Why the new HID bulb is the wrong color
Understand why your HID bulb is the wrong color
If you own a vehicle with HID headlights and have recently replaced the bulb, the light may not be the color you expected. This is normal. HID bulbs normally operate towards the blue end of the spectrum at around 6,000°K. Daylight blue is normally around 5,500k. However, new HID bulbs operate at around 4,150k for the first 200 hours, meaning the light cast by the new bulb will be noticeably more yellow. It’s not that you got the HID bulb the wrong color, it’s just that it’s new.
The HID bulb color will change toward the blue end of the spectrum as the bulb burns in
The color temperature (measured in degrees Kelvin) of a new HID bulb rises as the bulb accumulates more hours of run time, becoming more bluish-white. A bulb that starts at 4,300°K will eventually wind up at around 6,000° after about 300 hours of burning.
HID bulb brightness and color are not the same thing
People often think that a bluer-looking bulb is brighter. That’s not true. A yellow-looking bulb can output the same lux rating as a bluer bulb. The bluer bulb only appears brighter to the human eye because bluer light provides better contrast than yellow light.
Which HID color should you choose?
• 3000° K— A 3000°K bulb is a good choice for fog lights. It improves vision in low-visibility conditions like fog. Warmer colors penetrate fog and mist better than cooler and whiter colors.
• 4300°K— A 4,300°K HID bulb gives off a slightly bluer light than normal halogen lights which are normally in the 3,000°K range.
• 5000°K— The bluer 5000K HID bulbs are close to the color of the sun at dawn and dusk. This color allows drivers to see with no issues in nearly all driving conditions, even when objects are far away.
• 6000°K— A 6000°K HID bulb appears brighter and improves visibility because this light color improves contrast for the human eye. But it’s not really any brighter, the lux output is the same as a yellower bulb. It just provides more contrast. That’s why it’s the most popular color for retrofitting.
• 10000°K— This bulb casts a distinctively blue light that’s sharp looking. However, they don’t light up provide any better vision than lower-temperature bulbs, and they often appear dimmer. They also annoy oncoming traffic because they distract the driver’s attention away from their driving.
• 12000°K— Bulbs with a 12000°K give off a deep violet or purple color. You may think they look cool, but they’re the worst choice for driver visibility. Don’t install this bulb if you want to drive safely at night.
©, 2015 Rick Muscoplat
Posted on by Rick Muscoplat