mickster

Audi 381 relay: $5 on flea-bay.

Plugged into slot III.

Turn the key to On-they don't go on.

Turn the engine over--on and perfect!

After reading a Scandanavian study in the 80's about DRL and how much more aware they make other drivers, I decided that I'm willing to risk bulb burnout (from use) and extra electric use (on order of 1-3% extra draw) for a little more visibility. This way when I get rear ended by some idiot texting, I can say: "Hey! Didn't you see my DRL's?"

Eventually I will convert the car to LEDs and besides...for a little lost MPG--I do enough of that with my right foot! I think I got down to 6.1 MPG instant reading on the dash the other day...

SteveG

This may be an excellent mod for cheap. I've had LI drivers pull out in front of me at really close range; it seems to happen more in the shark. Is it smaller? Lower? Am I moving silently through time and space in this car and hynotizing the civilians? Or is it just the way people drive on LI congested highways? It does seem from RL that sharks get rear-ended more often than front, but this is an oz of prevention.

Gary Knox

Michael,

I installed that relay in my '94 about a year ago. I have clear vinyl protectant on the driving/fog lights, and didn't want a lot of heat buildup during longer trips(a friend had one crack a few years ago with the halogen H-3's and Stonegard vinyl). So, replaced the H-3 Halogen fog bulbs with LED H-3's. They really aren't bright enough to be good fog lights, but they give sufficient light to be seen as daytime driving lights (I never drive in fog anyway!!).

Gary--

jeff spahn

Am I missing something here? How are DRL's going to help you not get rear-ended? I put the relay in my 90S4 and the rear lights don't come on.

Gary Knox

Jeff,

Yes, these just turn the FOG lights on. IF it happened to be a Euro '90+ model, it might turn on the rear FOG light as well, but not on our US delivered cars.

Gary-

mickster

Aha!

You are correct. Doesn't work for rears. Still more visible as I approach other cars rapidly.

Tom in Austin

Did a search and there seem to be a zillion types of LED H-3's out there ... any suggestions what mfg, source or type to use for this?

mickster

Beat me to it. I think I found a 50 LED unit for the H3. I am trying to find reviews.

I plan to upgrade LED all around the vehicle.

Side note: My company, Tiffen, makes pro studio lighting (still, motion, broadcast) under our Lowel brand and I can tell you that all LEDs are not created equally!

Michael

jeff spahn

Let me know if you find good, bright LEDs for the fog lights. I'll buy them.

mickster

I am going to try some 120 SMD LED H3s out and see if they work to spread the light. Output is 6K so it should be cool white.

Arnoud

Just to comment on your "might" as I now checked (having an Euro 1994 model and also this VW "381" relay installed, which works great ): it does not turn on the rear fog lights - for that to happen you still have to manually operate the rear fog light switch as per normal.
And that makes perfect logical sense, as turning on rear fog light(s, in most European countries with LHD traffic only one being the rear left hand driver side) in Europe is only allowed during fog.

SteveG

Jeff: They won't. I didn't mean to imply that. I was pointing out that front fog's will not prevent a phenomenon that seems to be more prevalent. The car sits low and we have better brakes, maybe we run up faster because we know we can stop and the person in the king cab rear ends a shark. I don't think rear lamps will help.

Gary Knox

Check the dimensions of any H-3 LED bulbs that you buy. The ones with really high number of LED's will be too long and not fit in the lens!!! Check the length of the current H-3 Halogen from where the disk part mounts to the end, and be sure you don't get LED H-3's that are longer than that (ask me how I know!!).

It's been bout 2 years since I changed to the LED's/daytime driving lights, so don't remember where I got them - eBay I think. I'm also quite sure that any H-3 LED lights that will fit will not provide enough light to be effective as fog lights. But, I think they will be adequately visible to function as daytime running lights.

Gary--

Arnoud

Gary is correct with the need of checking the dimensions when using H-3 LED bulbs for the front fog lights.

I did mine a few months ago (with local Finnish "Motonet" sourced H-3 LED bulbs, those were about as tall as could maximum fit in there), as per underneath photo's which shows:
- checking my super simple test battery jig (yep: still fine).
- "12036 LED-CAN" BAX9S for front parking light + "12336 LED" H-3 500K for front fog light + normal H3 for high beam (as I decided to swap all lights)
- "12336 LED" H-3 using 123 mA
- Difference between driver side done with LEDs versus passenger side still on normal light

These "12336 LED" H-3 are really bright and work very well as replacement, IMHO.

jeff spahn

Can those be sourced here in the US for the Fog lights?