Flux Geare Hoodbeam Install

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

Would this work? I think it says it won't work for projector headlights, but quad beam LED and halogens should.
https://customautoworksstore.com/product/f150-super-duty-plug-and-play-y-adapter/

That should work for some trim levels. My Platinum trim has the LED projector lights..

Still looking for a Platinum compatible solution....

Sponsored

 

[erixgix]

For those that want to play with one of these at more disposable price points, there are options on Amazon around $15 that appear to be similar if not identical. Maybe the folks that have these can see if they are marked for country of origin to verify if they may come China.

Offered in other color variations and widths for other vehicles or placement. Would be nice if they came in a black holder to keep them on the DL.
Couple Amazon options following flex gear in box from their site for comparison. There are some you tube vids of the "start-scan" lights on Youtube.

Folks are tapping into the ACC / park light or similar circuit at the fuse block.

Flex Geare

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Scan-Start-Hoodbeam-Kit/dp/B0BPPFBF52/

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Hoodbeam-Lights-Flexible-Waterproof/dp/B0BPM9FCYV

 

[Static]

For those that want to play with one of these at more disposable price points, there are options on Amazon around $15 that appear to be similar if not identical. Maybe the folks that have these can see if they are marked for country of origin to verify if they may come China.

Offered in other color variations and widths for other vehicles or placement. Would be nice if they came in a black holder to keep them on the DL.
Couple Amazon options following flex gear in box from their site for comparison. There are some you tube vids of the "start-scan" lights on Youtube.

Folks are tapping into the ACC / park light or similar circuit at the fuse block.

Flex Geare

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Scan-Start-Hoodbeam-Kit/dp/B0BPPFBF52/

https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Hoodbeam-Lights-Flexible-Waterproof/dp/B0BPM9FCYV

Good find, probably the exact same thing

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

@JediNut Did you get hoodbeam to come on tapping into the DRL wires on the DRL/foglight fixture? Did you turn down the DRL brightness?

I am now looking for info on the LED projector headlight wiring. It seems that tapping 1 wire works for the Raptor grill lights if you tap into the headlight wiring.. or use this for us guys with LED projectors:

https://customautoworksstore.com/product/2021-f150-502a-led-headlight-plug-play/

I am reticent to purchase an adaptor that cost more than my lights.... I am ok with tapping a headlight connector wire if I can find one that is hot when DRLs are on. Maybe the small orange horizontal LED strip ... does anyone know if it comes off/on with the DRLs?

 

[JediNut]

@JediNut Did you get hoodbeam to come on tapping into the DRL wires on the DRL/foglight fixture? Did you turn down the DRL brightness?

I am now looking for info on the LED projector headlight wiring. It seems that tapping 1 wire works for the Raptor grill lights if you tap into the headlight wiring.. or use this for us guys with LED projectors:

https://customautoworksstore.com/product/2021-f150-502a-led-headlight-plug-play/

I am reticent to purchase an adaptor that cost more than my lights.... I am ok with tapping a headlight connector wire if I can find one that is hot when DRLs are on. Maybe the small orange horizontal LED strip ... does anyone know if it comes off/on with the DRLs?

Unfortunately, I didn't get to it last night. The Raptor Grill lights that I have are the ones from Custom Auto Works... it came with a Y-Adaptor. That's what I was hoping to tap into.

 

[Snakebitten]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to it last night. The Raptor Grill lights that I have are the ones from Custom Auto Works... it came with a Y-Adaptor. That's what I was hoping to tap into.

I have those same grill lights with the very nice plug&play harness that they provided. It does seem like that would be a good source to tap or piggyback off of since you wouldn't need to alter any factory wiring.

 

[Big Cam]

Found that the hoodbeam is quite a bit brighter than the LED DRLs on my 2021 Platinum.

You could always use forscan to increase the brightness of your DRL's!

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...an-list-database-spreadsheet.1578/post-282213

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

Nice catch on the alternate products to try. And since the hoodbeams are too bright and the DRLs too dim (and the DRL control voltage is too low to trigger the hoodbeams) I might get lucky by turning up the DRL brightness and have it all work. Plan A (tho I have always believed that "luck" isn't really a "Strategy" for accomplishing a goal).

Have to be Tuesday tho as it is drizzling here. Will post on what I find.

Plan B is finding a wiring diagram for the headlights and a 12ish volt switched source for the hoodbeam in combo with Forscan turning up the DRLs (There has to be one there since Plan C found a way!!!).

Plan C is the $35 adapter from Custom Auto Works... And I might as well throw in Raptor lights since I am sinking more $!!!

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

I have those same grill lights with the very nice plug&play harness that they provided. It does seem like that would be a good source to tap or piggyback off of since you wouldn't need to alter any factory wiring.

Amber or White grill lights? Since I plan on a white hoodbeam I think Amber would be best for my case....

 

[Snakebitten]

Amber or White grill lights? Since I plan on a white hoodbeam I think Amber would be best for my case....

The grill led are amber.

 

[JediNut]

Amber or White grill lights? Since I plan on a white hoodbeam I think Amber would be best for my case....

Mine are white.

I have all white lights on the front. (It's a white truck, so I thought that looked better)

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

Mine are white.

I have all white lights on the front. (It's a white truck, so I thought that looked better)

So a picture of hoodbeam and the white Raptor grill lights when you get there please

 

[JediNut]

Sorry it's not good pic, I just laid the Hoodbeam in place and was tweaking the DRL brightness to get it to match a little more closely... still not quite there. My DRLs overpower everything... I can't seem to get them turned back down. Unfortunately, the computer that I did my first Forscan changes with died an ugly death, and with it went my original settings. :-( I backed it 3 times and put one of those backups on a Thumbdrive ... that my daughter accidentally overwrote.

(And now it seems my truck is suffering from the dreaded PBD... Phantom Battery Drain!)

Anyway... here is the photo... the Raptor LEDs are a bit too warm... and the hoodbeam and DRLs are a little off too.

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

yes.. It looks like the hoodbeam is a little cooler than the DRLs. Raining again this am... Maybe this PM I can get back out and mess around.

 

[JIMFOUNTAIN]

Progress Report.

Using Forscan I experimented with various DRL brightness values and measured the voltage on the DRL control circuit.

Default brightness was "0Ax" so 10% and gave a voltage of 1.8 volts. 2Cx is 44% and gave 7.4 volts. 3Cx is 60% and gave 8.5 volts. Going up to 5C at 92% gave 11.6 volts.

Testing my hoodbeam (see earlier posts) I know it needs 8 volts or more so I hooked it temp to the driver DRL/foglight connector. Even at 92% and over 11 volts I could not get the hoodbeam to come on when the DRL circuit was hot.

Not sure why. Perhaps the digital volt meter sampling frequency is biasing my readings. Perhaps the hoodbeam electronics can't deal with the power cycling like the Ford DRL leds can.

So I hooked the hoodbeam to the battery and started looking for the right DRL brightness settings. Here is a photo of DRLs at 10% - stock.

Mercy... Going to 60% is BRIGHT. 92% is DAZZLING. I ended up at 28x or 40% as a good balance. Here is a photo.

I was losing daylight so it is a little bit misleading to compare the photos but you get the idea. The glare on the DRLs shows more on the camera then it does to the eye.

Still need a hoodbeam power source. Disappointed Plan A (Lucky) failed. But not surprised or defeated. On to plan B.

Sponsored