Wind or solar powered DRLs?
 

I originally was planning on adding DRLs to my Honda Civic, until I realized they created added drain on the alternator, resulting in slightly reduced fuel economy (I know it's splitting hairs, but still ;)).

But what about DRLs that are solar powered or powered by a turbine?

An example would be these: 8 LEDs Car DRL Daytime Running Light Use Wind Power

I'm sure they could be done as a DIY project if someone had the know-how too.

Any thoughts? Effect on FE or drag?

Quirkily cool, but whats the benefit? Is there any light output on them or is just to say you have drl's (ex: nissan sentra low output drl on halogen headlights).

Not an answer directly to your question, but, how much does it cost to replace a car from an accident?

To me, there is no compromise on safety equipment.

40w worth of drl's isn't going to break the bank. If you're concerned with alternator load, add a solar panel and charge controller. But, keep in mind those components are going to cost significantly more than you will save.

DRL's will add a minuscule load, and if they are LED, it is negligible.

Wind turbines collect energy by adding drag, and it will necessarily be larger than the energy savings of not running from the alternator.

EDIT: But those are really cool.

Solar power on cars is pointless unless the purpose is to trickle charge the battery to keep it healthy. Wind would be even worse since you would only run it when parked, and that defeats the point of DRLs.

I'd throw some low wattage DRLs in, or disconnect them entirely. I find constant DRL replacement to be annoying, and I ride motorcycles, so the minute safety benefit of running them isn't worth it to me. I'll probably die of cardiovascular disease or cancer, just like everyone else.

With the color of your car a couple of 4 in. strips of florescent orange tape on the bumper would be visible. We see fleet vehicles this way.

This is sorta interesting. Using a windmill to charge the battery is a losing proposition, but adding drag to power the light directly might be a wash.

Now I'm wondering about anti-deer whistles.

https://images.jr-international.fr/i...medium/RG2.jpg
https://jr-international.fr/repeller...m_english.html

If you place the wind turbine in a location that needs less air flow then the parasitic loss would not off set the gane. like using the Electric fan sitting there windmilling as you go down the highway. Some kind of storage, (for when the fan is needed)

The minuscule amp draw from an LED running light could just about be offset by running the instrument panel lighting at a lower brightness (assuming that they’re incandescent lights)...

Most instrument panel dimmers just add resistance Heat instead of lighting consuming the same volume Watts. This may be different with the modern equipment

LED DRL's use like literally nothing. Jusy buy nice LEDs and move on. Its like how I have to tell myself not to get my heart set on cool quirky mods for my car that do little but spend my money. (its never gonna ROI out)

Sounds to me like a way to add enough drag and complexity to offset the 1W power saving.

I would think placing them in the grille area where air is already flowing into wouldn't hurt that much. I don't know, I guess they just looked appealing since my wiring knowledge is at a zero. :D

Likely either drag or power draw will disappear into background noise, so you're probably right. There's also something to be said for simplicity.

You could add a dedicated battery for the DRLs and charge it at home.

I hear deer are terrified of small black boxes, but not all are smart enough to fear them.

They instinctively freeze in the headlights. I thought train headlights swept from side to side to 'unfreeze' them (or cows) but a web search does not support the claim.

I think I would add a moderate solar tirckle charge for the starter battery in general. Maybe 80watts. Then just wire-in my DRLs. It might more or less be a wash, over all.