Halogen bulbs vs hid bulbs install#
Halogen bulbs vs hid bulbs upgrade#

If you turn on your headlights and it flashes for a second and than over time about 7 to 10 seconds to peak performance intends to be of a white color, that tends to be HID. Look at the beam pattern, if it's yellow color and has a normal power up time, that tends to be a halogen bulb. One of the simplest ways to determine if you have 'OEM HID headlights' is by parking your vehicle in front of a wall and turning on the headlights. Here are five methods you can use to determine the type of headlights in your car:

So, before making any upgrades, make sure you know whether your vehicle has halogen or HID headlights. Even vehicles of the same year, make, and model can have various modifications with different low or high beam types.

Halogen bulbs vs hid bulbs upgrade#

While HID lamps out-perform halogen lamps, too, LEDs will take you further for less money.If you're looking to upgrade the lighting in your car, it's crucial to first answer this question: ' What type of headlights do I have?'. The advanced lighting technology they contribute continues to undergo further developments and improvements meaning your options will continue to improve in quality and grow in versatility.

Halogen lamps were once the standard way to light the road, but, the tide is very likely to turn the way of LED headlights. You have more room for customization of your lighting with LEDs than with HIDs or halogen lamps. You still have a variety of color options in LEDs to match or exceed the HID lights while completely surpassing halogen yellows altogether. LED ballasts generally reduce efficiency only by 10-15% LED efficiency remains above 50 watts.Īdd the fact of the long lifespan of LED lights to the list of pros and cons and the obvious choice for fuel efficiency and brightness is the LED headlights. The protective coverings of LEDs generally reduce output by 25% or less. LEDs exhibit no losses from trapped light due to their focused output. LEDs are more advantageous in this regard as losses in HID lights from trapped light, protective covers, inefficient ballasts, and varying operating temperatures result in a system efficiency of 30 watts or less. The energy lost through this conversion can vary depending on the types of lights you’re using. The light source on your car requires a ballast to convert power into a form the lamp can use to produce light. LED lights do not waste energy as heat the way HID or halogen lights do which means you spend fewer resources to light the road. LEDs are also much more durable for outside use than HID lights which are more fragile. These bulbs generally produce light at 3,600 - 4,500 lumens depending on your selection while using even less wattage than the HIDs.

Halogen bulbs vs hid bulbs install#

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are easier to install on your car than HID headlights and come with all the same (and even improved) benefits of less fuel consumption and brightness. A light at this brightness might be best for your fog lights however, the heat of a light burning at this magnitude creates a great deal of heat and could melt various parts of the lamp and its housing. If you wanted to choose a higher wattage light in the HID variety, 55 watts are available and put off five times the light of a halogen lamp at a whopping 5,000 lumens. You will also stand out more to oncoming traffic with brighter lights in clearer colors. Color matters when considering your night vision and what helps you navigate roads best in the dark. There are more color variations in the HID variety of light ranging from the familiar golden glow to a more blue tone. The light output of an HID headlight averages to 3,500 lumens which is approximately three times that of a halogen lamp. This type of light runs at approximately 20 watts less than the halogen lamp and is still much brighter. High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting is available in “plug and play” style kits using a 35 watt ballast.

HID lamps are brighter and vary more in color The downside to this option is the higher wattage, the more fuel is required to power it. For improved visibility at night, the only way to stick with a halogen lamp is to use a higher wattage bulb. Halogen lamps give off a yellow tinged light. Most cars come with halogen lamps which tend to run at approximately 55 watts and emit between 900-1,000 lumens of light. If you want to know what all the fuss is about when wanting to upgrade your car lights, read on for a comparison of performance between halogen, HID, and LED car lamps. The headlight with which you have the most experience is most likely the standard halogen headlight and incandescent fog light bulbs.