Headlight modifications

[JimIsbell]

I am looking into modifying my headlights to stay ON anytime the key is on and turn OFF with the key. Running with the headlights on keeps my battery topped up and its a pain to remember to turn them on. OFF is easy because of the buzzer.

Also I would like to modify the dash lighting to tun from an ambient light sensor rather than just looking to see if the headlights are on or not.

Has anyone done these mods and could save me some time figuring out how to do it?

[joecvt]

Originally Posted by JimIsbell

I am looking into modifying my headlights to stay ON anytime the key is on and turn OFF with the key. Running with the headlights on keeps my battery topped up and its a pain to remember to turn them on. OFF is easy because of the buzzer.

Also I would like to modify the dash lighting to tun from an ambient light sensor rather than just looking to see if the headlights are on or not.

Has anyone done these mods and could save me some time figuring out how to do it?

I have not done this myself but it looks like you can do mod #1 (headlights and parking lights on with ignition) by simply supplying ground to pins 7 (BLU/RED) and pin 13 (BLU) of the combination light switch connector (left side of steering column). Pin 7 ground is for the two headlight relays and pin 13 ground is for the tailight relay. Your ground source would be from a relay powered by the ignition on +12v. Use a relay with a good contact rating like the ones used in fog lights. You can also place a hidden switch on the +12v side of the relay to default to normal mode.

Mod #2 (modify dash brightness based on light sensor) is also not too bad. You would need to cut pin B10 (RED/BLK - connector B pin 10) at the gauge assembly. This is the +12v wire that tells the gauge assembly that you have turned on the parking/head lights and to dim the display down to your pre-determined level. The gauge assembly can not receive this 12V all the time now since your lights will be on during the day and you don't want the gauge assembly to dim in the daylight hours. You need to do a circuit with a relay activated by a light sensor. The RED/BLK B10 12v will need to be relayed to the gauge unit when it becomes dark.

Hope that helps.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

[JimIsbell]

Very helpful. We will see how it works out.

[Hybrid-Battery-Repair]

Originally Posted by JimIsbell

I am looking into modifying my headlights to stay ON anytime the key is on and turn OFF with the key. Running with the headlights on keeps my battery topped up and its a pain to remember to turn them on. OFF is easy because of the buzzer.

Also I would like to modify the dash lighting to tun from an ambient light sensor rather than just looking to see if the headlights are on or not.

Has anyone done these mods and could save me some time figuring out how to do it?

Why not simply buy an aftermarket DRL/Auto-Headlights controller? DRL (50% headlights) will do just as good a job and the lights will snap on full when it gets dark.

[joecvt]

Originally Posted by Hybrid-Battery-Repair

Why not simply buy an aftermarket DRL/Auto-Headlights controller? DRL (50% headlights) will do just as good a job and the lights will snap on full when it gets dark.

Is there such a controller that does both functions that you mention and will also satisfy Jim's other wish to have the dash board brightness automatically dim only when it is dark? I thought DRL use 50% of the high beam portion of the light.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

[Hybrid-Battery-Repair]

Originally Posted by joecvt

Is there such a controller that does both functions that you mention and will also satisfy Jim's other wish to have the dash board brightness automatically dim only when it is dark? I thought DRL use 50% of the high beam portion of the light.

I invented one in the 90's, but there was a competitor model out there then.


A quick look on google shows:

Sav-A-Life Automotive Safety Products: Daytime Running Lights - OEM - GM DRL
Sav-A-Life Automotive Safety Products: Daytime Running Lights - OEM - GM DRL


and an auto-headlight circuit:

Automatic Headlight Control


I guess there aren't that many out there. This is a link to the product I developed:

LightSpeed Features

[joecvt]

Originally Posted by Hybrid-Battery-Repair

I invented one in the 90's, but there was a competitor model out there then..............................................
I guess there aren't that many out there. This is a link to the product I developed:

LightSpeed Features

Before I replied to Jim, I did do some google searches but couldn't find one controller that would fit his needs. When I looked at the Insight electronics manual, I discovered that the lights on with the key in the ignition can simply be done with a simple 12V relay and his second request would need a light sensor / relay combo to the gauge assembly.

The product you developed is the nearest to the goal but would still need modification.

JoeCVT = Just your averager CVT owner

[JimIsbell]

Originally Posted by joecvt

I have not done this myself but it looks like you can do mod #1 (headlights and parking lights on with ignition) by simply supplying ground to pins 7 (BLU/RED) and pin 13 (BLU) of the combination light switch connector (left side of steering column). Pin 7 ground is for the two headlight relays and pin 13 ground is for the tailight relay. Your ground source would be from a relay powered by the ignition on +12v. Use a relay with a good contact rating like the ones used in fog lights. You can also place a hidden switch on the +12v side of the relay to default to normal mode.

This was a good start and with only a couple of comments I think it will work fine.
First, since I will be switching the relay grounds, I dont need a high current relay since that was the reason for using the relays in the first place to put the Headlight current through the contacts and a low current through the relay coils for the switch to use.
Second, I will put the relay in parallel with the light switch inputs so that if the relay/ignition is off then the switch controls the lights, but if the ignition/relay is on then it controls the headlights. That way I can turn on the headlights when the ignition is off if I want to so that in an emergency I can have the lights on while the engine is off. I dont see any reason that I would want to turn off the headlights if the ignition is on however.

Originally Posted by joecvt

Mod #2 (modify dash brightness based on light sensor) is also not too bad. You would need to cut pin B10 (RED/BLK - connector B pin 10) at the gauge assembly. This is the +12v wire that tells the gauge assembly that you have turned on the parking/head lights and to dim the display down to your pre-determined level. The gauge assembly can not receive this 12V all the time now since your lights will be on during the day and you don't want the gauge assembly to dim in the daylight hours. You need to do a circuit with a relay activated by a light sensor. The RED/BLK B10 12v will need to be relayed to the gauge unit when it becomes dark.

This one is a no brainer, one photo resistor that has a high dark resistance in series with a n adjustable resistor to the ignition buss. Take a tap off the junction to a small relay coil that switches the line to pin 10. Then adjust the resistor to get the turn on point I am looking for.

Thanks for the input. This will work perfectly.

[924guy]

interesting....

what in the headlight system causes a force charge for the ima?

[joecvt]

Originally Posted by 924guy

interesting....

what in the headlight system causes a force charge for the ima?

It doesn't cause a typical force charge for the IMA......

It just keeps the IMA battery topped off but not from the typical force charge that is normally spoken of.

Here is what I think happens:

Since the Insight does not have an alternator, the 12V battery and the 12V accessories get their power from a DC to DC converter when active.

Under light electrical load (no headlights on - no fan on high), the DC to DC converter is not active at all times. When it is not active, all 12V voltage comes from the 12V battery.

When the DC to DC controller activates, the accessories and the 12v battery receive 12v (charging the 12v battery as well).

This is why you see the voltage go back and forth from 12V or so to 13.8V or so. When the voltage is above 12V, the DC to DC converter is activated.

The IMA motor is also a generator. When the lights are turned on (or fan turned up to high), there is a high electrical load and the DC to DC converter is called to be on at all times. Here is the theory part....The DC to DC converter does not need all of the voltage that the IMA motor and inverter can produce even at minimum IMA generator mode request, so the remainder voltage does to the 144V pack until it is deemed to be full enough.

When you have an aging IMA battery, the headlights on trick can keep it topped off with this method but it is not really a typical force charge.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner