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View Full Version : Add daytime running lights on US EPs?



BarracksSi
12-24-2002, 02:58 PM
OK, so the circuitry might be somewhere in my USA Civic hatch. Might it be as simple as fiddling with a fuse or two, or would it be more involved?

I would prefer to use the front parking lights as daytime lights, if at all possible.

Tekdemon
01-16-2003, 12:13 PM
Yeah I'm up in rochester here, which is about as north as you get in the US, and heck it's on like the same level as montreal and crap(it's actually a shorter distance for me to get from NYC to montreal than rochester sheesh) and the canadians get DRL but I don't?! Well ok I bought it in NYC but all US Si's don't have DRL so that's besides the point. I think it's ridiculous that they would leave out DRL...how much money can that possibly save to leave out DRL?!

RMC22
01-19-2003, 09:38 PM
Just drive with parking lights on? I hated DRL on my last car. Can never go in 'stealth' mode :D

Suk02Si
01-19-2003, 11:08 PM
Originally posted by RMC22
Just drive with parking lights on? I hated DRL on my last car. Can never go in 'stealth' mode :D
exactly, if the US Si had 'em, I would've found a way to get rid of them somehow

BarracksSi
01-20-2003, 02:16 AM
A Canadian friend of mine told me that the accident rate dropped by about half when Canada implemented the DRL requirement.

Makes sense to me, especially in a stealthy black EP.

LazyAzzAzian
01-20-2003, 08:40 PM
yeah i hate the idea of DRL, i mean if i want my freaking lights on, ill turn them on!

Surprise
01-20-2003, 09:22 PM
I like the idea of DRL on vehicles that are hard to see, but the only vehicles that I find hard to see are motorcycles. If everyone and thier dog had lights on it would be very easy to think that that motorcycle that is about to pass me is a car with one DRL out, thus i would not give the motorcycle the extra cushion space that I normaly give motorcycles. That is another thing half of the DRLs that I see only have one bulb, the the other one is always burnt out. During the day I find myself looking toward the bright lights of passing cars and being distracted by them.

IceD out N CALI
01-20-2003, 09:49 PM
Originally posted by LazyAzzAzian
yeah i hate the idea of DRL, i mean if i want my freaking lights on, ill turn them on!

me too

myeverlovinsir
01-20-2003, 10:00 PM
Originally posted by BarracksSi
A Canadian friend of mine told me that the accident rate dropped by about half when Canada implemented the DRL requirement.

Makes sense to me, especially in a stealthy black EP.

Damn straight, wisdom prevails up here in that area, and one thing we are not complaining about. It's a lifesaver in bad weather for sure.;)

Surprise
01-20-2003, 10:28 PM
Originally posted by myeverlovinsir


Damn straight, wisdom prevails up here in that area, and one thing we are not complaining about. It's a lifesaver in bad weather for sure.;)

Let me think if I wanted to get noticed in bad weather what would I use.... hmmmm. A 5 watt nightlite bulb or a 55 watt light. There is no use for DRLs

norcalSI
01-20-2003, 10:42 PM
DON"T GET DRL...they suck balls....i have them on my corolla and if you get aftermarket bulbs they burn out twice as fast...at 50 dollars a pair it isn't cheap...they only last about 3-6 months..drl are bad...you can't even hide in the dark....when stalking someone...lol

myeverlovinsir
01-20-2003, 10:42 PM
Originally posted by Surprise


Let me think if I wanted to get noticed in bad weather what would I use.... hmmmm. A 5 watt nightlite bulb or a 55 watt light. There is no use for DRLs

I think your taking it out of context, most on the road don't even remember they have DRL, and even more who had the option of not having DRL (older models) would forget to put the lights on no matter what the weather. You would be surprised how people up here react to others who have not turned on their lights. I am speaking about older cars that are not equiped with DRL. People on the roads will honk, joust and point furiously to get others to turn them on. It just seems out of place up here not to have them on. Don't be fooled by how the weather is, a car comming towards you with DRL is much more noticable regardless of the idiot behind the wheel. Numerous studies have proven that it is much more safer even during the daytime. And BarricksSI's comment is correct, our accident rate has significantly dropped because of it. Nuff said.

SiRman
01-21-2003, 01:35 AM
Can I get an Eh-men!

Tekdemon
01-21-2003, 06:23 AM
heh it's definitely useful here...although sometimes I can hardly see the regular beams, let alone DRL...still it's better than if you forget!

I had quite the adventurous drive the other day in a flurry with snow all over the highway and my car had some fun skidding trying to merge into the lane. It was particularly not fun since I was going to get it inspected for insurance so if I had totaled it before getting the inspection I would only have had liability, which would have sucked since I don't feel like paying again =P

But I managed to get the car to quit skidding before sliding into oncoming cars so yay me...oh and I get to live too =P

SiR Medic
01-21-2003, 10:05 AM
DRLs do not reduce the life of bulbs in any significant way.

