Auxiliary Running Lights

[gpking]

I'm looking to add some LED DRLs to the front and wanted to know if there was any key-switched source I could tap in the dash or if I would be better off with just proceeding with an add-a-fuse?

 

[The_Roadie]

Hi! I'll alert Google that they're having an outage in your neighborhood. Sorry on their behalf the for problem. Should be fixed in an hour, they tell me.



Seriously, I've posted this a dozen times, but it might as well be in this thread also:

RED on the ignition switch is 12V, fused by underhood fuse #34, and feeds the following three circuits:

White is hot in ACCY, RUN, START
Orange is hot in RUN
Yellow is hot in START

RED/WHITE is another 12V, fused by underhood fuse #36, and feeds two circuits:

Brown is hot in ACCY, RUN
Pink is hot in RUN, START


If you go after the fuse block path:

On in RUN/ACCY modes only:

rear fuse #29 - Rain sensor (rare option) 10A
rear #33 - front wiper motor - 25A
rear #31 - TBC ACC - 3A

ACCY, RUN, and START:

rear fuses 47 (IGN 0)
50 (TBC IG)

RUN only mode:

front fuses 22 (IGN E)
16 (TBC IGN 1)
27 (BACKUP)
28 (PCM 1)
54 (AIR SOL)
53 (O2 A
54 (O2 B)
26 (ENG 1)

Depending on if you have an aftermarket head unit, which is switched by an adapter that looks at the data bus - the OEM radio isn't powered on and off by its power wire, but by a data message from the BCM. That's what runs the RAP (retained accessory power) timer that keeps the windows and radio running for ten minutes or the first door opening, whichever comes first.

 

[yodaddy4200]

Spring has finally arrived and I think I've caught the mod bug again this year.
My headlight situation is this: I have stock halogen headlights, but 6000K LED switchbacks and LED T10's in the sides.
During morning and evening driving (not when auto headlights are on) I always cancel the DRLs and turn on my running lights just because the LEDs look cooler.
I've gotten tired of DRLs so I went ahead and gathered the relay and connectors to do the DRL killer mod.

I don't want to always have to drive around with my running lights on in place of the DRLs (I feel like there is a gray area between when the AHLs come on and when it is safest to be driving with some lights on) so I am currently considering ordering a set of those cheap 6"-ish LED switchback bars and mounting them on either side of my license plate in the gap of the front bumper.
I would obviously wire the amber into the turn signals, but I'd like to have the white operate off of a switch in the dash; that way I can use them manually as either aux lights or DRLs.

What I'd like to know from you good people is where I could find a switched 12v source in the dash so that these auxiliary lights would be turned off by the key (similar to how the head unit is switched) ie: if I switch them on and forget, turning the key off will cut power to them.

I want to put just a simple light-up on/off switch in the light control panel (where the stock fog light button would go).

Again, this is just in the planning stage, but due to the relative simplicity and low cost, I'll probably end up doing it.


tl;dr Where can I find a 12v source in the dash switched by the key to power a simple LED bar?

I would say those eyebrow things are corny/ugly. Just my opinion.

Quit pussy footing around and throw some HIDs in the low beam. 5 or 6k will match your switch backs way better than halogens.

View attachment 33835

Get some fogs if you want light!!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[gpking]

Hi! I'll alert Google that they're having an outage in your neighborhood. Sorry on their behalf the for problem. Should be fixed in an hour, they tell me.

In all fairness I did Google it, which brought me to a somewhat unhelpful thread on the OS, but that's not new news to any of us.
All sarcasm aside, I figured a "it's this one" answer would take 5 seconds to type up, but then again, I always seem to underestimate The Roadie's extreme wealth of information on these trucks.

Depending on if you have an aftermarket head unit, which is switched by an adapter that looks at the data bus - the OEM radio isn't powered on and off by its power wire, but by a data message from the BCM. That's what runs the RAP (retained accessory power) timer that keeps the windows and radio running for ten minutes or the first door opening, whichever comes first.

Aftermarket I do have.
Since you so kindly provided me with a bajillion switched sources, I don't think I'll want/need to rip out my HU and tap the power there (I was hesitant to do that in the first place).
Again, thank you.

I would say those eyebrow things are corny/ugly. Just my opinion.

I agree with you there, they look fine on some more modern vehicles.
I was looking at something more like this:
View attachment 33849

Something small that would emit some white light without taking a bite out of my wallet. Something just to replace the DRLs and act as fog light wannabes.
(Whether I did HIDs or LEDs in the future, the "DRL killer" had to be done unless I did the "cap mod", which I wasn't feeling).

Quit pussy footing around and throw some HIDs in the low beam. 5 or 6k will match your switch backs way better than halogens.
Get some fogs if you want light!!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

I'm leaning more toward those newfangled Cree LED headlights everyone is talking about (full LED baby!). The only problem is my headlights still work just fine, so I can't justify getting rid of them quite yet. (The second one bulb burns out you can bet I'll be upgrading).
The DRL killer is eventually leading me in that direction though.

I love your fogs btw (they look like SS fogs?).
Seeing your truck in the "What Did You Do To Your GMT Today" thread is what inspired me to want to throw some new lights down there in that blank space. Previously, I was considering cutting out the fog slots and putting something in there.

