Installed some HIDS on my '10 Prius

Don't know about 4300, I'm new to HID's. The ones I sent back were 6000K and thy were slightly blue. I've read that the 4300 put out the most light and are white and are what car makers generally use when they do HIDs.

 

It's not a hinge! I thought so too at first. It just slides up and down at that point. Get a good look at the clips, and you should see how to disengage them with a screwriver. Hard to explain in pictures and text.

 

I used the H11 kit from MobileHID.com, 6,000K

 

Is H11 for high beams? I have a V with the LED low beams. I want to replace the high beams. hidextreme.com appears to use the same stuff as more expensive dealers, but for a lot less. Any experience with this vendor?

 

you cannot use HID as high beams. The unregulated light output will blind oncoming drivers.

 

You can use HID for high beams, but it would be quite blinding if you drove around toward oncoming traffic with them on...but so would your stock halogen lights.

H11 is just the bulb size/type. It is usually used for low beams... but may also be seen in some high beam applications. I'm not sure if they are or not.
I know for sure that the low beams in Prius II-IV use H11 halogen bulbs.

 

Update on my install. If you do not want to connect it to the battery, the company I ordered it from has an adapter that connects directly to the existing harness. Just call and order it with your kit.

 

Thanks for your great post. I installed mine yesterday evening in probably 20 minutes since you had already answered all the hard questions. Lights work great.

 

The Prius V uses HB3 (9005) for the high beams. The Prius V fogs use H11 (surprising since this is the low beam bulb for the II-IV). I've ordered an HB3 (9005) set from hidextreme.com. If they work out, will do the fogs as well.

I know there was some concern in this thread that the startup current for the HID's might be too much for the normal lighting wiring. I know that the 55 watt halogens use a steady 10 amps. I wonder if a 20 amp starting surge is really an issue. The ballasts from hidextreme are all electronic and as such, are fairly immune to voltage variations, spikes, etc (so the seller says).

Which brings me to the question of where to locate 4 ballasts under the hood.

 

There is a lot of room behind the fog light area. It is accessible from underneath if you remove the black plastic

 

Unfortunately, my Prius didn't show up today... so it's looking like tomorrow.
If it doesn't show up tomorrow, I'm really gonna be agitated and start to wonder.

I'm getting another set of HID lights from MobileHID.com and I will put together a nice DIY pictorial on the process and display the finished results.
I'm sure I will be pleasantly satisfied as I have been in the past with MobileHID!

If anyone is curious, I'm gonna be installing a pair of 5000k low beams.
In a couple of months, I plan to put in some HID fogs too.

 

I'd be interested in how you do fog lights. I installed HID low beams and want to have fog lights but based on my 2005's light output not interested in factory lamps, also not interested in spending $500 for them.

 

I'm interested in both. Keep us informed!

 

Really? I can't find it on their website. That would be sweet though as I really do not want to crack open the electronics to do the battery connect version.

 

You have to call to get the adapter. I don't know what the price is.

 

Just to be the Grinch, You guy's know this is illegal don't you? I assume many don't.

 

I was wondering what would happen if they fail inspection. DMV computer systems keep a record and flag each previous violation when you go in for the next inspection. You would end up having to swap them out each year to pass.

 

Why is it illegal? Is that in every state?

 

We don't have yearly inspection in California, where the OP lives.

 

This comes from when people would install hids in old halogen lights without any projector lens on them and cause a very unsafe amount of road glare. The light must be focused.

For states that do regular headlight inspection, you'd have to make sure yours will pass. The Prius has a lens in it that seems to focus the HID light well. But the only way to see if it will pass is to, of course, take the test.

As for regulation, each state is a bit different, although most adopt the same standard. There are also federal regualtion as well. The general consensus is that the regulators do not like HID installs on fixtures designed for halogen light.

Remember, there is beam pattern AND light scatter. Beam pattern is what blinds drivers. Light scatter is what causes that terrible glare and haze. Most regulators believe that aftermarket bulb installs would be dangerous as most people wouldn't install them correctly. As such, many places laid out blanket regulations that said that you can't tamper with factory exterior automotive lighting, or they've said that a bulb must match the housing type, as labeled by the manufacturer. The enforcement of these regulations (and the extent of their existance) does depend (to a degree) on your state.

I'll also mention that many HID manufacturers are being fined for their false or deceptive "DOT Approved" markings on their kits.

All that being said, it is safe to assume that if the lighting you add is marketdly brighter, or different in color (do not go blue), throw, scatter, etc. than those around you, then it is NOT a good thing and you will likely have a problem.