C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Electrical Question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 25, 2009 | 11:21 PM
  #1  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default Electrical Question

I want to install new clear corner lights with an
LED stripe at the bottom. I want the LED strip to be my DRL and eliminate the stock DRL lights. One suggestion was to blow the #2 fuse and run a wire from the power side of the fuse to the LED strip. This way my parking lighs and turn signal will work as stock and the DRLs would be the LED strip.

I am looking for other suggestion. Has anyone else done this switch?

To throw a wrinkle into the mix I would like to also install the switchback LED lights.

suggestions???

FRED
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 04:53 AM
  #2  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

I just installed mine yesterday. I wired mine so the LED strips are on all the time as well as the DRLs. A little different then what you want but with the Switchbacks I think it's a good option and all the wiring is done at the housings;





I tapped both the DRLs (Light Blue and Dark Blue wires) and the parking light Brown wire and isolated them with Diodes. The only funky thing is that during the day with the lights off the whole assembly flashes with the turn signals Switchbacks, 194 and LED strip... I like it though.
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 11:23 AM
  #3  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default

Originally Posted by tstar
I just installed mine yesterday. I wired mine so the LED strips are on all the time as well as the DRLs. A little different then what you want but with the Switchbacks I think it's a good option and all the wiring is done at the housings;





I tapped both the DRLs (Light Blue and Dark Blue wires) and the parking light Brown wire and isolated them with Diodes. The only funky thing is that during the day with the lights off the whole assembly flashes with the turn signals Switchbacks, 194 and LED strip... I like it though.

Dumb question but why two wires to the DLR ?? Any idea why U got the whole set up to flash with the turn signals?? I saw you vedio and not sure it is my thing. are there different Diodes or does one cover all?
Fred
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 01:18 PM
  #4  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

Left and Right side = two sorry... I used a 12 volt, 1 watt Diode on each line feeding the LED strip.

Tim

Last edited by tstar; Oct 26, 2009 at 09:20 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 09:15 PM
  #5  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default

Originally Posted by tstar
Left and Right side = two sorry... I used a 12 volt, 1 amp Diode on each line feeding the LED strip.

Tim
Then U ran a wire from the left LED to the right LED?? Does you stock DRL still come on during the day??

What if I tap from the #2 fuse to the LEDs will that work??
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 09:20 PM
  #6  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

No the LED strip connections all stayed contained in their respective housings. I tapped the Parking light signal and the DRL wire and tied both to the LED strips, isolated with Diodes.

Yes the DRL is still functioning on my Switchbacks, the switchbacks aren't as bright as the stock 3157 bulbs...

Yeah that should work fine, you'll have to cut or disconnect the DRL wires at each 3157 connector. You could do the DRL Mod (by-pass the DRL relays to defeat them) and run a hot lead to the LED strips from any number of sources.

I was experimenting with different wiring options to be included in the housings JW will be offering that's why I stayed at the housing connectors....

HTH

Tim
Originally Posted by FRED HAMBLE
Then U ran a wire from the left LED to the right LED?? Does you stock DRL still come on during the day??

What if I tap from the #2 fuse to the LEDs will that work??

Last edited by tstar; Oct 28, 2009 at 03:54 AM.
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 09:26 PM
  #7  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

Hey, if I'm not mistaken the underhood light is constantly hot... You could tap that...

Tim
Reply
Old Oct 26, 2009 | 11:42 PM
  #8  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default

Originally Posted by tstar
Hey, if I'm not mistaken the underhood light is constantly hot... You could tap that...

Tim
Doesn't the hood light go out after a certain number of minutes???

another suggestion I got was to cut the Blue wire on the 3157 and connect the hot wire from LED to that and then the cold wire to the black wire on the 3157.

I am not sure but I think I am getting away from my goal which was to have the LEDs replace the stock DRL while maintaining the stock parking/turn signal so I can utilize JW switch back.
Did you say the switch back is not as bright as the stock lights??
Thanks

Fred
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-5

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
Old Oct 27, 2009 | 03:37 AM
  #9  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

True and good point, but only after the BCM senses the load on the circuit. I don't believe it'll know the Strip is there... BUT it may so I suppose there's no sense in playing with it. I suggested it because it's close...

The Blue wires in the 3157 connectors(light Blue on the Driver's side and Dark Blue on the Passenger side, they have a white stripe also) are the DRL leads. The Turn signals also come in on that lead so your LED strip would flash with the turn signals Day and Night but they will be off at night except for the Turn Signals... If you cut the Blue wires and terminate them to your strips then the Switchbacks would only function as parking lights and your Strip will be DRLs and turn signals. If that acceptable for you then there ya go...



Right, IMO they are not as bright as the 3157 bulbs not by a substantial amount though... I wish I had another C5 around me to tkae comparison shots for you... They are more then bright enough and the cool factor plus lack of heat more then make up for it. Now if you're getting tinted corners I'm not sure if they'll be bright enough.

So it seems this, like most Mods may take some compromises...

Tim
Reply
Old Oct 27, 2009 | 09:02 PM
  #10  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default

Thanks for the diagrasm.
Is there a way to tap into the DRL MICRO before it hooks into the 3157 circuit??

FRED
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2009 | 04:03 AM
  #11  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

Not really if you follow the relay coil wiring back to the BCM, you'll notice that the BCM is supplying a switched ground to the coil to energize it and make the relays switch back and furth between DRLs and Turn signals from a constant power source. The BCM monitors the Turn signal switch and when it senses the turn signals have been activated it closes the circuit to the relay's ground to energize the relay and switching it to the turn signal flasher...

Tim
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2009 | 07:28 PM
  #12  
FRED HAMBLE's Avatar
FRED HAMBLE
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,026
Likes: 226
From: Locust Valley NY USA
Default

Thanks for that info. I guess I am back to square one. Besides the hood lamp any other source of constant power in the engin compartment??

FRED
Reply
Old Oct 29, 2009 | 03:32 AM
  #13  
tstar's Avatar
tstar
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Default

Sure, the Engine compartment fuse panel... Fuse 16 is the ignition relay.

Tim
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Electrical Question





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:04 PM.

story-0
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE