How to make daytime running lights with your own hands?

Traffic regulations require that in the daytime the car must be driven with daytime running lights (DRL) on. Their function can be performed by:

low beam headlights;
fog lights;
high-beam headlights powered by a low-voltage vehicle electrical system;
separately installed lights.

The presence of DRL is required to improve vehicle visibility during the day and improve road safety. The main difference between DRLs and side lights is that they must ensure visibility of the car during the day, so their brightness must be quite high.

Degradation

Example, new on the left, old on the right (2 years of operation)
As it is used, the LED is exposed to influences that negatively affect its characteristics.

Main factors:

clouding of the optical part made of silicone;
burnout of the phosphor under the influence of temperatures;
deformation of the housing due to heating and stress of the housing;
crystal degradation.

During crystal degradation, defects appear in which a section of the crystal stops shining, but continues to heat up. At the same time, the leakage current begins to increase, that is, the current passes without emitting light. The worst catalysts for degradation are current higher than rated and elevated temperature. Therefore, you need to be careful when buying dubious specimens, because our Chinese brothers in wisdom can “overclock” LEDs by supplying a current higher than the rated one.

It couldn't be simpler

This is the simplest scheme, which involves connecting to a battery or generator as a power source.

The scheme provides that the DRLs will be activated simultaneously with the engine starting. The point is to connect the plus to the positive terminal from the ignition switch of your Renault Logan or the same Lada Largus, and fix the minus on the car body in any convenient place. Everything looks simple and extremely logical. But you should not rush to conclusions, nor should you make such a connection. After all, it has an obvious drawback.

If the system is assembled according to this scheme, the diodes from the DRLs will start working constantly while the key is in the ignition switch. There is no question of any coordination with other headlights here. Therefore, such a connection contradicts GOST and traffic regulations.

Description of LED DRLs

Running lights are a type of optics used on the outside of a car body and designed to improve the visibility of the vehicle's dimensions. Today, the use of navigation lights is mandatory. In accordance with international EEC regulations No. 48, navigation light emitters must have an area of at least 25 and no more than 400 cm2. In addition, their aperture level should vary in the range of 400-800 Cd.

Criterias of choice

If you decide to purchase LED DRLs, then doing so today is quite simple, since this type of optics can be found in almost every car store

The main parameter that must be taken into account when purchasing is the aperture ratio, it is important that it is no more than 800 cd, not brighter. Such lighting will allow for good illumination of the road surface and at the same time prevent possible “dazzle” of oncoming drivers.

LED DRLs in cars

It should also be noted that LED running lights should be clearly visible from a distance of one hundred meters, no less. Otherwise, there is a risk of possible communication with the traffic police inspector. Another important parameter is that the upper edge of the running lights should be located above the edge of the low beam. After all, it is thanks to this that the visibility of the car on the road will be excellent.

Advantages and disadvantages

LEDs in daytime running lights have certain advantages:

automatic activation;
the vehicle becomes more visible on the road;
The power of LEDs is quite high, while they consume significantly less energy;
long service life, which should be at least 5 thousand hours;
diodes do not affect fuel consumption in any way;
The modern market offers customers a huge choice.

As for the disadvantages, the main disadvantage of such DRLs is the price, since it is not possible to buy high-quality running lights at a low cost. Installing high-quality LED DRLs that will have a long service life will require additional investment. Moreover, installation and purchase costs can be very high. However, in fact, such optics have excellent characteristics, so they pay for themselves quite quickly (the author of the video is Alexander Kordyukov).

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PpnQEbV2ihM

Also, the disadvantages include the installation of daytime running lights in the absence of connectors. Of course, it is quite possible to solve such a problem, it will just take more time.

The best manufacturers and models

Now let’s briefly look at the main manufacturers of diode DRLs:

First of all, I would like to highlight Osram DRL 101 - this model showed excellent ratings from users, in particular, for its original design. No one will be delighted with an LED strip, which cannot be said about light-filled tubes. The color temperature of the devices is 6000K, and each bulb can produce 400 lumens. The power of this model is 7.5 volts per unit.
Hella ledayflex. Also quite a popular model, characterized by the presence of five diodes. The use of Hella ledayflex is allowed on absolutely any car. In addition, the consumer has the opportunity to configure the location of the diode elements. The color temperature in this case is the same, but the power is lower - 7.2 volts. The main qualities of Hella ledayflex are originality, as well as strength and reliability.
Philips DayLight 4 LED12820WLEDX1. The cost of such devices is significantly lower than the options described above, most likely due to the design, because today no one can be surprised by the installation of traditional “boxes” with diodes. The power of one diode is 1 W, and the total power of the system will be only 8 volts. The only drawback of this option is the luminous intensity of 900 Cd; as we said earlier, the maximum luminous intensity allowed is 800 Cd (the author of the video is TheLadaGranta channel).

Controller for DRL without microcontroller

This is such a tautology. But nevertheless, what is written, according to syntactic, spelling and semantic rules, has the right to life. Author's Note: A controller is an electronics control device; microcontroller is a miniature part of a controller based on an integrated circuit.

If your car is not equipped with standard daytime running lights, and the use of main headlights is too wasteful for you, the Traffic Rules of the Russian Federation allow the use of fog lights to indicate a vehicle during daylight hours.

But this option is rational only if the power of the light bulbs in the fog lights is less than the power of the lamps in the main headlights. If this is not the case, then installing DRLs cannot be avoided. In general, at the moment, the installation of DRLs on a vehicle in use is not mandatory, but by 2022 all vehicles must be equipped with daytime running lights.

As a result, the conclusion suggests itself - definitely install DRLs.

To do this, you can use the services of a specialized auto center, or you can perform this not very complicated operation yourself. Of course, a lot depends on the car (the complexity of removing the dashboard and bumper) and on the origin of the DRL kit itself (factory production or homemade). It should be recalled that independently installed running lights must comply with the requirements of GOST R 41.48-2004 (UNECE Regulations No. 48 and No. 87) or clause 1.3.29 of Appendix No. 5 to the “Technical Regulations for the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles”.

