In the United States of America and Canada, conventional halogen headlights are gradually being replaced by HID bulbs as more car owners are looking to enhance the look of their vehicle as well as giving it a performance boost.
Composition of HID headlights
HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and refers to the manner in which light is produced by the bulb. HID bulbs have no metal filament but instead, around 20,000 volts is used to ignite the xenon gas and metal halide held within a sealed glass tube between two electrodes above the base of the bulb. A car's normal voltage is twelve volts so a ballast is used to generate the extra initial power to illuminate the bulb. The light produced is three times brighter than a halogen bulb.
Advantages of using HID headlights - safety and efficiency
Not only do HID kits improve the look of your car, they are also a safety feature. HID lights are three times brighter than ordinary halogen headlights. This gives a significantly clearer view of the road which is especially useful for travelling at night and in the rain. According to statistics, sixty percent of accidents which occur at night are caused by poor lighting. Studies conducted on drivers' reaction speed to roadway obstacles using halogen lamps and HID bulbs found that drivers were faster and more accurate in responding to obstacles when their vehicles were fitted with HID headlight bulbs.
The bulbs are also very durable, being designed to last up to ten times longer than conventional halogen headlights. HID lights have an average life span of three thousand hours compared to a halogen bulb which lasts around three hundred hours. They are also shock-resistant as there is no filament in the bulb since the light emits from plasma material. The ballasts also prevent dust and water from entering the HID bulb. HID kits are also energy efficient since less power is needed compared to normal halogen bulbs. Reduced power consumption means less fuel is being used and so vehicles with HID light bulbs are more environmentally friendly as they emit less carbon dioxide.
Size, brightness, color and cost considerations when buying HID headlights
Before buying a HID kit, you need to find out the H number of the halogen bulb used in your vehicle. Bulb fitment plugs come in sizes from H1 to H12. They refer to the sizes of the bulb holders in cars and differ to ensure the HID bulb you buy fits.
The letter W represents watt which is the unit of power. The higher the wattage, the more power the bulb will use. Since HID bulbs are already very bright, a 35W bulb is sufficient and gives greater illumination than a conventional halogen bulb of 55W.
There are several color options which are determined by the temperature at which the xenon gas inside the HID bulb burns. The temperature is denoted by a K on the bulb which stands for Kelvin as the unit of measurement. Therefore, a 6,000K HID bulb means that the gas inside the bulb burns at 6,000 degrees Kelvin. Hid kits range in color/temperature from 3,000K - 10,000K. The higher the Kelvin (K), the dimmer or bluer the light will be. 3,000K produces golden yellow, white with 4,300K - 5,000K, diamond white with 6,000 K; higher than this gives ice burg blue at 8,000K, brilliant blue at 10,000K and an exotic violet at 12,000K. The most popular range for HID bulbs is from 6,000K - 8,000K as they most closely resemble sunlight.
HID bulbs cost significantly more than halogen bulbs but then this has to be balanced against their increased durability and the advantages they offer drivers as well as their stylish appearance.
By Jill Kaestner
Composition of HID headlights
HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and refers to the manner in which light is produced by the bulb. HID bulbs have no metal filament but instead, around 20,000 volts is used to ignite the xenon gas and metal halide held within a sealed glass tube between two electrodes above the base of the bulb. A car's normal voltage is twelve volts so a ballast is used to generate the extra initial power to illuminate the bulb. The light produced is three times brighter than a halogen bulb.
Advantages of using HID headlights - safety and efficiency
Not only do HID kits improve the look of your car, they are also a safety feature. HID lights are three times brighter than ordinary halogen headlights. This gives a significantly clearer view of the road which is especially useful for travelling at night and in the rain. According to statistics, sixty percent of accidents which occur at night are caused by poor lighting. Studies conducted on drivers' reaction speed to roadway obstacles using halogen lamps and HID bulbs found that drivers were faster and more accurate in responding to obstacles when their vehicles were fitted with HID headlight bulbs.
The bulbs are also very durable, being designed to last up to ten times longer than conventional halogen headlights. HID lights have an average life span of three thousand hours compared to a halogen bulb which lasts around three hundred hours. They are also shock-resistant as there is no filament in the bulb since the light emits from plasma material. The ballasts also prevent dust and water from entering the HID bulb. HID kits are also energy efficient since less power is needed compared to normal halogen bulbs. Reduced power consumption means less fuel is being used and so vehicles with HID light bulbs are more environmentally friendly as they emit less carbon dioxide.
Size, brightness, color and cost considerations when buying HID headlights
Before buying a HID kit, you need to find out the H number of the halogen bulb used in your vehicle. Bulb fitment plugs come in sizes from H1 to H12. They refer to the sizes of the bulb holders in cars and differ to ensure the HID bulb you buy fits.
The letter W represents watt which is the unit of power. The higher the wattage, the more power the bulb will use. Since HID bulbs are already very bright, a 35W bulb is sufficient and gives greater illumination than a conventional halogen bulb of 55W.
There are several color options which are determined by the temperature at which the xenon gas inside the HID bulb burns. The temperature is denoted by a K on the bulb which stands for Kelvin as the unit of measurement. Therefore, a 6,000K HID bulb means that the gas inside the bulb burns at 6,000 degrees Kelvin. Hid kits range in color/temperature from 3,000K - 10,000K. The higher the Kelvin (K), the dimmer or bluer the light will be. 3,000K produces golden yellow, white with 4,300K - 5,000K, diamond white with 6,000 K; higher than this gives ice burg blue at 8,000K, brilliant blue at 10,000K and an exotic violet at 12,000K. The most popular range for HID bulbs is from 6,000K - 8,000K as they most closely resemble sunlight.
HID bulbs cost significantly more than halogen bulbs but then this has to be balanced against their increased durability and the advantages they offer drivers as well as their stylish appearance.
By Jill Kaestner
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