Halogen headlights are a relatively older technology as compared to High-Intensity Display (HID) bulbs. Halogen lights have long served as typical standard bulbs in households. They come as traditional headlights on many older generation cars, and even some modern ones. They are so common because they are cheap to mass-produce, and they averagely get the job done.
HIDs are newer, better, and brighter technology. They are more expensive than halogen headlights, as should be expected. However, they are not as expensive as LED headlights and rarely come as standard with vehicles. Owners have to install aftermarket parts for themselves after seeing the quality of these lights.
Many owners whose cars came with a preinstalled halogen headlight setup will require an HID conversion kit to run HID lights. One of the best HID conversion kits on the market right now can be found over at carfixbook.com and similar sites.
Mode of Function of Halogen Headlights
These lights are so-called halogen lights because they have halogen gas within the bulb. The halogen gas functions to preserve the tungsten filament, which produces the light. When the electric current gets to the filament, it heats up and begins to emit light. The emitted light is white light, with a tint of yellow.
Mode of Function HID lights
HID lights function differently from their halogen counterpart. Their bulbs typically contain xenon gas and tungsten electrodes, which carry electric current.
The flow of current through the electrodes causes the formation of an electric arc. That electric arc emits light, coupled with the xenon gas and metallic salts’ action within the bulb. The light is whiter than ordinary daylight, making them safer for night driving.
Head to Head
Luminous Efficiency: Luminous efficiency relates to the amount of light a bulb emits compared to the amount of power they consume. Halogen headlights are not as efficient as HID headlights. A lot of the power consumed by halogen bulbs dissipates as heat through the tungsten filament mechanism.
Only little gets emitted as light. Their luminous efficiency is between 2% and 4%. HID headlights are more efficient because they do not possess a filament which dissipates electrical energy as heat. This is a plus for drivers who reside in states with laws governing the amount of power dispensed to headlights.
Value per Cost: The HID headlights are unquestionably more expensive than halogen lights. However, when considering the value per cost, HID headlights are a more economical choice than the halogen types.
They are more durable for their price, they provide better lighting into broader areas, and they consume less power than halogen headlights. The amount of premium quality one gets with HID headlights makes them a bargain for their price. That’s why many vehicle owners are switching over to them.
The challenge these vehicle owners had was how to operate HID headlights on preinstalled halogen headlamp setups by their vehicle manufacturers. However, since many HID conversion kits flooded the market, the solution quickly came.
Here are some of the best HID conversion kits:
Xentec H11 6000K HID kit: The kit has four main parts. There is the harness that draws power directly from the battery. There is also the bridge ballast which provides high voltage, and the bulb. There are six colors, ranging from 3000K to 12000K.
The kit’s durability is second to none, with its zinc alloy casing, which makes it resistant to weather changes. It tops the pack in terms of quality and affordable pricing.
The beam pattern is consistent and excellent, and the kit is easy to install. So, interested buyers don’t have to pay a professional for installation. The kit has a broad market acceptance going for it.
H11 Morimoto Elite HID Kit: This high-intensity display kit is high-end. It has some more features that aren’t available on regular, cheaper kits. The specific parts used to create this kit are quality materials from other proven manufacturers.
Each appropriately crafted piece contributes to the kit’s overall quality and makes it stand ahead of the rest on a performance basis. The display and brightness of this kit put it in competition with some industry leaders.
It offers additional options that other products don’t even bother themselves to provide as a premium product. There’s enough evidence in this kit’s performance to explain why over half a million units have sold.
Lumenon 35W HID Kit: The stand out benefit of this kit is its affordability. Its price is under $30, making it something of quality for the average Joe or Jane. Unlike many other products, this kit doesn’t sacrifice quality for the price.
While it is nowhere near the kind of performance one would expect from a premium product, it certainly does reasonably better than other kits in its price range. As long as the kit is in operation under optimum conditions described by the manufacturer, it is good to go.
It comes in various colors, so buyers still get a few options to choose from, even at a bargain price. This is another kit that has gained wide market acceptance.
It isn’t all positive with the HID conversion kits. Many substandard kits in the market are a maintenance trouble waiting to happen, and are of less value than quality halogen headlights. It is important that if going for HID kits at all, one goes for the very best.
In the absence of such, the more advanced halogen headlights which focus on power efficiency are not a bad choice.
There are also complaints of the HID lights being too bright; enough to impair the vision of oncoming motorists. On its own, this poses a threat to the safety of motorists. However, with the availability of a host of other colors that are easier on the eyes, and some headlamp modifications, this problem can be easily avoided or resolved.
In the end, the benefits of using HID conversion kits trump those of halogen headlights. Therefore, the HID conversion kits should rank as a reliable option over halogen headlights, especially when LED headlights are out of reach or too expensive.
