How to: 2007/2008 Full Time Daytime Running Lights (FT DRL)

[SilverGhost]

LMAO    Bet that woke you up!

There was a delivery truck outside when I was doing this, and when my horn came on, I was turned the headlights back off real quick and they just stood there staring at me like..."Look at that fool..." 

Stopping by radio shack for more diodes on the way home! 

So it sounds like the All-4-On-Low Fogs is only jumping the relay current (low amps), yet this one is jumping the actual current going to the lights.  I guess that is why we are jumping to the fuse and not a relay and blowing the little diodes.

 

[chavey]

Yep, you're all right about checking your particular fuse block.  On the 2008, it definitely was fuse #31.  Same location as yours above, but it shows a different fuse #.  I also made sure that I plugged into the "inbound" side of the fuse with the diode so that the power coming from the headlight relay still has to go thru the fuse to get to the DRLs.  I didn't want a short or extra amperage to go thru there (given the large diode) and still power the DRLs. 

And, please read my post #1 above - I"M AN IDIOT so if you follow my directions blindly, YOU'RE AN IDIOT TOO! 

 

[xxtruxx1]

Here's The Black Pearl with the FTDRL mod!!!

I just have 1 question. I used copper wiring soldered to the diode & going into the fuses. Will I have a problem with this as far as anything melting, fires, &/or fuse/fusebox damage? Is there a reason you guys use single strand 22 ga wire?

Oh yea, chrome bowties come on tomorrow.

Watch for me on the road?

 

[chavey]

Here's The Black Pearl with the FTDRL mod!!!

I just have 1 question. I used copper wiring soldered to the diode & going into the fuses. Will I have a problem with this as far as anything melting, fires, &/or fuse/fusebox damage? Is there a reason you guys use single strand 22 ga wire?

Oh yea, chrome bowties come on tomorrow.

Watch for me on the road?

First, SWEET!!! AV!!!

Only reason I used the 22ga single strand was it is easier to fit into the fuse plug with the connector.  Twisted copper wire may allow copper strands to stray, but as long as you twisted them and kept them tight, it should be no difference.

 

[AVcop778]

xxtruxx1! Hope to see a lot more of these 07s and 08s with the FTDRL mod. This is exciting, I feel like we're a part of Avalanche history! 

 

[xxtruxx1]

Thanks chAVey!! It wouldn't be as sweet looking without your ingenuity. I did twist the copper well so that it won't unwind.

AVcop...I hope so too. We have to represent for the newer models & I'd hate to see any of the newer avy members & not be able to identify them.

JD

 

[k15goose]

Sweet.  Good going, Chavey.  That's one more mod to do on delivery weekend.

It looks like the drl's are quite a bit brighter than the parking lights.  Is there any way to make those parking lights brighter (different bulb)?

 

[k15goose]

2 more questions:

Can I also use that diode for the fogs or is it too much?

Does it matter which side (left or right) of the #31 fuse you run the wire to?

 

[bigdaddy]

Can one of you guys take a straight down pic of the fuse box that shows real well the placement of the diodes and posibly the fogs on diode as well?

Thanks
Pete

 

[Hug_R_Av]

Ok gang, here's a little update, especially for the 07 year model.  I did it this way, and guess what....my HORN came on...VERY LOUDLY! Wrong fuse obviously.

Toasted my keyboard cause of that..  Water went flying everywhere..

We need to fix that at STI..  should be solder and shrink wrap..   

 

[SilverGhost]

sorry?

I did it this way, and guess what....my HORN came on...VERY LOUDLY! Wrong fuse obviously.

I have read that a dozen times and it still make me LMAO!? I would love to see a video of that!?

Very cool mod, thanks chAvey and thanks AVcop for the laugh! 

 

[k15goose]

I think he was just testing it out before he shrink wrapped it and trimmed it to size.  Notice the loose shrink wrap on the wire.

 

[chavey]

Sweet.? Good going, Chavey.? That's one more mod to do on delivery weekend.

It looks like the drl's are quite a bit brighter than the parking lights.? Is there any way to make those parking lights brighter (different bulb)?

I thought the same thing.  I wasn't sure if they were the same bulb but I didn't worry about it.

2 more questions:

Can I also use that diode for the fogs or is it too much?

Does it matter which side (left or right) of the #31 fuse you run the wire to?

You CANNOT use the same diode that you used for the fog lights - it will burn right up!  (If you take a look back at my first pic at the fuse box, you'll notice a little burn mark right at the top of that white mark.  )  I can't say that I bought the RIGHT diode, just it is big enough.  I have felt it after being on a while and it doesn't seem too hot.

