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Advice on new headlights

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by PriusRos, May 15, 2013.

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  1. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    One OEM headligtht on my 2010 Prius has just burnt out.

    Please give me some simple advice on what I should buy. Should I stay with the same type that came with the car? When I search for headlights, there are so many choices and I don't know what I should be looking for.

    I guess if I stay with the same one, then I don't have to replace the other until I that burns out too. Can I get them on Amazon?
     
    #1 PriusRos, May 15, 2013
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    If you want to go hid, I just got a Morimoto hid kit in 5000K from theretrofitsource.com. I got it with a canbus instead of relay harness and quite honestly it's very simple. I went somewhere to have it done, they wanted $80. When I brought them this kit, they were like just give us $40 since it was considerably easier then others with relay harnesses.

    This was the kit I got, as I needed 9006 bulb size (in 5000K for a pure white look without blue in the headlight beam and canbus): 9006: Morimoto Elite HID System - HID Systems from The Retrofit Source Inc

    Now if you want ultra simple, lol, just get a pair of new halogens but I'd replace both as if one just went... Ones like silverstar ultras will yield more light than stock but they will have a shorter lifespan so something to consider.
     
    #2 Paradox, May 15, 2013
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  3. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Thanks, Paradox. What is the advantage of HID?
     
    #3 PriusRos, May 15, 2013
  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    The amount of light put out imo is amazing on hid and led setups compared to halogen. As an example, you can search for a thread I created years ago on here comparing the halogen headlights in my dads old 2010 Prius III and the led headlights in my old 2010 Prius V. The pictures will show the difference between the two cars fora great comparison.

    Here's the link Halogen -VS- LED Headlights with pictures | PriusChat
     
    #4 Paradox, May 15, 2013
  5. FishCandy

    FishCandy Active Member

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    #5 FishCandy, May 15, 2013
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  6. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    The pictures are amazing but I'm getting a little confused. You were talking about LED there, but here you're saying HID.
     
    #6 PriusRos, May 15, 2013
  7. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Oh, another thing. Do either LED or HID cause more glare for oncoming drivers? I sometimes find myself blinded by cars coming towards me, which is really annoying.
     
    #7 PriusRos, May 15, 2013
  8. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Dmned near same output compared to halogen, I use them interchangeably. Difference is you cannot convert to led headlights, but you can hid with current technology.
     
    #8 Paradox, May 15, 2013
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    People use that as an argument against hid conversions. In reflector housings, yes, it can be an issue. On vehicles with projector beams, like the gen III Prius, it really isn't an issue since the beam is so focused. The reflector housings don't do near as much focusing and you get scattered light.
     
    #9 Paradox, May 15, 2013
  10. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    For full disclosure- the bulbs in the Morimoto HID kit from theretrofitsource.com do not have the ground wire in the correct position for projector type systems (as found in the gen III Prius) which results in a ground wire shadow in the center of headlight path.

    Other brands (xenonsupply.com) use bulbs that are designed for projector systems and do not produce the ground shadows.

    I've had both brand bulbs.

    Just saying.....
     
    #10 ny_rob, May 16, 2013
  11. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    In the Volt people had the shadow if they didn't point the ground wire facing I believe up. I noted this during the install and I do not have the shadow. So you're saying in the Prius it's there no matter what, regardless of which way you face it?
     
    #11 Paradox, May 16, 2013
  12. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Simplest advice is to get a replacement halogen bulb.
     
    #12 32kcolors, May 16, 2013
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  13. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    The bulb base has three tabs- two are the same size, but the 12'0 clock position tab is larger than the 4'0 clock and 8'0 clock tabs so there is no way to install the bulb in anything other than the correct orientation with the large tab at the top.
    Unfortunately, Morimoto places their ground wire at the 12'o clock position which after passing through the projector lens inverts the beam and casts it shadow at the 6'o clock position directly in the center of the headlight beam where it meets the road.
    Other manufactures place the ground wire at the 6'o clock position so once the beam passes through the projector lens and gets inverted the shadow is cast in the 12'o clock position that doesn't project onto the road.
     
    #13 ny_rob, May 16, 2013
  14. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Ahh, see the Volt has 9012 bulbs I believe so the tabs have to be minor modified on 9006 hid bulbs to work, so you can make it so they can be orientated differently.

    As long as you say xenosupply has a good reliable kit, I've no problem recommending them as well I guess. It's the cheap eBay Chinese kits I say stay far away from... You get what you pay for in hid retrofit kits.
     
    #14 Paradox, May 16, 2013
  15. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Thanks for the warning.
     
    #15 PriusRos, May 16, 2013
  16. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Yes, you're right.
     
    #16 PriusRos, May 16, 2013
  17. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    Did you personally get this kit? It says that it's plug and play, is that right? Didn't know HID technology has gone that far. Thinking about getting some myself if its only $140 and direct replacement of OEM halogens.
     
    #17 p00kienrayray, May 16, 2013
  18. FishCandy

    FishCandy Active Member

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    Yes I got them and very happy with them
     
    #18 FishCandy, May 17, 2013
  19. Yay123

    Yay123 Junior Member

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    using the kit from xenonsupply and really like it!!
     
    #19 Yay123, May 17, 2013
  20. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    I'm using the O-nex ballasts with xenon supply bulbs.
    The 4.3K bulbs from O-nex were too blue for my liking whereas the xenon supply 4.3K bulbs are white with no blue.
     
    #20 ny_rob, May 17, 2013
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