Xenon gas-discharge or also called high-intensity discharge (HID) light raises automotive headlights on a brand new level. Luminous flux of xenon HID lamps is very close to the natural day light, providing for more natural road perception at any weather conditions. Right use of xenon HID headlights improves active safety of traffic.

Лампа псевдо ксенон		Ксеноновая лампа

Speaking about xenon, do not mix xenon gas-discharge lamps with filament lamp filled by xenon as a buffer medium. Xenon filled lamps are not more than conventional filament lamps that differ from halogen lamps only by bulb filler. This allows increasing the filament temperature making halogen lamps more bright however considerably shortening its service life.

Xenon HID lamps differ from halogen bulbs by 3-4 times higher luminous efficacy simultaneously with lower power consumption, that also decrease heating of optics’ components. Higher service life – 3,000 hours versus to 800 hours for halogen bulbs – makes them more efficient in operation. The only shortcoming of HID lamps is a necessity in generation of high voltage by starting and controlling unit  – igniter (called ballast).

Xenon HID lamps have no filaments; they consist of quartz glass tube filled with gas mixture (including xenon) under high pleasure with two stationary electrodes within with specified gap between them. High intensity luminous flux is generated by glowing of gas due to arc discharge between electrodes.

Color temperature is determined by gas mixture and may be 3000, 4300, 5000, 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000°К as a standard. HIDs with color temperature 3000°К are ideal for fog lights having saturated yellow color that ideally illuminates fogged roads. Optimal for human’s eye perception is lamp glowing with color temperature 4300°К. For safe driving it is better to use HID’s with color temperatures 4300°К or 5000°К, but not higher than 6000°К. HIDs with color temper atures higher than 6000°К have more violet glowing, substantially worse illuminating wet roads. Such HIDs generally are intended only for decoration of a vehicle’s exterior.

HID 3000°К	HID 4300°К	HID 5000°К	HID 6000°К	HID 8000°К

At present, there are two main categories of modern automotive xenon HIDs: xenon and bi-xenon. The difference is that in majority cars high and low headlight beams are separated in the optics (one lamp for low and one lamp for high beams). In this case it is necessary to install xenon HID lamps separately for high and low beams. Other car models (Daewoo Lanos, VAZ-2109, Skoda Octavia Tour and etc.) have combined headlamps – usually it is H4, sometimes it may be H13, 9004/HB1, 9007/HB5. It means, that installation of xenon HID (not bi-xenon) will cause unavailability of high beam. In such cases it is necessary to use bi-xenon - a HID lamp capable of switching between low and high beams.

Xenon lights sets usually may be installed on majority of vehicles, without necessity of modifications, instead of conventional halogen bulbs. High-quality sets include short-arc discharge lamps, allowing generating accurate and focused beam of light. Thus, problem of blinding of other drivers will not be actual in case of installation of high quality xenon lights sets by qualified specialists, who will perform necessary headlamps adjustment.