Xenon Gas bulbs...?

[rustler753]

I just bought some bulbs from ebay that claim to put out wighter light then our standard ones...but they are whiter after install but slightly dimmer...do the bulbs normally take a bit of use to break in to get brighter or something?

[BayScoobie]

I have had those lights installed on my previous car (a mustang). They were white as claimed, but gradually dimmed over the course of a year. They are not worth the extra price.

[Boostjunkie]

Unless they are higher wattage bulbs, all of the blue coated "xenon" bulbs will be dimmer than stock. The coating that give the bulbs a higher color temp and whiter light, block light output. They will be dimmer. They also do not last as long, although some are much better than others in this respect.

 

Higher wattage blue bulbs can match the stockers for light output with nicer color, but usually require the installation of relays and heavier duty harnesses to prevent damage to the stock headlight wiring and circuit.

 

There really isn't a whole lot of point to the blue bulbs from a functional standpoint. If you really want whiter light and increased output, the only way to get it is to pony up and upgrade to a true HID setup.

 

BTW, with Ebay as a tool, I think that an OEM parts based new setup can be had for a little more than $200. This is with much better quality parts than the vast majority of the aftermarket kits out there.

[03Indigo]

those bulbs on ebay are for looks only, not true HID performance. It is difficult to get halogen bulbs to be brighter, as stated above, due to power needed. You can find those same bulbs at any auto parts store, but truly, at the best, they will only be slightly brighter....and that is rare. I believe that PIAA extreme whites are the only ones that i have found, from personal use and the bulbs my other friends use that actually put down MORE light. And afterall, if you are planing on an upgrade....that is your goal.

[rustler753]

Yeah the brights are a bit better and the lows are worse..but slightly whiter. Overall I am disapointed and am going to send them back and install the stock lights..hell the fogs were brighter then the lows after i replaced just the lows.

oh well

[Xenonk]

most are whiter based on the coating on the Lens (Most are painted, PIAA, Raybrig, Hella, Kioto are probably the only ones that is actually tinted blue in the lens during manufacturing). Xenon gas requires higher wattage to get them brighter (needs more to excite the gas since Xenon is a noble gas (stable)... hence HID with a high voltage arc from one end of the electrode to the other. Most bulbs you buy from ebay like that are usually a hybrid of halogen/tungsten gas mixed with a bit of Xenon gas to give it a whiter light along with a lower resistance filament to get higher wattages.

 

Keefe

[gt_ltd]

do you know there is a group buy for real HID kits?

[Boostjunkie]

BTW, I just got the parts I'll need to put HID in my car for a total of $237 shipped. This is for new OEM Matsushita ballasts, new Philips D2S 85122+ 5000K bulbs, and H7 adapter rings. All the stuff should be here in a week or so, so I'll post up my results then.