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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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    Looking at the components on the RX350 and comparing them to your's of the stock Prius Is that dust on your lens of the Prius or slightly frosted like in photo #3 of the RX350?

    2010 RX Projectors (BiXenon) - Page 4

    I was trying to find photos of Halogen Prius projector on HID Planet but no luck. To my surprise(sarcasm), I did run across a lot of positive reviews from people who put in HID bulb kits in the Sienna and Prius. I would not be surprised if they share a lot of the same components or even the same/similar projectors?

    Would be awesome to be able swap the bi-xenon shields from the RX and put in the Prius!
     
  2. Sfcyclist

    Sfcyclist Senior Member

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    Wow.. getting close..
    "What projector is this and what bulbs it use? (SOLVED)
    EDIT: Solved. They are the halogen version of the popular Lexus RX-350 bi-xenon projectors, but came from the new Toyota Prius, and they are H11."​


    What projector is this and what bulbs it use?
     
  3. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    I went back and looked, its dust. Not sure it would be worth it to swap just the shield. I mean by the time you find RX projectors to take the shield out of, you might as well just put in the Morimoto Mini projectors, I am sure it would be less. For $150 you can get them with the Prius mounting bracket that makes it a fairly easy install and I think that even includes bulbs.
     
  4. Mo G

    Mo G Member

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    I believe 3rd gen because if the Bi-xenon function. They are awesome in real life, the pictured dont do this set up justice.
     
  5. Joe-G

    Joe-G Member

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    Wow, your thread is hacked beyond belief.

    I don't think anyone addressed your question or issues so please allow me.

    Those 6000k lights are horrible. I tried them and returned them. I wish I'd seen this thread before you bought them as I would have told you to get 4300k. Perhaps the seller will exchange the bulbs but even if not, trust me, buy some 4300 bulbs. Your igniters will work fine.

    There is a reason all the factory HID lights are 4300k, it's the best color for headlights.

    The pictures of the Odyssey and Prius are my pictures. I will tell you that the 4300k bulbs on my Prius (the same brand you bought) are great - 100% better than stock halogen.

    But whomever said the Odyssey lights look dim or bad light output has never driven a Ody with the excellent D2S bulbs - that car has the best headlights of any car I've ever owned. My Corvette also has D2S bulbs but they are not as good as the Ody for some reason. The Prius is not as good as either, but better than stock by 100%.

    By the way, you can now get LED lights for Harley Davidsons for $200 or less - wow are those great lights. Wish we could get those for our Prius. On the bike it's a problem though - unless you are looking at the light dead on, you can't see it's on. That's a big problem with a motorcycle, you want people to see you. I've left my stock incandescent passing lights installed so people can see me.

    [​IMG]
     
    longshot likes this.
  6. Steve terry

    Steve terry Member

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    Do you have to open up the plastic cover to install the retro kit? I want the best I can get short of cracking open the lens cover.
     
  7. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Yes, the retrofit requires removing the front cover to mount the new projector.

    However, the post quoted wasn't referring to a retrofit projector kit, but a HID bulb/ballast kit, which don't require opening the headlight assembly to install.

    SCH-I535
     
  8. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I bought some generic H9 halogen bulbs of the 65w variety with clear capsules, not the blue colored ones. Shaved the extra tab in the bulb base and additionally, had to shave some of the metal tabs around the base down as well before they would fit into my Camry's H11 mounts.

    Results? In a single word, disappointing. The light output from the H11 55w Sylvania zXe halogen bulbs I had mounted previously were whiter and brighter. I had one side with the 65w H9 halogens and the other side was left alone with the Sylvania Silverstar zXe halogen bulb that was already in there.

    I'm sure the output from the 65w H9 look great compared to a generic 55w halogen bulb, and I might consider putting them in when the zXe bulbs burn out or start to noticeably dim. Admittedly, the Sylvania zXe bulbs cost many times the price of standard H9 bulbs, so we aren't even comparing apples and oranges here. But since I already have the zXe bulbs, I will stick with them.

