Leaving Lights on and Flattening Battery

e_babe, Apr 7, 12:28am
I have done that so many times last winter and did it for the first time this winter. Does anyone know if you can get the beep to be added to the car so it will tell me if I have left my lights on.

DAmn thing tells me when my seatbelt is not on but not my lights.

1993 Honda Domino

jasongroves, Apr 7, 12:30am
Yes you can.
Any decent auto sparky should be able to sort that out for you.

e_babe, Apr 7, 12:31am
Thank you will organise to see one, before I ended up stranded again

morrisman1, Apr 7, 12:33am
yes you can, it involves a simple 12v buzzer and a change-over relay.

The change over relay opens the circuit when the key is turned on, deactivating the buzzer. The buzzer is wired to the dashboard light power feed (cigarette lighter is often convenient if it is lit). It is set up so that if lights are on and key is off buzzer will sound.

about $10 in materials but requires basic electrical knowledge to make/install

bigfatmat1, Apr 7, 12:36am
easier just to put buzzer accross lights and ign no relay needed

morrisman1, Apr 7, 12:37am
then it will go whenever the lights are on

tmenz, Apr 7, 1:22am

e_babe, Apr 7, 1:46am
Thank you very much sending dh to jaycar today to have a look and sort

bigfatmat1, Apr 7, 6:05am
and know it wont as the ign is +. The ign has enough backfeed when off to act as a negative

Sorry I should of been clearer you use a beeper polarity conscious. so it wont go when the lights are off and ign on

neo_psy, Apr 7, 6:28am
Couldn't you just wire the light circuit so it only goes when the ignition is on!

I'd want an auto sparky to do it, but it seems simple enough

nzmax, Apr 7, 9:53am
I drive with my headlights on all the time. One habit ive got into, which is pretty much just a routine before i get out of the car.pull on handbrake, check lights, take key out of ignition, open door. Do it in the same order everytime. Even a little checklist on the dash to view untill you form the new habit would help. Has worked for me and didnt take long to get into the habit, and didnt cost a cent.

gadgetman, Apr 7, 10:51am
Get daytime running lights. Those bright white LED lights you often see on trucks. Saves on fuel and they turn on automatically once the motor is running. No more flat batteries.

morrisman1, Apr 7, 12:39pm
yes you could but firstly its more difficult to mess with factory wiring on a new car than it is on a morris minor and secondly I like to be able to have lighting without a key, just in case.

I stand by my initial suggestion, Here is a wiring diagram of it:
http://i55.tinypic.com/8vyyiq.jpg

When power is applied by the ignition, it moves the relay to circuit #1, stopping the buzzer but with the ignition off the circuit is in #2 and drives the buzzer. The buzzer also requires power from the cigarette lighter illumination feed, convenient and simple. Power from the ignition is close by up at the radio, usually the red wire (yellow is constant feed)

gadgetman, Apr 26, 8:59am
I have factory built buzzer on my MB Sprinter van. Buzzer sounds if I leave the lights on and open the drivers door, but.
On a rainy day I would go to the back and cook a meal and having the lights on as the buzzer did not sound as I did not open the drivers door. After a couple flat batteries I finally got sick of it and installed LED daytime running lights. Always on and use much less power so they would save fuel in the long run and no more flat batteries because of left lights on during the day. Those LED DRLs should be compulsory on all vehicles. Should solve the problem of some drivers driving with parking lights on!

johnf_456, Apr 26, 9:15am
Never had a flattie here, but I have always got myself in a habit. Just like you put the seatbelt on without thinking. Keys out, lights off, doors locked, check and Im fine and never let me down once.

richardmayes, Apr 26, 12:34pm
All you need is better cockpit drills, not to spend money on buzzers to remind you how to think!

(1) I've stopped now at my destination.
(2) Handbrake
(3) Neutral (/Park)
(4) Check - wipers off
(5) Check - lights off
(6) Ignition off
(7) get out of the car, etc.

Make a habit of doing everything properly every time, and hey presto - you'll start getting it right every time.

m16d, Apr 26, 7:44pm
Yep. get a buzzer from dick smith.Wire it across ign + and lights.No relay needed.Done heaps of them.