Automatic switching on of headlights at startup. How to make your car headlights turn on by themselves

Taking into account recent changes in traffic rules in the Russian Federation, the driver is required to turn on low beam headlights both when driving in the dark and during daylight hours. Otherwise, traffic police officers have the right to fine the driver.

Although the amount of the fine is not the largest, the very fact that a car can be detained for violating traffic rules, after which the driver will be fined a certain amount for such an offense, is, for a number of reasons, unacceptable for most responsible motorists.

Naturally, in the current situation, many car owners are faced with the fact that the human factor in practice turned out to be the main reason why a car without the lights on is stopped and fined. In simple words, drivers often simply forget to turn on their headlights.

To avoid such errors, the best option is to turn on the low beam when starting the engine, that is, automatically. However, not all vehicles have a similar function, which is implemented as standard. In this article we will look at how to modify a car so that the headlights turn on at the same time as it starts.

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Automatic headlight switching: diagram, available options, advantages

It is quite logical that the automatic switching on of the low beam is the very option that allows you not to be afraid of the situation when the driver forgot to turn on the lights before the trip. At the same time, many imported cars have an automatic switching device, but it is activated only taking into account certain conditions (change in lighting, signal from the rain sensor, etc.)

However, according to traffic rules in the Russian Federation, the light must be turned on constantly, regardless of whether it is dark or light outside. Some owners, in order to remember to turn on the lights, are forced to leave the car in the parking lot with the headlights on during daylight hours, thereby...

As you can see, the problem is very relevant. To solve the problem, the most rational way out of this situation is a system for automatically turning on low beams, which will work regardless of the degree of illumination and other conditions, and also operate without driver intervention.

In other words, the headlights must turn on parallel to the start of the internal combustion engine. It is also possible to turn off the lights after the engine is turned off. By the way, for cars that do not even have a standard light sensor (domestic cars, old or budget new foreign cars), which is triggered in case of changes in illumination, constantly switched on low beam will improve safety when driving through tunnels, under bridges, etc.

So, the demand for such systems has led to the fact that various enterprises that specialize in the production of electrical equipment began to produce ready-made solutions for cars (for example, Skybrake M5, AvtoSvet AS, Pharaoh, etc.) You can also note a large number of circuits and devices that enthusiasts and experienced car enthusiasts create on their own.

If there is no desire to install homemade devices on your car, then factory solutions will be the best option. However, functionality may be somewhat limited. The main thing is that in both the first and second cases, such solutions make it possible to automatically turn on the headlights; the light turns on synchronously at the moment the ignition is turned on or the engine is started.

At the same time, we note once again that different schemes differ in functionality. For example, you can make sure that only the headlights are on during the day, and at night the lights are turned on, etc.

Schemes for automatically turning on headlights when the engine starts

Let's look at a few of the most popular solutions. The main task for automatically turning on the headlights is to supply power to it. This power can be taken from the ignition. However, it should be remembered that there are often other devices in the car that are powered by the ignition switch. This may be difficult.

For example, if the radio turns on after the first turn of the key in the lock, the headlights may also turn on at that very moment. Such aspects need to be taken into account separately. It turns out that the engine is turned off, and the low beam is already on.

To avoid such nuances, the optimal scheme is considered to be one in which the supply occurs through a button (relay) at the moment the contact group in the ignition switch is closed when starting the internal combustion engine. The headlights will turn off, respectively, when the circuit opens and the engine stops.

Note that many drivers believe that such a scheme leads to increased loads on the electrical circuit. In practice, a properly executed connection minimizes or eliminates such loads.

To implement automatic switching on of lighting fixtures using the simplest do-it-yourself scheme, you need to purchase:

standard relay (five-pin),
wiring and diodes;

A more complex and at the same time more convenient scheme is when, in simple words, the headlights are powered by the parking brake or oil pressure sensor. To successfully implement such a solution, you will need to have 2 transistors, wiring, a relay and a K561TP1 type chip or similar.

Let's start with the first diagram. When installing, the best option is to turn off the stove, which is located on the switch block. All work boils down to removing the headlight switch, then disconnecting the “+” wire and the key block through which the low beam headlights are turned on.

The connection itself is made using a double wire that connects to the relay. Another wire is inserted into the “+” wire that goes to the heater switch, which is also connected to the relay. Next, a wire is pulled to the relay, through which power is supplied to the headlights themselves. Another ground wire is thrown onto the body. This completes the connection.

All that remains is to either resolder all the connections, or carefully insulate all the “twists”. The result is a system for turning on the low beam when the ignition is turned on.

The disadvantages include the fact that in winter the load on the battery at the time of start-up will be higher, the car will warm up with the headlights on and will consume additional fuel, etc.

To get rid of the shortcomings, you can use the following scheme. Improvements will make it possible to turn off the light after stopping the vehicle, regardless of turning on the ignition itself. To do this, the connection is made to the parking brake or to. As mentioned above, it is based on a microcircuit, and the connection is made through a “handbrake” or an oil pressure sensor.

