October 10, 2003

By: Mark Harris
Website: http://www.discount-light-bulbs.com

Headlight highlights on Xenon headlight bulbs

If you’ve ever ridden in a car with HID headlights, you probably liked the way it looked.Compared to factory halogen lighting, that eerie blue brightness just seems to make a huge difference in what you see, and who sees you. HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps are a refined version of the blinding white lights they use at baseball stadiums and car dealership parking lots. HID bulbs have two electrodes sealed in a quartz bulb with inert gas, mercury in this case, and other elements to provide a complex spectrum of bright light. This spectrum is typically weak in the red, giving the lamps a blue-white color. Xenon is one of the elements found in HID lights; so many people may also refer to HID’s as Xenon lights. There are many advantages when it comes to HID headlights. They use less power, give out three times the amount of light, and last nearly four times longer than regular halogen bulbs.

Since many people don’t want to spend the money for HID bulbs, the aftermarket industry has answered with brighter halogen bulbs that are dyed, tinted, or painted to give a similar appearance. Just make sure that if you do go for the look-a-likes, that higher wattage doesn’t damage your truck’s alternator due to the heavier load or burn up your headlamp housing due to excessive heat. Many manufactures suggest upgrading to a heavy duty wiring harness if you use a bulb with a higher wattage than stock. There are several D.O.T. approved bulbs as well, but if you do decide to replace your headlights with bulbs that are anything but stock, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles about what type of lighting is legal. Because there are also many lowered or lifted trucks out on the road, be sure that your new lighting is mounted correctly. You want to see better, not just blind everybody.

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Author Notes:

Mark Harris contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.discount-light-bulbs.com.  Find online lightbulbs like Halogen, Projector, Tanning Bed, Fluorescent, Automotive and much more.