Relay based DRL controller

Most vehicles have standard factory fog lights. But not all drivers use them. The reasons are different: there is no need, the headlights are too power hungry or simply ineffective. So they can be converted into running lights. Naturally, the light bulbs will have to be replaced with LED analogues. This will give good savings

energy and, importantly, will allow you to neglect the consumed current when calculating the electrical mnemonic diagram

Next, you will need to change the standard switching circuit. This is where you will need (with a high degree of probability) to remove the dashboard and bumper. According to workers' reviews, this is done in just over an hour. After gaining access to the on-board electrical wiring, we switch everything as follows:

It is important to ensure the correct operation of the running lights: they must turn on when the ignition key is turned to a position that allows the engine to operate, and turn off when the main headlights or parking lights (dimensions) are turned on for the low/high beam. To do this, the size signal can be taken directly from the button illumination

This way you will never forget to turn off the DRLs. This scheme has been tested by many car owners and has no complaints.

But what to do if in a car, access to the wiring inside the cabin is extremely difficult or even impossible? For a lazy car enthusiast with an inquisitive mind, this will be a real obstacle. We need another solution. Let's consider the following option.

Option on ATmega8

DRL lamps can be purchased separately, without a control module, at a very reasonable price. There are already holes in the bumper (from the fog lights), if not, we cut them out. The entire installation consists of fixing the lamps with four self-tapping screws. It's up to the controller. In the proposed version, we will consider the use of the good “old” ATmega8, an 8-bit microcontroller from Atmel.

By the way, with its help it is also possible to implement additional functions, for example, an indication of the operation of the firewall, which tends to turn off when the car is running. The operating algorithm of the ATmega8 circuit is as follows: if the car is turned off, the voltage on the battery is less than 13.5 V, if it is started, charging is in progress, and the voltage is above 13.5 V.

The running lights turn on automatically.. Of the connections, there are 2 wires to the battery and 2 wires to the DRL. With careful installation, mid-price DRLs will fit very harmoniously into the exterior of the car.

There is also an option for assembling a DRL control controller based on a comparator.

DRL controller circuit on comparator LM358

In this circuit, the comparator is implemented based on a low-power two-channel operational amplifier LM358. The circuit turns out to be very cheap, and besides, there is no need for a voltage stabilizer, the LM358 single-pole power supply is designed for 3 - 30 V, again, saving money. The schematic diagram is below, everything is simple and clear.

Setting up this controller comes down to setting the circuit's response threshold with a trimmer when the generator is operating, i.e. when the voltage in the on-board network is above 13.5 V.

Everything comes together very quickly and works reliably even in severe frost.

archive for the article..

Required materials and tools

In order to assemble a homemade driver, you will need:

Soldering iron with a power of 25-40 W. You can use more power, but this increases the risk of overheating of the elements and their failure. It is best to use a soldering iron with a ceramic heater and a non-burning tip, because... a regular copper tip oxidizes quite quickly and has to be cleaned.
Flux for soldering (rosin, glycerin, FKET, etc.). It is advisable to use a neutral flux - unlike active fluxes (phosphoric and hydrochloric acids, zinc chloride, etc.), it does not oxidize the contacts over time and is less toxic. Regardless of the flux used, after assembling the device, it is better to wash it with alcohol. For active fluxes this procedure is mandatory, for neutral ones - to a lesser extent.
Solder. The most common is low-melting tin-lead solder POS-61. Lead-free solders are less harmful when inhaling fumes during soldering, but have a higher melting point with lower fluidity and a tendency to degrade the weld over time.
Small pliers for bending leads.
Wire cutters or side cutters for cutting long ends of leads and wires.
Installation wires are insulated. Stranded copper wires with a cross-section of 0.35 to 1 mm2 are best suited.
Multimeter for monitoring voltage at nodal points.
Electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.
A small prototype board made of fiberglass. A board measuring 60x40 mm will be sufficient.

PCB development board for quick installation

A little about the driver and connection diagram

Many car enthusiasts who buy ready-made Chinese DRL modules complain about their short service life. The reason for this is not only the low quality of LEDs, but also the lack of stabilized power, which is so important for LEDs. It is highly not recommended to connect LED modules to the on-board network directly or through a constant resistor with a power of 2-5 W, using it instead of an integrated stabilizer. Supply voltage fluctuations from 11.5 V to 14.5 V will lead to a much sharper change in load current (see the current-voltage characteristic of the light-emitting diode). As a result, such DRLs will begin to flicker over time, and after a while they will completely fail. The worst thing about an unstabilized power supply is that even short-term surges up to 14.5 V significantly reduce the service life of the LEDs.

A stabilization unit based on an integrated stabilizer will help you get away from the problem of burnt-out LEDs. Ideally, you need to purchase a ready-made universal board with the function of adjusting the output voltage and current to allow fine tuning. A design based on the LM317 chip (or any similar) with the following parameters is suitable:

input voltage – 7–35 V;
output voltage setting range – 1.25–30 V;
output current setting range – 0–4 A.

To speed up the assembly process, you will have to purchase a small control unit in a sealed case with the necessary set of wires already connected.

As for the connection diagram for daytime running lights, there are two options: either purchase a ready-made DRL control unit, or connect them yourself using a 4 or 5 pin relay. All DRL connection diagrams and their features are described in detail in this article.

What can you make from LEDs with your own hands?

This is a very interesting question. And if you answer it in detail, it will take a lot of time. The most common use of light diodes is to illuminate suspended and suspended ceilings, a work area in the kitchen, or even a computer keyboard.

Expert opinion Igor Marmazov ES, EM, EO design engineer (power supply, electrical equipment, interior lighting) ASP North-West LLC

“For the operation of such elements, a power stabilizer or controller is required. You can even take it from an old Chinese garland. Many “craftsmen” write that an ordinary step-down transformer is sufficient, but this is not so. In this case, the diodes will blink.”

Stabilizer for diode lamps - you can solder a similar one yourself

Current stabilizer - what function does it perform?

A stabilizer for LEDs is a power source that lowers the voltage and equalizes the current. In other words, it creates conditions for the normal operation of elements. At the same time, it protects against voltage increases or decreases on the LEDs. There are stabilizers that can not only regulate voltage, ensuring smooth attenuation of light elements, but also control color or flicker modes. They are called controllers. Similar devices can be seen on garlands. They are also sold in electrical stores for switching with RGB strips. Such controllers are equipped with remote controls.

The design of such a device is not complicated, and if desired, a simple stabilizer can be made with your own hands. To do this, you only need a little knowledge in radio electronics and the ability to hold a soldering iron.

Connection diagram for daytime running lights on a car

Daytime running lights for a car

The use of light diodes in the automotive industry is quite common. For example, DRLs are manufactured exclusively with their help. But if the car is not equipped with running lights, then purchasing them can hit your pocket. Many car enthusiasts make do with a cheap LED strip, but this is not a very good idea. Especially if the strength of its luminous flux is low. A good solution might be to purchase self-adhesive tape with Cree diodes.

It is quite possible to make DRLs using already broken ones by placing new, powerful diodes inside the old cases.

Important! Daytime running lights are designed specifically to make the car visible during the day and not at night. There is no point in checking how they will shine in the dark

DRLs should be visible in the sun. You can easily make this type of advertising yourself.

Flashing LEDs - what is this for?

A good option for using such elements would be an advertising board. But if it glows statically, it will not attract the attention it deserves. The main task is to assemble and solder the shield - this requires some skills, which are not difficult to acquire. After assembly, you can mount a controller from the same garland

The result is a flashing advertisement that will clearly attract attention

Color music using light diodes - is it difficult to make?

This job is no longer for beginners. In order to assemble a full-fledged color music with your own hands, you need not only an accurate calculation of the elements, but also knowledge of radio electronics. But still, its simplest version is within the capabilities of everyone.

The simplest color music - all you have to do is connect the sound sensor

You can always find a sound sensor in radio electronics stores, and many modern switches have one (light when clapping). If you have an LED strip and a stabilizer, then by running “+” from the power supply to the strip through a similar firecracker, you can achieve the desired result.

Voltage indicator: what to do if it burns out

Modern indicator screwdrivers consist of a light diode and resistors with an insulator. Most often this is an ebonite insert. If the element inside burns out, it can be replaced with a new one. And the craftsman himself will choose the color.

This diode can be easily replaced if desired.

Another option is to make a chain tester. To do this you will need 2 AA batteries, wires and a light diode. Having connected the batteries in series, we solder one of the legs of the element to the positive of the battery. The wires will come from the other leg and from the battery negative. As a result, when shorted, the diode will light up (if the polarity is not reversed).

Useful video

You can see some options for installing and connecting the DRL in the video below:

Many car enthusiasts have not yet installed daytime running lights on their car, but perhaps they have been thinking about it for a long time. It's no secret that the absence of running lights, as well as the low beam/fog lights being turned off, can cause your vehicle to be stopped by a vigilant traffic police inspector, which is not very desirable for most drivers, unless the latter lack communication with people and are happy any company at any time.

In addition, if you use low beam or fog lights as daytime running lights (hereinafter referred to as DRLs), you will probably have to change the lamps in these headlights much more often. There is also the issue of increased gas consumption when constantly driving with the low beams on. Of course, this expense is negligible compared to the main one, but it still occurs.

If you have a certain amount of time (depending on skills and experience) and desire, correctly installing DRLs on a car is not such a difficult task for people who know how to hold a soldering iron in their hands and crimp terminals with wires, and in this article I will tell you how to do this .

Of the tools and materials we will need: a crimping device (if you have some skill, pliers will also do), a soldering iron, wire cutters, a knife, a lighter (as an option for tightening the heat-shrink tube), 3-4 meters of two-core wire in PVA insulation 2x1.5 (2x0 is possible .75 if the DRLs are LED and not the fog lights with halogens!). This wire will be needed to connect two lamps in parallel with each other.

You will need a standard 12 V automotive relay, four-pin, reed switch (any), single wire with a diameter of 1.5 to 2.5 mm. approximately 2-3 m., plastic clamps, heat shrinkage. That seems to be all.

Now a few words about connection options.

Option 1.

You can make the DRLs turn on when you turn on the ignition and not turn off until the engine is turned off. This is the simplest option. The negative wire is attached to the car body in any convenient place, the positive wire is attached to the positive wire from the ignition switch or to terminal D of the high-voltage module, preferably through a fuse (not indicated on the diagram).

Option 2.

The same option, but when the low beam is turned on, the DRLs go out. In this case, we connect the plus in the same way as in the first option, and the minus – to the positive wire of the low beam lamp (either of the two). The fact is that an incandescent lamp consumes much more current and has a much lower resistance than LED DRLs and therefore, when the DRLs are turned on in this way, the lamp filament will not heat up even to the minimum glow at full incandescence, and when the DRL is operating, the resistance of the lamp filament is ( even warmed up) will have practically no effect.

As soon as you turn on the low beam, a plus will appear on the negative side of the DRLs and they will go out. True, if you turn on the high beam, the DRLs will light up again. In this case, you can connect the DRLs to the side lamps in the same way (if incandescent lamps are used as such, and not LED!). In most cars I know, the side lamps are a priori connected in parallel, so you can connect the common negative wire from two DRL lamps to any side lamp.

Option 3.

This is an option where the DRLs turn on automatically only when the engine is started and running. In this case, we also connect the minus of the DRL to the car body, and the plus to the 30th contact of the relay. Contact 87 is connected to the more powerful positive (you can connect to the positive terminal of the battery), contact 85 of the relay is connected to the vehicle ground through the running lights, and 86 is connected to the reed switch, to one of its terminals.

We also connect the second output of the reed switch to any plus nearby (can be from the generator or from the same place - from the battery). We start the car and by moving the reed switch around the generator we achieve the relay activation and the DRL ignition. We attach the reed switch, pre-packaged in heat shrink, using a plastic clamp to the generator in the found position and you’re done.

Option 4.

If there is no reed switch. Everything is the same, only contact 86 goes to the oil pressure lamp in the instrument panel.

That's all. In conclusion, I will say that using something made with your own hands is much more pleasant than something made by others. Good luck in implementing your and not yours, but most importantly, interesting ideas.

– these are lighting devices installed on a car and intended for use during daylight hours to improve the visibility of the vehicle while driving. DRLs can be provided by the manufacturer or installed additionally.