In the case of a sensor, after turning off the internal combustion engine, the pressure drops. This leads to the fact that the contacts of the oil pressure sensor open, power is supplied to the capacitor, voltage goes through the transistors to the relay and the headlights turn off.

Also, after stopping the internal combustion engine, power from the sensor is supplied to a diode lamp, which is installed on the instrument panel. Also, the capacitor in the headlight control circuit will begin to discharge and power will not be supplied to the relay.

Although this scheme allows you to “bypass” the ignition switch, it is also not without some disadvantages. If the pressure in the lubrication system “floats” or decreases, the sensor may trigger when driving in neutral or idling. In this case, the headlights will blink.

Let’s also add that turning on the headlights can be done either automatically or manually. This feature is realized by creating a parallel connection and selecting the desired resistance on the microcircuit itself. By the way, the solution to connect to an oil pressure sensor is not a popular one, since the circuit is complex, additional wiring is needed, and the requirements for the quality of connections increase.

It is easier to connect to the parking brake. To do this, you need to add an additional relay to the general list of parts, which is powered by the parking brake button.

This method allows you to achieve the following:

as soon as the driver starts to raise the handbrake, the headlights turn off;
if you start lowering the handbrake, the headlights immediately turn on;

As you can see, self-made solutions can have more advantages than standard ones. The functionality is also expanding, and the cost is often more attractive. In other words, it is quite possible to assemble an inexpensive circuit for automatically turning on low beam headlights.

It is important to understand that to assemble a circuit with your own hands, you need certain experience and skills. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to seek help from a professional auto electrician. If the work is carried out independently, it is optimal to place the insertion points in the interior space, and not under the hood. This approach will avoid oxidation of contacts, reduce the risks of moisture and short circuits, etc.

If we talk about what is better, soldering or twisting wires, correctly done twisting in some cases will be better than soldering in relation to a car. The fact is that the vehicle is subject to various vibrations, and soldering is less resistant to vibration loads.

As for relays, wires, fuses, etc., the relay must be securely fastened, the wiring must be laid so that the wires do not lie in tension. In places where wires are bent and at points where the wire touches metal parts of the body, additional insulating heat shrinkage must be present. Otherwise, the wire may fray and begin to short out.

It is also strongly not recommended to use regular jumpers instead of relays, connect bypassing fuses, etc. Ignoring these recommendations can not only cause equipment malfunctions, but also short circuits or fires.

Power connection

It is important to connect the anode of the VD1 diode to the output of the ACC ignition switch, from which voltage is supplied to the ignition or injector switching circuit. But not to the starter switching terminal, since in this case the headlights either will not turn on at all or will go out immediately after starting the engine.
The microcircuit is powered directly from the battery (+Acc, -Acc), and not from a circuit that is switched off.
The open contacts of a standard automotive relay K1 are connected to the break in the wire running from the power circuit to the low beam contacts of the headlights.

Setting up the scheme

The delay time for turning on the headlights can be set to more than 10–15 seconds by selecting resistor R2 with a higher resistance.

If desired, the delay time for turning off the headlights can be reduced (according to this scheme it is 5–10 minutes) by installing resistor R1 of lower resistance.

Changing the delay time by replacing capacitor C1 is undesirable, since such an element with an unusually high capacitance (used in the circuit at 2200 μF) is necessary to deliver a relatively high current. If you use a small capacitor in the driving circuit, you would have to install megaohm resistors R1, R2, which are not stable due to high leakage currents. With the same success, you can assemble a circuit for.

Conversion to 24 volts

Take all capacitors of the same capacity, but for a voltage of 50 V.
Change resistor R3 to another 300 Ohm.
It is advisable to install a 5 volt zener diode between pins 7 and 14 of the microcircuit.
And don’t forget to replace the relay with a 24-volt one.

It is possible on .

Good luck on the roads!!!

NECESSARILY!!!

Connect devices whose actions and properties are little known to you, especially homemade ones, using fuses.

USB socket for motorcycle

They perform a very important function. They not only illuminate the road in the dark and in bad weather conditions, but also allow other road users to detect the vehicle in poor visibility. Therefore, turning them on and off is an essential part of driving a car. Drivers often need to automate this process.

Automatic low beam switching can be a very useful feature for the driver

Turning on the headlights using the light sensor

Many foreign-made cars are equipped with lights that turn the lights on and off without human intervention. Most often, such gadgets are combined with a solar light sensor in a car. If the controller realizes that it is dark outside, it turns on the headlights, and when it arrives at a lighter section of the road, it turns them off.

This is a very useful function for residents of some countries... But not for Russians. Traffic rules in Russia force drivers to turn on low beams (or daytime running lights) when driving at any time of the day and in any visibility.

Which device is relevant for our country?

Driving without lights puts motorists in trouble in the form of fines. However, many people find it difficult to train themselves to turn on their headlights every time before they start driving. And the lack of habit of turning off the headlights upon arrival at the destination has already given many motorists a “gift” in the form of a dead battery.

It would be nice if the headlights turned on themselves when the engine was started and turned off after it was turned off, wouldn’t it? The fact is that any car can be equipped with such an option.

There are two options for devices for automatically turning on low beam headlights:

artisanal;
branded.

