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Honda insight / adding an alternator or bypassing mcm shutting down dc-dc converter charging

Maintenance/Repairs
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#1

so i have the service manual here for this model insight, witch no one seemed to have. I was wondering if anyone can help me do a bypass or add an alternator to this vehicle. ive seen all of the other posts, spent countless hours trying to figure the bypasses out but they are for a different model. So im hoping with the service manual someone would be able to help me make this car work without IMA battery, i dont care if the engne lights are on etc i can take care of that later, i juts want it to run with no IMA while charging the 12v battery in the hood. thank you in advance, even willing to donate some cash to anyone who comes up with a working solution.

link for service manual

#2

The file is PDF just ctrl+f dc converter and you can see how different it is from the previous models that have posts about bypass etc. its 2011/2012 model

#3

You need to find a Honda Insight forum, lots better odds of finding someone familiar with what you’re trying to do.

#4

Ive looked everywhere, and no one has been able to help me. i Just know for my other vehicles this form has always been the best!

#5

you might have more success fixing your inverter/battery issues than modding your car

1 Like
#6

batteries are 1,000$ plus they go bad too quick. i rather just mod. the car is used for short distances. i have to charge the battery every night and it only takes me so far before turing off lol.

#7

Have you looked into one of those services where they just replace the bad cells in your hybrid battery? It can save you money and properly fix what is wrong with your car.

Rather than do this mod, you might consider trading it in for a non-hybrid.

1 Like
#8

ill look into the bad cell replacement, but im sure it has to be around 500$ atleast
ty

#9

More importantly, I don’t think you can do this mod on this version of the Insight and make it work. On the original Insight, the electric motor was only used for extra power, but the second generation Insight was more like a Prius, relying primarily on the electric motor, and using the engine mainly to charge the hybrid battery.

Your Insight is probably too complicated to do such a basic modification and expect it to work.

#10

and how much are you expecting to pay for a mod to:
purchase an alternator
manufacture a bracket,
engineer some sort of drive system for the alternator
safely run & Install wiring

perhaps there is some sort of aftermarket kit out there to do this, but otherwise, I’d think you are look at way more than $500 for this

1 Like
#11

the mod i dont mind paying for, its the constant upkeep with batteries that i dont want to deal with

#12

I will agree that prior generation of Honda hybrids was way lower reliability than Toyota’s stellar take on it.
Still, “too quick” is too blurry definition.
I assume your trouble is a traction battery.
I’ve seen people repairing it with replacing individual cells for far less than dealers price for the new unit.

1 Like
#13

Then admit to yourself “it can’t be done” and buy a different car.

#14

i never like giving up on things! If Nasa did the same they would have never ended up on the moon. lol

#15

NASA’s moon landing budget was $25.4 billion (about $153 billion in 2018 dollars). It had a staff of roughly 17,000 employees and 187,500 contractors.

#16

That was also a colassal waste of time and money.

#17

Either fix the car right, or trade it off for something else. That’s my 2 cents.