I wired my fog lights to the window power switch. That way they go on automatically whenever the car is turned on. Wiring them to the parking lights, they would only turn on when you turn on your parking lights.
We don’t have fog in Los Angeles but the I wanted the fog lights as driving lights on all the time to be noticed better by other drivers. Same idea of safety as when driving a motorcycle – always keep your lights on, better chance of being seen especially when it’s the narrowest car on the road. And I didn’t want to install a separate switch.
I also installed a separate inline fuse for the fog lights. But one day, while raising the both windows with the key just turned to power up the accessories, I realized next morning I had blown the fuse in the main panel, as I couldn’t raise/lower my windows anymore.
The windows run on a 20 amp fuse. Everything else on any INsignificance uses a smaller fuse. Plus I think the parking lights are also use the same fuse as the headlights.
In the end, after reading the fuse manual, looking at what I could drive without for a short distance if I did blow a fuse again, I realized the window power wire was the best. Plus the power windows do not constantly draw power like wipers, parking or headlights.
Just need to remember to operate the windows with the car running to be safe. I keep a spare fuse in the car for easy replacement but given the choice, I’d rather not be able to open/close my windows than blow the headlight fuse in the dark of night.
Bad idea! It would be acceptable to use the window power to pull in a relay, thereby switching 12V from the battery to the lights. But NOT to supply the lights directly!
The existing circuits are designed for the load placed on them from the manufacturer. Cabling is not up-sized to accommodate additional loads placed on them by the end user...
bull8042 is exactly right!! You may not be having problems now but later on after the heat from the running lights has melted thru the insulation, it coud cause some serious damage. The 20A Fuse protects the system (window motor and associated wiring), you added the wiring run from the window circuit to the lights and unless it is the same wire gauge as the window power circuit, you're asking for trouble. 20A is alot of current at 12VDC!! lowindex posted this schematic:
You can use the power run from the window circuit to drive the relay and omit the switch but, add the relay and bring your power lead from the +Batt and fuse both the run to the relay and the run to the lights. Safest way!!
Last edited by Dunerunner; 07-09-2008 at 10:32 AM.
I wired my fog lights to the window power switch. That way they go on automatically whenever the car is turned on. Wiring them to the parking lights, they would only turn on when you turn on your parking lights.
We don’t have fog in Los Angeles but the I wanted the fog lights as driving lights on all the time to be noticed better by other drivers. Same idea of safety as when driving a motorcycle – always keep your lights on, better chance of being seen especially when it’s the narrowest car on the road. And I didn’t want to install a separate switch.
I also installed a separate inline fuse for the fog lights. But one day, while raising the both windows with the key just turned to power up the accessories, I realized next morning I had blown the fuse in the main panel, as I couldn’t raise/lower my windows anymore.
The windows run on a 20 amp fuse. Everything else on any INsignificance uses a smaller fuse. Plus I think the parking lights are also use the same fuse as the headlights.
In the end, after reading the fuse manual, looking at what I could drive without for a short distance if I did blow a fuse again, I realized the window power wire was the best. Plus the power windows do not constantly draw power like wipers, parking or headlights.
Just need to remember to operate the windows with the car running to be safe. I keep a spare fuse in the car for easy replacement but given the choice, I’d rather not be able to open/close my windows than blow the headlight fuse in the dark of night.
there are available drl kits out there, blinding people on the road with you is not safe
karl
Take a small circular piece (1/2" in dia) of black duct tape and stick it on the clear spot on your rain sensing puck (on the outside of the windshield) and you have instant DRL
Take a small circular piece (1/2" in dia) of black duct tape and stick it on the clear spot on your rain sensing puck (on the outside of the windshield) and you have instant DRL
DRL's run less than full power one car makes very little difference if we all just turned on our lights "we" would burn barrels of oil each year / no thanks
karl
Can the fog lights be spliced into the parking lights "US model" will the wiring hold and anyone know the wires to splice into? "save me from 1/2 hour of testing" since these are the MB lights and the SAM can't be programmed as of now?
I used round LED driving lights from Pep Boys ($50). Inconsequential electrical load, no relay needed. Look great!
Go to E-bay, and search for Mercedes fog lights for an 06-07 M-class. They are what is used in a smart, and can be had for about $30 a side. The covers are $15 each from smart.
I'm with JeanClaude on this one...I'm thinking about a set of led's that can be attached to the inside of the lower grill, with separate wiring/relay/switch.
By the way, in a past life, on a forum for a different vehicle, there was some disparity between "driving lights" and "fog lights". I do remember in the UK, fog lights were basically lights with yellow lenses..dont know if it still has the same meaning now. According to Autoanything.com, this definition applies:
"Driving lights work with your hi-beams for greater visibility at longer distances. They project a long, narrow beam of light in a variety of patterns which greatly extend your range of view. Fog lights work together with your low-beams to improve your visibility in foul weather, such as fog, rain, snow and mist. They emit a low, wide pattern of light that's designed to shine below the haze. This reduces the amount of blinding glare that occurs when you turn on your hi-beams in foggy weather."
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