Hi all,

I recently got these:


and I want to attempt to integrate them tastefully (if that's possible) into the foglight covers that I have on my 05 TSX. They will obviously not serve as fogs since they are LEDs so they'll be mainly for show.

The problem is that I want to connect them so that they are on whenever the car is on. Do I need to hook them up through the fusebox into and empty slot? or do I need to find a wire that supplies 12V that's not going through any relay so that they'll be on at all times?

Any help appreciated.

P.S
I have the service manual so I have access to all the wiring diagrams and such.

 

You don't want a constant 12V source because they'd stay on even after shutting the car off. So you do want to tap a wire that goes through a relay or switch.

According to my 06 manual, you can tap these (it should be the same as your 05)
1) Tap underdash fuse#30 - Hot in ON
2) Tap underdash fuse#32 - Hot in ACC/ON
3) Splice into the accessory socket + wire (white/red, under center panel). This one is hot in ACC/ON as well.

Choose one of these above, then just connect the LED ground wires to the frame.

With nos. 1-2 above, you can use an Add-a-Circuit Fuse Tapper (autozone, pepboys, etc). #3 above, tapping the accessory socket wire, is the most common way to do it if you don't mind having them on in ACC too.


Just to note, there are other issues with this:

1) Flickering during start: When you start the car, the key moves past ACC and ON to START for cranking. The LEDs will flicker while you pass over ACC and ON, turn off while cranking, then turn back on after cranking. It likely won't hurt anything, but to stop this, you could make it so the LEDs won't turn on at all until you also shift out of park (with an AT). To do this, in addition to tapping the + wires to the accessory socket, you would also wire the LEDs ground wires to the out-of-park wire (yel/blu, pin-2 of connector P on the side of the underdash fusebox).

2) Regulations: For this to be legal, you'll still need the LEDs to turn off when the high beams turn on. This is up to you, but just note that you could fail inspection or get a ticket. This makes implementing DRLs a little more complicated. It would require an SPDT relay to act as a circuit breaker.

Good luck

 

Thanks for all the info aCUREa! I really appreciate it.

I realized that I can't have a constant voltage after posting.. for that same reason you provided

I'll definitely use all this info when attempting the install and I'll post again with an update and pics of how it went, probably after the upcoming weekend.

If anybody else has any input, please go ahead and share!

 

Just make sure the total current the LEDs will draw isn't too much for the source you tap. Do you know how much current they run?

 

I'm not sure about the current. I don't have a multimeter at hand but I'll have one before installing so I'll be able to check. I thought LEDs in general do not draw a lot of current. I also noticed that the wires are very thin so I doubt it will draw much. In any case, I can check before installing

 

i just have mine tapped to parking lights. looks great at dawn/dusk.

 

Daffunda: so they're only on when you are in park lights mode?

 

Yea, you should be okay with current draw. I thought those were different LEDs when I first glanced at the pic, but I looked closer, and they're only single rows.

 

Yes, they would only turn on if you have either your parking lamps on, or your headlights on.

 

I tapped my while I have my parking light on. But I install it on my RL

 

wow that RL is slammed!!! anyways the LEDs look pretty nice n bright, how much did yall get them for??

 

The LEDs look like they belong there

 

That is a sick looking RL

 

KB1Spec, those are nicely done LEDs
I managed to integrate mine over the weekend but I wasn't able to find an add-a-circuit kit to actually connect them, so that will be done in 2 weeks time or so. Here's a cellphone pic of what they look like mounted:

 

You don't have to use an add-a-circuit. If you can't fine one, then there are wires you can directly splice into for ACC/ON or for ON-only instead of tapping the fuse slot. The only catch is that you will need an inline fuse holder and solder. The add-a-circuit would be easier though.

Which fuse slot do you plan to tap?

 

What I did on my was I just connect it onto my parking light. SO when I have my parking light on, it will goes on. You can add a switch to it but lots of work. I think it's best is just tap onto the parking light. Good luck.

 

^^tapping the parklights would be the easiest because the wire to tap is right in the engine bay. To have ACC/ON, you'd need to get the LED wire through the firewall to the interior fusebox.

 

I managed to find a fuse in the under-hood fusebox that only had current going to it when the car was in ACC as well as ON modes. It's some 30amp fuse, possibly #2 but I can't remember right now. I figured it will be perfect to have the LEDs on whenever the car is on, regardless of headlight mode.

 

I just realized that there is also a Hot-in-On wire in the engine bay that comes from fuse#30. This is a black/yellow wire that connects to pin#9 of a gray connector that plugs into the bottom of the underhood fusebox. I can post a picture to show its position if you want.

Regarding the one you just found, if it is underhood#2, then measure with a DMM to make sure its a + because my book says #2 is a ground. It will still work if its a ground

 

So I've finally managed to complete the install with the help from my dad who is better at running wires and figuring out electronics than I am. Hooked it all up through a 30A fuse in the under-hood fusebox that supplies power when the key is in the accessory (II position), so basically when the engine is running. This way I have them on regardless of headlight mode. Here are some pics:

With daytime running


With headlights


Closeup

 

Nice to see you got it, and it looks great with the DRL

The only problem is that 30A is way too large of a fuse to offer any protection. I'd use a smaller inline fuse (like 10x smaller = 3A fuse). Its a fire risk.

Did you tap underhood fuse#2?

 

I don't recall which # it is but it was the small 30Amp that had something like defroster coil in the description. I agree with you about having an inline fuse and my dad actually suggested that after I left home (I live in a different city). I'm gonna have him put one in when I visit next time.

 

How did he tap the 30A fuse? Did he use a fuse tapper (add-a-circuit)?

If so, you could put a different-valued fuse in the LED branch and still have the 30A fuse on the original branch (defroster coil), in which case you wouldn't need another fuse holder or to cut any wires.

By the way, the blue looks neat with the yellow incand DRL... its the relative difference in Kelvin rating... neat.

 

My dad just soldered a wire to the positive terminal of the 30amp fuse hehe (I'll take a picture if I have the chance. So the idea now is to add another one to that wire that is a 3amp fuse or something like that..

 

I just noticed the RL has some lights pointing at the ground around each door. Would be nice if they were not on while driving, I'd hate to get pulled over.

 

Those are puddle lights that i custom made. It only lights up with I arm or disarm my factory alarm or when it is on when the doors are open. I tap the puddle lights with the interior dome light