You are here: Home > F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


1. What is HID and xenon lighting?

High Intensity Discharge (HID) is a new type of lighting technology that's primarily different from the conventional halogen bulbs that use a heated tungsten filament. Unlike halogen lamps, HID lamps don't have a filament; rather they create light by the arc between two electrodes. The arc activates the xenon gas, which in turn ignites the metal halide. The light produced by an HID system is greater than a standard halogen bulb and with less power consumption. On the road, HID systems appear as a bright white beam which resembles natural daylight. The bright white beam offers greater visibility and road safety.
      
In an HID system for automobiles, the voltage between the two electrodes rises firstly from 12V to 23000V and keeps stable at 8000V by using the HID ballast system. Due to the ultra high voltage, the xenon gas ionizes and a super-bright beam is produced, whose color temperature goes up to 10000K. HID lighting is much more economical, stabler, and brighter than the conventional automobile lighting.


2. What are the advantages of xenon light?

Low power consumption
A single xenon bulb provides much more light compared to its halogen counterpart while only consuming half the power. Therefore, the driver can see more clearly, and the car has more power for other functions. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly, as less power means less energy consumption.

Up to 3 times brighter
The clear white light produced by the xenon bulb is similar to daylight. Research has shown that this enables drivers to concentrate better and the eyes do not fatigue during long drives. Furthermore, this particular light color reflects the road markings and signs better than conventional lighting. The xenon bulb also delivers a marked contribution to road safety in the event of limited visibility due to weather conditions.

Longer life than standard halogen bulbs
In practical terms, the life span of the bulb is equal to that of the car, which means that the bulb need only be replaced in exceptional cases. In almost all of the color temperatures offered, the average life of a single xenon bulb has been rated at over 3000 hours. With about two hours of driving a day, that is more than four years of continued use!


3. What is color temperature (Kelvin rating) and how does it affect the lumen output and visible color?

Kelvin is a basic unit of thermodynamic temperature (color temperature) used to measure the whiteness of the light output. As the number increases to 4300K, the light becomes brighter and whiter. As the number passes 4300K and increases to the 10000K mark, the light changes gradually from a light, crystal blue to a deeper, more intense blue hue. Do not confuse a higher Kelvin temperature with its light output however. Contrary to popular belief, a higher Kelvin rating does not necessarily mean a brighter light. Yes, 4300K is higher and brighter than 3000K, but as you pass the 4300K mark and increase upwards to 10000K, light output actually decreases. Regardless of temperature differences though, HID lighting is still significantly brighter and more efficient than any halogen bulb could ever be.


4. Can I convert my current halogen bulbs to HID lighting?

Yes! Installation is so fast and easy, most people are done in only 20 minutes. Everything you need to complete the installation is included in our kits - no other components are necessary. We have complete installation guides for each HID kit we offer that can assist with the installation of the kit. The most important thing is to make sure we carry the bulb size you need for your vehicle. You can check by referring to the "Bulb Application Guide" in the column to the left. If you have any questions about fitment in a certain vehicle, you are more than welcome to contact our Sales Department at sales@xenithxenons.com and they'll be more than happy to assist you.


5. For some of the bulb sizes, such as H4 and 9007, there are three options to choose from. What is the difference between the three (low-only, Hi/Lo, and Bi-xenon)?

For these bulb sizes, the reason why there are three options is because the headlamps of these bulb sizes are designed with only one bulb functioning as both the high- and low-beam. Because of this, when converting to an HID kit, it is important to keep in mind whether you'd like to simultaneously convert the high-beam as well.

A low-only kit will convert the low-beam to xenon lighting but leave the high-beam out altogether, leaving with you just low-beam HIDs. For an additional $5, you can get a halogen high-beam with the HIDs with the Hi/Lo setup. For an additional $35, you can convert both high- and low-beam to xenon lighting.


6. How does the Bi-xenon system, available in both 2G and 3G XenithXenons HID Kit, work?

Each Bi-xenon kit comes with a harness not included in single-beam and hi/lo kits. This harness is responsible for activating the high-beam portion of the bulb. Each bulb has a single xenon bulb that sits atop a magnetic base. When the high-beam is triggered, the bulb moves positions vertically, allowing more light to escape from behind the glare-shield. The result is a brighter light at a higher level, essentially mimicking how high-beams work from the factory.


7. I'm having trouble installing the lights because they did not come with any instruction manuals. Where can I get some quick and easy assistance?

We have gradually moved away from paper instruction guides to cut down on unnecessary paper production and waste. You can now find detailed installation guides right on our website, available for viewing and/or download under "Installation Instructions," found in our left-hand navigation menu under the "Purposeful Links" section. If you require further assistance or clarification, we're only a phone call or e-mail away.