City lights wiring options.

[herbivor]

I'm converting from sealed beams to Euro smileys and I have a Euro car with no side marker lights to splice my city lights into. My parking light position one was my low beams on my sealed beams and now they don't light up with the smileys until I pull the knob out fully. So here are my questions that I couldn't get a clear answer on when I searched:

1. If I want to run my city lights as DRLs, what do I splice into?
2. If I want to run my city lights as parking lights, what do I splice into without having side marker lights?
3. Can I splice into my fog light wires so that they are on only when the fog lights are on, or is that kinda gay?

[IRON-E]

Just trace your side markers and tap into that. Easiest thing to do.

[herbivor]

Just trace your side markers and tap into that. Easiest thing to do.

See question #2.

[IRON-E]

The wiring is always there, I did read #2 but again, you just have to trace it. Every e30 has it or did you cut it completely off?

[herbivor]

The wiring is always there, I did read #2 but again, you just have to trace it. Every e30 has it or did you cut it completely off?

It's not there. I didn't cut it off. Previous owner who did the engine swap probably removed them because there is a lot of electrical tape on the wires that are left. I got the main lights figured out just not the city light.

[bernzpeed]

a photo would help a lot. bec. Iron-E is right, it is already there. Everything is pre-wired. You just have to tap into the side marker lights or cut off the plug and use that wire directly.

I got some male female plugs from radioshack so i would have a clean install on mine. Turned out pretty easy and I put white LEDs on my city lights.

[DaveSmed]

+1 on a good pic of the current headlight wiring

[M-technik-3]

The only thing that is lacking is rear fogs and proper use of the city lights for their intended purpose.

To mark the outer edge of the car in the front and rear on a dimly light street when the car is street parked.

They are not meant to act like running lights except in position of marker lights on. But that's secondary.

In Germany, the StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations) calls for a different function also known as parking lamps: With the vehicle's ignition switched off, the operator may activate a low-intensity light at the front (white or amber) and rear (red) on either the left or the right side of the car. This function is used when parking in narrow unlit streets to provide parked-vehicle conspicuity to approaching drivers.[23] This function, which is optional under ECE and US regulations, is served passively and without power consumption in North America by the mandatory side marker retroreflectors.

[herbivor]

All right, so I found the side marker wires. they were wrapped up and concealed in the electrical tape. with the other wires. My car is a Euro and I think maybe when it was imported, someone switched to the sealed beams and just took the side marker wires and taped them up. Once I found them, it was pretty easy. Below are some pics of the wiring before and after.



On the last one ignore that one ugly wire splice. I ran out of connectors but you get the idea.

[IRON-E]

You did homeWork Son! :up:

[DaveSmed]

Ah, a metal bumper euro.

Second pic down, the gray wire still connected to what looks like a US sealed beam connector.... that would be your factory city light/parking light wire.

[Bigboy740il]

Check out this site.

http://www.rtsauto.com/e30-euro-smiley-conversion-from-sealed-beams-or-us-ellipsoids/

There is one step you're missing. You have to connect the High beam and low beam relays. If you don't, when you activate the high beam lights your low beams will go off. See site for pics.

[iansane]

Well, maybe two steps missing. Ditch those cheap butt connectors for a good solder joint or a heat-shrink-sealed type butt connector. Whichever tickles your fancy.