 

[The_Roadie]

In all fairness I did Google it, which brought me to a somewhat unhelpful thread on the OS, but that's not new news to any of us..

Were you using a search phrase like "12V switched power"? That's what I use to locate my old posts faster. Actually, a site-restricted search is often the fastest way for me to locate my old stuff.

"12V switched power site:gmtnation.com"

That excludes the OS if you're worried about getting a wrong answer from any recent posters who aren't just parroting back my old posts.

 

[TexazReece]

He did these for fogs which look pretty good and I believe he said they came with mounting brackets.

View attachment 33851

 

[yodaddy4200]

All cree would be pretty sweet! My fogs are HID projecters. They were only like $60! I absolutely love them! Got them off ebay. (HID kit not included)

I don't have any pics on my phone with the 6k lows.
I here ya if it ain't broke don't fix it! MOD it!!!


I mounted them because it was super easy and I just liked how it came out.

 

[gpking]

Were you using a search phrase like "12V switched power"?

:blush: ... yes.

"12V switched power site:gmtnation.com"
That excludes the OS if you're worried about getting a wrong answer from any recent posters who aren't just parroting back my old posts.

I never knew that, and I'm the resident nerd in my family.
It always aggravated me how GMT was rarely ever in my search results, adding "Trailblazer" to a search just seems to turn up the OS 75% of the time. Plus the actual forum search function doesn't have the ability to search thread titles.
If I search "Trailblazer Forum" GMT is finally on the 4th page.

 

[blazinlow89]

I like my Hella 550 fogs. That is one bulb I would keep halogen as it would be more useful in bad weather. The Hella projector ones that James Downing is running are sweet, I just did not have the extra cash to splurge on them at the time.

 

[gpking]

All cree would be pretty sweet! My fogs are HID projecters. They were only like $60! I absolutely love them! Got them off ebay. (HID kit not included)

Wow, that's a pretty sweet deal. Most fog kits I found were somewhere in the $80 range, which isn't that bad either, I'm just cheap.

I don't have any pics on my phone with the 6k lows.
I here ya if it ain't broke don't fix it! MOD it!!!

Spot-on. The only reason I would upgrade is so the colors matched- kind of wasteful unless I had a good reason to ditch my yellowy halogen headlights.
All mods are for my own personal satisfaction, really. I know 99% of the people who care about the stuff I do to my TB are on this site, not passing me out on the road.

He did these for fogs which look pretty good and I believe he said they came with mounting brackets.
View attachment 21449

Hmm, they even look cool there.
I'll search it up and see what I can find. Maybe I'll end up doing both!


It sure would be great if MD didn't require a front license plate.

 

[The_Roadie]

If I search "Trailblazer Forum" GMT is finally on the 4th page.

Yah, but we're on page 1 if you use "vertical scope sucks donkey balls".

 

[gpking]

Well I'll be...

 

[The_Roadie]

Well I'll be...

I work HARD for that ranking!

 

[djthumper]

For $80 shipped you can get the Cree headlights at 6000K for another $80 do the highs too.

 

[gpking]

For $80 shipped you can get the Cree headlights at 6000K for another $80 do the highs too.

Not bad at all. I'm definitely doing the lows at some point in the future.
I know dfwwiz was selling them for a period of time- are they still available from him?
I checked his wix site the other day to look at pricing and it was blank. I'd just rather have my money going toward another forum member.

 

[Envoy_04]

Kevin's site isnt updated currently, I just PM'd him to order mine. They look awesome, but I haven't had the opportunity to do much night driving yet.

Here they are in a daytime shot compared to stock halogen bulbs (I'm a pic whore, I know )

View attachment 33857

 

[djthumper]

Not bad at all. I'm definitely doing the lows at some point in the future.
I know dfwwiz was selling them for a period of time- are they still available from him?
I checked his wix site the other day to look at pricing and it was blank. I'd just rather have my money going toward another forum member.

DFWWIZ, Kevin, is the vendor. His site was so out of date that he is trying to rebuild it. It may take you a few weeks to get them, it seems as soon as he gets them they are gone again. I know to keep his overhead low he normally orders no more than 20 sets. I know I waited about a month due to the Chinese New Year and then they made changes to the drivers and had to test the changes. He prefers to be emailed or text, he gets swamped with PM, and everything for them right now.

 

[gpking]

DFWWIZ, Kevin, is the vendor. His site was so out of date that he is trying to rebuild it. It may take you a few weeks to get them, it seems as soon as he gets them they are gone again. I know to keep his overhead low he normally orders no more than 20 sets. I know I waited about a month due to the Chinese New Year and then they made changes to the drivers and had to test the changes. He prefers to be emailed or text, he gets swamped with PM, and everything for them right now.

Good to know, thank you.

 

[gpking]

Kevin's site isnt updated currently, I just PM'd him to order mine. They look awesome, but I haven't had the opportunity to do much night driving yet.
Here they are in a daytime shot compared to stock halogen bulbs (I'm a pic whore, I know )

Yup, that's about the color difference I have right now (see my avatar?).
They look much more intense than regular halogen, so I imagine visibility is greater.