Lighting equipment, that is, the headlights, play a critical role in the operation of the vehicle. With the help of optics, you can not only illuminate the roadway in dark time days. The headlights also serve identification mark for other road users when visibility is poor.
If the driver is driving with the headlights on, the cars driving towards them at a sufficiently large distance will be able to notice this. This allows accidents, erroneous maneuvers and other unpleasant situations on the roads.
According to traffic rules, drivers are required to turn on the low beam not only in the evening and at night, but also during the day. If the headlights do not work, this will be a weighty argument for issuing a fine to the motorist.
The threat of a fine, as well as the issue of real safety, makes drivers look for convenient solutions to automate the process of turning on and off the low beam. There are several ways to implement, each of which has its own nuances, strengths and weaknesses.
The car owner has the right to choose a way to make automatic switching on for dipped headlights with his own hands.
Automation options
It is quite possible to install an automatic switch and a switch that will be responsible for the low beam with your own hands. But first, you need to decide which of the ways to implement the scheme suits you more than the rest.
In total, 3 actual options are offered:
- turning on when the ignition is activated;
- auto-on optics after;
- use of a special light sensor.
You can implement each dipped beam automation scheme in garage conditions... But if you do not have the necessary skills, doubt your capabilities, or just want to get a guaranteed result, seek help from specialists.
On many cars foreign production already in the factory configuration, a special device is provided, which in automatic mode turns on and off the optics of the car. They work in tandem with a light sensor.
The device reacts to changes in the lighting level. If the sensor detects darkening,. When the car is on a bright section of the road, an automatic shutdown occurs. In many countries, this feature is very useful and convenient. But not quite suitable for the RF.
It's all about the requirements to constantly, day and night, drive with the dipped beam or daytime running lights on. Therefore, in this situation, the operation of the sensor has to be corrected.
Turning on and off the dipped beam should become a habit for drivers in the absence of an automation system. If you forget about lighting before starting the movement, this can lead to a fine. If the automatic shutdown does not work or is simply absent, the headlights on in the parked car will drain the battery by morning.
Drivers who cannot train themselves to turn lights on and off as needed are best served by an automation tool. One of them is a special sensor.
The choice of motorists is offered an option self-made devices, or buying a branded device. Here we definitely need to dwell on the second option. Automatic headlight switching on and off devices are offered by the following reputable companies:
- Premier;
- Quatoom.
Most devices are based on a light sensor. And this, as you already remember, does not fit the rules. road traffic operating in the Russian Federation. This is not a problem, since some devices are reconfigurable, which allows them to adapt for a slightly different operation.
There is no need to describe in detail the nuances of installing a device with a light sensor. Each manufacturer completes its products detailed instructions... They may differ from each other in the way they are mounted. But in reality there is nothing difficult here.
Experienced drivers advise installing the light sensor not outside, but towards the passenger compartment in the area of the rear-view mirror, where it usually stands on cars with factory-made sensors.
Among the options presented, the installation of the sensor is considered the least practical and rational way to automate the switching on and off of optics. Yes, in certain situations, the device greatly simplifies vehicle control, since the driver does not have to be distracted by switches.
But at the same time, light sensors do not always adequately respond to traffic situation... Certain sections of the road can make the controller go crazy, as the blackout quickly changes to the light section, and this happens all the time. As a result, the headlights turn on and off. It is unlikely that this will please the traffic police. And the driver himself will experience serious discomfort from such light and music.
Ignition
A good option for how to automatically turn on the low beam on a car involves the use of ignition. The idea is to keep the headlights on after.
To implement the circuit, you first need to connect the lighting devices to a power source. Since some devices are connected regardless of the position of the ignition switch, and others only after ignition, here you need to choose the right source. The most preferred solution is a button to activate the stove.
To make the scheme working, you need to take:
- set of wires;
- diodes;
- five-pin relay.
The kit is quite simple, and it will not be difficult to assemble everything you need.
After preliminary preparation, you can start working.
- The switch is removed side lights... It is usually found in the leftmost switch compartment.
- The positive wire is removed from the button block, which is responsible for the operation of the near optics of the car. On most machines, this is a green double wire. It is then connected to a relay.
- The other positive wiring going to the car's heater switch is used to insert additional wiring into it. It also goes to the relay.
- A wire is connected to the relay through which the optics will be powered.
