What does "HID" stand for?
"HID" stands for "high intensity discharge" and is commonly used in reference to light bulbs. HID lights have many of the same uses as normal incandescent lights. Most cars can be retrofitted to accommodate HID lighting if desired.
What is the difference between an HID light and an incandescent light?
A regular incandescent light bulb produces its light from the heating of the tungsten filament inside of it. When the tungsten burns out, the light bulb is dead. With HID lighting, a ionized gas is created when two electrodes are initiated within the high pressure gas of a quartz container. As long as the gas stays within the container, the HID light bulb will still function.
How does HID lighting produce more light?
The higher the color temperature of light, the more blue light is produced by the light source. Normal incandescent bulbs have a color temperature of about 2,800 degrees Kelvin. HID bulbs have a color temperature of 4,200 degrees Kelvin. To put that in perspective, the sun's light is only 5,600 degrees Kelvin at midday. Having HID lights installed in your car will help your vision to be closer to what it is at midday in the full sunlight.
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