6 volt led

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=129699
Printed Date: July 06, 2025 at 8:15 AM

Topic: 6 volt led

Posted By: no1spaceman
Subject: 6 volt led
Date Posted: December 15, 2011 at 6:13 AM

Hi guys,
             I have just installed DRL in my car. It is running the 2 Hi Beam lights in series for DRL, but when I pull the Hi Beam switch, it runs them in parallel for full brightness.
   I wanna put an LED in the dash, which shows when the DRL is on, but not when the Highs are on. I was thinking of using a 6 volt LED, which has an input of 4 - 8 volts. Would this work?

Hope you can help me,
       Spaceman.

Replies:

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: December 15, 2011 at 6:56 AM

Not directly - it will still light above 8V (or burn out).

You should be able to wire a 6V LED between the 2 grounds for each hi-beam.
When use as DRLs, one hi-beam's ground will be ~+6V and the other 0V (hence 6V) whereas as hi-beams, both will be 0V, hence the LED will extinguish.

Posted By: no1spaceman
Date Posted: December 16, 2011 at 7:50 AM

Hi oldspark,
Thanks for your reply! I'll give it a go.

Much appreciated!

Spaceman.

Posted By: no1spaceman
Date Posted: January 10, 2012 at 9:26 AM

Hi,
I tried your idea Oldspark, but doesn't work I'm afraid.

Here is the wiring diagram:- https://img8.mediafire.com/7790747f25be76fc3a6e5430de7fd01f6672b742cab1ba83a478b8ae0e2759fa6g.jpg

I hope someone can give me an idea how to wire up an LED that is only on when the DRL's are on.

Thanks,
Spaceman.

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: January 11, 2012 at 12:25 AM

At first I thought you did not have the high-beams in series, but it you do. [I found it a but complex - I do the same with 2 relays and 2 diodes - assuming bulbs (not HIDs).]

Did you connect the LED in the right direction?

And is 6V (half battery/system voltage) across each hi-beam?

(WOT? Me wrong! Not yet...)

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: February 05, 2012 at 5:08 AM

Ok, so you did connect the LED from the lower hibeam+ to the upper hibeam+, and you used a 12V LED with cathode to the upper highbeam?
It will work, otherwise you have done something wrong.

Posted By: no1spaceman
Date Posted: February 05, 2012 at 6:15 AM

Hi,
I ended up using a 12 volt LED, between the 2 High Beam positive wires. One is acting as positive and one as negative when in Series (DRL mode). When the High Beams are used, the LED switches off and the circuit operates in parallel.

Thanks Oldspark, you pointed me in the direction. :-)

All the best,

Spaceman.