LED headlights

Does anyone have the LED headlights? I wonder how they compare with the regular ones.

When you say "the LED headlights", this seems to imply that was an available option on the car. As far as I know, it wasn't. The only LED headlights I've heard of are aftermarket. Folks have talked about it here, not sure how many followed through and bought them; Google "LED headlights site:myimiev.com" for relevant threads (this site's Search function being inoperative).

While I understand the tech appeal, they're hideously expensive (one of the reasons Nissan dropped them for the new base trim LEAF S) and hardly seem worth it to me - the energy savings don't matter much in the context of pushing around a ton of car, and both the main projector lamps and the foglights work very well. Then again, I'm much less "tinker-y" than long-time EV enthusiasts, who've been rolling their own (or at least seriously contemplating it) for years, so I wouldn't presume to spoil anyone's fun.

I like the bright 'instant on' brake lights and turn signals (I even converted my antique '79 CBX with them) almost as much as I LOVE my incredible halogen beam headlights - Personally, I wouldn't think of changing a thing on my car

Don

Well, I installed Xenon 35 W and find them extremely useful.

Since I have them, I mostly drive with them on all the time and less people cut the path because of the obvious visibility. Once I saw my wife drive the i on the highway while I was crossing it over a bridge and these headlights are definitely a plus to make such a small car have more presence, hence we feel more secure in it for other people's inadvertence.

Llecentaur said:

Well, I installed Xenon 35 W . . . . and these headlights are definitely a plus to make such a small car have more presence, hence we feel more secure in it for other people's inadvertence.

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Fair point. Sounds a lot like my reasoning for installing the optional DRL/foglights on my ES - it definitely helps to be seen. But for my purposes, the stock halogen projectors work great, and the foglights are quite impressive (as opposed to the practical joke "foglights" on our '05 Prius).

Yes, the fog lights are GREAT!

Having the DRL's on whenever the headlights aren't on is reason enough to have them I think, but for night driving, I use the fog lights virtually 100% of the time. I have much larger fog lights on another car which do not work nearly as well as those on the iMiEV. The way they light up the road and shoulders within about 50 feet in front of the car is really impressive and I've got so used to them that I feel nearly blind when I'm not using them

Don

One thing that ES owners may not know: If you leave your running lights on all the time (not the headlights), they will turn off and on automatically with the key. There's a long beep when you turn off your car, but that's it.

aarond12 said:

One thing that ES owners may not know: If you leave your running lights on all the time (not the headlights), they will turn off and on automatically with the key.

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Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but I was under the impression I can't turn off the DRLs at all.

To clarify, the DRL/fog lamps each contain two bulbs. The lower powered DRL bulb basically lights up the fixture itself, making the car more visible to other drivers (which is the general idea behind DRLs) - I believe these turn on whenever the car is put in gear. The bulbs for the fog lights are much higher powered, and they're only turned on when manually activated. I don't use them very often (we don't get much fog or snow and roads around me have streetlights, but they're quite handy in unlit areas), but as I recall they automatically turn off whenever the car or the headlights are powered down (I just leave my headlights on AUTO, so don't pay too much attention), and need to be manually turned back on when wanted again.

I later realized aarond12 might be referring to the parking lights (sometimes called running lights, which gets a little confusing in a conversation that was also about Daytime Running Lights, or DRLs). The i-MiEV actually has pretty cool parking/running lights (a small white lamp lighting up near the projectors in addition to the usual array of red and yellow signal lamps), but I rarely see them, since as noted I just use AUTO, which I believe goes from OFF to full headlights without ever passing through a parking/running light phase.

Vike said:

I later realized aarond12 might be referring to the parking lights...

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Yep. Sorry about the confusion. I never understood why they're called "parking lights". Hell, "running lights" makes even less sense. :lol:

I think they're called parking lights because they were once used specificially to warn other drivers of a parked car near the roadway

They're not called 'running lights' because it's illegal to drive with them on

California Vehicle Code

24800. No vehicle shall be driven at any time with the parking
lamps lighted except when the lamps are being used as turn signal
lamps or when the headlamps are also lighted.


24801. Parking lamps are those lamps permitted by Section 25106, or
any lamps mounted on the front of a vehicle, designed to be
displayed primarily when the vehicle is parked.


24802. No lights need be displayed upon a vehicle which is:
(a) Parked off the roadway and not in a hazardous position on the
highway; or
(b) Parked with a wheel within 18 inches of a curb; or
(c) Parked within a business or residence district with a wheel
within 18 inches of a curb or edge of the roadway.

Don

Don said:

They're not called 'running lights' because it's illegal to drive with them on

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This law is by state. Georgia is the same as California; Texas has no law against it as far as I can find.

http://www.texashighwayman.com/laws.shtml#ParkingLights

Don

Don said:

http://www.texashighwayman.com/laws.shtml#ParkingLights

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So, as long as it's not nighttime (duh!) and not foggy (again, duh!), I can legally drive with my side markers and rear tail lights illuminated. I think this is a common-sense issue. If it's night time, turn on your headlights. If it's foggy, turn on your low-beam headlights.

