What's the difference between the maxima's xenons and the xenons at the store. Like Xenon gas filled bulbs like from piaa. Ehat if the maxima's bulb no longer works? can i put those in? Also do those xenon bulbs for 30 dollars need the kit?

 

Maximas have the HID headlights, which use Xenon gas for illumination. It's a complete system -- bulbs and ballasts (ignite the gas).

The cheapo bulbs you're talking about (ie. PIAA) simply have Xenon gas in them, but there's no ballast to provide the necessary electric current to make the gas glow as bright as a real HID kit. They just give you somewhat of a blue color, similar to what HID lights look like at an angle.

If you get a true HID kit, it should have the right bulbs (proper size for your model/make) and the ballasts, that the lights will hook up to. Keep in mind that if you install an HID kit into a housing that was designed for halogen bulbs, you'll end up having a lot of glare from the HIDs.

 

IIRC, True HID's have bulbs that have Xenon gas in them but no filament - thus the need for the ballast to discharge a hefty amount of electricity to light them up using a couple of electrodes (thus High Intensity Discharge).

Xenon bulbs that go for $30 or less are (Tungsten?)regular filament type bulbs, but instead of Halogen gas it's filled with Xenon gas.

At the most basic of level's, they're the same in that they both use Xenon gas - but that's where the similarities end.

Another way of putting it, el-cheapo Xenon bulbs is to Incandescent bulbs what Fluorescent bulbs is to HID's.

 

PIAA are just color coated glass halogen bulbs, which use a filament to produce light. The coating just blocks certain wavelengths to cast a cool color that mimics HIDs.

2K2+ HIDs use an arc between two electrodes to produce 2-3 times the amount of light as a halogen.

 

So the "ballast" is what ignites the gas in the bulb on our maximas?

 

The ballast builds up the HUGE(20,000V?) that is required to start the arc, then provides a steady voltage to keep it lit IIRC.

 

To add, after the initial spark - HID's end up using a lot less electricity to keep it on compared to conventional halogens.

 

Yep, 35Watts(HID) vs. 55Watts(Halogen). Now imagine a 55Watt HID!

 

And it's also what everyone wants to steal...