DRL Dedicated circuit install

[Roman217]

As another note, the Canadian trucks that have OEM projectors and DRLs turned on from the factory, use the "Dedicated DRL" setting. I replicated the Canadian OEM setting but set mine as "Optional DRL" and added the menu item in UConnect to turn them on and off.

So it comes down to running them at the full 12.8v all the time at your own risk knowing the the OEM settings run them at a lower setting. We won't know if running them at 12.8 will drastically shorten the lifespan or cause failures but I went with the OEM settings of running the DRLs at a lower voltage.

 

[JB1]

As another note, the Canadian trucks that have OEM projectors and DRLs turned on from the factory, use the "Dedicated DRL" setting. I replicated the Canadian OEM setting but set mine as "Optional DRL" and added the menu item in UConnect to turn them on and off.

So it comes down to running them at the full 12.8v all the time at your own risk knowing the the OEM settings run them at a lower setting. We won't know if running them at 12.8 will drastically shorten the lifespan or cause failures but I went with the OEM settings of running the DRLs at a lower voltage.

So your DRLs are the same brightness as the parking lights correct?

 

[Roman217]

So your DRLs are the same brightness as the parking lights correct?

That is correct, they don't change brightness when the parking lights are turned on.

 

[JB1]

Ok, mine have been full bright since Jan 06, 2018.....I’ll let you know if I have any problems.

 

[gamonkev]

Ok, mine have been full bright since Jan 06, 2018.....I’ll let you know if I have any problems.

Were you able to accomplish the full brightness on the DRLs with the AlfaObd app or how so?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JB1]

Were you able to accomplish the full brightness on the DRLs with the AlfaObd app or how so?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes mine are full bright and doing great, it's been over 2 years now with zero issues. I was driving today and passed up a Ram dually and he too had his activated at full bright

 

[JB1]

Still burning bright

 

[brianw0048]

My truck came with halogen lights. I hated the output so I installed a set of aftermarket projectors then used alpha obd to program my turn signals as DRLs. As soon as I put my truck in gear, the lights come on.

I have no idea if my truck has a dedicated wire.

No issues so far.

 

[1500ram12]

My truck came with halogen lights. I hated the output so I installed a set of aftermarket projectors then used alpha obd to program my turn signals as DRLs. As soon as I put my truck in gear, the lights come on.

I have no idea if my truck has a dedicated wire.

No issues so far.

No you wouldn't have the dedicated drl feed. That only is installed on factory projector truck's. Which in turn uses the parking lights as drl's


2018 2500 6.4L Hemi Tradesman

 

[Gary2]

Mine came with Projectors and with the AlfaOBD I turned mine on using ing the "dedicated" selection. Mine are much brighter than parking lights and would feel confident they are at the 12v setting. I did not change the voltage as I seen the option I just hit dedicated and hope that took care of any needed adjustment along with putting the manual switch enabled in the radio. Been that way for a couple months.

 

[14ramEC]

Yes, you can add the dedicated DRL circuit for each headlight, but you have to check a connector to see if you have two wires coming from the BCM first in order to know exactly what you need to do. Lift up the fuse box and rotate it out of the way enough to get to the big front end connector underneath it. Disconnect it and look at the wires coming in the back of the connector half that has the male pins. See if you have a white wire with yellow stripe where the red arrow is pointing (position 8). View attachment 425358

As far as the voltage, yes, you can change it. When you set the turn signals as dedicated DRLs, the target voltage is 7.4v. When you set the DRL location as “turn signals”, the target voltage is 13v. OBVIOUSLY, feeding the led board 76% more voltage is going to reduce the life of it.

I looking to the dedicated drl circuit too. So if my truck does have that wire with the red arrow. Do i tap on to that wire or what do i do?

 

[StapleJbozz]

Yes, you can add the dedicated DRL circuit for each headlight, but you have to check a connector to see if you have two wires coming from the BCM first in order to know exactly what you need to do. Lift up the fuse box and rotate it out of the way enough to get to the big front end connector underneath it. Disconnect it and look at the wires coming in the back of the connector half that has the male pins. See if you have a white wire with yellow stripe where the red arrow is pointing (position 8). View attachment 425358

As far as the voltage, yes, you can change it. When you set the turn signals as dedicated DRLs, the target voltage is 7.4v. When you set the DRL location as “turn signals”, the target voltage is 13v. OBVIOUSLY, feeding the led board 76% more voltage is going to reduce the life of it.

Ok - so I know that this is an old thread but I wanted to thank you @Jimmy07 for this post & picture. I have a 2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn and this was exactly my situation. Originally I fuse tapped into 66 per another post I'd seen but I really wanted to have full control and manage the DRLs with the BCM. With the help of this post and this image I was able to snip the white/yellow wire shown in this picture (under the fuse block in the engine compartment) and connect the DRLs to the dedicated circuit. I enabled the dedicated DRLs using AlfaOBD and voila! I now have fully functional DRLs that were built into my aftermarket fog lamps.

The stock configuration of the truck was quad headlights, fog lamps and no DRLs. I kept the headlight frames but upgraded the bulbs to LEDs (also configured as such in AlfaOBD). I installed new LED fog lamps because the brackets holding the stock fog lamps wore out so bad that they shook like crazy (a common issue based on my research). The fog lamps had a separate wire for DRLs that inspired all of this work/research.

 

[hunterdan]

Ok - so I know that this is an old thread but I wanted to thank you @Jimmy07 for this post & picture. I have a 2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn and this was exactly my situation. Originally I fuse tapped into 66 per another post I'd seen but I really wanted to have full control and manage the DRLs with the BCM. With the help of this post and this image I was able to snip the white/yellow wire shown in this picture (under the fuse block in the engine compartment) and connect the DRLs to the dedicated circuit. I enabled the dedicated DRLs using AlfaOBD and voila! I now have fully functional DRLs that were built into my aftermarket fog lamps.

The stock configuration of the truck was quad headlights, fog lamps and no DRLs. I kept the headlight frames but upgraded the bulbs to LEDs (also configured as such in AlfaOBD). I installed new LED fog lamps because the brackets holding the stock fog lamps wore out so bad that they shook like crazy (a common issue based on my research). The fog lamps had a separate wire for DRLs that inspired all of this work/research.

Instead of cutting the wire, mpgrimm could have built you a set of leads that plugged into the plug to make it all plug and play. I went this route for the drls built into my aftermarket headlights.

 

[StapleJbozz]

Instead of cutting the wire, mpgrimm could have built you a set of leads that plugged into the plug to make it all plug and play. I went this route for the drls built into my aftermarket headlights.

Agreed - I could have but cutting the wire allowed me to complete the job now. The way I did it, the soldering joints are waterproof, and since everything (other than the in-line fuse I used) is hidden under the fuse block, no one can see any "ugliness".

Oh - and it met my #2 priority - $0 since I used tools and parts that I already had laying around.