LED strip 'DRL' on the way.

[dawhoo]

Ordered some flexstrip LED lights:
WFLS series Flexible Light Strips


I will install them here:


I plan to have them come on as the car turns on and stay on, when the headlights are on as well. Any suggestions for a line or fuse to use for that purpose?

Thanks.

[chavy]

sweet keep us updated i've been wanting to do something like this as well.

[dawhoo]

I got the idea from another forum

www.m4zda3forums.com/index.php?topic=203809.0

replace the "4" for a real URL

It's simple, inexpensive and looks like it will do what I need. We don't need real DRLs here, but I hope that putting these in will increase daytime viability. My insurance will drop by $26 every 6 months with DRLs, so it will pay for itself, in a manner of speaking, if my insurance company will accept these as DRL.

On a related note, I was thinking of wiring them to a switch, ideally in the left side cluster, by the steering wheel. All that's there now is a traction control switch. Does anyone know where you can purchase a switch that would fit that location?

[swsmailman]

Can't wait to see finished product! And don't really know about the way to wire them up, there is a guide on installing Fogs to where they are always on when the car key is put in the ACC and On position and it has something to do with the fuses. So you could do the same....

But I can't remember where that guide is or I would post it. Its on a Mazda 3 forum but don't know if it is this one or not.

[dawhoo]

Done.

Took about 2 hours, because I have no idea what I'm doing.

Ended up running a wire into the cabin and connecting to the inside fuse box (CIGAR).

The LEDs have a sticky on the back, so they're easy to place. As DRLs - they wouldn't work. The angle is too low, but you can still see them from fairly far away in daytime and at night, the look pretty cool.

Total cost: $38

There was excess LEDs on the strip that I had to cut off to fit. But the remaining LED strip has a place to connect wires, so I think I'll enhance the trnuk light with those.

Final product:

[welker108]

awsome!

[dawhoo]

A little follow up on these ....

They're brighter than I thought, but up close, you don't really see them.

From about 200m you notice them, even on a bright day. But, because of the angle, you don't see them when you're close. This is good, because I was worried about the glare affecting other drivers at night, but once you're about 15m or closer, you can no longer see the LEDs. You can still see the light, but they aren't distracting.

I was a little bummed about how it turned out, until I got in a different car and had someone drive mine toward me on the same road. Now I am really happy with how they turned out.

Installation is simple, inexpensive and I have 2 15LED light strips left to put .... somewhere.

[JunMazda3]

Originally Posted by dawhoo

Done.

Took about 2 hours, because I have no idea what I'm doing.

Ended up running a wire into the cabin and connecting to the inside fuse box (CIGAR).

The LEDs have a sticky on the back, so they're easy to place. As DRLs - they wouldn't work. The angle is too low, but you can still see them from fairly far away in daytime and at night, the look pretty cool.

Total cost: $38

There was excess LEDs on the strip that I had to cut off to fit. But the remaining LED strip has a place to connect wires, so I think I'll enhance the trnuk light with those.

Final product:

How did you wire this? any instructions? I want to do this too.

Thanks

[dawhoo]

It's really SUPER easy. I'll take some pictures tomorrow, but it's dark and raining out now.

The hardest part for me (not kidding) was finding somewhere to connect the power that's controlled by the key. You wouldn't believe how long it too me to find the interior fuse panel. Didn't have a manual with me. I did them in the dark at work so I wouldn't have to lay in the dirt driveway at my house.

I'll start a new topic on them tomorrow.

[Jhudson3]

I have LED's on my headlights, but im thinking about adding these too. Its best to run them to your headlight fuse under the hood.