Daytime running lights on the VAZ-2114 are not provided by the manufacturer, therefore, if there is such a need, they can be installed additionally.

Popular options for organizing daylighting in a car

After reading all of the above, some motorists may be upset. But in vain - there is a way out of this situation, because it is not necessary to use branded LED headlights. Light sources that you can install yourself, taking into account the technical tolerances of a certain car design, are quite suitable. There are many electrical circuits with which the system will be activated, including connection from a generator - everyone chooses their own option.

For example, you can make DRLs into standard headlights with your own hands from fog lights or at the place where their installation is planned. You don’t need permission to do this, all you have to do is connect the system as follows:

When you turn the ignition key, the running lights turn on automatically.
When the headlights are turned on, the running lights turn on, except in cases where the headlights are turned on briefly.

Budget ways to implement daylight lights

LED running lights Eagle Eye HD-202b are mounted in standard PTF plugs.
A flexible strip of LEDs secured around the fog lamp using double-sided tape.
Installation of round lensed lamps in the places of standard PTF mounting.
The use of an electronic relay to control the power of standard lamps, which allows them to be used as running lights.

The last option is quite simple to implement, so it is worth considering it in more detail.

The main mistakes when making DRLs with your own hands

First of all, you need to figure out what kind of device it is. Daytime running lights are not dimensions! They need to be tested not at night, but during the day.

The lights must be visible from a great distance. Contrary to popular belief, when assembling DRLs from an LED strip with your own hands, you need to use the most powerful strip available. With such dimensions as the average running lights, it is quite difficult to exceed the permissible brightness using an LED strip.

Don't forget about cooling, but don't install too large radiators. Do not forget that the flow of incoming air when the car is moving practically replaces active cooling. Therefore, the radiator area can be half as large as under normal conditions for passive cooling of luminaires.

Legal situation in Ukraine and Russia

In 2010, the Russian Road Traffic Rules (TRAF) were updated with amendments, according to which all cars must travel at any time with low beam headlights, or DRLs, or fog lights on.

This change allows the car to be more visible on the road and improves orientation in bad weather conditions. The amendments outlined the very explanation of DRLs and stipulate the regulatory requirements for DRLs and their installation.

On the territory of Ukraine, changes to traffic regulations regarding daylight came into force on April 15, 2022. They require all vehicles to comply with this requirement between October 1st and May 1st.

DRL control unit

The most reliable and simplest option is to connect DRLs without a relay, but using a special running lights control unit. It ensures that the DRL turns on after starting the engine, guarantees safe operation, protects against overloads and can be installed on cars with any type of lamps, including LEDs.

Unfortunately, among the variety of industrially manufactured DRL units, the vast majority do not comply with GOST and have mediocre build quality.

This applies, first of all, to products from AliExpress, which do not meet the requirements in almost all respects.

Among all the diversity, only 2 options can be noted: the Russian DayLight+ DRL control unit and German products from Philips and Osram. The DayLight+ control unit was developed by Russian radio engineer Fedor Isachenkov, taking into account all the features of the vehicle’s on-board network and has a number of positive aspects:

there is built-in voltage stabilization;
full compliance with GOST;
the maximum long-term load power is 36 Watts (significantly less is required for DRLs);
simplest connection diagram.

What are the main characteristics of LEDs?

When choosing such elements for a particular purpose, everyone pays attention to their technical data. The main things you should pay attention to when purchasing devices based on them:

consumption current;
Rated voltage;
power consumption;
color temperature;
luminous flux strength.

This is what we can see on the labeling of LED lamps. In fact, there are much more characteristics. Let's talk about them now.

LED current consumption - what is it?

The LED consumption current is 0.02 A. But this only applies to elements with one crystal. There are also more powerful light diodes, which can contain 2, 3 or even 4 crystals. In this case, the current consumption will increase, a multiple of the number of chips. It is this parameter that dictates the need to select a resistor that is soldered at the input. In this case, the LED resistance prevents the high current from instantly burning the LED element. This may happen due to high mains current.

RGB spotlights with controller and remote control are really good

Rated voltage

The voltage of an LED is directly dependent on its color. This happens due to the difference in the materials used to make them. Let's consider this dependence.

LED color	Material	Forward voltage at 20 mA
Typical value (V)	Range (V)
IR	GaAs, GaAlAs	1,2	1,1-1,6
Red	GaAsP, GaP, AlInGaP	2,0	1,5-2,6
Orange	GaAsP, GaP, AlGaInP	2,0	1,7-2,8
Yellow	GaAsP, AlInGaP, GaP	2,0	1,7-2,5
Green	GaP, InGaN	2,2	1,7-4,0
Blue	ZnSe, InGaN	3,6	3,2-4,5
White	Blue/UV diode with phosphor	3,6	2,7-4,3

Light diode resistance

The same LED itself can have different resistance. It changes depending on its inclusion in the circuit. In one direction - about 1 kOhm, in the other - several MOhms. But there is a nuance here. LED resistance is nonlinear. This means that it can change depending on the voltage applied to it. The higher the voltage, the lower the resistance will be.

Spot ceiling light with diodes is very economical

Light output and beam angle

The angle of the luminous flux of LEDs may vary, depending on their shape and material of manufacture. It cannot exceed 120. For this reason, if greater dispersion is required, special reflectors and lenses are used. This quality of “directional light” contributes to the greatest luminous flux, which can reach 300-350 lm for one 3 W LED.

LED lamp power

LED power is a purely individual value. It can vary in the range from 0.5 to 3 W. It can be determined by Ohm's law P = I × U, where I is the current strength and U is the LED voltage.

Power is a fairly important indicator. Especially when it is necessary to calculate which power supply is needed for a particular number of elements.

Colorful temperature

This parameter is similar to other lamps. The closest temperature spectrum to LED fluorescent lamps is. Color temperature is measured in K (Kelvin). The glow can be warm (2700-3000K), neutral (3500-4000K) or cold (5700-7000K). In fact, there are many more shades; the main ones are listed here.