It DOES matter.  I put it into the right side of the fuse because the current flows from right to left for the DRLs on that fuse.  Putting it into the right side means your fog lights are still protected by that fuse when powered by the headlights.  If you put it into the left side, you would be able to blow that fuse (with a short or whatever) but your DRLs would still have power.

 

[chavey]

Can one of you guys take a straight down pic of the fuse box that shows real well the placement of the diodes and posibly the fogs on diode as well?

Thanks
Pete

The pic in reply #2 is pretty much straight on, showing the routing of the wires.  I couldn't even see thru the viewfinder when I took that pci because of the hood.

For the FTDRL, I routed the wire completely around the relay, coming out at the 11o'clock position and going clockwise to come into the right side of fuse #31.  BTW, Fuse #31 is the blue 15 amp fuse that's upsidedown to the right of the 2 red fuses. 

The Fog Lights come out of the lower left of the same relay (the red/black wire shown in reply #2) and go into the top left of the fog light relay, the black #9831 relay on the very left edge of the picture.  There is a thread on it here somewhere.  I routed it OVER the other fuses and along the bottom of the AC relay (#8865) to keep it away from the FTDRL diode.

Oh, and I also pulled my owner's manual out last night - THE FUSE BOX DIAGRAM SHOWS 2 SETS OF FUSE #31s AND #33s!  The second set are over to the right (not shown in this pic) - I haven't even checked to see if the fuses are actually there or not.  How confusing could GM make it?

 

[k15goose]

thanks for the answers.  very helpful.  but i meant can I use the big diode that you used for the ftdrls to do the fogs?  is there such a thing as too big a diode?

 

[chavey]

thanks for the answers.? very helpful.? but i meant can I use the big diode that you used for the ftdrls to do the fogs?? is there such a thing as too big a diode?

You probably don't want to.  The wire on it is too thick to get into the fuse plugs, hence why I soldered some 22ga to it.  Also, the diode can sort of act like a fuse - if it gets too much power, it will fry and shut off your fogs.  The diodes are pretty cheap - $1.49 for the pkg of 2 of the big ones, $0.99 for a pkg of 10 of the little ones.  Heck, PM me an address and I'll send you a bunch of the little ones - I bought a pkg of 50 for $2.49 to share with folks at the PNW MiniMeet.

As far as "is there too big a diode?", I don't know.  That's why I was asking if anyone knew in the first post.  I know that the 50V/3A diode is definitely big enough - I wasn't sure if I could go down to maybe a 25V/1A diode or something smaller.  If anything were to short out, I would want that diode to fry first.

 

[AVcop778]

Toasted my keyboard cause of that..? Water went flying everywhere..

We need to fix that at STI..? should be solder and shrink wrap..? ? ?

Yeah, that was just a test to see if I had done it right. The soldering iron I use was left over at my parent's house, so  that was all I had to work with. It looks pretty half @ss there, I need to clean it up some before I leave for STI.

 

[k15goose]

Thanks chavey, but i have to get the big diode anyways.  I'm just so excited that you figured this out.  Thanks a lot!

 

[k15goose]

would someone mind mailing one of each of the diodes?  i can not find them at any radioshack here and they refuse to order them.  the service is horrible.  i stopped shopping for anything at radio shack unless its some stupid small battery that i can't find elsewhere.

I WILL PAYPAL SOMEONE $5 FOR THE TIME AND POSTAGE.

 

[AVcop778]

Goose, I made up several of these for STI and I still have a cpl left. If you want, PM me your address and I'll mail you one already made up. All you'll have to do is plug it in.

 

[AVRider]

I'm still trying to make up my mind if I want FT/DRL's on the 'hoe.  decisions, decisions. 

Though, I think I'm the only 'hoe with "ambers" 

 

[AVcop778]

My brother has an 04 'Hoe. I convinced him to put ambers in his. Looks good, too.

They look awesome at night?
C'mon, you know you wanna?

 

[Loggie]

Have to say nice job on posting the information guys

 

[chavey]

Goose, I made up several of these for STI and I still have a cpl left. If you want, PM me your address and I'll mail you one already made up. All you'll have to do is plug it in.

Same here Goose.  Don't have them already soldered, but I do have plenty extra's.  Just PM me an address and they are on the way.  (BTW, that holds true to the first 3 PM'rs - that's all I've got.)

 

[AVRider]

My brother has an 04 'Hoe. I convinced him to put ambers in his. Looks good, too.

They look awesome at night?
C'mon, you know you wanna?

I know, I know.  But it's hard to keep a low profile at night if you need to follow someone around without them knowing.  I'd need to add an over-ride switch to turn them off at night.