What are the differences between halogen and xenon headlights?
2 Answers
The differences between halogen and xenon headlights are: 1. Different light intensity: Halogen headlights output 1200 lumens; xenon headlights output 4500 lumens. 2. Different durability: The service life of halogen headlights is 500 hours; the service life of xenon headlights is up to 30,000 hours or more. 3. Different lighting effects: Halogen headlights provide uniform light; xenon headlights have relatively concentrated light with darker sides. 4. Different illumination distances: Halogen headlights have an illumination distance of 4.4 meters; xenon headlights have an illumination distance of 5.2 meters. The working principle of halogen headlights is: Halogen gas such as iodine or bromine is injected into the bulb, and the tungsten filament sublimated at high temperature chemically reacts with the halogen. The cooled tungsten will re-solidify on the tungsten filament, forming a balanced cycle to prevent premature breakage of the tungsten filament.
Halogen lights are the traditional type of bulbs, simple in structure, cheap, and easy to replace—you can do it yourself. I used them in my old car; the yellowish light has decent penetration in rainy or foggy conditions, but the brightness is really lacking. Driving on the highway at night can be quite straining on the eyes. Xenon lights are much more advanced, requiring a ballast to operate. They start up slower but shine as bright as daylight, with longer reach and better energy efficiency. However, modifying your car with xenon lights requires attention to regulations, as improper modifications might fail the annual inspection. In terms of lifespan, xenon lights are also more durable, so you won’t need to frequently visit the repair shop to replace bulbs.
