Anyone Install Projector Headlights with a Dedicated DRL?

[RandDescape]

We have a 2019 Ventana on a K2 chassis and like most class A motorhomes the headlights Newmar installed are not adequate for frequent night time driving. I want to stay DOT compliant. I found a projector housing that is a direct replacement (Dodge Nitro from ~2012) and was going to put that in.

However, the housing has dedicated Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) - they are halos around the low and high beam. So what's the issue?

From a call to Spartan they indicate that the "Spartan Control Module" is in charge of the voltage of the headlights and simply outputs a lower voltage to the low beam bulb to achieve a DRL.

So my assessment is that just installing this housing in place of stock will continue to drive my low beam bulb at a dimmer setting, and there will be nothing to drive the DRL circuit which expects 0 or 12v and not something in between.

It occurs to me that one could solve this with a circuit that feeds a relay when it senses say 5 - 10v to feed 12v into the DRLs. And similarly only activate the headlights when it is above that 10v. From some Google searches it seems like some snowplow headlights have a control unit that taps into the light feed on a pick-up and sends that up to the snowplow lights, some of which are LED lit.

Has anyone taken on such an effort? If so what did you use?

- Richard

[Dav L]

Not quite following...
If you are trying to improve low beams, then ensure you have a projector lens housing. If not, then replace the housing. Do a google search on the DOT numbers on your current housing to figure out what car they came from and then buy a quality aftermarket projector housing for same. Modifications might be required so ensure you are handy doing these types of projects.

Replace the bulb with a projector lens compatible bulb. Best visibility and most expensive will be Bi-Xenon that requires a ballast.
Next best would be a quality LED that does not require a ballast.
The projector housing will have a gate to switch from Low to High beam (single bulb does both).

You will hear from all kinds of folks with opinions...but they aren't comparing good stuff to good stuff. Just generic comments on "LED bulbs stink".

The solenoid gate is wired into your high beam circuit.

Ensure you have full 12volts and good ground. This is best done by an aftermarket relay connected right to a high amp connection to the battery. The relay switching wire is tied into your existing headlight Low beam circuit.

The DRL is optional but it might be required legally. It doesn't make any difference to your nightime driving. The DRL support will be dictated by the housing design. You can always buy a voltage reduction module to drop to "5v" if the DRL bulbs in the housing requires that. But typically the housing has that support built into it if needed.

Proper aiming is critical.

[RandDescape]

Thanks Dav L, let me try to clarify;

I have new projector beam housings with separate Hi and Low bulbs/lenses. That new housing also has dedicated DRLs.

What I was trying to say is I'm looking for a way to isolate the DRL operation from the Low beam operation since they are separate functions on the new projector housing. Right now operation has 3 modes:

Function -> Bulb Lit
--------- ----------
DRL -> Dim low (9v)
Low -> Low, on full (12-14v)
Hi -> High on full (12-14v)

I'm looking to instead get the following behavior:

Function -> Bulb Lit
--------- ------------
DRL -> Dedicated DRL bulbs w/ 12v
Low -> Low beam on full 12-14v (don't care state of DRL)
Hi -> High beam on full 12-14v (although may also operates low bulb on 12-14v too, don't care about state of DRL)

(Sorry I couldn't figure out how to get the site to accept a real table w/ 2 columns).

- Richard

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by RandDescape

Thanks Dav L, let me try to clarify;

I have new projector beam housings with separate Hi and Low bulbs/lenses. That new housing also has dedicated DRLs.

What I was trying to say is I'm looking for a way to isolate the DRL operation from the Low beam operation since they are separate functions on the new projector housing. Right now operation has 3 modes:

Function -> Bulb Lit
--------- ----------
DRL -> Dim low (9v)
Low -> Low, on full (12-14v)
Hi -> High on full (12-14v)

I'm looking to instead get the following behavior:

Function -> Bulb Lit
--------- ------------
DRL -> Dedicated DRL bulbs w/ 12v
Low -> Low beam on full 12-14v (don't care state of DRL)
Hi -> High beam on full 12-14v (although may also operates low bulb on 12-14v too, don't care about state of DRL)

(Sorry I couldn't figure out how to get the site to accept a real table w/ 2 columns).

