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beanjr · 08-15-2011, 09:52 AM

Have read several posts concerning no DRL's but have not found the answer to my question so here it is....MY 2003, 38g Adventurer on a W22 chassis has no running lights...Have read that there is a "module" that plugs into the wiring harness....Can some one tell me the location ?....Also spoke with the local Workhorse Service Center and they could not tell me how the fuse boxes were labeled to indicate these lights...None of my panels, dash or firewall have any labels that say running lights...Thanks for the help as I know the answer is out there !!

born2camp · 08-15-2011, 10:20 AM

Sent you a PM, but the DRL fuse is location #4 5amp, and the DRL relay is 87A in cavity G5 on the panel. These are the fuse panels inside. Hope this helps.

frankdamp · 08-15-2011, 10:31 AM

There's a switch, usually on one of the steering column stalks that you can use. It's marked "headlights". Not only does it turn on the "running lights" but also the parking and tail lights, which the automatic DRL thingy doesn't do.

I can't see the benefit of having headlights on in the daytime on an 8' x 12' x 38' wheeled box. It's big enough for a blind man to see.

beanjr · 08-15-2011, 10:47 AM

Called Workhorse and was told that my Winnie was built on a 2002 chassis that did not come with DRL's....Will check into possible mod's....Have read, but have not verified, that they are required in Canada which is on our bucket-list !!

JCM · 08-16-2011, 08:41 AM

Daytime running lights allow others to see you and better judge the distance you are down the road. You don't allways drive in excellent weather on a divided highway.
Airplanes have been using them since the early 80's - for the same reason.

wa8yxm · 08-16-2011, 10:10 AM

I wish I could find the company again but there used to be a firm in Livonia, MI (ANL enterprises, a truck "Chrome" shop) that sold teh "See-Me" daythime running light module, six wires is all it took to hook it up. works good too.

RVtomtom · 08-16-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beanjr

Called Workhorse and was told that my Winnie was built on a 2002 chassis that did not come with DRL's....Will check into possible mod's....Have read, but have not verified, that they are required in Canada which is on our bucket-list !!

As an FYI DRL only required if you are selling a vehicle/mh or getting it safety checked in Canda, not a requirment to tour. Hope this helps.

Joe Gilbert · 08-19-2011, 04:58 PM

As mentioned Canada has required all auto/trucks to have DRL's for many years. I think US autos & trucks have also had these for years and if you have them they cannot be turned off. It doesn't hurt to make your rig as visible as possible.

JoeG

frankdamp · 08-19-2011, 08:15 PM

I disagree, Joe. All DRLs do is increase the revenue to the light bulb manufacturers. Once all vehicles have them, IMO, their efficacy is zero. If I want to have my headlights on in daytime, there's a switch for that.

The only DRLs that made sense were those introduced by Volvo back in the early 1960s. Their argument was that to have a bigger lighted area on the front of a moving vehicle was a good idea, but they didn't want to impose the load of European 96-watt headlights on the vehicle's electrical system full time. The systems were not that rugged back then.

What they did was, first, to isolate the headlight ground wires. Then they put a relay in the system that, if the ignition was turned on but the lights were not, and the engine started, the headlights were in series with each other. That made for fairly low power required, since it was the equivalent of running 12V headlights on 6V, but gave a big lighted area in the front of the vehicle to indicate it was moving.

When visibilty got to a point where "real" headlights were necessary, the driver switched them on as usual, and the relay went from having the lights in series to having them in parallel, the normal configuration.

I think some of the US attempts to come up with DRLs have been disastrous, particularly the dumb system GM came up with back in the late 1990's. I'd have called it a Mickey Mouse system, but I didn't want to bad-mouth Mickey.

DriVer · 08-19-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

I disagree, Joe. All DRLs do is increase the revenue to the light bulb manufacturers. Once all vehicles have them, IMO, their efficacy is zero. If I want to have my headlights on in daytime, there's a switch for that..

frankdamp, I am approaching 10 years with the same DRL bulbs in my MH with over 93,000 miles - so the DRL bulb manufacturers haven't made a dime off of me.

I find it important and essential to be able to quickly see the other guy coming at me out of the shadows with a dark vehicle when they are running DRLs.

Just like flying .... if you see the other guy first!

pkmesser · 08-19-2011, 09:24 PM

I am a strong believer in DRL's. Also, in Ca, on some 2 way roads with high accident rates, "lights on" are required, these highways are signed accordingly. CHP will ticket you if you don't have them on. When still working fulltime, I drove a 22 mile section of such a road everyday. Many times, you could see an oncoming car with the lights on, that didn't show up too well in dips.
AND you do see on coming traffic a lot better. Doesn't take that much gas to run the alternator to provide the power.
On these roads, the ones that try to sneak around and not be seen, really stand out. (they haven't figured that out yet).
Now, some have said, that a motorhome stands out, maybe true, but that little import, with a color that blends in, coming at you, may not be seen by you. Cause you and them just as much damage, as if they didn't see you.
I personally want the other guy to see me, and just as important, I want to see him.

frankdamp · 08-20-2011, 11:06 AM

So turn the things on yourself! Why do you need some electronic "Nanny" to do it? At least doing it with the headlights switch, you get the tail lights and the markers on, too.

GM made a dumb system which turned only the headlights and panel lights on. I drove a rental Pontiac over 100 miles, after picking it up from the airport after dark, without realising the tail lights weren't on. In the daylight the next day, I spotted a clear plastic decal on the inetrument panel with very small white lettering that said "Daytime Running Lights do not turn tail-lights on".

wildtoad · 08-20-2011, 11:19 AM

I had a 2000 VW beetle and had to replace headlight bulbs every 6 month (on average) which caused a trip to the dealer as the headlight assembly had to be removed. Had a 2001 Volvo and just like the Beetle had to replace bulbs often. Not so on my 2009 Chevy HHR which I can turn off but not permanently. The tail lights come on automatically when it is dark outside.

Just about every chevy pickup truck I see on the highway has one drl out.

Triker56 · 08-20-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Gilbert

As mentioned Canada has required all auto/trucks to have DRL's for many years. I think US autos & trucks have also had these for years and if you have them they cannot be turned off.

My 08 HHR has DRL's and auto on headlights/taillights. The DRL's can be shut off after you start the car. You just have to do that every time it is restarted if you don't want them on.

(Off/On): This position is the momentary Off/On switch for the Automatic Headlamp System.
In Canada, this only works when the vehicles with an automatic transaxle are in PARK (P) and vehicles with a manual transaxle have the parking brake set and the vehicle is not moving.

When operating in AUTO, a momentary turn of the switch to off/on will turn off the Automatic Headlamp System.
An AUTO LIGHTS OFF message will display on the driver information center and a chime will sound.
Rotating the switch to off/on again will turn the Automatic Headlamp System back on.
An AUTO LIGHTS ON message will display on the driver information center.
The Automatic Headlamp System is always turned on at the beginning of an ignition cycle for vehicles with manual transaxle.