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HID headlights

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by popoff, Apr 6, 2005.

  1. popoff

    popoff New Member

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    It's my understanding that "HID" means "high intensity discharge."

    My question, with a $10 bet riding on the answer, is are all HID headlamps, particularly those on the 2005 Prius, xenon based or halogen based? I'm under the impression that all HID headlamps are xenon based. Can a HID headlamp be halogen based?

    What do you say?
     
    #1 popoff, Apr 6, 2005
  2. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    They are all Xenon Bases. Halogen isn't capable of doing what Xenon can. simply put. We had this discussion about 5 or so months ago with people thinking Halogen can be HIDs.

    If someone can prove me wrong on this.. feel free. hard to prove unless you have true data. Dumb companies sale "xenon" bulbs all the time.. with a Xenon look.. but they are halogens.. they do not require a ballast. You can put Xenon gas into a halogen bulb. It would be expensive and pointless though.

    From my understanding, Xenon doesn't have a filliment. It's charged with 27,000 volts.. or maybe 24,000 one of those.. and it glows. Much like neon.
     
    #2 V8Cobrakid, Apr 7, 2005
  3. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Actually it's 17,000 to 20,000 volts to start the reaction (strike the lamp), then only about 80 volts to keep the bulb lit.

    According to http://members.misty.com/don/d2.html, the xenon is actually only used for warm-up light until the mercury and halide salts have a chance to vaporize. Mercury alone produces a light too "cool" in color, so sodium and other salts are added to add warmth to the light.
     
    #3 HTMLSpinnr, Apr 7, 2005
  4. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    cool. :) thanks for the info Rick :)

    I wos confusing the 20k volts with someone commenting that they didn't want to Flash people with their lights off. they were worried flashing burst of 20k might do harm.
     
    #4 V8Cobrakid, Apr 7, 2005
  5. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    I believe I once made a comment similar or recall the same comment. Supposedly each time the lamp is lit, the electrodes get quite hot for a bit - I imagine doing this repeatedly may shorten bulb life a bit. I avoid flashing mine if they're off if I can.
     
    #5 HTMLSpinnr, Apr 7, 2005
  6. johns

    johns New Member

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    ok so we have a headlight issue,one light on ,then none, then both on,so we buy new lights , install them and it still happens,ballast or module??? she is really getting upset over this and i will not take to dealer
     
    #6 johns, Dec 3, 2008
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    did you want to start a new thread, johns?
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Dec 3, 2008
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