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Question about HID. Is 55W too much?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017.

  1. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    Hello everyone, first post here.

    I got some 55w HID for free. One of them blew in the housing. I noticed some white plastic melted around where the lamp goes, so I'll have to clean that up.

    I got the replacement for free again, but my question is.... It's 55w too much? Its just strange I found the melted plastic.

    Thanks for all your help.
     
    #1 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  2. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

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    In answering your???, in my view, the only reasons I can adduced to the melted plastic and the HID, would either be,

    1. The 55W bulb isn't the rated one for the car, or,
    2. There's somewhat a voltage surge on that circuit, that's causing the burnouts.

    Could you please check what the specified power rating on the stock HID was? That would tell you the specifications to use, and further point out what the actual reasons were for the burnout.

    PS: If you keen on using the 55W bulb, you could incorporate a resistor maybe. But it might impact on the intensity of the HID maybe.
    You could also get another high resistance plastic as a replacement for the melted one, and see what happens.
    The heat of dissipation has to be taken note of in all these.



    Dxta
     
    #2 Dxta, Dec 21, 2017
  3. tvpierce

    tvpierce Senior Member

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    I presume these are aftermarket HID elements you're putting in a headlamp designed for a standard halogen bulb?
     
    #3 tvpierce, Dec 21, 2017
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Free is not always cheap........especially if it may not match what is designed for the application.
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Dec 21, 2017
  5. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    This is correct
     
    #5 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  6. LulzChicken

    LulzChicken Prius Enthusiast

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    Do not use 55W. They produce too much heat. Use 35W. Trust me, I know.
     
    #6 LulzChicken, Dec 21, 2017
  7. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    Did yours melt too?

    Thanks for the advice!
     
    #7 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  8. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    I'm using 70w Ballasts since one year/
    every day/
    not the slightest problem with nething/

    BION
     
    #8 StarCaller, Dec 21, 2017
    Ssmr2t likes this.
  9. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    I think I figured out what happened. When cleaning the melted plastic, I took the other side out to compare to make sure I am cleaning and it would look the same (proper)... I noticed the other side just came out really easy and wasent fastened properly inside the housing. With the other unit that blew, it may have slid partially out of the housing, and melted it, because its mainly melted at the bottom and its about the same size as the glass from the bulb.... I smelled burning plastic that day. I dont think the lights are overheating because the lights and mounting points are still in tact and look normal... its just the bulb that I assume blew once it had enough burnt plastic on it to cause it.

    Just my thinking.

    I get these lights for free because my friend owns the company.

    He said he will order me a LED kit for my troubles next... just gotta wait a couple of months for them to come in from China.

    I love China.

    Thanks for everyones help!
     
    #9 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  10. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    You know that changing out a halogen bulb for an led is breaking federal law, that’s all fifty states, with a 12% tax in Puerto Rico.
     
    #10 Lucifer, Dec 21, 2017
  11. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    I noticed you said ballast... I got boxes with these bulbs, those are I assume the "ballasts", right?
     
    #11 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  12. Ssmr2t

    Ssmr2t Junior Member

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    Wow, I did not know that. Thanks for the info.

    I don't really think an officer of the law would really pull my bulb to check if its LED or not.

    I pull the federal tag off my mattress too :D
     
    #12 Ssmr2t, Dec 21, 2017
  13. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    Ha, so do I, well, tinting your windshield, changing out halogens for leds, speeding, things the police can affront you because of, just saying.
     
    #13 Lucifer, Dec 21, 2017
  14. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    See this link..................................

    To P or not to P | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
    #14 TMR-JWAP, Dec 22, 2017
  15. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    right/
     
    #15 StarCaller, Dec 22, 2017
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