DRLS work by sending reduced power to the Hi-Beams of your lights. In cars like ours, with both high and low beam filaments in the same bulb, the low beam will burn out LONG before the high beams will.

The bottom line is that they do work, and it will only be a matter of time until all cars have them.

Anyway, back to BarrackSi's original post I have seen kits available to retrofit cars with DRLs, both at Canadian Tire here up north and in Murray's Auto Parts in Detroit.

Also, on my old RX-7 I had a pair of foglights hooked up directly to the ignition circuit, so that they came on automatically when I started the car, and went off as soon as I turned the car off, it worked quite well. You could try this...

BarracksSi
01-21-2003, 04:09 PM
Hehe.. I didn't think this would cause such a debate...

Foglights are a thought. If I get some, I'll ask about wiring them to the ignition. I'm not positive that I'd want all that wattage all the time, though -- wonder how much it would add to fuel consumption.

Maybe some amber or white "city lights" against the headlight bulbs would work OK, too.

We know that most accidents occur at intersections and parking lots, where drivers often only glance in any direction. If a light makes my car easier to see by the time another driver counts to "One", then it'll serve its purpose.

Bad weather would still require regular headlight use, I'd think.

BarracksSi
08-08-2003, 02:45 PM
*bump*

Anybody done this yet? Any Canadians want to give away the module they tore out of theirs? ;)

myeverlovinsir
08-08-2003, 02:51 PM
Originally posted by BarracksSi
Foglights are a thought. If I get some, I'll ask about wiring them to the ignition. I'm not positive that I'd want all that wattage all the time, though -- wonder how much it would add to fuel consumption.



Adding lighting would not effect your fuel consumption. Just an
increased drain on the electrical system. The alternator does
not incur an added mechanical load due to increased electrical
demand.

abstrack
08-13-2003, 07:10 PM
heheh ive got DRL....:) wait is that good...or bad...:rolleyes:

either way.. i dont like em... i need my stealth mode ;) can anyone tell me how to undo em?

EP3inRI
12-23-2003, 06:53 PM
Originally posted by abstrack
heheh ive got DRL....:) wait is that good...or bad...:rolleyes:

either way.. i dont like em... i need my stealth mode ;) can anyone tell me how to undo em?

If you find out how to take'em out, I'll buy 'em.
I've seen the aftermarket modules in JCWhitney, they have both high voltage and low voltage systems. The low-voltage system is supposed to be 80 percent of the regular output and last longer. But I want a Honda module, not aftermarket junk. If any of you Canadian SiR owners are selling yours or you can find out a part #, please post it.

Gs02SiR
12-23-2003, 07:01 PM
To disable I just removed a fuse from my fusebox.

I like being able to turn only my parking lights on. But if it rains or snows I turn my headlights on. People drive bad enough, I like being seen in poor weather.

I dont know how to remove the system entirely. I just assumed they would standardize the cars and just add the fuse for the Canadian marketplace. I will check what fuse # I removed.

Later
G

BlasTech
12-23-2003, 07:04 PM
I cant start a car and drive it without turning on the lights right after I buckle up. Even when I autcross.

SiRman
12-24-2003, 02:05 AM
I removed the fuses for DRL, but usually put parking lights on anyways(headlights this time of year). The main reason I did it was because I burnt out the Hi-beam fil. on one of my PIAA's after about 3 months,
then the other one about 3 months later. I attribute this to the DRL running on the high beam fil. at low wattage. Essentially putting lots of hours on my hi beams. Now I use my parking lights as DRL, the wedge bulbs(I have PIAA's) are much cheaper to replace if they ever burn out then the PIAA H4's.

I wonder if simply plugging fuses in to US car would give you DRL.

SiRman
12-24-2003, 02:18 AM
See page 244 of owners manual.

Fuses I removed are #3 and #12.

Check out if you have fuses in those spots on your US model car, and if not try putting some in.:smilem:

EP3inRI
12-24-2003, 10:39 AM
Originally posted by SiRman
See page 244 of owners manual.

Fuses I removed are #3 and #12.

Check out if you have fuses in those spots on your US model car, and if not try putting some in.:smilem:

I'm gunna check those fuses out, BTW also on that page check out number 16 - heated seats. Ah, I'd love heated seats! Is that offered in Canada too?

SiRman
12-24-2003, 05:19 PM
Ah, I'd love heated seats! Is that offered in Canada too?

Nope, at least not that I'm aware of.

BarracksSi
12-26-2003, 04:31 PM
Originally posted by SiRman
See page 244 of owners manual.

Fuses I removed are #3 and #12.

Check out if you have fuses in those spots on your US model car, and if not try putting some in.:smilem:

I just checked, and nope, that's not it. Mine has fuses in both spots, and while I looked, I also found fuses in the space for heated seats (#16).

I would've added fuses long ago if that were the key. I may add some of those ring-mounted "city lights" eventually, though, if I don't go with foglights.