6000K Xenon Headlights

Wow, that's some GREAT information there! So, to re-equip the fog lamps, probably another $400-$500, eh?

BTW, is it even possible for us to run with "Fogs Only" in the 2004/2005 Prius? As far as I've seen, the fog lights only come on if the main lights are activated!

 

If anyone is wanting a better color and light out their fogs, i would recommend PIAA bulbs. They work very well. I had some in my old car. They put out a nice white instead of the yellow that was there.

Colored bulbs usualy reduce the amount of light you can see.

I also agree.. Xenon is the same as HID.. It's Xenon gas instead of Halogen gas.

 

that sucks that yours burnt out. they do have a warranty. mine lasted for quite a while. they are probably still working and i no longer have the car. hehe

 

interesting...

i thought xenon and HID were the same thing too until some people argued that they weren't... and so i thought they were different. and now they are the same? arugh.

here was the thread:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/...ad.php?t=185500

 

Xenon is one of the most mixed up elements when it comes to people trying to understand it. It's a gas like neon. It requires high voltage in order to glow. But it burns brighter than neon does. The Prius has a system called a HID system. This is also a label to tell people that there are Xenon gas bulbs in that car. People who sale halogen bulbs say they look Xenon like because everyone is looking for that cool white or blue color. It's helping them sale. The main way to tell if a bulb is HID, besides the expensive ballast systems, is to see if there is a filament. Since Xenon burns the say way as neon gases do, it does not require a filament.

People simply miss used the term. It's America, what do you expect. We miss use half of our dictionary.

I was curious about this when it started appearing in BMWs. I researched it and talked to a few of my good friends who were into chemistry and electricals for extra opinions. All information i found points to what i've just said. We miss use names... Welcome to America. It's the same thing and walking down the street and mentioning "hybrid" to a random person. Most likely, they won't know what a true hybrid is. Most don't. So stories keep moving around of what a steriotypical "hybrid" is.

Most people on here are better at compacting points than i am. I hope this makes at least a little sense to you when you read it. Please people. If you don't now what Xenon is don't defend it as a Halogen. Two different gases.

 

So then what are you trying to say? Are they different? or are they the same? (xenon vs. HID)

 

Thanks for the nice blunt question.
They are the same thing..

HID is the sytem in a whole. Xenon is the gas inside the HID bulbs. So if someone says they have Xenon 9006 bulbs for the fog lamps, They Are Lying! Xenon gas requires a ballist unit to operate. Normal voltage is not high enough to make Xenon gas glow.

:mrgreen:

 

Couldn't it be a filament bulb filled with Xenon gas? It would still be in the class of the halogen, but hav Xenon in it.

Now HID stands for Hi Intensity Discharge. As stated, it works on the same principle of Neon lights, but with Xenon.

 

Simply using Xenon gas in a filament light bulb does not produce the High Intensity Discharge light which is HID. There is no practical purpose, other than marketing and profiteering, to use xenon gas in such a bulb.

A true HID bulb has no filament and uses arcing as the source of light. Mercury and sodium vapors have traditionally been used in HID lights in non automotive applications such as street lights; however, those take too long to warm up for use in automobile headlights. Xenon gas solved the slow warm up problem.

In a nutshell, all automotive HID lamps use Xenon gas, but not all automotive light bulbs with Xenon gas are HID.

 

That's what I figured. Wanted to confirm that, and clarify for those that might think Xenon is the same as HID. True, as long as it is not incandescent Xenon. I.E., no filament.

 

Thanks for the info, TimeFor. And for taking those pictures. I'm not planning on changing much now, but may do so in the (near) future.

 

D2C HID capsules

Guys, as a general rule of thumb; the higher the K (kelvin), the lower the lumen output (with identical 35 watts, of course). So 4100K does NOT output the same amount as 6000K. 4100K is ALWAYS brighter than 6000K unless of course you put a headlight filter to block some of the glare (output) of the 4100K like what most OEM do (as required by law in many cases).

If I am not mistaken, sunlight is NOT necessarily closer to 6000K, but instead closer to 3500 – 4500K during noon time. Different times of the day render sunlight looks like different temperatures.

Never look into halogen or HID headlight direct! The intense brightness & dangerous UV rays are detrimental to your eyes. Luckily, many headlight lens filter out the harmful UV rays but it’s better be safe than sorry, right?

All OEM HIDs fall under 2 types of HID capsules (note that we don’t really call these HID bulbs as they are not ‘bulbs’): D2S & D2R. DOT approved of using only 4000-ish K capsules. So there is one & only one reason to change to a different kelvin temperature – looks. And there is nothing wrong with that except that you are sacrificing output for the ‘blueness’. No biggie still since that HID is very bright to begin with. Now, there is an easier & cheaper way to upgrade OEM HID capsules – there is this new configuration called D2C that fits onto both D2S & D2R right out of the box. They cost just a lil’ more than some over-wattage PIAA halogen bulbs.

To convert your fogs or your halogen headlights to HID ones, you need what they called the HID Conversion Kit. As long as space permits (this can be tricky in many fog housings), you can do it. But there is a legal issue involved when it comes to converting halogen headlights into HID ones with aftermarket kits. Check with your local authorities first before conversion. Even decent HID Conversion Kits cost less than $300 these days, and this price includes 2x capsules, 2x ballasts w/ integrated ignitors, wire harness, etc.

In the US automotive world, most use HID & Xenon synonymously although many capsules & bulbs contain xenon gas including halogen.

Actually genuine HID capsules can cost around $90 / pr. these days, and very good quality too. HID technology has advanced greatly in the past year or so, prices have come down dramatically & quality has been improved.

 

Besides the gobs of light produced by the Prii HID headlights, I really like how Toyota designed the reflectors to shine a good deal of light out 90 degrees - it makes it easier to find house numbers, see down dark streets and driveways, and even see the people in the car driving aside of you. Check it out next time you drive at night . . . it’s impressive.

Thanks TimeFor, great pictures and info . . . I learned something new.