- The wire remains to be additionally thrown onto the body to make a minus.
Some people additionally use soldering irons to improve the quality of the connection. But that doesn't have to be done. High-quality insulation with twist and tape is quite suitable.
Such a scheme allows you to automate the process of starting the low beam as soon as the ignition is turned on on the car.
The automation scheme has certain disadvantages. The downside is the dubious efficiency of such a solution. The optics will start working as soon as you turn on the ignition. In winter, this function is of dubious benefit, since first you need to warm up the car for a while.
There is an option to avoid this disadvantage. But here you have to make the circuit even more complicated. The refinement implies that the dipped headlights will turn off when the car is stationary. It doesn't matter if the ignition works or not.
Engine
Those who are not satisfied with the option with a sensor and ignition can take a slightly different path.
The engine start can be used to automatically turn on the dipped beam headlights. And here the scheme is conventionally divided into 2 directions. They provide for connection to a handbrake or a sensor responsible for oil pressure.
Let's start with the option of connecting to an oil pressure sensor. To connect the circuit, you need to take:
- relay;
- a pair of transistors;
- wires;
- microcircuit K561TP1.
All components are installed in a compact relay housing. Next, the resulting device is connected to the oil pressure sensor. With the normalization of pressure indicators in power unit what happens when the engine is started, the sensor will begin to open. The power going to it will go to the capacitor.
As a result, the voltage to our relay will go through the transistors connected to the power supply. When the engine turns off, power from the sensor goes to the required lamp, which is located on dashboard vehicle. At this moment, the capacitor entering the optics control unit will be discharged. This interrupts the power supply to the relay. The light goes out.
A similar scheme allows you to control near optics in automatic and manual modes. This will require an additional parallel connection.
The driver can independently set the time to turn off or turn on the dipped headlights. To achieve what you want, you just need to choose the optimal resistance on the board. The higher the value, the longer it will take before turning on and before turning off.
But this method does not suit all drivers. This scheme has many opponents. This is due to the rather high complexity of the connection, which is objectively a fair comment. After all, here you have to pull the wiring and make about 3-4 connections. If this option suits you, and you are ready to implement it yourself, you can get to work.
Motorists looking for a simpler option can use the second scheme. It's about connecting to the handbrake. Since we have already discussed the method of connecting through the ignition, there will definitely be no problems with the implementation of this circuit. This requires literally a little tweaking.
The point of the revision is to add another relay. Plus, you need a small wire about 250 millimeters long, which is connected to the standard contact on the button hand brake.
The principle of turning on and off the dipped beam with such a scheme is extremely simple. If you apply the handbrake, the headlights go out. It is worth lowering the handbrake handle, the optics turn on.
Which scheme to choose, each motorist decides for himself. The presented options do not require impressive cash costs, and also do not imply that the car owner must have professional skills in working with car electrics.
But you need to be extremely careful and accurate. Working with the wiring and electrical components of the machine is always delicate, requiring concentration and consistency.
Many people question the relevance of the automation system for turning on and off the low beam of a car. They are sure that it is much easier to develop the habit of keeping an eye on the optics, rather than trying to redo the car's electrical circuit for the sake of your comfort. One can partially agree with them, since even such automation has certain disadvantages.
And if you used to easily do without automatically turning on the light, then now there is no urgent need to change anything. But the choice is still yours.
Overwhelming majority modern cars foreign production, especially of prestigious equipment, are equipped with a device that automatically turns on the headlights when certain or specified conditions are created.
Often this device is combined with a rain sensor or is triggered when the illumination level is controlled by sensitive photocells. However, the use of the above options becomes insufficient when it comes to a car operated in the Russian Federation. "Rules of the Road" (hereinafter referred to as traffic rules), in force on its territory, require the inclusion of dipped headlights while the vehicle is moving, regardless of the time of day and the degree of illumination.
The appearance of this requirement in the traffic rules has caused the need for a significant revision of the electrical supply system not only for domestically produced cars, but also for foreign cars of the older age category.
The main requirements for a device or system that provides automatic switching on of dipped beam headlights are:
- Guaranteed automatic turning on of headlights when the vehicle starts moving.
- Turning off the dipped beam when the vehicle is parked.
- Economical spending electrical energy in all operating modes of the power unit.
