LED lights upgrade

Longsnowsm · 03-27-2011, 06:34 PM

I have been doing some searching on the forum for some clear info on LED lighting upgrade for the Gen 1 Insight. However it appears most of the info I have run across is a couple of years old and there were lots of issues. Frankly I would love to upgrade all of the lighting possible with LED's, but at this point I don't know what can be upgraded and what cannot. Last info I saw was that the tail lights were causing a regen problem. I saw some other posts about LED upgrades blowing fuses and causing strange behavior with the dash. So my questions regarding LED lighting are this:

1. Which lights can safely be upgraded to LED on the Insight?
2. Can someone recommend specific lights and vendors that will have something that will work and you are happy with?

I don't know if it is just me and my search kungfu is just weak, but sorting out what will or won't work for the LED upgrade is kinda tough. Any thoughts or input to lead me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Longsnowsm

Eli · 03-27-2011, 06:36 PM

I would be interested to know as well. I'm kinda surprised to see that people were having problems with it. I thought it would be as simple as getting the equivilent lights in LED form. I was going to do it as they burned out..

Cobb · 03-27-2011, 08:31 PM

As an I2 owner all the replacable bulbs are 194 and there are plenty of led oiptions to choose from. The dome and map are festoon bulbs, those too are easily swapped. I use a website that sells automotive led lamps when I do a google search. Some of the ebay ones are good or just junk.

joecvt · 03-28-2011, 08:46 AM

The problem with regen and LEDs have to do with the brake lights. The ECM uses the brake light switch as a signal for more regen when the brake pedal is pressed. It needs to see ground when the brake pedal is not pressed and 12v when it is....Now, typical brake lights will allow the ground to pass-thru the filament of the bulb and the ECM will receive the proper 12v or ground.....But an LED is a diode and it can not allow ground to pass-thru and that is part of the problem....Same goes with cruise control brake switch signals....

I don't use LEDs on the exterior lights but I do have white LED lighting for the interior lights and it makes a huge difference.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

ackattacker · 03-28-2011, 10:32 AM

I think the people who were having problems with the tail lights were also running a cruise control.

That said, there's little reason to convert the tail and turn signal bulbs to LED. The reliability is not really improved, nor is the visibility, and the energy savings is extremely minor compared to the cost.

I would consider cheap LED interior lights simply for the choice of color and more modern look. Also if I was running HID headlights I'd probably replace the parking lights with LED for better color match.

3-Wheeler · 03-28-2011, 01:56 PM

I've got LED lights on mine with no noticeable issues.

I read those same things from the old postings and decided to test the LED replacements before putting them on the car permanently.

Everything seems fine. And yes, regen still works too!

I don't have or use cruise.

Jim.

Longsnowsm · 03-28-2011, 09:18 PM

So are the I1 interior bulbs 194's? Any recommended sources for good quality LEDS for this application? How many bulbs total will I need to replace all of the interior bulbs? Thanks.

Longsnowsm

Blue-Civic-Hybrid · 03-29-2011, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longsnowsm

So are the I1 interior bulbs 194's? Any recommended sources for good quality LEDS for this application? How many bulbs total will I need to replace all of the interior bulbs? Thanks.

Longsnowsm

I'd like to know this also if possible, but here is every bulb used in the Gen 1 Insight...

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...RG-Results.htm

ackattacker · 03-29-2011, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longsnowsm

So are the I1 interior bulbs 194's? Any recommended sources for good quality LEDS for this application? How many bulbs total will I need to replace all of the interior bulbs? Thanks.

Longsnowsm

I believe the answer is three 194's in the overhead light. (2 for the map lights, and one for the general area light)

There's also a "festoon" bulb in the trunk area left side type DE3021.

People have had some good luck with superbrightleds.com or ledlight.com but you might do a bit cheaper on fleabay.

red1dr · 03-29-2011, 11:22 AM

At first I was thinking "interior lights aren't on that much, so LED's won't save much power, so why spend the $$$??". Then I realized that LED's might save someone (me, for example) who sometimes leaves the interior lights on all night from ending up with a dead 12v battery in the morning.

@ Blue-Civic-Hybrid, the link you posted doesn't work for me:
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...RG-Results.htm