Xenon V Halogen

[peter026]

Does any one know the percentage of difference in light projection between the two.....Hoping someone can help.

[Monster-Mat]

If your thinking of getting a kit, i have one here i never got round to fitting to the Monster

Halogen, Xenon, and krypton all refer to the gasses used to fill the bulb.

Light bulbs are usually filled with a mixture of gasses, selected to help retard the evaporation of the filament and to minimize heat loss from the filament. Argon works OK for this, krypton works better, and Xenon better still.

The better gasses are more expensive, of course. Because flashlight bulbs are so small, it's relatively economical to use pricier gasses like krypton and Xenon, so they're pretty common.

Halogen, on the other hand, isn't a particular element or chemical. Halogen bulbs include small amounts of one of the halogen family of elements (usually iodine) in the fill gas.

The halogen gas in the bulb can actually bond temporarily with evaporated filament metal, and redeposit the metal back on the filament. This extends the filament life and keeps the bulb's glass free of the filament deposits that make other bulbs turn gray as they age.

There isn't anything mutually exclusive between krypton/xenon and halogen. Some bulbs are both Xenon and halogen, or both krypton and halogen.

In any case, the goal of both strategies is the same: to allow the filament to have a reasonably long life when burning at the highest possible temperature, burning more brightly and more efficiently.

doesnt really answer your question but HID is definatly around 20-30% brighter, and a cleaner whiter light, (more natural in appearence)also Xenon discharge lamps last much longer than common filament halogen bulbs

Edited October 8, 2006 by Monster-Mat

[peter026]

Thanks for that gem Mat. Still does not give me the info on which is the brighter or better bulb.

I need them for the Surf, as the Halogen bulbs in at the moment are p**s poor. The GS throws a better projection on dip than the Surf does on Main beam :duh: .

Ah, just seen your edit :D so Xenon it is then.

Cheers Mat

Edited October 8, 2006 by peter026

[lee_iceman]

Don't know if this will help but its a compare on the IS200

[Monster-Mat]

but you will need a full xenon/HID upgrade kit, which it just so happens i have

however may i make an alternative suggestion if i may.......

for my hilux truck i added a wireing upgrade from the US which made the std halogen headlamps twice as effective

look HERE

Edited October 8, 2006 by Monster-Mat

[peter026]

I was looking at These, So before I can use them I have to have a wiring upgrade, or can these be plugged in as normal

[Monster-Mat]

I was looking at These, So before I can use them I have to have a wiring upgrade, or can these be plugged in as normal

personally i think the Xenon upgrade bulb are a waste of time, most blow quicker than the originals

ahha crossed topics i think, true Xenon is HID, which is what i was making reference to, your on about the cheap bulb upgrades

id either go for the full HID upgrade of the wireing upgrade

Edited October 8, 2006 by Monster-Mat

[peter026]

If I go the full HID way, then surely to comply with UK regs I will have to have headlamp washers, but if I go the wiring upgrade, I would not have to go down this route, as I know F all about Vehicle electronics I would have to find some Kind sympathetic person to do the wiring upgrade.

Or have a go with Plasma bulbs first, as these seem to be recommended by a few people.

Decisions decisions

[Monster-Mat]

If I go the full HID way, then surely to comply with UK regs I will have to have headlamp washers, but if I go the wiring upgrade, I would not have to go down this route, as I know F all about Vehicle electronics I would have to find some Kind sympathetic person to do the wiring upgrade.

Or have a go with Plasma bulbs first, as these seem to be recommended by a few people.

Decisions decisions

forget the bulbs....or HID upgrade then, just go for the wireing....if you want ill do it for you, for pie and chips

just order it from the link above, mine arrived in a week, and was cheap as ...erm chips, mine was a dip and high beam upgrade

im sure you will need the H4 upgrade kit

[peter026]

If I go the full HID way, then surely to comply with UK regs I will have to have headlamp washers, but if I go the wiring upgrade, I would not have to go down this route, as I know F all about Vehicle electronics I would have to find some Kind sympathetic person to do the wiring upgrade.

Or have a go with Plasma bulbs first, as these seem to be recommended by a few people.

Decisions decisions

forget the bulbs....or HID upgrade then, just go for the wireing....if you want ill do it for you, for pie and chips

just order it from the link above, mine arrived in a week, and was cheap as ...erm chips, mine was a dip and high beam upgrade

im sure you will need the H4 upgrade kit

Thanks for the offer Mat. Kit ordered, will give you a bell or pm when upgrade arrives

@ Lee that kit makes a fair bit of difference to your lights

[P4UL T]

I have just done a HID conversion on me GS, used an after market kit.

It makes a huge difference, sooooo much more of the road is lit up, you can see signs and cats eyes from further away. Deffo worth it in my view.

BTW, for after market kits you are NOT required to fit washers, this rule only applies to factory fit systems

HTH

[lee_iceman]

@ Lee that kit makes a fair bit of difference to your lights

Yeah, especially on country roads at night.

It is the full HID conversion though £250

[maneesh]

Peter,

I do a lot of driving on country lanes, and after driving with HIDs for 1 year now, I'd never buy a car that had regular halogens..

[sparkystav]

If your thinking of getting a kit, i have one here i never got round to fitting to the Monster

How much you want for it Matt?

[peter026]

Peter,

I do a lot of driving on country lanes, and after driving with HIDs for 1 year now, I'd never buy a car that had regular halogens..

Like wise, driving down country lanes that is. Will try this upgrade and see what happens. Can always go down the HID route later if needed, found a site that does them for the Surf, £130 for the kit, but as the wiring upgrade is only peanuts I'll go down that route first

[LexusIS200Sam]

after fitting 8300K HID headlights too my lexus im 110% sure i will never have halogen again.

ive also upgraded the fog lights with a 6000K HID kit :D

[maneesh]

sam's HID foglights are bloody amazing..saw them at ace cafe...have to be seen to be believed...

[winnie]

Impressive but how often do you use the fogs?

I've had my Lex for 6yrs and cant recall ever turning them on. :D

[lee_iceman]

Impressive but how often do you use the fogs?

I've had my Lex for 6yrs and cant recall ever turning them on. :D

I tend to use mine most winterday mornings going across the moors. I have gone back to the original ones now though, found the 6300K made visibilty worse in the fog.

[LexusIS200Sam]

its for when i have too use them they dont look the crap yellow colour of the halogen bulbs.... let alone how bright the new HID set up is!!. rivals the sun at times :D

[aido]

The thing is though fog lights are yellow because the wavelength of that colour light cuts through fog better than white or blue etc, so these will look better cosmetically but won't actually perform as well in the fog which is when you want them to work :)

..:: Edit ::..

Actually just found this - http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/phy99/phy99xx4.htm - which says that foglights are yellow because someone misunderstood the theory some time back and they've just continued the usage of yellow lights as it's custom to do so! Never knew that!

[Niraj]

The thing is though fog lights are yellow because the wavelength of that colour light cuts through fog better than white or blue etc, so these will look better cosmetically but won't actually perform as well in the fog which is when you want them to work :)

..:: Edit ::..

Actually just found this - http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/phy99/phy99xx4.htm - which says that foglights are yellow because someone misunderstood the theory some time back and they've just continued the usage of yellow lights as it's custom to do so! Never knew that!

That's quite a fascinating article... and from what i gather, the yellow fog theory is not as "hazy" as i thought it was...

I guess i'll have to get me an upgrade soon then... winter approaches, and i've heard it will be a mild winter, so better get me some decent fog lights :D

ps: i too saw Sams Fog HID conversion, and it does look superb!!!