What is the difference between hid and halogen

We are all used to these and they form the baseline for car manufacturers when producing vehicles in mass. Halogen lights may be low cost and simple to replace, but they do not have a very long lifespan. They also use a lot of energy and can quickly drain your car battery. However, technology continues to evolve in every sector and car headlights have certainly not been left behind. The old model halogen lights have been outcompeted by newer more efficient types. HID or high-intensity discharge headlights work in a similar fashion to the halogen light bulbs.

However, instead of using a halogen gas, they use xenon. By passing the xenon gas over an electric charge, it burns brighter giving you a better field of view.

This means that they are not a viable long-term solution as you will need to replace them frequently. They are also costly compared to their halogen counterparts but less costly compared to LEDs. The gas heats up and illuminates the bulb. With HID lights, electrodes charge the xenon gas inside the bulb to create illumination.

The average halogen light lasts for to 1, hours because their filament will eventually break down. The xenon gas in HID lights allows them to last for 2, to 3, hours of use. HID lights don't require as much energy as halogen lights and put less of a strain on the car battery if the headlights are on while the engine is turned off. Also, halogen lights need to be replaced about twice as often as HID lights, which creates additional cost and waste.

HID lights have a much larger light spread than halogen lights, which improves visibility in a driver's peripheral vision. More illumination means a safer experience on the road, especially in dark areas and during inclement weather. The average HID light produces about 3, lumens, compared with 1, lumens for halogen bulbs lumens measure how bright lightbulbs are.

How many differences between halogen and xenon headlights do you know? How do each type of headlight work? And which gives you a larger range of vision in the dark? Check and refresh your knowledge with this Garage Gurus guide. A halogen light bulb consists of a thin tungsten filament surrounded by a halogen gas in a glass capsule which is resistant to extremely high temperatures.

When voltage is applied, the filament glows and metal tungsten evaporates from the filament. The result is a high output of light. It has the side effect of extending the lifespan of the bulb. The evaporated tungsten forms a gas which mixes with the halogen gas in the lightbulb and forms tungsten halogenide.

When the gas particles come close to the filament, a tungsten layer is formed again due to the extremely high temperatures. Also known as High-Intensity Discharge HID lamps, xenon lights are becoming popular on high-end cars, giving them a premium, exclusive look.

A xenon lightbulb is a transparent quartz housing with tungsten electrodes at each end. It is filled with a mixture of gases. A xenon lightbulb works in three steps:. Xenon headlights operate under high voltages, so be aware of this danger when servicing xenon lights. Want to know more?

Watch a Garage Gurus expert as he demonstrates the differences between halogen and xenon headlights. For informational purposes only. We are not liable for any damages resulting from your reliance on this content.

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