There can be hundreds of crystals on such a platform

LED element chip size

You won’t be able to measure this parameter yourself when purchasing, and now the dear reader will understand why. The most common sizes are 45x45 mil and 30x30 mil (corresponding to 1 W), 24x40 mil (0.75 W) and 24x24 mil (0.5 W). If we translate into a more familiar measurement system, then 30x30 mil will be equal to 0.762x0.762mm.

There can be many chips (crystals) in one LED. If the element does not have a phosphor layer (RGB - color), then the number of crystals can be counted.

Important! You should not buy very cheap LEDs made in China. They may not only be of poor quality, but their characteristics are most often overstated. It is quite difficult to distinguish a fake from the original when purchasing

Driver settings.

Before purchasing a device or making it yourself, you need to familiarize yourself with what its main characteristics are:

Rated current consumption.
Power.
Output voltage.

The voltage at the output of the converter directly depends on the chosen method of connecting the light source and the number of LEDs. The current has a direct relationship with the brightness and power of the elements.

The converter must provide a current at which the LEDs will operate at the same brightness. The PT4115 LED driver circuit is implemented quite simply - it is the most common voltage converter for use with LED elements. You can literally make a device based on it “on your knees.”

Lighting LED

These LEDs are used for indoor and street lighting as part of lanterns, car headlights, LED strips, etc. In this regard, they have high power, high radiation intensity, and are produced only in white color in surface-mount housings.

Typically two varieties are produced, differing in color temperature: cool white and warm white.

Since crystals emitting white light do not exist in nature, in the production of lighting LEDs they resort to various technologies for mixing three basic colors (RGB). The color temperature of the resulting white light depends on the way they are added.

One way to obtain a white glow is to coat the emitting crystal with three layers of phosphor, with each layer responsible for its own base color. Another method is to apply two layers of phosphor to a blue crystal.

Lighting SMD LED

Most lighting LEDs are also available in SMD packages. Unlike indicator lamps, they are characterized by greater power and are produced only in white color.

The main areas of application of SMD are LED strips and lamps, portable lights, and vehicle headlights. At the same time, they produce fairly directional radiation (about 100⁰-130⁰), so when lighting large areas it is necessary to use a large number of these LEDs to uniformly illuminate the area.

Structurally, lighting SMDs are a phosphor-coated emitting crystal on a heat-removing substrate, usually copper or aluminum. There are both varieties with and without a lens.

COB LEDs

LEDs of the COB (Chip On Board) type have become widespread. Essentially, this is the integration of a large number (usually several dozen) of SMD crystals in one package, which are then coated with a phosphor.

The picture above shows for comparison a Cree SMD 5050 (left) and a COB matrix of 36 chips (right).

COBs are used for lighting only. Their luminous flux is an order of magnitude greater than that of single SMDs. However, it should be noted that these LEDs are not suitable for creating highly targeted radiation due to the large scattering angle of the light flux. At the same time, it will also not be possible to create completely non-directional radiation - the scattering angle of the LEDs is less than 180⁰.

Filament LED

This type of LED is also currently used only for lighting. They are widely used as decorative lighting for rooms. The emission spectrum, unlike SMD and COB, is much more pleasant to the human eye and resembles the light of an incandescent lamp. At the same time, all the inherent advantages of LED are preserved: low power consumption and long service life.

This video shows a comparison between a 40 W incandescent decorative lamp and a 4 W Filament lamp:

Here you can see that with a power 10 times less, the luminous flux emitted by the Filament lamp is 3-4 times greater.

At the same time, the efficiency of Filament is even higher than that of the same SMDs - with the same power, the former allow you to obtain greater illumination. This is achieved through COG (Chip On Glass) technology, in which light-emitting crystals are mounted on a glass substrate and then coated with a phosphor.

The substrate itself has a cylindrical shape, which makes it possible to obtain a light flux scattering angle of 360⁰. That is, such LEDs are very good at creating non-directional radiation.

LED colors.

Be sure to take into account what color the LED emits. This determines what voltage drop they will have at the same current strength. For example, with a supply current of 0.35 A, the voltage drop for the red LED elements is approximately 1.9-2.4 V. The average power is 0.75 W. A similar model with green color will already have a drop in the range of 3.3-3.9 V, and a power of 1.25 W. Therefore, if you use a 220V LED driver circuit with conversion to 12V, you can connect a maximum of 9 elements with green color or 16 with red color to it.

LEDs for the Philips model

LEDs for Philips DRLs have high conductivity. Their brightness indicator is 30 microns. As experts say, problems with overheating occur very rarely. In this case, the output voltage is at the level of 10 V. The sensitivity indicator on average reaches 5 mV. The light output of the models is low. Current consumption does not exceed 3.3 A.

The minimum permissible temperature for operating LEDs is -10 degrees. The transceiver in the device is of the operational type. In total, the model has one filter. The trigger in the LEDs for Philips DRLs is of a two-pin type. The maximum resistance indicator is at 45 ohms.

How to make a driver for LEDs

The circuits below use the most common elements that can be purchased at any radio store. No special equipment is required during assembly; all necessary tools are widely available. Despite this, with a careful approach, the devices work for quite a long time and are not much inferior to commercial samples.

Using a five-pin relay to connect

So, it may seem to you that there is no universal solution and any scheme has serious drawbacks. This is wrong. In fact, there are two whole schemes that take into account all the requirements and can be used without violations. The first of them is connecting daytime running lights using a relay with five contacts. It takes into account all the shortcomings of previous methods and eliminates them. This diagram looks like this.

The positive terminals of the LED DRL (two terminal terminals of the LED modules) are connected through the first terminal to the positive of the ignition switch.
The second terminal is connected to the positive terminal of the dimensions.
The third terminal attaches to the body of your vehicle.
The fourth terminal is again connected to the positive of the ignition switch.
The fifth terminal should be isolated and not connected to anything.

Using this scheme, you can correctly install your daytime running lights in accordance with all the requirements of GOSTs and traffic regulations. The voltage after you start the engine is supplied directly to the DRL at 12 volts. This way you turn on your running lights when you turn on the ignition. If any headlights are turned on - both the main beam headlights and the side headlights, then the circuit will break and voltage will no longer be supplied to the DRLs. Without current they turn off.

The presence or absence of diodes cannot prevent this circuit from working.

