I purchase this Module from Ecklers and when I saw it I did not like it. It seemed that it would be fine for newer cars but I felt it needed relays for older cars. I decided to install it per the instuctions.

BTW on there web site it says the following

Q: I installed one of your products and my car blew up. Will you buy me a new car?

A: Nope. Our products are designed to work properly in various vehicles. However, it is your responsibility to determine suitability for use in your vehicle. By purchasing one of our products, you are accepting all risks, including but not limited to, physical, financial and emotional risks. Our responsibility is limited to repairing or replacing our product, at our descresion, provided the part has not been abused, mis-treated or mis-applied.

Here is what I found - The unit worked fine the first day then on day 2 only the right side directional was lit, the drivers was off. Something told me to look at the modeule




I was going to return to Ecklers but I would of gotten it was installed wrong and no credit, so I looked into the module more.











I knew this module could not handle the voltage and heat cycles from hot weather. I made my own module out of two relays some diodes and a capacitors. It was cheaper to make, than the $50.00 from Ecklers. The directionals are lit for daytime running lights, so they are bright and shut off when directionals or parking lights are turned on.

I wrote this up, not to tell you, not to buy this product but to be aware and becarefull. I'm sure these products are fine for certain applications

 

i bought one thru a reseller, because webb electric wont post to australia.
worked fne for couple weeks, then a buzzing started coming from the unit.
emailed the reseller, and worked thru a couple things, not fixed.
emailed webb electric, tried a few other things, not fixed.
after a few emails they offered to replace them, pls give us your address,
as soon as i said australia, they repplied, "DIDN"T YOU READ THE WEB SITE, WE DON'T SHIP OUTSIDE THE US"
and that was the last i heard from them.

have looked at making my own, realys, diodes, timer etc. but haven't got around to it yet

 

PM me and I'll send you diagram on how to do it and what you need. Going on Hot Rod Power Tour in June, this is a 2500 mile trip and my buddies love daytime runnig lights, you can find your friends behind you when they fall behind or make a stop and try to catch up.
Dennis

 

I have looked into there products. They make a rear sequential turn signal system. But the application seemed universal and now I am glad I didn't follow through.

 

I was going to buy the drls and the sequential taillight kit. Looks like junk to me. Thanks for the warning

 

What about hiding some LED daytime lights in front instead of using the directionals? Only need a relay and protection fuse that way and much brighter than the directionals.JMHO I intend to do this to my car soon.

 

what am I missing here? why not just pull the light switch half way? it does the same thing. if you are concerned about forgetting to turn it off buy a $10 piezio and put it on the fuse box. it sounds off when the lights are left on.

It just seems like an answer to a non existent problem to me.

 

I thought about that but wanted the look of factory not aftermarket. Everything I've seen with LED looks out of place on these cars. You would be surprised how far you can see the directional when lit.

 

Car has the buzzer for when you leave your lights on to tell you to turn them off. Parking lights are not that bright but the directional bulbs are much brighter.

I do a lot of road trips with many other car guys. When on the highway its very easy to spot your friends that get lost back in the pack or make a stop and catch up when they have daytime running lights. The parking lights can not bee seen that far away in day light

 

Not really the same thing. What you have described would turn the parking lamps on. The module works with the bright (turn-signal) filaments of the #1157 bulbs and is quite bright.

I'm wondering what electrical surge would cause that failure. And what the failure rate is. I bought before they stopped shipping to Canada.

 

ahhh gotcha. I didnt see that it was running the second filament.

I know the PO doesnt like LED but my parking light LED's are quite visible. I run them on all the time. just my $.02

 

I think the failure was when the module was wrapped the wires were pressing to tight to the circuit board and a short was created by a sharp circuit board tabs pressing through the wires insulation

 

I can't defend or condemn the company; I just do not know enough about them. I do have a problem with their USA-only marketing. Someone has made a dubious business decision. I have used their DRL-1 for a number of years going back to my 1967. I did have one module failure but that was promptly replaced under warranty. I do like the DRLs using OEM lighting systems.

 

We used those little hand held Cobra radios to stay in touch.

 

Probably not a surge but a constant overload by passing too many amps through too small a relay.

Does the manufacturer specify a maximum loading through the module?

 

The installation instructions are very good but come up short on electrical specifications. This is about it.

The YELLOW wire coming from the module needs to be connected to a switched power circuit. Locate a circuit that is fused for at least 15 amps.


I used the switched ACC terminal in the fusebox for power. It is apparently good for 20 amps. The power circuit itself is connected independent of any factory wiring. The power wire runs from the module back to a red LED toggle switch under the dash. That wire has an in-line 15 amp fuse receptacle before the ACC connection. The purpose of the toggle switch is to control the DRLs manually if I so wish.

This all seems OK - but correct me if I am wrong - as if I understand correctly the bright filaments on the #1157 bulbs pull perhaps 5 amps at most.



And FWIW. All the surgery is done on the front lamp extensions. I can go back to OEM in about 20 minutes.

 

I think it's less than that but let's say 5 amps. Can the relay inside the module handle 10 amps (plus a safety margin)? The pics of the destroyed units suggests not.

 

Could be that the internal relay is inadequate. If the module fails I'll just go back to OEM.

 

Paul, didn't you have one of these relays fail already? I thought i saw in a thread you're on your second one

 

Yes, I mentioned that above. The one on the car now is the warranty replacement I received in very early 2013 but did not install that year. The current one has only been on for several weeks. It is working but if it fails again then I'll go back to what I had on my 1979 years ago.