Filling the created niche in the car parts market, these devices were developed not only by enterprises specializing in car electrical equipment, but also by the so-called "folk craftsmen". The devices they offer, both ready-made and at the level schematic diagrams, great variety. The devices differ not only in the principle of operation, but also in the complexity of execution.
1.Schemes of devices for automatic switching on of headlights
Consider several possible options providing automatic switching on of vehicle headlights.
1.1 One of the simplest and most effective protection schemes against turning on headlights on an idle car is a scheme that provides a supply voltage to the button (relay) for turning on the headlights through. Switching off the engine (starter) opens the headlight supply circuit. The fears of some motorists in increasing the load on the circuit are unfounded, provided that the devices are connected correctly.
1.2 The method of organizing the automatic switching on of the dipped beam described below provides for connecting an additional relay or an electromagnet of the relay that turns on the headlights into the circuit of the "battery charging" warning lamp. A practical implementation looks like this (see the diagram in fig. # 1):
- add a five-contact relay to the circuit (type 90.3747);
- contacts "30" and "85" are connected to the ignition switch;
- contact "86" is connected to the output of the generator connected to the control lamp of the charge;
- contact "88" is connected to the relay that turns on the headlights (or the headlight circuit fuse);
- turning on the ignition provides current supply to the coil windings of the relay electromagnet and its flow (through the generator winding) to the negative terminal;
- actuation of the relay contributes to the opening of contacts "88" and "30";
- as a result of starting the engine and the subsequent start of the generator's operation, a positive current comes to the output of the generator warning lamp;
- switching off the relay leads to the closure of contacts "88" and "30", that is, the dipped headlights are automatically turned on.
The use of a diode in series with the relay coil and directed to the generator will help prevent a “bad” loop from occurring. The headlights will light up only if the circuit is continuous, which is controlled by the "battery charging" lamp.
Figure # 1
1.3 The third connection method is based on the use of an emergency oil pressure sensor in the automatic switching on of the headlights. power plant... In fact, this method is a variation of the one described above. The difference lies in the connection of the relay coil to the pressure transducer and not to the generator. The headlights are switched on immediately after the pressure in the lubrication system rises to the required level.
A significant drawback of this scheme is the flashing of the headlights when the oil pressure in the system decreases and, as a result, the sensor is triggered (coasting, mode " idle move" etc.).
The above schemes and methods that provide automatic switching on of headlights are simple in technical design and do not require significant material costs for implementation. This is their undoubted advantage. However, a rather large group of domestic motorists, due to the lack of free time, technical illiteracy and other objective reasons, prefer to use factory-made devices.
2. The device "AutoSvet AS", as an alternative to handicraft schemes
The functional purpose of the "AutoSvet AS" device is to smoothly turn on the dipped headlights at the moment:
a) the beginning of the movement of the vehicle;
b) starting the engine and reaching 10-100% of the rated power.
This allows you to significantly extend the service life of incandescent lamps.
The dipped headlights automatically go out when the side lights are turned on (mains voltage< 12,7 Вольт), зажигания. Схема подключения контроллера предполагает коммутацию «+», то есть включение в цепь «+» выключателя или реле.
Drawing number 2
- The device can function in several ways:
The control wire of the controller is connected to the injector or hall sensor circuit;
Connection to the speed sensor circuit
2.2 Installation of the "AutoSvet AS" controller on the car is carried out as follows:
- turn off the "-" battery terminal;
- a red wire (D = 1.5 mm) is connected through a 15 ampere fuse to a power source (12 Volts);
- black wire (D = 1.5 mm) is connected to the "╧" ("ground") terminal;
- blue wire (D = 1.5 mm) is connected to the dipped beam headlamp circuit (“+” terminal ≤ 9 Ampere) after the relay;
- brown wire (D = 0.35 mm) is connected to the input contact of the speed sensor;
- a blue wire (D = 0.35 mm) is connected to the parking light input contact or connected via a toggle switch to the “+” 12 Volt terminal.
The conditions that determine the automatic switching on of the dipped headlights depend on the state of the controller loop:
The cut loop ensures that the light is turned on when the vehicle starts moving;
The whole loop ensures that the headlights are turned on when the power plant is started.
Attention! Connecting the brown wire directly to the coil pins Absolutely forbidden as high voltages will cause the controller to malfunction.
- avoid getting moisture inside the device;
- do not allow deformation of the controller due to mechanical and thermal loads;
- do not use gas-discharge lamps in the electrical system of the car.
Changes to the traffic rules, introduced in November 2010, oblige the vehicle driver to turn on daytime running lights, or dipped headlights, or fog lights, regardless of the time of day and visibility conditions.
This device will be a good addition for those Vehicle which are not equipped with an automatic dipped beam system. The diagram given in this article is designed to automatically turn on the headlights when the car engine starts. As you know, a working generator creates a voltage in the on-board network in the region of 14 ... 14.4 V, and this is higher than the battery voltage (12V).
The circuit of the machine monitors the voltage in the car's network, and if it exceeds 13.2 V, then after about 1 second it activates two relays. The first relay is used to power the side lights and the dashboard, the second is used for daytime running lights or dipped headlights. The lighting is switched off after the engine is switched off.
The schematic diagram is shown below. Comparator DD1.1 () compares the reference voltage coming from the 5.6 V Zener diode (VD2) with the voltage coming from R1, R2, R3. R3 is used for fine tuning so that the machine responds to an input voltage in the range of 13.2 ... 13.3.
Material: ABS + Metal + Acrylic Lenses. LED lights...
Resistor R5 between the output of the comparator and the non-inverting input provides positive feedback, allowing the comparator to operate with hysteresis. For the comparator state to change again, the voltage must drop below 10.6 V.
Thus, there is no fear that as a result of any heavy load on on-board network car headlights turn off. This will happen only after the ignition is turned off, or, for example, at the time of an attempt to start the engine with a starter.
A chain of elements R6, C3 is responsible for the delay in turning on the headlights after starting the engine. For these values, the delay is approximately 1 second. The second comparator DD1.2 is designed to implement this delay. It compares the voltage across capacitor C3 with the reference voltage received from the Zener diode VD2.
A transistor is connected to the output of the comparator DD1.2, which controls the output relay. To the relay coils, in parallel in the opposite direction, diodes VD3 and VD4 are connected, which protect the transistor from voltage surges at the moment the relay is turned off. Diode VD1 protects against power connection error (reversal). The load capacity of the circuit depends on the relays used.
To adjust the device, an adjustable power supply or a 13.2 V voltage source is required. Move the potentiometer R3 to the extreme left position. Then we drop the power supply to 13.2 V. Gradually rotate the potentiometer R3 to the right until we hear the relay turn on. Then we reduce the voltage and the relay should turn off. We increase the voltage again to check. A correctly adjusted circuit should turn on at a voltage of 13.2 ... 13.4 V.
The operation of this circuit has been tested in Proteus:
(12.6 Kb, downloaded: 617)
The wires from the relay must have a minimum cross-section of 1 mm 2. It is worth additionally installing a power switch on the case, so that in some cases it is possible to turn off the machine.
A small drawback of this scheme is the fact that the dipped beam headlights will be on and when switching high beam... This operation is not recommended and will significantly reduce lamp life. Hence the recommendation - during long night trips, it is recommended to turn off the circuit breaker with a switch on the case.
Automatic switching on of headlights is necessary to turn on the head lighting in case of a sharp deterioration in visibility without the participation of the driver. In some countries, headlights are required when driving.
On foreign cars, automatic headlights are switched on, for the implementation of which an appropriate sensor is used. Often this sensor is combined with a rain sensor attached to windshield... The principle of this sensor is based on the measurement of illumination using photocells.
But for a domestic car owner, this method is unlikely to work. According to the rules of the road, the dipped headlights must be turned on not only at night, but also daytime days. When this requirement appeared, the need arose to use automatic headlights on when the car was moving and off when parking, for economical use of energy and preventing the headlights from leaving when parked. According to the laws of the market, enterprises of electrical equipment for cars and craftsmen immediately responded to this need. The principle of operation is excellent for everyone, depending on what the owner of the car wants to get and what costs and complications of the scheme he wants to go to. Let's consider some of the most common schemes.
A way of inclusion for the forgetful.
The most simple circuit automatic headlights on protects the driver from forgetfulness and prevents the headlights from turning on when the ignition is off. On most vehicles this is done by design at the factory, and where it is not implemented it can be easily done. To do this, it is enough to supply power to the on button or the headlight relay through the ignition switch leads, which are closed when the ignition is turned on, but open when the starter is turned on.
This method has a very important advantage - simplicity. There is an opinion that the included headlights will give additional load, but this is not the case. If the connection is done correctly, then when the starter is turned on, the headlights will turn off. Conclusion: a simple, reliable and cost-effective method.
Automatic switching on of headlights through a relay.
The second way to realize automatic switching on of headlights is to connect the electromagnet of the relay for turning on the headlights or an additional relay into the excitation circuit of the generator, or rather the circuit of the charging signal lamp. This method is suitable for almost all modern vehicles.
For implementation, it is necessary to add a five-contact relay type 90.3747. Connect the wire from the ignition switch to terminals 85 and 30. Conclusion 86 is connected to the output of the generator, to which the wire from the control lamp of the charge is connected. Terminal 88 is connected to the headlamp switch or directly to the fuses protecting the headlamp circuit.
In this case, when the ignition is turned on, the power from the ignition switch, the coil of the relay electromagnet goes to minus through the generator winding, while the relay triggers and opens contacts 30 and 88. After starting the engine and starting the generator, a plus appears at the output of the generator warning lamp. The relay is disconnected and closes contacts 30 and 88 including the headlights.
To prevent a harmful circuit in this case, it is desirable to use a diode connected in series with the relay coil directed towards the generator. The headlights in this case will light up only when there is a charging current, provided that the circuit is intact, which can be monitored by the battery charge lamp.
Automatic switching on of headlights via a pressure sensor.
In the third method of connecting the automatic switching on of headlights, the kulibins suggest using an emergency engine oil pressure sensor. The connection diagram is identical to that described earlier, only the relay coil is connected not to the generator, but to the emergency oil pressure sensor. In this case, the headlights will light up immediately after the pressure builds up in the lubrication system. The disadvantage is the inclusion of headlights, regardless of the health of the generator. At low oil pressure, idle if the condition of the engine is not the best, the headlights will start flashing when the sensor is triggered.
Here, only the simplest and possibly primitive ways of implementing automatic headlights are considered. On the Internet, you can find many more schemes, both simple and quite complex. Also in stores you can be offered ready-made blocks for the implementation of this function.
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So, since I constantly forget to turn on, and even worse - turn off the low beam, I decided to try to automate this process. The usual relays sold in the store did not suit me with the fact that the light either turns on immediately after turning on the ignition / starting the internal combustion engine, or after reaching a certain voltage, and the voltage, as you know, is a fickle thing.
Therefore, the relay used a standard five-pin relay, because I did not find a four-contact normally closed one. To the terminal "30" of the relay, we connect a wire connected to the red paired wire from the ignition lock chip, which turns on the starter retractor relay. To the conclusion "86" we catch the wire from the generator bulb chip. Conclusion "85" - mass. We connect the green wire from the button for turning on the outdoor lighting to the "87a" terminal. We do not connect anything to pin 87.
Principle of operation:
The ignition is off - there is no voltage on the relay and the headlights are off.
The ignition is on - there is a minus on the generator lamp and the headlights are off.
Starting the internal combustion engine - a plus appeared on the lamp, but a plus appeared on the retractor starter, the relyukha is open and the headlights are off.
The internal combustion engine is working, we release the starter, the relay closes, and so on. on the generator lamp plus, this plus goes to the three-lever light switch. Well, the actual scheme:
That is, the headlights come on only when the engine is running and the starter is turned off. This is especially true in winter, because the fewer unnecessary consumers during engine start-up, the more chances to start.
Switching the light in the three-lever switch under the steering wheel is as follows: 0 - the headlights are off, 1 - the dipped beam is on, 2 - the high beam is on.
Here is a photo of the implementation:
Dimensions are included separately with the button for turning on the outdoor lighting. About the dimensions, I reasoned like this: they are needed only at night, and at night you will not forget to turn them on 100%, because as soon as it gets dark, the readings of the instruments will become invisible. Forgetting to turn off is also possible only for a very large parking lot, tk. the burning dimensions at night will immediately catch your eye. You can make the dimensions turn off automatically, but these are extra relays and extra wires. IMHO it's useless.
I consider this scheme to be almost ideal. The only thing that I would like to improve is that the near one burns both in zero and in the first positions of the steering column switch. But then an additional relyuha is needed, so that when switching to a distant extinguisher, the near one and also forcibly turning off the headlights from a button or a parking brake.
