What are xenon headlamps and how are they different from regular ones?
“Xenon headlamps use xenon gas and metallic salts to create light. An electrically generated arc replaces the filament used in conventional light bulbs. The start-up voltage of up to 28,000 V is supplied by an electronic ballast module fitted on the headlamp housings. This technology produces twice the light output of a halogen bulb, has five times the lifespan and consumes 30 per cent less power. This results in much more effective and brighter illumination of the road and road margins, while using only 35 watts.” – from Carlist.com Or, more simply, they are camera flashes modified to put out a constant beam; camera flashes and many strobes use xenon bulbs. What many people don’t know is that xenon (or High Intensity Dicharge (HID)) lights require a different type of reflector. Just bolting in the ballast unit and replacing your halogen bulbs with HID lights is, at best, annoying to other motorists and may actually be illegal!
