billyman

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys, I have been reading, and reading, and reading. The more I read, the more confused I become. I did not realize there were SOOO MANY headlamp/foglamp choices.

Eventually I will consider getting the DDE's, but for now, what do you recommend? I either want bright whites or the lights w/the bluish hue (these almost appear translucent) and I want my fogs to match my heads (I hate when I see a car w/bright white heads and yellow halogen fogs...looks cheesy).

So, with that, can the experienced educate the ignorant? Thanks in advance for your help.

GuZo

iTrader: (6)

Just do a search on "HID's" and "Fog bulbs" and you will find out everything you need to know.

The basic difference is that Xenons are not just a bulb, it's a bulb with a system or ballast behind it to provide great light.
Xenons are what you see on the 2k2/3 Maxima headlights.

The rest are just bulbs, that's my opinion, even though my Headlights got stolen a few hours ago.

billyman

iTrader: (2)

Well, I have searched for these items & thats when I became more confused. But if the 2k2/3's have Xenon, why does everyone here refer to them as HID's??

Signed,

Still Confused

max988

If this site is too confusing. You can go to www.ask.com and search with 'What is HID' and you may find your answers there

Young04

HID's are xenons. PIAA is a company that makes bulbs. Often, you can get bulbs that imitate a close shade of xenon bright white or blue-ish white, but you won't get the output.

Scormunch240

HID = High Intensity Discharge... real HID headlamps are not a simple bulb, but is an entire system of a bulb, electrical ballast and ignitor.

Yes, in many of the eBay "Xenon-gas filled" bulbs you do get the Xenon gas... which provides the coloring of the true system, yet won't give the same light output.

The advantage of having an entire Xenon-gas "HID" system is that HID lamps are about three times as efficient as normal headlamps. This reduced power leads to cooler operation and less drain on the battery and alternator. Second, HID offers at least 70% more light at a lower wattage than traditional lamps. Lastly, lifespan of an HID lamp average about 2700 hours and should outlast the car (provided you don't become one of the many people here who have had stolen headlamps).

Hope this helps... I tried to make spell it out but I don't think I did much in that way...

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

so can their be a "HID" kit but its not xenon?

sampelli

Hey! I just installed tonight a pair of superwhite bulbs in my fog lamps in order to attempt a match at the HID headlights on my 02 SE. They look so much better than the factory , yellow tinted bulbs. Not a true match obviously, but a drastic improvment. The bulb is an H3. Install is easy, 2 screws, 2 bolts, and a plastic plug. Helps a lot to get car off the ground. HID fog kits are like 4-5 hundred bucks, my bulbs were $25 out the door and 30 min install. Let me know if this helps... later. Sampelli

Scormunch240

To my knowledge, all HID's used in cars are all filled with the same mixture...

In the true HID's, the quartz lamp (bulb) is actually filled with a combination of xenon, mercury and metal halide salts. As I kinda said before, the whole system is made up of 3 main parts. First, the ignitor creates a high-voltage arc across 2 connectors. The ballast limits the flow across the connectors (electrodes), and the flow is then funneled into the quartz lamp... the lamp has NO FILAMENT, instead the whole quartz lamp glows, creating the true beam. Combined with auto height-adjusters, it makes a HUGE difference driving.

In a traditional halogen or eBay bulb, the light is still created by a filament. All the xenon gas does is surround the filament changing the color of the light. Light output isn't normally increased unless a higher wattage is drawn, but then you'll normally need to install new harnesses and wires anyways.