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Flashing with HIDs

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Gurmail, Oct 13, 2004.

  1. Gurmail

    Gurmail Member

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    Does anyone know what happens if you flash your lighta at someone when the headlights are off? Are HIDs used for that too or are there other lights available for this purpose? On a link about 2005 Prius on John1701a's site, it said that the Prius came with HIDs and additional headlamps. Any ideas? I never use my lights to flash anyone anymore as it seems to be a waste of HIDs which (it seems) need a few seconds to properly light up.
     
    #1 Gurmail, Oct 13, 2004
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I haven't really put much thought into the process, but I have flashed my lights at cars to signal that I'm letting them into the line of traffic. I've seen the immediate reflection off the SUVs in front of me; there was no pause. I have never heard of the HIDs needing a few seconds to properly lightup as you indicate. But that's nothing unusual as there are many things I don't know.
    The manual refers to pulling the left steering wheel stick to flash the brights, but doesn't elaborate on what is actually happening in the front of the car.
    If you're looking for someone to stare at the HIDs while someone flashes the brights at them, I'm definately not your man. :)
     
    #2 TonyPSchaefer, Oct 13, 2004
  3. tms13

    tms13 Member

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    I'm pretty sure it uses full beams, just as if you flash them when (dipped) headlamps are already on. Confirmation of this comes from the fact the the blue dashboard full-beam indicator comes on when you do so.

    As to needing "a few seconds", that seems odd. Most conventional headlights take a fraction of a second to heat up; slightly longer to cool down, but still much less than a second.
     
    #3 tms13, Oct 13, 2004
  4. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    HIDs do take some time to fully warm up once they are turned on, but if you were to flash it would be able to create a light flash no matter what. It just wouldn't be the fully warmed up color of the HIDs - probably more of a purple than normal.
     
    #4 Danny, Oct 13, 2004
  5. Gurmail

    Gurmail Member

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    Thank you for the replies. An honour to recieve one from the founder himself! When you turn on your HIDs in the dark, don't you notice how at first they flash and then a second or two later the light increases( it is so cute). If one were to flash them, ie use the high beam switch to repeatedly turn them on and off many times per second, it seems it would interfere with their proper lighting up. Due to this I have NEVER flashed anyone in the daytime to signal them to go ahead, something I used to do out of courtesy all the time. I feel less bad about switching to high beams at night time. I know they will produce some light immediatedly for flashing but it seems to me they won't be able to fully turn on during each flash.
     
    #5 Gurmail, Oct 13, 2004
  6. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Switching to high-beams isn't an issue at all, since the Prius uses a simple piece of metal that goes up or down depending on high/low beams and covers the bulb a certain amount.
     
    #6 Danny, Oct 13, 2004
  7. Gurmail

    Gurmail Member

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    Yes. That's why I don't mind using high beams to flash while the lights are on.
     
    #7 Gurmail, Oct 13, 2004
  8. TimeFor

    TimeFor New Member

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    Has anyone heard of someone upgrading their 4100K D2S Xenon Bulbs for something like 6000K in the Prius? I have 6K's in my bimmer and they look so nice.

    They are a deep blue. Much like the color of the 4100's when you first turn them on. But they stay that color.


    I want to upgrade my Fog lights to Xenon. Lexus uses xenon fogs with a color temp of 2800K (I beilive) to get that real yellow effect. Which is a real fog light. I'm heard the fogs on the Prius provide a very poor amount of light. The upgrade kits for this run about 500$
     
    #8 TimeFor, Oct 13, 2004
  9. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    #9 V8Cobrakid, Oct 14, 2004
  10. TimeFor

    TimeFor New Member

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    Yea, thats a cool web site. I might order my kit from there. One thing though, They show the 6000K's as aqua colored. The 6000K i've seen in real life were very blue when you look at them but provided beams of white light.
     
    #10 TimeFor, Oct 14, 2004
  11. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Only concern I have about flashing mine is that most of the "wear" on HID lamps comes at startup when the lamps strike with 20,000 volts. Operating voltages is closer to 80 though. Flashing the lights though repeatedly sends the higher voltage for each "flash".

    As for going from low to high, it is a metal reflector that moves out of the way via a solenoid to change the light pattern. No brighter, just higher.
     
    #11 HTMLSpinnr, Oct 14, 2004
  12. Gurmail

    Gurmail Member

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    That exactly is my worry as well. So, do you use them to flash? I never do anymore.
     
    #12 Gurmail, Oct 15, 2004
  13. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    I still do off and on out of habbit, but I am aware that the practice isn't the best.

    I do flash at night though to signal other drivers.
     
    #13 HTMLSpinnr, Oct 15, 2004
  14. Gurmail

    Gurmail Member

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    Yes, I don't mind doing it at night that much. Do some cars have different bulbs for such a purpose?
     
    #14 Gurmail, Oct 16, 2004
  15. Vernon

    Vernon New Member

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    Flashing the HID lamps looks different from regular headlights; more of a strobe effect. Similar to a police car.
     
    #15 Vernon, Oct 19, 2004
  16. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    Most cars have two bulbs per side. the prius used one builb and simply moves a shutter to show the other half of the reflector some light. It's pretty interesting to watch. It probably seems like a strobe because you're seeing a headlight that's just "lit up" to all of a sudden having light come at you. You're, in a sense, doubeling the light. It's actualy just letting the other half of the reflector to be used.
     
    #16 V8Cobrakid, Oct 19, 2004
  17. Vernon

    Vernon New Member

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    The strobe effect occurs with a tap of the light switch stem when the headlights are turned off. Saw myself in a garage convex mirror. Looks cool - must be the 20,000 volts.
     
    #17 Vernon, Oct 19, 2004
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