All you need to connect the daytime running lights in accordance with all the rules using five terminals, all you need are a few connecting wires, the terminals on which you will fix them, the ties with which you you will connect the terminals and wires, and a heat pipe for insulation. Once you are sure that everything works as it should, carefully secure everything under the hood so as not to disturb the operation of the already assembled circuit and in accordance with your sense of beauty.

This circuit allows current to pass to the daytime running lights completely independently of other paths. Therefore, the operation of the dimensions and DRLs is not directly interconnected and it is possible to use any internal devices without taking into account their power and classification.

How to properly connect DRL to a car?

In addition to installing and assembling the structure itself, you need to correctly connect everything to the electrical circuit of the car. The picture shows the simplest and most reliable DRL connection diagram. Let's take a closer look at it.

K1 is a relay with five contacts, one of the power contacts is normally closed, that is, it is closed when no current flows through the relay winding, and the other is normally open, it closes when current flows through the relay winding. This is one of the standard relays and is sold at any auto store.

Automotive relay, 12V

When you turn on the ignition, power is supplied to the DRL through the normally closed contacts, and when you turn on the low beam, the DRL relay is turned on from the power positive that goes to the lamps and the contacts open.

Making high-quality LED running lights for cars with your own hands is quite simple. They will surpass cheap Chinese crafts in quality and performance, and will work much longer.

Homemade DRLs will be cheaper than branded ones, and the experience gained is priceless.

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Use of high-power LEDs 1-3 W

When making running lights with your own hands, in addition to the LED strip, you can use heavy-duty LEDs.

Previous solutions have one significant drawback - the inability to adjust the direction and angle of the light flux. For high-power LEDs of 1-3W, there are many optical solutions on the market from 10 to 120 degrees.

To make LED DRLs with your own hands on powerful crystals you will need:

LEDs 1W from 3 to 5 pcs (to provide the required light intensity);
lenses collecting at an angle of 30 degrees;
driver for LEDs with characteristics: input voltage 12V, output current 300mA, up to 5W;
substrate for attaching to the radiator;
radiator with an area of about 100 cm2.

The driver is needed to provide stabilized current to the LEDs. You can also use a circuit with a quenching resistor as in previous homemade products, but the power of the resistor in this case will be too large and such a solution is not reliable.

To mount LEDs on a radiator, you need either heat-conducting glue or a special substrate for mounting and thermal paste. The LED is soldered to this substrate, and it is screwed onto the radiator.

You can also find ready-made sites for installation; in some cases this is a more convenient option. Some stores have such substrates with LEDs mounted on them.

Thermal paste or thermal pad is needed to ensure better heat transfer, as well as fill the unevenness of the substrate and radiator to improve heat transfer.

When making DRLs with your own hands from LEDs using such a kit, you will need a housing; you can make it yourself from scrap materials, or use old fog lights or something similar.

How to make DRLs on a Priora with your own hands from high beam headlights using a relay?

the DRL-30 electronic makes it possible to turn on the high-beam lamps at only 30% of their full power. This is enough to use them as running lights. They turn on when the ignition is on, the lights are off and the handbrake is released. The relay is installed in place of the standard microprocessor device and connected using the following technology:

Disconnect the ground terminal from the battery.
Open the cover of the relay block, remove the high beam relay K7 and install DRL 30 in its place.
Unscrew the screws securing the instrument panel frame and remove the instrument cluster by pressing the latch.
Route the relay wires under the panel so that the ends are level with the instrument connector.
Connect the wires using connecting elements according to the diagram.
Connect the connector and ground terminal of the battery.

Requirements for daytime running lights, according to UNECE Regulation No. 48

If you are choosing daytime running lights and have determined their function and benefits of use, then it is worth talking about the requirements for them.

This covers installation, quantity, placement, geometric visibility, direction and functional wiring diagram issues, which are covered in the main sections.

Let's briefly list these requirements:

DRLs are installed in the amount of two pieces; they are prohibited from being installed on trailers.
No installation instructions are intended.
There are certain restrictions on the placement relative to the ground level, the edges of visible surfaces, with the obligatory condition that the driver is not disturbed directly or as a result of reflection by the emitted light.
Automatic activation of the DRLs must be ensured.

Requirements for DRL

Having decided to install or modernize DRLs yourself, you should adhere to some rules. Installation of several LEDs is, albeit a small, but still a change in the design of the car, which is regulated by regulatory documents, in particular GOST R 41.48-2004. This standard contains requirements for vehicle certification regarding the installation of lighting and light signaling devices. In accordance with clause 6.19, DRLs are optionally installed in the amount of two pieces according to an arbitrary pattern. The regulation limits the area of their placement, which is clearly shown in the figure. The “geometric visibility” parameter is also standardized, according to which the horizontal deviation of the light flux should not exceed 20°, and vertically 10°. DRLs must turn on (off) automatically when the engine starts (stops). The electrical circuit of the car must provide for turning off the running lights when the headlights are turned on. They must occupy an area of at least 40 cm2 and have a luminous intensity of 400-800 cd. There are no other requirements. Therefore, we can move on to the circuit design issue.

How not to do DRL?

Quite often it is suggested to use improvised means in the form of tapes. Such ribbons may be inferior in brightness even to side lights, since they resemble an ordinary garland. It is necessary to check the installed DRLs during the daytime in the light of the sun from a distance of at least 100 meters. Also, do not install the LED strip in the first place you come across. Such placement may be contrary to regulations. It is also not recommended to use LED tubes due to the fact that this design is more similar to decorative lighting. Good luck and easy travels!

I decided to assemble my own lamps for the DRLs. Three years ago, when I was redoing my headlights, I installed Chinese lamps as DRL lamps. Chinese lamps last for half a year at most. That's why I was puzzled to assemble my lamps. I’ve been digesting this topic for almost a year, while at the same time I was looking for an aluminum blank for the radiator. As a result, I collected all the materials and ordered a turner to turn out the radiator.

I didn't do any calculations for the radiator. I simply machined two radiators of the largest possible size from a found aluminum billet. I bought Samsung LEDs, 1000mA, 5300K and made aluminum boards for them.

