I just bought a '91 RS for my 16 yr. old and installed an IROC grille and bought a set of OEM driving lights that I have not installed yet.

I would like to make them operate as daytime driving lights. Darker colored cars are hard to see at times and I think this would increase his being seen visibility. I'll most likely run the 50 watt bulbs to prevent the blinding oncoming drivers issue.

Do I need a relay?
part #?

Anyone done this before?

 

The factory for/driving lights on early ThirdGens were H-3 55W lamps. They are not really blinding if aimed correctly. They were equipped with a relay from the factory. It would probably be prudent to install arelay for the load. A good power source would be the source for the high-beam headlamps. You can try to emulate the factory circuit so loading is not a problem. Make sure you mention this to your insurance agent, since it may qualify you for some discount from your premiums. And with a beginning driver, any discount is a good thing.

 

Actually, TWO relays would make it more automated:

 

Thanks for the information. I will print the diagram and study it. I may want to ask a couple of questions when I get ready to wire it if you don't mind. The relay stuff gets confusing, due to my not working with it much. I do have an electrical background, but it's in the 230,000 and 525,000 volt AC range w/ 125 vDC and 480v AC auxiliary power. I work on circuit breakers at Duke Power Nuclear plants.

I was planning on wiring it so that the driving lamps did not go out when the high beams were activated. Around here you rarely have to run high beams anyway.

 

The only danger of operating the DRLs and high beams together is the sustained current loading. If you decide to do it that way, you should probably source the DRL power from something other than the headlight circuit breaker, and it should be protected by a fuse, breaker, or fusible link.

I haven't worked on larger breakers in a few years. The last ones were older Allis/Chalmers (now Siemens) LA series and Westinghouse air breakers, and some manual switchgear/remote trip units in small substations. Those were a only a paltry 15kV, 1kA frame though. Nothing as fun as what you're doing. Mind your gloves.

 

I was thinking of powering it up off a unused terminal in the fuse block that works with the ignition switch if there if one's available, haven't looked yet.

I was planning to put a switch in the circuit to turn them off if necessary, but let the circuit be normally closed.

I've worked mainly Westinghouse 242SFA 90 and 525SFA40 sf6 gas breakers for the past 22 years, I try to stay away oil breakers as much as possible. I also work xfmr's. but prefer not to. I hate oil.

 

There should be a spare (unfused) ignition terminal or two in the factory fuse panel (lower left corner):



As long as you source the DRLs separately from the regular headlamps, it won't matter.

 

OFF TOPIC. Wow, so if I said DLRO, HI POT, and megger you two would know what I meant? My night job is repair and calibration of industrial repair equipment (Breaker test sets, secondary trip units, DLROs, meggers, dielectric test sets...). Sorry for the off topic, but not ever day you stumble on to people that may think of 15KV or 500A as 'low power stuff'.
Back on topic. Defiantly run them off a separate circuit then the head lights if you may what then on at the same time as the high beams. Had to run new wires in a newer S10 where they tried powering a set of fog lights right off the high beam wire, bad bad things. But they did use a relay, powered right off the same wire. He said it work for a week. Some people. I can't see these car hadling it any better. But I didn't need to tell you any of that.

 

if the 91 you got is anything like the 91 z28 i have, there is a DRL fuse in the fusebox... might want to use that as the pwr source... just a FYI....

 

Definately don't want to run in the headlamp circuit.

Oh yea! We do a lot of Doble testing and microhm testing as well. I run the breaker crew. We're the ones that burn up the stuff for you to repair. Like failing to ground one side when Microhm testing and letting the static cook the prom.

 

Great! I can't imagine my termianl block being different. Murphy's law runs rampant with me though.

Thanks, I'll look tonight.