The difference between HID and Halogen lights

Hi All, we've recently had a few enquiry's on what the difference is between HID and Halogen lights, so thought I’d post this. There’s a fair bit that can be written on the subject so without delving into the in-depth science between the two, I’ll provide an abridged version. Halogen bulbs use older technology to provide light output. Similar to a standard incandescent bulb, Halogen bulbs have ...a filament. However unlike incandescent bulbs, Halogen bulbs are filled with Halogen gas. When voltage is applied to the filament it becomes hot. The gas reacts to the filament and in turn creates large amounts of light (in comparison to an incandescent bulb). Most standard automotive headlights use halogen bulbs. (Although HID are becoming more common place on new vehicles)

Conversely a HID (High Intensity Discharge) does not have a filament as such. It does however have electrodes. The globe is filled with a xenon gas which is ignited when voltage is applied to the electrodes within the gas chamber. A ballast is used to provide AC voltage to ignite the gas along with sustaining the process to produce enormous amounts of light output

 

Cheers

Jason

Offroad Scene

www.offroadscene.com.au