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Why you should always get a relay with ANY HID kit

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by mediahound, Feb 10, 2014.

  1. mediahound

    mediahound Active Member

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    I would always get a relay with any HID kit.

    HIDs take a very high voltage to ignite when you first turn them on and the stock halogen wiring is not made for that. While in most cases it works fine without a relay, it's better to put that voltage load on the battery terminal directly, which is what the relay does for you.

    If an HID ballast fails or starts going bad with some crazy high voltage or something (most of them are really cheaply made after all), it could potentially burn up your stock wiring. A relay has a fuse which protects against this and you are able to protect your stock wiring versus basically zero protection without a relay.
     
    #1 mediahound, Feb 10, 2014
    CU2MIKE likes this.
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    The headlight circuit is fuse protected as well. Hardly zero protection.

    However, I agree that an HID relay is the best way to ensure that maximum power gets to the ballasts and igniter circuitry.
     
    #2 xliderider, Feb 10, 2014
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    an standard HID relay harness is no more than 25 bucks an mostly of the time do come with some different lamp sockets for the application
     
    #3 mrbigh, Feb 10, 2014
  4. mediahound

    mediahound Active Member

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    It's much better to have the relay wiring at any potential risk and carrying the power load than the stock headlight wires however. I sorta don't trust the thin 18 gauge stock wiring for anything more than stock bulbs (and maybe modified H9 65 watt bulbs).
     
    #4 mediahound, Feb 10, 2014
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