2nd gen headlights again, really need something better (safety)

[Macarena Man]

Thank you RD, I'll go with your info from the FSM.
Much appreciated!

 

[Road Dog]

No problem. I'm not sure about the fog lights which also go through the DRL module. Fog lights may on with the low beam and off with the high beam. The wiring to the fog lamp relay is sightly different between DRL and non-DRL vehicles.

 

[BigPapa]

The issue here is ghost cars -- people forget to turn on their lights at night because they see a dim headlight plus the dash is always illuminated. Hence no marker lights.

This. I can't tell you the number of cars I see with no lights on, and most of the time they're also the idiots driving 55 in the left lane of a 65mph zone. It's EXTREMELY dangerous. DRL's should not be on any vehicle that doesn't have automatic lights on when it gets dark enough.

 

[AnonEd]

Agreed BigPapa. Let's also take a cue from Volvo's automatic headlights (which included running lights last time I tried) that won't allow high-beams unless/until you've engaged headlights yourself...I've found most people who can't tell a difference between a DRL and headlight are no better at distinguishing low beam from high beam.

 

[BigPapa]

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I find a lot of oncoming traffic at night is really blinding to me. Between the idiots with a low beam out running with their high beams on so they have lights on on both sides, idiots that just drive with their highs on all the time, these new HID's that unless they're on a perfectly flat road they're shining in your eyes, and the goobers that can't get their headlights aimed properly, I see very few cars that don't bother me. And, is it just me, or do all Jeep CJ's/Wranglers look like they have their high beams on all the time?

I would think the cops would spend all their time after dark writing headlight tickets. I know every time I have a headlight out that I didn't notice, I get pulled over. Twice I've changed a lamp on the side of the road just so I didn't get a ticket.

 

[JeepBuilder]

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I find a lot of oncoming traffic at night is really blinding to me. Between the idiots with a low beam out running with their high beams on so they have lights on on both sides, idiots that just drive with their highs on all the time, these new HID's that unless they're on a perfectly flat road they're shining in your eyes, and the goobers that can't get their headlights aimed properly, I see very few cars that don't bother me. And, is it just me, or do all Jeep CJ's/Wranglers look like they have their high beams on all the time?

I would think the cops would spend all their time after dark writing headlight tickets. I know every time I have a headlight out that I didn't notice, I get pulled over. Twice I've changed a lamp on the side of the road just so I didn't get a ticket.

I have a hard time with night driving too. I make sure I don't look at oncoming headlights so my eyes are not struggling with both extremes. I also have a 69 CJ5. I put E code European lights in it. They have such a precise beam with a cut off line and 45 degree shoulder illumination. I aim the drivers side a tad lower than the passenger for traffic. Those E code lights are illegal here in the USA. Because they work. They are very precise in where they put light. And where they don't put light. The garbage DOT legal lights you see in those CJ's, wranglers and most other cars are just that. Garbage.... Good lighting is very important. Especially when you have to keep a constant eye for deer, moose and bears. One of the reasons I also upgraded my Dodge truck. And try to avoid dusk, night and dawn travel. There is some good stuff surfacing in this thread.

 

[Macarena Man]

On Daniel Stern's website there's a chart showing lumen loss with a voltage drop at the light.
Optimum is 1000 lumens @ 12.8v
Mine are 600 lumens @ 11.07v
Big lighting loss.
A candle on the hood would be better.

Daniel Stern has a module to return the DRL function while by-passing the OEM module.
I will contact him and ask if this can be incorporated into a pre-made headlight harness from him.
It's agreed that DRL are a good safety feature, I'm just not an electrical type for doing this kind of stuff.
Again, much good info here.

 

[petersonj]

On Daniel Stern's website there's a chart showing lumen loss with a voltage drop at the light.
Optimum is 1000 lumens @ 12.8v
Mine are 600 lumens @ 11.07v

Note that the voltage drop and light output drop are not linear. The light output drops much faster than the voltage drops, consequently it does not take much electrical resistance to reduce performance of light output.

The automotive industry standard for many years required a 13.2 volt differential between the positive and negative connections at the bulb in order to produce the rated light output. I have done the sport headlight conversion on my truck and built my own relay setup to power the bulbs. After the conversion the recorded voltage drop at the bulb was 13.3 volts (driver side) and 13.2 (passenger side). The headlights work very well. Before the conversion the voltage drop at the bulb was 11.1 (driver side) and 10.9 (passenger side). As @Macarena Man says, a candle on the hood would be better.

- John

 

[Chief USA]

Here are the headlights that as it turns out my ad blocker was interfering with:

Amazon product ASIN B07FJVPWYF

 

[BigPapa]

Anyone used either of these?

 

[Macarena Man]

Just received the Dorman Sport headlights . . . . have ordered Daniel Stern's pre-made wiring harness, and DRL module. Have a question . . . . To disable the oem DRL module it has been said that the wiring for pin #3 and pin #6 have to be joined. If the wiring for these pins is cut and joined on the hot side, does it also have to be joined on the module side also?
Not good at explaining things . . . . hope this post can be deciphered.

 

[Road Dog]

You unplug the module and add a jumper to the wiring harness connector.

 

[Macarena Man]

Is it plugged back in to the module after adding the jumper?

 

[Road Dog]

No, the module goes in the box of spare parts. If you're in Canada the DRL is mandatory; not that anyone checks.