![]() ![]() The result is light that is blinding to oncoming drivers, even when using low beams. Few aftermarket HID headlight upgrade kits include any kind of shielding or optimized light source placement, excepting those that also replace the headlight unit as well. The idea is to put light exactly where you need it without blinding oncoming drivers. Halogen headlights position the filaments very specifically, including light shields and secondary filaments, to optically interact with the reflector and refractor elements in the headlight housing. On the other hand, there is one very good reason why you should never install xenon headlights in a car that wasn’t designed for them in the first place: the position of the light source inside the bulb itself. Installation, on its own, isn’t particularly difficult, and the only thing you really need to know is basic electrical skills. First, HID headlights require a ballast, which is why so-called HID “upgrade” kits include ballasts and wiring with new HID bulbs. Xenon Headlight Upgrade: “Not” an OptionĪside from how these two kinds of headlights operate, the way they are constructed is a barrier to possible upgrade options. The arc heats the xenon gas and vaporizes metallic salts, at which point they become a light-emitting plasma, and the ballast switches to a lower voltage, typically 80–100 V, to maintain the plasma temperature. Using a high-voltage ballast, peaking at up to 30,000 V, an arc bridges the gap between two tungsten electrodes. HID stands for high-intensity discharge, which is the key to how xenon headlights work. Xenon headlights are more efficient, produce whiter light and are more comfortable for night driving. A number of automakers have adopted xenon headlights, actually metal-halide with xenon gas, also known as HID headlights. Still, halogen isn’t particularly efficient, and it generates a lot of heat for the amount of light produced, which translates to lost energy. They aren’t particularly expensive - you can usually find a pair for less than $40 - which is why they are the standard for automotive headlights. A halogen gas, such as iodine or bromide, serves to protect the filament, so the bulb lasts longer. Halogen bulbs are incandescent bulbs, and light is produced by heating a tungsten filament with electricity. While “halogen” and “xenon” refer to the gas that is injected into the headlight bulb, how they operate is significantly different. How can upgrading to xenon headlights be that big of a deal? Halogen Headlights vs. ![]() ![]() Seeing as NAPA KnowHow is a DIY auto repair blog, you might find it downright bizarre to read that you absolutely should not DIY something on your car, especially something as simple as upgrading your halogen headlights. ![]()
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