HID Xenon headlamp life.

Mikeyboy · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: HID Xenon headlamp life.

Do HID Xenon headlamps have a certain amount of expected hours and then pop! I'm sure they do just like everything else.

I don't mind replacing Halogen lamps at 5 quid or so but don't want any nasty surprises with the Xenons.

I'm one of these people that drive around with their headlights on...I like to be safe but I am also tight and don't want to keep replacing these units prematurely.

Thanks.

LlaniGraham · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:52 am Post subject:

Are you talking about the proper Â£200 HID replacement bulb and ballast electronics, or the more simple Xenon Hi Brightness H4 bulbs?

The proper HID units seem to have a reasonable life span but can be very voltage critical and work best with properly designed lenses.

The replacement Xenon H4 bulbs seem to have a slightly shorter life than standard H4 bulbs, but I have been buying them at about Â£4 each from Ebay.

Mikeyboy · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

The proper HID's not halogen.

I just wondered how many hours they last.

Cruiser · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject:

If it's more than five minutes its too long for drivers heading towards cars fitted with these damn things. Even properly adjusted ones are dangerous to other road users on an uneven or hilly road that is unlit - the journey I take to work is a very good example and I have been blinded by the bloody things on many occasions. Still, I've now got around 500w of additional lighting on the front of the Surf. If these people want to play blind mans buff I'm up for a game Very Happy

LlaniGraham · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

Well........

voltage critical
ballast electrics don't like water
vibration can affect
no-one produces a LEGAL round 7" lens for them
C & U Regs state that they must be fitted with remote headlight leveling units
mega expensive

Standard lenses, both typically "striated" ones, and the more modern plain ones, produce loads of scatter and glare and totally p***s off every driver that will come towards you.

The MSA has banned them being fitted to any road rally car competing in events here.

You would be much better off getting the wiring up to standard and using good quality H4 bulbs and a good set of auxiliary driving lights.

Mikeyboy · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:27 pm Post subject:

Modern cars with halogens are just as bad at dazzling on-coming traffic.

They seem to have the headlamp height adjusters factory set to 'pointing upwards' and that's where they stay.

At work we have Passats, A3's, 93's, 3-Series and a Civic and I have found all of them to be the same.

For what it is worth I have found out that an HID Xenon should last about 10,000 hours.