Assistance needed!!!

[Mac27614]

I've installed some led daytime running lights on my Audi A3, I have connected the negative wires to the negative side of the battery as the instructions said.

The positive wires are too short, as I was going to connect them up to the ignition switch wire behind the radio, so wondering what cable I could use to extend the positive wires?

Failing that they are long enough to connect up to my side lights, but I'm unsure where to locate my sidelight cables and which wire to connect them too?

Any help will be grateful [emoji106]🏻


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guest 2]

You don't have an ignition wire on your radio. Run it to the fuse box on the end of the drivers dashboard for the safest option.

[Mac27614]

Thanks for your reply.
I see what you mean.
The fuse box in the engine bay? which fuse should I use to tap off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guest 2]

Fuse box in the passenger compartment, on the end of the dashboard on the drivers side.

[Mac27614]

Yes that fuse box mate.
Which fuse should I use?

The positive wires are too short what cable could I use to extend them to reach that fuse box?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NHN]

Depends on the current load, what's the rating of the led's used?

Fuses 1-11 are ignition switched.

If you need someone to fit them for you, ping me a PM.

[Mac27614]

I'm unsure of the current load, I don't know if the info below will help!

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/09/cc51c6fc12ff2765bb63da8141e1f752.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/09/8d086c27da7785007fb3e08238762751.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikey2012]

LED 's will draw very little current.

It all depends on how far you need to extend the wire, if its drawing 3 amps over a 3m run you would need about 12AWG (or 4mm2) wire but this will change with the length of the run, if you only have to extend it by 1m then you only require 17AWG (or 1.5mm2) wire. another way to do it is to look at the size of cable that is fitted to the lamps originally as the manufactures would have taken then into account and match the size they have already fitted.

Hope this helps.

[Mac27614]

Thanks for your reply mikey2012 that was very helpful [emoji106]🏻

I've had to extend them by 1.5m only, and the cable already attached to the LED lights is just a twin positive and twin negative with aluminium strands! (Very thin cable) I'll have a look in the morning at what AWG the cable is and match it.

But still unsure of what fuse to tap off and how to connect to a fuse?

My stereo is currently connected to an ignition live, so my radio comes on with the start of the engine, could I thru crimp the cable I'm extending with the radio so my LEDs come on with ignition start?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alankru]

Look carefully and there may be an unused ignition switched circuit in the fuse box. I can't remember the number, but from what NHN says it will be in 1-11. Look for a slot without a fuse in it, reference it to your fuse guide and then look to see if it has a contact. Some will be entirely empty but you may find one that can accept a fuse and is unused. Then get a "fuse tap" and use it as per https://forum.dashcamtalk.com/threads/piggy-back-fuseholders-a-right-way-and-a-wrong-way.7524/ and earth it to a bolt in the fuse box. You can get your wire from maplin by the metre. Being unused, one doesn't know how much the circuit can take so safest to put something with a low current draw on it (which I imagine your led lights are). If you can't find an unused fuse circuit, other folk have used the fuse tap to take from the rear wiper circuit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Mac27614]

Ah ok mate I'll have a look at that option [emoji106]🏻 I did think about tapping off the wiper circuit!
Great help thank you! Can you buy fuse taps from maplins?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alankru]

I mean to say that for your earth, you can use a bolt in the fuse box. There is a bolt which bolts up the dash that is usable.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Mac27614]

Ok mate great! [emoji106]🏻


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alankru]

You can buy the fuse tap from eBay.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Mac27614]

Ah ok brilliant.

So is the rear wiper fuse at the fuse box in the dash or the fuse box in the engine?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alankru]

In the dash.

See here for more info: http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/trying-to-hardwire-pogo-to-fuse-box.76838/

[Mac27614]

Do you know how to wire them up to my sidelights!

I've looked at that avenue and a few people have said that's the way they should be done!

But for the life of me I can't find where to tap into my sidelights and how!

I've searched how too's and videos and still nothing!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alankru]

No I don't I'm afraid.
I believe that I'm right in saying that it is all controlled by the canbus electronics. You turning the switch is not actually creating the circuit per se, but it is actually telling the computer to turn on your sidelights.

NHN is very experienced in doing this sort of thing and as he says, he can install it for you if you don't know how...

[mikey2012]

be careful with tapping into circuits like this, wipe circuits are usually protected by higher amp fuses, you really want to have a 5amp fuse fitted supplying your LED's. Especially where you will have to start threading wires through bulkheads and the like, you could easily chafe a wire which could cause a problem with a higher amp fuse fitted. If that is your only option then you could fit an in-line fuse holder (such as In-line Standard Blade Fuse Holder Splash Proof for 12V 30A Fuses Car Bike Boat | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/In-line-Standard-Blade-Fuse-Holder-Splash-Proof-for-12V-30A-Fuses-Car-Bike-Boat-/251994755375?hash=item3aac0ed12f), ignore the discription about it being 30amp, this is just the highest the fuse holder can take, you can also by ones that accept a mini blade fuse) which would protect you newly installed circuit.

[alankru]

You're right Mikey. I forgot to mention about fuses. FYI Mac, the piggy back fuse tap, when installed correctly (as I linked to) will allow you to put a 5A (or lower) blade fuse to protect the new circuit, saving you the need to put a fuse n-line.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[zollaf]

drl's should come on with the ignition and go off when your sidelights are switched on. if they stay on with your sidelights the they are not legal as they are, iirc, classed as fog lights. best way to wire them up, go to ebay, google drl relayand buy one. they connect to the battery and to the drl;s, contain all the wire , fuses etc you need, and will swtch the lights on when you turn on the engine and off when you turn your sidelights on all you need to do is tap into one of the sidelight wires. hey presto, no faffing about and your car stays legal and you don't have blinding drls annoying other road users at night.

[Mac27614]

Thanks for all the help guys!!

Where and how do I tap into the sidelights?
Which wire?

[emoji106]🏻


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zollaf]

switch sidelights on, note which bulb glows. turn lights off. find wire that goes to bulb. use multimeter to establish which wire is earth and which is positive. tap into wire which is positive.

[Mac27614]

Thank you zollaf [emoji106]🏻


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk