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Thread: turning on lights..permanently??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Medford, Oregon and Switzerland
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    52

    Default turning on lights..permanently??

    I am wondering if there is a very easy way to have the lights on all the time that the ignition is on. Basically driving lights. Can I just pull a fuse or rig it so that can happen? any help appreciated.
    Cheers,
    John
    [COLOR=Blue]95 540i/a schwarz with wheels and tint garaged in OR SOLD
    98 volvoXC three kid seats...makes it go faster

    [COLOR="Purple"]95 520i/5sp 130k km Executive. no sunroof

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Thunder Bay, Ontario
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    Default

    Great question. Hopefully someone with electrical knowledge will have an easy answer. Canadian vehicles are required to have daytime running lights. Are they required on new US vehicles?. I've seen a rudimentary daytime running light kit installed by friends on two vehicles imported from the US. It consisted of a wire wrapped around around a spark plug lead/wire, which sent a signal to relay, which inn turn sent a signal to the lights. As you can tell, I'm no electrical guru, but I would think there exists a cleaner, simpler solution for this, given the amount of electrical built into these vehicles.

    Good luck with it, I'll be watching the thread,

    Dave

    10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
    *RIP Oskar the DOG *

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Location
    Reading, UK
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave M
    Great question. Hopefully someone with electrical knowledge will have an easy answer. Canadian vehicles are required to have daytime running lights. Are they required on new US vehicles?. I've seen a rudimentary daytime running light kit installed by friends on two vehicles imported from the US. It consisted of a wire wrapped around around a spark plug lead/wire, which sent a signal to relay, which inn turn sent a signal to the lights. As you can tell, I'm no electrical guru, but I would think there exists a cleaner, simpler solution for this, given the amount of electrical built into these vehicles.

    Good luck with it, I'll be watching the thread,

    Dave
    Vampire a feed off the ignition line from the key barrel, run it upto a small relay behind the light switch and bridge the side/running lights cables with it. That way when you switch the ignition on, the relay closes and switches on the side lights.

    Am I gonna need to draw another diagram ?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferret
    Vampire a feed off the ignition line from the key barrel, run it upto a small relay behind the light switch and bridge the side/running lights cables with it. That way when you switch the ignition on, the relay closes and switches on the side lights.

    Am I gonna need to draw another diagram ?
    If I tried that without clearly illustrated instructions, there would be nothing but a pile of embers.................

    Dave

    10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
    *RIP Oskar the DOG *

  5. #5
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    Good question. On the wiring diagram it looks like jumping the #3 & #10 pins of the headlight switch would do it.
    I'm off to give it a try, will report back.
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  6. #6
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    Yup, works like that. Low beam headlights only, no rear lights or park lights.
    Jump the #3 yel/gry wire that is dead center on the connector to #10 which is an adjacent grn/blu wire.
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ross
    Yup, works like that. Low beam headlights only, no rear lights or park lights.
    Jump the #3 yel/gry wire that is dead center on the connector to #10 which is an adjacent grn/blu wire.
    Nice job Ross. Whats your guess for getting the rear lights going?

    When a good friend was considering importing an e39 touring from the US, BMW Canada quoted some ridiculous figure (~$700) to provide daytime running lights. To make it worse, they (bmw) will not allow anyone else to perform the minor changes needed to import a vehicle.

    Dave

    10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
    *RIP Oskar the DOG *

  8. #8
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    I'll do it for six hundred (U.S.), right after I take down my previos post.
    Give me a minute for the rear lights.
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  9. #9
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    Okee dokee. It looks like if you were to change the feed to fuses 4&5 to be hot only in the "run" position instead of hot at all times that would work, with the switch left on. I thought of jumping the two park light signal wires to the connection for the headlights but this wouldn't work because of feed ing power to the park light circuit at all times from the #2 fuse.
    I don't feel like opening my fuse box so it's up to the rest of you to give it a try. Don't come crying if I'm wrong.
    "The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ross
    Okee dokee. It looks like if you were to change the feed to fuses 4&5 to be hot only in the "run" position instead of hot at all times that would work, with the switch left on. I thought of jumping the two park light signal wires to the connection for the headlights but this wouldn't work because of feed ing power to the park light circuit at all times from the #2 fuse.
    I don't feel like opening my fuse box so it's up to the rest of you to give it a try. Don't come crying if I'm wrong.

    Haha, awesome. The board strikes yet again.

    Dave

    10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
    *RIP Oskar the DOG *

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