Artisanal

The homemade device is assembled by the car enthusiast himself. To do this, it is necessary to make changes to the car electronics system. However, the process of reconfiguring the car itself is not so simple. To create automatic switching on of low beam headlights, as well as to automatically switch on high beam headlights, you need to have a good understanding of the structure of the car.

Here is one of the options for equipping the machine with the mentioned option.

You can also solder the system using a more transparent scheme:

Some craftsmen sell devices that turn themselves on and off, assembled by hand. However, no one can be responsible for the quality of such devices, not even the sellers themselves. Therefore, think several times before purchasing such a product.

Branded

There are several common manufacturers of devices for automatically turning on headlights:

Giordon,
Quantum,
Premier.

Most of them are based on light sensors, which is not entirely suitable for Russian car enthusiasts. However, you can reconfigure it at your discretion.

Installing such a device, as well as the accompanying installation of a light sensor, is not a difficult task. Each of them comes with instructions that describe the installation process in detail.

More often than not, the manufacturer is responsible for the quality and durability of their product, and sometimes guarantees its performance through a formal warranty.

If the device still breaks down

Branded devices rarely fail. Most often, their breakdowns are associated with violation of operating rules. They can “fly” due to mechanical damage, moisture getting inside electrical elements, improper installation or careless use.

It’s impossible to tell right away what exactly might break. However, we can take a closer look at its structure.

As a rule, a standard headlight switch consists of the following parts:

switch,
wires,
control unit,
relay.

If the device stops working, you need to look for the reason in one of the sections of this circuit.

Pros and cons of low beam headlight switching mechanisms

Like any innovation, this option has its admirers and enemies. The attitude of car enthusiasts towards such a device is determined by its pros and cons.

The advantage is that such a device greatly simplifies the process of driving a car. It helps prevent the driver from wandering, freeing him from worries about the car's light.

However, this mechanism also has disadvantages. Installing a makeshift device over time can lead to problems with car electronics. There is no quality guarantee for such devices.

If the device is also equipped with a light sensor to adjust the light intensity, it can “go crazy” on some roads. For example, on canvases with rare lanterns and different levels of lighting.

Failure to worry about turning the headlights on and off may expose the driver to fines for further operation of a car that is not equipped with an automatic “assistant.” Therefore, the best option for automatically turning on the low beam headlights when driving is your own habit.

What can be added to the device?

In addition to the light sensor, you can install a rain sensor in your car. It will send photons from the cabin and, based on the speed of their return, determine what visibility is on the street.

If you connect it not only to the wipers, but also to the headlights, such a device will help turn on the lights not only in the dark, but also simply when visibility is poor.

As we can see, there are many devices to simplify the process of driving a car. But it’s best to “upgrade” not your car, but your own skills and habits. After all, this is what will stay with you, no matter what car you get behind the wheel.

Good luck on your journey.

If you know of other ways to make the headlights turn on yourself, please write about it in the comments.

So, since I constantly forget to turn on, and even worse, turn off the low beam, I decided to try to automate this process. Conventional relays sold in stores did not suit me because the light either turns on immediately after turning on the ignition/starting the internal combustion engine, or after reaching a certain voltage, and voltage, as we know, is not a constant thing.

Therefore, the relay used a standard five-pin, because I couldn’t find a four-pin normally closed one. To terminal “30” of the relay we connect a wire connected to the red paired wire from the ignition switch chip, which turns on the starter solenoid relay. To terminal “86” we connect the wire from the generator light bulb chip. Conclusion "85" - mass. To terminal “87a” we connect the green wire from the button for turning on the external lighting. We do not connect anything to pin “87”.

Principle of operation:
The ignition is turned off - there is no voltage on the relay and the headlights do not light up.
The ignition is on - the generator lamp is negative and the headlights do not light up.
Starting the internal combustion engine - a plus appeared on the lamp, but a plus also appeared on the starter retractor, the relay is open and the headlights do not light.
The internal combustion engine has started, we release the starter, the relay closes, etc. there is a plus on the generator lamp, this plus goes to the three-lever light switch. Well, the actual diagram:

That is, the headlights light up only when the engine is running and the starter is turned off. This is especially true in winter, because... The fewer unnecessary consumers there are when starting the engine, the greater the chance of starting.
The light switching in the steering column three-lever switch occurs as follows: 0 – headlights are off, 1 – low beam is on, 2 – high beam is on.

Here is a photo of the implementation:

The dimensions are switched on separately with the button for turning on the external lighting. I reasoned about the dimensions this way: they are needed only at night, and at night you won’t forget to turn them on 100%, because as soon as it gets dark, the instrument readings will become invisible. You can also forget to turn it off only due to a very large delay, because... The burning dimensions at night will immediately catch your eye. You can make the lights turn off automatically, but these are extra relays and extra wires. IMHO this is useless.
I consider this scheme to be almost ideal. The only thing I would like to improve is for the low beam to light up in both the zero and first positions of the steering column switch. But then an additional relay is needed so that when switching to high beam, the low beam is switched off and the headlights are forced to turn off using a button or handbrake.

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