switched on to also comply with regs.

• Question 1 Is it ok/possible to tap into the dipped beam power so i can switch on the rear marker lights without dimming the DRL's
  
• Question 2 Or is there a way to code the car useing VCDS/VAG-COM to use Scandinavian style DRL's where the front and rear marker lights would switch on with the car {guess this would still need the retrofit DRL's to tap into the diped power feed and not the side light feed}

Matt Simis

Option 1 will work fine, Parking lights on front, rear "markers" on rear with full bright DRLs, low beams (dips) make them go dull. Get Parking Light bulbs of the same LED colour temp (ie not yellow or blue) as the LEDs to complete the look.


Note that I actually failed an NCT as my proper and legit DRLs didnt have a separate switch to turn them off, as the NCT specs them as "Auxiliary lights". So just pull the fuse they presumably get power via when doing the NCT (the tester suggested this and it passed next time).

bazz26

Unless you have the very base model Octavia there are already front fog lights located in the place you were thinking of fitting them.

Stealthirl

@Matt Simis
Didant realize they had to completely switch off for the NCT
Iv gone thru several LED side light they just dont seam to like working for very long thus i went back to using filament bulbs

@bazz26
It's a base UK one :mad: absolutely no extras on it at all.I got CC retrofitted last year

bazz26

Cheap LED lights from ebay don't last pi$$ing time.

Stealthirl

bazz26 wrote: »

Cheap LED lights from ebay don't last pi$$ing time.

That's why i tried more several expensive ones that still did-ant last

Cee-Jay-Cee

I bought 10 x SMD type LED sidelight bulbs on eBay for €5 from china. I've gone through 2 pairs of them in the last year but I still have 3 pairs left. Yeah they last 6 months or less but they're only 50 cent each.

Stealthirl

I was only geting 4-6 weeks from the cheap ones.
The longest one lasted was 5 months and that was 1 of a €32 [I think] pair

CiniO

Stealthirl wrote: »

Am I right in saying to comply with the regs the front side lights will no longer run as both kits contain replacement sidelights that don't light up.

I'm not sure if I understand rightly what you mean, but in general your DRLs should be on when ignition is on, but when you turn on your side-lights, then they should lit, and DRLs should turn off automatically.

Both kits tap into the side light power feed so they will dim when switched on to also comply with regs.

That's what I meant above. When sidelights are switched on, DRLs will turn off.
And as turning on dipped headlights, full beam headlights or foglights (either of those) attracts a need to turn side-lights, then DRL's in general will only lit when no other lights are on.

[*]Question 1 Is it ok/possible to tap into the dipped beam power so i can switch on the rear marker lights without dimming the DRL's

I don't think it's legal under EU regulations.
Also there is another problem, that when you turn off dipped lights, then DRLs will come on.
Some cars turn on dipped lights when full beam is on (I doubt octavia is one of them, but it's possible).
Also if you want to drive only on foglights without dipped lights, you will have DRLs turned on, which might not be desired.

[*]Question 2 Or is there a way to code the car useing VCDS/VAG-COM to use Scandinavian style DRL's where the front and rear marker lights would switch on with the car {guess this would still need the retrofit DRL's to tap into the diped power feed and not the side light feed}

I don't know about that.


In general, there are quite precise EU regulation in regards DRLs.
Ireland didn't put those regulation into Irish law, but I suppose as it's EU law it might still apply.

Those two links provide all the info
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/r087r2e.pdf
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/r48r6e.pdf

Below some quotes:

6.19. DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP (Regulation No. 87) 13/
6.19.1. Presence
Mandatory on motor vehicles. Prohibited on trailers.
6.19.2. Number
Two.
6.19.3. Arrangement
No special requirement.
6.19.4. Position
6.19.4.1. In width: the distance between the inner edges of the apparent surfaces in the
direction of the reference axes shall not be less than 600 mm.
This distance may be reduced to 400 mm where the overall width of the vehicle is
less than 1,300 mm.
6.19.4.2. In height: above the ground not less than 250 mm nor more than 1,500 mm.
6.19.4.3. In length: at the front of the vehicle. This requirement shall be deemed to be
satisfied if the light emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver either directly,
or indirectly through the devices for indirect vision and/or other reflecting
surfaces of the vehicle.
6.19.5. Geometric visibility
Horizontal: outwards 20° and inwards 20°.
Vertical: upwards 10° and downwards 10°.
6.19.6. Orientation
Towards the front.
6.19.7. Electrical connections
6.19.7.1. The daytime running lamps shall be switched ON automatically when the device
which starts and/or stops the engine is in a position which makes it possible for
the engine to operate. However, daytime running lamps may remain OFF while
the automatic transmission control is in the park or neutral position, while the
parking brake is applied or after the propulsion system is activated but the vehicle
was not set in motion for the first time.
The daytime running lamps shall switch OFF automatically when the front fog
lamps or headlamps are switched ON, except when the latter are used to give
intermittent luminous warnings at short intervals. 14/
Furthermore, the lamps referred to in paragraph 5.11. are not switched ON when
the daytime running lamps are switched ON.
6.19.7.2. If the distance between the front direction-indicator lamp and the daytime running
lamp is equal or less than 40 mm, the electrical connections of the daytime
running lamp on the relevant side of the vehicle may be such that either:
(a) It is switched OFF; or
(b) Its luminous intensity is reduced during the entire period (both ON and OFF
cycle) of activation of a front direction-indicator lamp.
6.19.7.3. If a direction-indicator lamp is reciprocally incorporated with a daytime running
lamp, the electrical connections of the daytime running lamp on the relevant side
of the vehicle shall be such that the daytime running lamp is switched OFF during
the entire period (both ON and OFF cycle) of activation of the direction-indicator
lamp.
6.19.8. Tell-tale
Closed-circuit tell-tale optional.
6.19.9. Other prescriptions
No prescription.

Also I find it shocking, that NCT fails vehicles for DRLs fitted in accordance with those regulations, stating that they don't have a switch.
I wonder what will happen when all brand new cars with factory fitted DRLs will have to go for NCT. WIll they all be failed as well?

CiniO

What kind of money are those Osram or Philips 8 ?

I was looking for Philips 4, and found them for below 50 euro.