Thursday, February 20, 2014

How to Find the Right HID Xenon Bulbs to Suit Your Vehicle

HID xenon bulbs are able to work for 3000 hours. When it is time to replace these bulbs, drivers will have to examine the many varieties of xenon bulbs for sale.
The price and selection of replacement xenon bulbs also varies quite considerably depending on where you buy them from, be it the a main dealer, a high street accessory shop or an internet specialist.
HID Xenon Bulbs - Choosing the right colour
When buying new xenon bulbs you may have noticed that they have different colour temperatures listed next them, for example 6000k, 8000k or even 140000k. The K stands for Kelvin and it is the unit used to measure the colour emitted by xenon bulbs.
Often for those who have never used this type of bulb it can be confusing to understand what the different ratings mean. Commonly it is thought that 14000K or the other choices mean the heat which is emitted by the HID Xenon Bulb rather than the colour. The 14000K bulb is not going to be hotter than the 6000K bulb.
Colour temperature is rated from 4000K to 14000K. The colours the bulbs will be are listed below, since each bulb will have a different colour.
* 4000k - white light with a yellow tint
* 6000k - Completely white
* 8000k - white light with a blue tint
* 12000k - Mild purple in the white light
Unfortunately buying xenon bulbs on the basis of colour is not straight forward, as the higher the colour temperature of a xenon bulb the less light it will actually emit from your headlights. This effect is barely noticeable for bulbs in the 4000k to 8000k level however at bulbs rated at 12000k and higher the drop off in terms of light emitted is quite marked.
The light output is measured in lumens (lm). A new vehicle will have xenon bulbs rated at 4300K with a light output of 3200lm. 12000K bulbs have 2,200lm, which is 1,000lm less light being provided. If you do want a deep purple bulb to enhance the look of your vehicle you have to be concerned with the light emission you receive.
Buying HID xenon bulbs can be quite expensive unless you shop around. With the amount of online car bulb shops you are able to find a significantly lower cost for light bulbs than before.
For instance, if you purchase the E1 approved bulb such as the Orsam Xenarc you might find the cost is 200 from a manufacturer. The same bulb could be found online for 70 as the internet site is normally a specialist in car bulb replacement.
HID xenon bulb replacement can be difficult for someone who is not used to the system operation. There are high voltages behind the connector. It is best to seek a professional mechanic with electric qualifications to avoid the potential shock, which could blow the new light bulb you are trying to install.

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