Five Xenon HID bulb myths you need to know about

Aftermarket experts shed light on the myths surrounding Xenon HID bulbs

Five Xenon HID bulb myths you need to know about
The introduction of Xenon HID bulbs has been one of the biggest vehicle lighting developments of the last 20 years.

Despite being around for a number of years and fitted to an increasing number of cars, aftermarket lighting company, Ring say many garages and technicians are still reluctant to fit Xenon HIDs, often seeing them as difficult to fit, expensive and potentially hazardous.

In a bid to combat the reluctance, Ring had published a “myth-busting” guide on Xenon HID bulbs, offering up practical advice and answers for the questions they are asked most often.

Carl Harrison, bulb expert and product manager for automotive lighting at Ring says: “When carrying out market research in the UK aftermarket, some independent garages we spoke to were reluctant to fit Xenon HID bulbs.

“As lighting experts, it’s our job to educate the industry on this technology and open up what is a huge opportunity for their businesses.

“So we decided to take the top five myths and FAQs we hear on a regular basis and give the aftermarket the advice and answers they need.”

Myth: Xenon HID bulbs are difficult to fit

Once the headlamps and ignition are switched off and the fuse removed, Ring say the bulb can be replaced in much the same way as a standard halogen filament bulb.

Myth: Xenon HID bulbs must be replaced by the main dealer

The process of fitting a Xenon HID bulb is simple and there’s no reason why independent garages cannot fit them.

To help, Ring has developed printed fitting guides and an updated fitting videos.

Myth: Xenon HID bulbs last forever

Over the life of the bulb, the light from a Xenon HID bulb will change colour temperature and its light output will fall.

Ring recommends replacing Xenon HID bulbs at least every five years, and both left and right bulbs at the same time to ensure light output is consistent.

Myth: You can’t tell the quality of a Xenon HID bulb just by looking at it

All Ring Xenon HID bulbs are E marked to identify that they meet the strict requirements of ECE Regulation 99 – the UNECE standard for gas discharge light sources for vehicles.

Look for the E mark and approval number on the base.

Myth: The market for Xenon HID bulbs is in decline

The number of vehicles with HID headlamps entering the car parc is still growing.

Demand for D3S bulbs in particular is growing significantly due to changes in legislation.

Approximately ten per cent of vehicles in the UK car parc have HID headlamps.

How Xenon HID bulbs work

Instead of a traditional filament, Xenon HID bulbs have a glass capsule in the centre of the bulb containing xenon gas.

Two metal electrodes going into the glass capsule enable a high voltage to cross the xenon gas.

This voltage ignites the gas to produce a bright white light output.

For the bulbs to illuminate, the start-up voltage has to be very high and therefore a ballast is required for each headlamp.

These ballasts convert the vehicle’s 12V DC voltage to ignite the bulb and then maintain a lower operating voltage.

As Xenon HID bulbs become more common and are no longer restricted to just premium or luxury cars, many more motorists are now benefiting from the crisper, whiter colour temperatures, helping them see road signs and obstacles more clearly.

In addition, legislation was introduced in 2012 so new vehicles produced after then would use D3 and D4 references, which do not contain mercury.

Ring stocks a comprehensive range of Xenon HIDs, including the new D5 reference.

For more information on Ring Xenon HID bulbs or to find your nearest stockist, select ‘more details’ below or call 0113 213 3789.

Have your say!

0 0

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.