HID HeadlightsOne of today’s most popular vehicle modifications, HID headlights are a great way to increase the light output of your headlights. HID stands for High Intensity Discharge, and represents a lighting technology which uses Xenon gas instead of a traditional filament. When the lights are turned on, a high voltage is applied, igniting the gas and creating an arc of light more than 3x brighter than traditional halogen bulbs. HID’s consist of the physical bulb housing itself, and then a separate ballast which protects the bulb and ensures proper operation by controlling the incoming current. Although the intensity of HID’s makes them extremely efficient compared to standard halogen bulbs, it is still often useful to use an HID relay kit to increase the current flow to the ballast to ensure longevity of the bulb, especially in older vehicles and heavy trucks. For some CAN-BUS and other computer controlled vehicles, you may need a CAN-BUS or error code canceller to avoid any “false alarm” warning lights. An anti-flickering cable may also be useful, as it will help stabilize the voltage and prevent flickering from the HID bulbs. Understanding HID Color TemperatureThe color of an HID can be determined by looking for the Color Temperature. The higher this number (K), the more blue/violet the light becomes. As the color gets more and more blue, the usable light will actually dramatically decrease. For this reason, lights between the yellow 3000K to the bright white 6000K are recommended for optimum visibility.
For more information about HID color temperature, check out our Knowledge Base! |
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