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Thinking of HID light kit this week

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by longshot, Oct 22, 2013.

  1. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Memory serves me right but I think these photos makes it obvious. I was very impressed with the Prius when I put in the HID's. I thought it was better than OEM or as good as but never really compared them back to back.

    Since this thread started the debate, here's my comparison of 2012 Lexus Rx350 OEM HID's with adaptive against my 2013 Prius with Xenon Depot's Volt 35 watt AC ballast kit.

    What the photos don't make obvious is the Prius HID's are brighter.

    Here's the photos. The stop sign is a good way to see out good or poor the cutoff is as well as street after the sign. The road clearly shows how the beam spreads are. I was able to see more detail with the Prius setup. If anything, I wish it was the opposite as I paid a lot more for the Lexus than the Prius! You be the judge.

    Lexus 2012 RX350

    [​IMG]

    2013 Prius.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    If memory serves me right but I think these photos makes it obvious. I was very impressed with the Prius when I put in the HID's. I thought it was better than OEM or as good as but never really compared them back to back.

    Since this thread started the debate, here's my comparison of 2012 Lexus Rx350 OEM HID's with adaptive against my 2013 Prius with Xenon Depot's Volt 35 watt AC ballast kit.

    What the photos don't make obvious is the Prius HID's are brighter.

    Here's the photos. The stop sign is a good way to see out good or poor the cutoff is as well as street after the sign. The road clearly shows how the beam spreads are. I was able to see more detail with the Prius setup. If anything, I wish it was the opposite as I paid a lot more for the Lexus than the Prius! You be the judge.

    Lexus

    [​IMG]

    Prius.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Sfcyclist, just because the Prius aftermarket HIDs are brighter doesn't necessarily make them better. There's such a thing as being too bright, where the glare reflected back causes your irises to contract and limit your night vision.

    That's why foglights are aimed down low, so the light doesn't reflect off the fog and haze back into your eyes.

    SCH-I535
     
  4. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    SFcyclist, there is no beating the HID police. :rolleyes:
    Your setup looks great to me. Anyone complaining about the light in their eyes refer them to the guy with the tinted windshield. :ROFLMAO:
    I know for a fact I get blinded MUCH more by reflector headlights in trucks than anything else. My retrofit lights up the world and I am glad of it, nobody has complained yet.
     
  5. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    In the photo where's the glare due to poor cutoff? Does the stop sign look brighter in the Prius photo? My point is basically to show the stock projectors work darn good with HID. Proof is in the photos.


    iPhone ? - now Free
     
  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Lol, HID police... :rolleyes:

    Yeah, we have a lot of Tacomas running around with HIDs in reflector lights. Super annoying, especially since they're some of the worst offenders when it comes to tailgating too. :mad:

    Would you deny simple physics and geometry too? The more light your HIDs put out, even at a low cutoff angle, the more likely it is to reflect off a surface into someone's eyes, especially if the surface is wet. It's like the rock skipped off the surface of a pond, the lower the angle when it hits, more distance is achieved. So yes, you may have a good cutoff, but more light means more reflected glare off the roadway into other people's eyes. Period.

    SCH-I535
     
  7. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Wth are you talking about. Stock projectors are crap! They are bright and cut off is just as bad as oem hid. Get some halogens! Lol!!!! Doh!


    iPhone ? - now Free
     
  8. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    I get it. Light, bad.
    Maybe this is a good way not to put light on the road.
    251496.jpg
    The 40 watt draw might be to high tho.
     
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  9. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    this is better.. clearly SHARP cut off and exactly 1 candle light of power.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Feri

    Feri Active Member

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    I've been running 55w 4300K HIDs for 80,000Kms. No hot spots, no problems. (Gen III)
     
  11. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    I don't think those photos show what you think they show, primarily because it's impossible to tell anything of use from photos trying to illustrate how much they illuminate. It's also impossible to tell whether you've increased the amount of light in one area, to the detriment of another. You can't judge light output quality by eye. The fact of the matter is that it's technically impossible for you to place HID's in an assembly meant for a halogen light source and NOT produce some level of glare. The fact that the cut-off blocks it on level ground doesn't make it ok.

    It's just interesting to me that folks who are such sticklers for facts and precise information elsewhere on this site are a-ok with these cob-jobs.
     
  12. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    No, quite the opposite. Hacking together various pieces of a complex lighting system and then calling it 'all good' is what's bad. It's the one thing you do to your car that effects every other driver around you every time you use them. That's why standards are so specific world-wide. There are plenty of ways to get fabulous automotive lighting. HID's in a halogen system isn't one of them.



    Hmm, so you have the mythical halogen projector that just happens to be precisely designed in just such a way that it can precisely focus two completely different light sources? You'd better get down to the patent office stat.
     
  13. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    I used these to set mine up.
    zoomies.PNG
     
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  14. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Jeez, now I adjusted the photos??? Now this is absurd. This is for anyone else interested in it and they can make their own assessment. I did not adjust the photo and was uploaded straight for my iphone.
     
  15. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    Was it an iPhone 5s? :LOL:
     
  16. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    It's at the point where all the HID threads end up with the same old bickering...

    Maybe we should prohibit threads concerning:
    Religion
    Politics
    and...
    HID Headlights
     
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  17. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Darn it wasn't! Only a 5.. there must be a auto HID photo editing built in..
     
  18. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    I said that you cannot judge the quality of light output by eye. I did not mean for you to read that as an implication that you adjusted the photos. By changing the bulbs you may have increased light intensity in your immediate foreground, but you also by necessity, must be spreading additional light in areas that you did not intend to. That's the point; you install a light source not designed for the reflector and you have no control over where the light goes and your vision is not a reliable tool in deciding if you've made things better or not. That's why we have stringent standards.
     
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  19. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Result or photos speak for themselves. I am here to share info. If you have something to share then do it instead of making absurb claim of editing photos.

    And for those who care to share and learn about it, we'll continue.

    From my take based how the Prius Halogen factory projectors work with the HID bulbs, the lens work well for it but the cut off shield can be improved on. Here's some other details and facts we can learn from. Impressive work and result he did.

    HID Projector Beams Output Comparison
     
  20. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    I would be thrilled if the mods would prohibit threads discussing this illegal modification. As it stands, if we're going to discuss it, we are at least going to have the facts presented on even ground with the marketing spiel. Where else here are the folks who provide verifiable facts constantly berated by naysayers armed with dubious opinions? Try taking Fox News anti-climate change talking points to the Environmental forum and see where that gets you.