    SCH-I535
     
  9. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    Ah, the Sylvania zXe - a bulb designed to meet the bottomless demand to have a modern 'look' regardless of the consequences. These are just a new take on the Silverstar line of bulbs that was sold successfully for years with flashy packaging at a high price with less light output than a standard bulb and a significantly reduced lifespan.

    I appreciate the fact that some of you guys want the HID look, but unfortunately the fact of the matter is that halogen bulbs are a FIXED color temperature of ~3400K (depending on the voltage driving them and on filament design this may be +/- 100K or so). The ONLY way to change that color is to put a filter on the bulb. When you filter the light, you reduce the output. It's not even arguable.

    And, what do you know?? Nice blue coating there.
    [​IMG]


    Each bulb design has a fixed output that must be adhered to by law. That's why when companies like this, or PIAA or whoever else is trying to get into your wallet makes these claims, they never give a rated lumen output to accompany their claims!

    A H11 bulb must produce ~1250 +/- 10% lumens. A H9 bulb is allowed 2100!!

    This is why it's so hard to make lighting comparisons by eye, and why the standards for automotive lighting are so stringent. Your eyes are deceiving you - which is totally common when you see 'bright white' light vs. normal halogen. But the facts don't lie. There is no way the zXe's are brighter than an H9.
     
  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    OK, I've reinstalled the 65w H9 bulbs on both sides and I will drive with them mounted tonight. I will admit that I was looking at them during daylight conditions, and seeing them head on from about 10 ft away and "judging" the brightness of the bulbs by how much discomfort to my eyes there was from looking directly into the beam. I will admit that the eye could be fooled into thinking that a whiter appearing light source may "appear" brighter, so I will put them to the test under actual night driving conditions.

    I'll report back tomorrow.
     
  11. zhenya

    zhenya Active Member

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    Try them and see. It is not going to be an immediate 'wow' impact the way HID's are, primarily because the color temperature isn't as eye catching. I just got back from a 200 mile drive over deer filled back roads tonight in our Volvo with the same H9 conversion, and to see the car alone the lights dont seem that much different, but given time you begin to notice how good the illumination is. There is never any eye strain, never any worry about being able to see well enough. Night driving becomes comfortable. When you come up on another car and wait to pass, you notice your headlights are totally overpowering theirs from a good distance behind them. This is a solid, inexpensive upgrade.
     
  12. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    In California this is just as illegal as any other modification.
     
  13. CdotK

    CdotK Member

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    Everything is illegal in CA except being a hippy... just saying.. i use to live in SD and hated all the stupid laws only in CA
     
  14. ataylor2

    ataylor2 Member

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    I am sure it is in many places as well. Oh and everywhere has 'stupid' only there laws. As in Memphis TN its "Illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians."
     
  15. CdotK

    CdotK Member

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  16. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Here's the report... not good, at all. :( The H9 bulbs I used do not have coated tips, so there are hot spots right in front of each headlight, this creates an uneven light pattern in front of the vehicle on the road, very noticeable and annoying. Yes there was more light output, but it was uneven and "yellowish".

    I have taken the uncoated H9 bulbs out and have reinstalled the H11 Sylvania Silverstar zXe bulbs. Back to whiter light, for now. :)

    I have ordered a set of these:

    H9 65W 5000K Super Diamond White Replacement High Beam Bulbs | eBay

    They appear to have coated tips and a light blue capsule, which should mitigate the hotspot problem and give me a "whiter" light. ;)
     
  17. sarir97

    sarir97 Member

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    Did you have to snip the top lug? Or is chiseling the plastic tab all that is required?

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    Turn off signatures in Tapatalk Tapatalk
     
  18. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I had to shave the top lug and a little bit off one of the side tabs for the particular bulbs I was dealing with.

    Used a dremel type rotary tool with a grinding head, so it was really easy. Used the rotary tool with a small spiral cutter bit to remove the small plastic tab in the socket.

    SCH-I535