I soldered the LEDs and glued the board to the radiator using heat-conducting glue. It would be better, of course, to secure the board to the radiator with bolts, but I decided to conduct an experiment. Otherwise I'll redo it.

I decided to use current stabilizers - Chinese 600mA.

To ensure that the lamp would be properly attached, I used old sockets, simply cut out everything unnecessary from them and put it on the radiator.

LED strip running lights

To implement such technical requirements in practice, we will assemble DRLs from LEDs with our own hands, using a 5050 type tape with a density of 60 pieces/meter. To get this brightness, you need to cut about 24 LEDs, that's 8 sections.

You can glue the tape around the perimeter of the headlight onto the existing adhesive coating. A more reliable option is to use a cable channel and secure it with epoxy glue, this will be more reliable. As a result, you will get a structure like this:

Do-it-yourself flexible DRLs are made using the same principle.

To ensure that the tape lasts as long as possible, stabilize the voltage at 12 volts. When the engine is running, the voltage in the on-board network can reach values of more than 14 volts. The easiest way is to use a linear stabilizer ROLL or L7812.

DIY daytime running lights

Due to the fact that factory-installed running lights are quite expensive, more and more car enthusiasts are giving preference to hand-assembled lighting. To make your own connection for daytime running lights or even make them yourself, you need to stock up on the following materials:

fog lights, even the most affordable ones will do;
aluminum plates;
LED strips.

Next, homemade daylight sources are assembled according to the following scheme:

We disassemble purchased cheap fog lights:

the glass is held on by sealant, so you need to warm it up with a hairdryer, evenly blowing on all sides of the lighting unit, but if this does not help, then you can put the headlights in an oven preheated to 100C for 3-5 minutes;
remove the glass from the block by prying the edge with a flat screwdriver;
Then we tint the glass with any film (here you don’t have to spend money on an expensive one), it will dry while you work on the lighting.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TOemJ2lq2DQ

We disassemble the car headlight unit - disconnect all the wires, then the surface of the holder, the lens.
From the purchased aluminum plates we cut out even substrates for the light bulb strips. Please note that the plates must be as flat as possible and free of rust.
We glue the plates onto the sealant to the inside of the diffuser body and wait until it dries. It is better to use silicone sealant.
We take an LED strip (preferably with silicone protection) and make LED lighting elements:

they should consist of two strips of LEDs, which are mounted on aluminum plates exactly horizontally;
We attach them to the same sealant and seal them.

Next, we secure all the parts and place the tinted glass on a layer of sealant.

You need to connect the daytime running lights yourself to the car’s power supply in several sequential steps:

Remaking the standardized foglight connection diagram to the connection mode immediately after starting the engine.
Dismantling the “zero” contact on the relay winding, which is responsible for the power windows.
Insulation of the removed contact.
Connecting the finished contact of the vehicle's fog light button to this trim, since it functions together with the engine running.
Installation of the prepared circuit into the mounting block, directly into the relay housing.

For several years now, daytime running lights have become mandatory for installation on cars in the Russian Federation. The market is overflowing with Chinese crafts that do not meet technical requirements and GOST standards. Car enthusiasts were not at a loss and began to actively make DRLs with their own hands.

To make the right LED DRLs, you need to know what requirements apply to them:

Luminous intensity – from 400 to 800 candelas;
luminous angle vertically 25 degrees and 55 horizontally;
The area that emits light must be at least 40 cm2.

Controller for DRL without microcontroller

As a result, the conclusion suggests itself - definitely install DRLs.

Relay based DRL controller

energy and, importantly, will allow you to neglect the consumed current when calculating the electrical mnemonic diagram

This way you will never forget to turn off the DRLs. This scheme has been tested by many car owners and has no complaints.

Option on ATmega8

There is also an option for assembling a DRL control controller based on a comparator.

DRL controller circuit on comparator LM358

Setting up this controller comes down to setting the circuit's response threshold with a trimmer when the generator is operating, i.e. when the voltage in the on-board network is above 13.5 V.

Everything comes together very quickly and works reliably even in severe frost.

archive for the article..

LEDs Sirius NS-42055

LEDs of this series are equipped with high-quality filters. The trigger also deserves attention. Many experts note that problems with adapter heating are rare. The maximum luminous efficiency parameter is 460 lm. The impulse noise protection system is of the third class. This model is not afraid of elevated temperatures. The permissible humidity level for LEDs is 50%. The device is perfect for Honda, Mazda and Toyota cars.

There is a power surge protection system. The filter for LEDs is of the network type. If we talk about indicators, then the maximum resistance reaches 45 Ohms. The frequency deviation in the device is 4.5 Hz. The output voltage of the LEDs does not exceed 20 V. The device is not suitable for daytime running light systems with wired triggers.

Materials: https://fb.ru/article/241633/svetodiodyi-dlya-dho-dho-svoimi-rukami-iz-svetodiodov

LEDs for DRLs

It is better to assemble a DRL design with your own hands based on super-bright Cree or Osram LEDs in a housing with a diameter of 5 mm. The advantage of these LEDs is their high-quality epoxy resin housing, which is resistant to solar radiation, temperature changes and humidity. In addition, such LEDs do not require forced cooling, since their supply current is insignificant and amounts to about 20 mA. It is worth noting that these LEDs are produced with a scattering angle of 15°, 25°, 30°, which is important for the design of daytime running lights. For example, the Cree C503C-WAS LED with a real luminous intensity of 35000 mcd and cool white emission. Its market value fluctuates around $0.6.

Circuits (chips) of LED drivers.

As a rule, LED drivers are built on integrated stabilizers (KRENxx, or imported analogues) or PWM. The schemes are quite simple.

Using microcircuits for stabilization.

Schematic diagrams of LED drivers.

There is a circuit for a homemade current source based on the Soviet K142EN12A microcircuit. Resistor R2 allows you to change the brightness of the light.

Schematic diagram using domestic components.

Classic driver circuit.

To independently assemble an LED power supply, we will deal with the simplest pulse-type device that does not have galvanic isolation. The main advantage of this type of circuit is simple connection and reliable operation.