For those days that it's overcast, I turn on my side markers and rear tail lights to enhance visibility even though I don't need headlights (either logically or legally).

Hi all,

I've been interested in the i-Miev since it came out but hesitated in getting one and ended up leasing a Fit EV. I have driven both at night and I feel that the i-Miev clearly has better lamps than my Fit EV.

I wanted to chime in here because I like the idea of LED headlamps strictly from an energy usage perspective. Now that daylight savings time has kicked in, my commute home from work is always in the dark. A standard halogen 55W low beam draws 4.5 amps each. The 60 Watt high beams draw 5 amps each.



Has anyone considered the PIAA LP530 driving lamps? They employ two 3 watt LED bulbs, [just 0.5 amps per unit] for 6000 Kelvin. Imagine going from our standard 110 watt low beam draw, down to just 12 watts! Theoretically, you could switch on your parking lamps and use these PIAA lights for your headlamps. There are two light patterns offered, the 70 deg. "Fog Beam" or the 20 deg. "driving" pattern.





I chose the wider 70 degree beams. Legality aside, will they make enough light for me? It could be, as I drive quite slowly on little used back roads for my commute. They could also be employed when your are in a bind for range coming home at night and could make the difference of getting to your destination or not. I am finishing up installation today and will let you know what I think of them next week.

blownb310, thanks for the link to these LED lights. I agree with your assessment, as I think our stock lights do an excellent job of lighting up the road and I've never had a lighting issue with my stock iMiEV headlights on my dark winding mountain roads, no matter what Consumer Reports says!

I see that these headlights are bolt-on with what looks like a flat face. Did you do an analysis to see if the reduction in power consumption outweighs the increase in consumption as a result of drag due to lower aerodynamic efficiency? After all, those bolted-on lights will now be on there 24/7 :roll:

Hi Joe,
It's funny you should mention aerodynamics because as a hypermiler, I am always thinking about it. In fact on long trips I fold in the mirrors.



I finished up the install on my PIAA LED's and aimed them tonight. They aren't as bright as expensive factory LED's like SL model Leaf's have, but for their 3 1/2" size I am impressed with them and quite satisfied. I didn't have to drill any holes into the bodywork either. The plastic license plate mount worked just fine. I took my time and did a really neat job with the wiring as well. Just as with my gas cars, I plan to block of most of the lower grill now that winter is here and our cars have to push a little harder through the cold dense air. So the location I picked isn't likely to hurt aero. The lower grill block will actually improve it.

Mike

Beware of driving after dark without your headlights on - It's not legal in most (if not all) states

Years ago, I got a ticket in Oregon for driving with my parking lights on and my below the bumper driving lights instead of the car's stock headlights. I was going south on I-5 in a real blizzard and with the stock low beams lighting up all that snow, it was impossible to see more than just a car length or two even when driving at only 25 to 30 mph and I was scared to death of getting run over from behind going so slowly on the Interstate. With the headlights turned off and my Cibie driving lights on, I could see lots farther down the road even when going much faster

This 'logic' did not interest the officer at all - "If it's dark enough to require lights at all, then the headlights must be used" and he proceeded to write me up

It would be great to have lights which used much less current than the stock lights, but only if they also gave you superior lighting. Like Joe, I find the car has much better than average lights and I LOVE the stock foglamps. When someone finds something better, I'll think about changing, but I won't do it because whatever it is uses less energy . . . . only because it lights things up better than what I already have. It would also have to be something which doesn't bother oncoming drivers. I wish most of the aftermarket lighting I see coming at me was illegal and strictly enforced . . . . it should be because lights which blind oncoming drivers aren't good for anyone. Unfortunately, Mississippi's vehicle inspection program is a complete joke - If your lights light up at all, you pass, no matter that they're illegal lights and also improperly aimed

Don

Don't the headlights draw electricity from the auxiliary battery? So it really doesn't affect range? Or do the mains have directly recharge the aux battery when it gets low?

Also, all this talk about how great the fog lights are. I was so envious that I went out and bought an OEM kit to upgrade my lights. Little did I know the fog lamps were hidden behind the DRL lamps! Doh! :roll:

So, does anyone care to buy my brand new, never used OEM kit? It even comes with the steering wheel stalk and instructions. $200 plus shipping. That's what I paid for it. I think the dealer sells them for $395. I heard they work great.

Merry Christmas! -John

shifttrans said:

Don't the headlights draw electricity from the auxiliary battery? So it really doesn't affect range? Or do the mains have directly recharge the aux battery when it gets low?

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The 12 v. battery is recharged by the large traction battery pack, so all 12 v. loads will very marginally reduce range.

shifttrans said:

Don't the headlights draw electricity from the auxiliary battery? So it really doesn't affect range? Or do the mains have directly recharge the aux battery when it gets low?

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The headlights (and all other 12 volt loads) are directly powered by the DC to DC converter, so every watt of 12 volt load is one more watt drawn directly from the traction battery, and is one less watt you have to move the car

Don