MB_Forever

I was just wondering if anybody knows that's the difference between all these types of lights? And maybe which is better?

buckeyewalt

My understanding is that the halogen is a filiment type bulb, where the HID is actually an arc produced inside of a quartz glass. The term Xenon, is the gas that the arc resides in. In my estimation, the HID is far superior in terms of light. It gives a more white or daylight than the halogen which is usually a yellow in color as compaired to the HID.

MJ50

halogen is same as bulbs used at home...
HID = xenon... same meaning...

obsidian05e55

..
Halogen is a filament like any other common bulb..


High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology replaces the filament of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light is emitted from an arc discharge between two closely spaced electrodes hermetically sealed inside a small quartz glass tubular envelope capsule. To operate, they require ballasts, which supply proper voltage and control current. The amount of light produced is greater than a standard halogen bulb, while consuming less power, and more closely approximating the color temperature of natural daylight.

In all High Intensity Discharge lamps, light is produced by passing a current through a metal vapor. Free electrons colliding with an atom in the vapor momentarily knock an electron into a higher orbit of the atom. When the displaced electron falls back to its former level, a quantum of radiation is emitted. The wavelength of radiation depends on the energy zone of the disturbed electron and on the type of metal vapor used in the arc tube.

Although it produces 5% of its output when first ignited, the HID light requires a few seconds (usually 15-20) to come up to full output. Also, if power to the lamp is lost or turned off, the arc tube must cool to a given temperature before the arc can be re-struck and light produced

obsidian05e55

HID lighting has several advantages over conventional halogen primary lights:


More light output. 18 Watt HID light source produces approximately the same lumens at the light source as a 55 Watt halogen bulb at a three to five times the halogen's efficiency. The 10 Watt HID only produces ~500 lumens, but thanks to its true 6000K color temperature it appears almost as bright as a 55 Watt halogen bulb when in use. The HID lamp's lumens per watt (LPW) efficacy is roughly six to eight times that of an incandescent lamp.

Whiter light. The color temperature of HID lighting more closely approximates the color temperature of natural daylight than does a halogen system, which appears yellowish in comparison. We use the term "correlated color temperature" to indicate that the light appears as if the discharge lamp is operating at a given color temperature-- traditional measurements of color temperature are drawn from the properties of the metal used in the bulb's filament. Typical color temperatures are 2800K (incandescent), 3000K (halogen), 4100K (cool white or SP41 fluorescent), and 5000K (daylight-simulating fluorescent colors). Both of the HID lights produce a light with a color temperature approaching or above 5000K. A white light has a perceived brightness which may equate to the higher stated efficacies-- ie., although an HID lamp might have equivilant lumens as a higher wattage halogen bulb, the HID will appear brighter and more pleasing to the eye than the output of a halogen lamp.

Longer Service Life. An HID lamp will last, on the average, 3 to 5 times as long as a halogen bulb. In normal use, your HID bulb should last beyond one thousand ignitions.

NSX2NV

HID = Halogen =

str8ridin

Good info!

This may sound strange, but I read a few posts in the general w211 forums that say the xenon bulbs are covered under warranty.

Can anyone confirm this?

MordorChariot

I'll tell you on monday as one of mine has just failed, so off to the service center we go. My beast is an '06 and still under warranty.

MordorChariot

Xenons are covered under warranty, although my problem was electrical and the whole headlight assembly was replaced.

padrino

As others have stated they are and from experience I can tell you it's a good thing. A few years ago when my CLK had a HID die I didn't realize there was a $150+ replacement cost for the bulb.