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LED lightbar in lower grill

Discussion in 'Prius c Accessories and Modifications' started by Chetallica, Mar 3, 2020.

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  1. Chetallica

    Chetallica New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2019
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    Location:
    Mid-Atlantic area
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    One
    Has anyone added a LED light bar to their Prius C? I drive some rural dark back roads on my way to work, and the high beams are darn good, but was hoping to get some more light to "blast" through dark and even fog.
    I have been thinking about mounting a slim LED light bar, probably 20" one, in the lower grill opening (on the inside to shine through, and to keep it stealthy) and have it come on with the high beams only. Not sure if it is possible to wire to the high beam circuit, or maybe just wire and put in a manual toggle switch on the dash. Still under warranty (have a 2019 C) and don't want to mess that up, but would be interested in any thoughts or wire diagrams of similar installations.

    Here is an example of the bars I am looking at:

    20"inch 11800W 118000LM Aluminum 6D Spot Beam Slim LED Work Light Bar Single Row | eBay

    Amber 20inch 90W Flood Spot Slim Single Row LED Work Light Bar for Car SUV Truck | eBay

    Thanks for any info!
     
    #1 Chetallica, Mar 3, 2020
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
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    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    You won't ruin your warranty. If you really screw something up, they might deny a specific claim but the warranty itself will remain in effect.

    There's not going to be much blasting through fog. The 2018/2019 c has LED headlights which are on the cold side; fog naturally reflects those colder/bluer colors and the bounce will reduce your night vision. This effect is magnified when you use high beams in fog. Even if you add more lights, you're just adding more to the bounce and reducing your night vision even further.

    On the other hand a bar like that will work very well vs. plain old dark.

    Also consider the legal end- In some states you can't drive on public highways with aux lights like those unless they are wearing an opaque cover.

    Now, enforcement risk is very low. Basically nobody gets busted for it, and if you never visit an area with restrictions then you might be fine as is. The point is, you may wish to consider it into your installation plan- make sure you maintain enough access to be able to slip a cover over the lamp. Also consider a cutout switch such that the light can be disabled independently from the high beams so you don't melt the cover one night.
     
    #2 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Mar 3, 2020
    Chetallica likes this.
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