- Richard

So you are trying to drive the DRLs from the existing 9volt source but feed 12volt? Easy...put a relay solenoid on the 9 volt / ground side, and put 12volt on the contacts to the new DRL bulbs.

[RandDescape]

Originally Posted by Dav L

So you are trying to drive the DRLs from the existing 9volt source but feed 12volt? Easy...put a relay solenoid on the 9 volt / ground side, and put 12volt on the contacts to the new DRL bulbs.

Thanks. I will assume for the DRL any relay that can handle an automotive environment for continuous duty works.

If I want to isolate the low beams (so they are completely off) when the voltage is less than 12v what search terms should I be using for such a relay/solenoid?

Thanks in advance.

- Richard

[Dav L]

You want a relay that will engage at 9 volts and who's contacts are rated for more than the DRL lights (LEDs draw very little current)

The Low beam (and High beam) should never be below battery voltage. If lower voltage then you should put those on relays too that switch full battery voltage to the lights at high current handling. Not sure why you would need to protect for under 9v unless you are wiring something goofy.

[RandDescape]

Originally Posted by Dav L

Not sure why you would need to protect for under 9v unless you are wiring something goofy.

Spartan told me that is the factory method of driving the low beam bulb as a Daytime Running Light at a dimmer brightness. I haven’t measured it yet.

- Richard

[Dav L]

Then run the low lights on a local to the headlight relay as well. The current low beam wire would trigger the relay at more than the 9 volts. And the contacts of the relay would pass full battery voltage to the bulb. This is a very common insurance that the bulbs get full voltage independent of the OEM lighting circuit.

[RandDescape]

Thanks Dav L, I’ll start looking at parts online (31 degrees outside too cold to want to touch parts this weekend).

- Richard

[Dav L]

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/wi...elay-harnesses
Just figure out what bulbs the old lamps had and get a relay prewired with that connector. Easy peasy

[RandDescape]

Originally Posted by Dav L

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/wi...elay-harnesses
Just figure out what bulbs the old lamps had and get a relay prewired with that connector. Easy peasy

Thanks that link is great and certainly didn't come up in my searches. Lots of good options. I'll be contacting them to see about options that work w/ the projector housing I have.

- Richard

[Dav L]

You wire the relays to your old headlight wires, not the housing.

[RandDescape]

Originally Posted by Dav L

You wire the relays to your old headlight wires, not the housing.

Yep, understood thanks for checking that I got it.

My new projector housing has a sealed compartment for the hi/lo bulbs and it has an H13 external connector that it then internally splits into separate H1 Hi / H7 Lo feeds for the 2 bulbs. So my comment about the housing was just to say I need to see what options they have for taking an H13 old headlight input (from Newmar/Spartan harness) run through the relay to get full voltage/power, and then fed into the new H13 output for the new housing.

If they don't have an H13 in/out setup then I will have to look at modifying the housing access panel to provide independent wiring for each bulb using the respective H1/H7 connectors.

- Richard

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by RandDescape

Yep, understood thanks for checking that I got it.

My new projector housing has a sealed compartment for the hi/lo bulbs and it has an H13 external connector that it then internally splits into separate H1 Hi / H7 Lo feeds for the 2 bulbs. So my comment about the housing was just to say I need to see what options they have for taking an H13 old headlight input (from Newmar/Spartan harness) run through the relay to get full voltage/power, and then fed into the new H13 output for the new housing.

If they don't have an H13 in/out setup then I will have to look at modifying the housing access panel to provide independent wiring for each bulb using the respective H1/H7 connectors.

- Richard

It would be far easier to solder different ends on the relay wires than modding the housing.