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Adding HID's to 2011 non led prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Silver NY P3, Apr 24, 2011.

  1. Silver NY P3

    Silver NY P3 Junior Member

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    I was wondering if it is possible/safe to install an HID kit. I have from my last car. I have the ballast and relay kit. I'll just need to but a set of H11 bulbs.
     
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Possible? Of course.
    Safe? No.
    Legal? No.
     
  3. Silver NY P3

    Silver NY P3 Junior Member

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    If I do it I'm keeping it at the stock hid color of 4300k IMO anything over 6k is cheap looking. Well I know that aftermarket HID's in halogen reflector housings is illegal. it's an uncontrolled light pattern at has scattered light where it's not beneficial. The third generation Prius has projector housings which controls the light pattern better and gives it a nice clean crisp cut off. It isn't illegal in NY with aftermarket HID's at the OEM color temperature which is from 4300k-4500k some Mercedes and Audis have up to 5800k but that's getting on the blue/violet side. I'm going to install with the relay kit and see how it goes. I'll do a write up with pics.
     
  4. silica

    silica Junior Member

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  5. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Incorrect but common misconceptions.

    4300K is stock, keep with that.

    The GenIII's projectors are LED and halogen, not HID. There is a difference. It is much better than HID's in halogen reflectors, but still not good. And still illegal. The DOT will not approve it.

    It is illegal anywhere in the US to put HIDs in a non-HID housing.

    All OEM bulbs in the US start at 4100K to 4300K, with the majority at 4300K. The colour shift higher after a few hundred hours to up to 5100K, but they all start lower.

    The blue/violet is from the projector bowl bending the light output wavelengths. So the output is still at 4100K to 5100K, but the fringes are higher at 6K+.
     
  6. putty

    putty Member

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    I got 55watt ballast hids in mine, there great
     
  7. Silver NY P3

    Silver NY P3 Junior Member

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    I know the 3rd gen Prius doesn't have HID Xenon lights. It's LED but I figured HID would give it as close to LED look without having to take out a loan for it. LOL But I don't even have the car yet. I do know I'll be doing this mod alng with a pano sliding moonroof. I'd also like to do 3000k HID's in my fogs being that I like the lumens of 3000k in the bad weather.