The 220 V converter circuit is presented as a switching power supply. During assembly, all electrical safety rules must be observed, since there are no limits on current output

The scheme of such a mechanism is composed of three main cascade areas:

Capacitive voltage separator.
Rectifier.
Surge Protectors.

The first section is the resistance provided to alternating current on capacitor C1 with a resistor. The latter is required solely for self-charging of the inert element. It does not affect the operation of the circuit.

The nominal value of the resistor can be in the range of 100 kOhm-1 Mohm, with a power of 0.5-1 W. The capacitor must be electrolytic, and its effective amplitude voltage value is 400-500 V

When the generated half-wave voltage passes through the capacitor, current flows until the plates are fully charged. The smaller the capacity of the mechanism, the less time it will take to fully charge it.

For example, a device with a volume of 0.3-0.4 μF is charged during 1/10 of the half-wave period, i.e., only a tenth of the passing voltage will pass through this section.

The straightening process in this section is carried out according to the Graetz scheme. The diode bridge is selected based on the rated current and reverse voltage. In this case, the last value should not be less than 600 V

The second stage is an electrical device that converts (rectifies) alternating current into pulsating current. This process is called full-wave. Since one part of the half-wave has been smoothed by a capacitor, the output of this section will have a DC current of 20-25 V.

Since the LED power supply should not exceed 12 V, a stabilizing element must be used for the circuit. For this purpose, a capacitive filter is introduced. For example, you can use model L7812

The third stage operates on the basis of a smoothing stabilizing filter - an electrolytic capacitor. The choice of its capacitive parameters depends on the load strength.

Since the assembled circuit reproduces its operation immediately, you cannot touch the bare wires, since the conducted current reaches tens of amperes - the lines are first insulated.

Types of drivers.

By type they can be divided into:

Linear. They are most suitable if the input voltage is not stable. Features improved stabilization. Rarely distributed due to low efficiency. Generates more heat, suitable for low-power loads.

Driver internals

Appearance and circuit diagram of the LED 1338G7 driver.

Pulse. Based on PWM chips. They have high efficiency. They are characterized by low heating and long service life.

Recom PWM driver.

PWM chips create significant levels of electromagnetic interference. People with pacemakers are not recommended to stay in rooms where such drivers are used to power LEDs.

Driver working with dimmer. The principle is based on the use of a PWM controller. The principle is that the current on the LEDs is regulated. Low quality products give a shimmering effect.

Driver with dimmer.

Electronic view of the device.

Ideally, the electronic converter should be equipped with a transistor. Its role is to unload the control microcircuit. To eliminate or smooth out ripple as much as possible, a capacitor is mounted at the output.

This type of device belongs to the expensive category, but it is capable of stabilizing current up to 750 mA, which ballast mechanisms are not capable of.

The newest drivers are mainly installed on light bulbs with an E27 socket. An exception to the rule is Gauss GU5.3 products. They are equipped with a transformerless converter. However, the degree of pulsation in them reaches several hundred Hz

Pulsation is not the only drawback of converters. The second can be called electromagnetic interference in the high frequency (HF) range. So, if other electrical appliances are connected to the socket connected to the lamp, for example, a radio, you can expect interference when receiving digital FM frequencies, television, router, etc.

The optional device of a quality device must have two capacitors: one is electrolytic to smooth out ripples, the other is ceramic to reduce RF. However, such a combination can be found rarely, especially when talking about Chinese products.

Those who have general concepts in such electrical circuits can independently select the output parameters of the electronic converter by changing the value of the resistors

Due to their high efficiency (up to 95%), such mechanisms are suitable for powerful devices used in various fields, for example, for car tuning, street lighting, and household LED sources.

Power supply based on capacitors.

Now let's move on to less popular devices - those based on capacitors. Almost all low-cost LED lamp circuits that use this type of driver have similar characteristics.

However, due to modifications by the manufacturer, they undergo changes, for example, the removal of some circuit element. Especially often this part is one of the capacitors - a smoothing one.

Due to the uncontrolled filling of the market with cheap and low-quality goods, users can “feel” one hundred percent pulsation in the lamps. Even without delving into their design, we can say that the smoothing element has been removed from the circuit

Such mechanisms have only two advantages: they are available for self-assembly, and their efficiency is equal to one hundred percent, since losses will only occur at pn junctions and resistances.

There are the same number of negative aspects: low electrical safety and high degree of pulsation. The second disadvantage is around 100 Hz and is formed as a result of rectification of the alternating voltage. GOST specifies a norm of permissible pulsation of 10-20%, depending on the purpose of the room where the lighting device is installed.

The only way to mitigate this drawback is to select a capacitor with the correct rating. However, you should not count on completely eliminating the problem - such a solution can only smooth out the intensity of the bursts.

Dimmable current converters.

Drivers-dimmers for dimmable LED bulbs allow you to change the incoming and outgoing current indicators, while reducing or increasing the brightness of the light emitted by the diodes.

There are two connection methods:

the first involves a soft start;
the second is impulse.

Consider the operating principle of dimmable drivers based on the CPC9909 chip, used as a regulating device for LED circuits, including those with high brightness.

Diagram of standard connection of CPC9909 with 220 V power supply. According to the schematic instructions, it is possible to control one or more powerful consumers

During a soft start, the microcircuit with the driver ensures gradual switching on of the diodes with increasing brightness. This process involves two resistors connected to the LD pin, designed to perform the task of smooth dimming. This is how an important task is achieved – extending the service life of LED elements.

The same output also provides analog regulation - the 2.2 kOhm resistor is replaced with a more powerful variable analogue - 5.1 kOhm. In this way, a smooth change in output potential is achieved.

The second method involves supplying rectangular pulses to the low-frequency output of the PWMD. In this case, either a microcontroller or a pulse generator is used, which are necessarily separated by an optocoupler.

With or without housing?

Drivers are available with or without a housing. The first option is the most common and more expensive. Such devices are protected from moisture and dust particles.

Devices of the second type are used for hidden installation and, accordingly, are inexpensive.

All presented devices can be powered from a 12 V or 220 V network. Despite the fact that open-frame models benefit in price, they lag significantly behind in terms of safety and reliability of the mechanism

Each of them differs in the permissible temperature during operation - this must also be taken into account when selecting.