All About HID (High Intensity Discharge) Lighting

What's all this noise about HID lighting? I see more and more vehicles on the road with HID headlights. Many new vehicles come with HID lighting from the factory. Why HID ?



HID versus halogen: High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology replaces the filament of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light is emitted from an arc discharge between two closely spaced electrodes sealed inside a small capsule. This arc is similar to the light of an arc welder. To operate, each HID bulv requires individual ballasts, which supply proper voltage and meter current. The amount of light emitted from the HID lighting system is far greater than a standard halogen bulb. While, at the same time, consuming less power.

Color of HID lighting & Kelvin: Kelvin (K) in relation to HID is the color temperature of light. That light color is on a spectrum that varies from 3,300k to 12,000k. Starting on the left, 3,300k is the color temperature of OEM halogen bulbs. 3,300k is kind of a yellowish color. The next step up would be 4,300k. 4,300k is the equivalent of sunlight. This will be the brightest and whitest color available with an HID lighting system. If you are looking for strictly the brightest bulbs on the market, go with 4,300k. Next is 6,000k. 6,000k has a tint of blue and will be similar to many Infiniti/Nissan factory HID bulbs. 8,000k will be bluer than 6,000k and is similar to many factory BMW and Mercedes HID bulbs. 10,000k and 12,000k will shine a purple light. Although we have those colors available, we don't recommend it. Try and drive at night behind a purple light. Not real easy. These HID kits are more for show.



There is a misconception that color temperature is a rating of the brightness of the HID bulb. The truth is that the higher the color temperature, the less light output from the HID bulb. Again, if you're looking for the maximum amount of light from your HID kit, choose the 4,300k bulb. 4,300k bulbs will have the highest lumens output of any HID system.


What is Lumens? Lumens in relation to HID is the intensity of light. In comparison to OEM halogen bulbs, HID bulbs are on average three to five times brighter. The lumens of an HID bulb will be two to three times greater than the lumens of an OEM automotive halogen bulb. You could compare the power and intensity of HID with a welder's arc. Same principle and same type of light. Instead of a halogen bulb using a filament to create the light source, HID uses gas-filled capsule and an electric arc to create the light. This arc of light is far more intense than the filament of a halogen filament bulb.

More light = more power requirements This is not true with HID bulbs. The HID kit will produce approximately 23,000 volts. Although a huge amount of power, the HID system will only draw 35 watts of current. The standard OEM halogen bulb will consume 55 watts of power. Therefore the HID system will draw far less current from your vehicle's electrical system. The power conversion is achieved with the use of a ballast. Like a florescent home lighting system, the florescent ballast generates more electricity for the bulb but consumes less electricity in comparison to a standard incandescent bulb.

BilletMyRide carries many popular types of HID systems. They also carry the Bi-xenon HID bulbs for those headlight systems with combined high beam & low beam bulbs.
9008-H13 Bulbs
9007-HB5 Bulbs
9006-HB4 Bulbs
9005-HB3
9004-HB1
9004-HB2-H4
H3
H1