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Originally Posted by pdpgps
This is true, 3000k and 4300k refer to the kelvin rates. But in terms of internal temperature, I'm talking about the differences between the gases that are filled inside teh bulb. Stock bulbs run off halogen gas filled in the bulb, and when it gets ignited it illuminates. HIDs are filled with xenon gas. Because of the element difference, xenon headlights illuminate a lot brighter. I could google search into the chemistry and physics, but bottom line is if you place your hand on headlights with halogens, it'll probably feel hotter than with the xenons.
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Actually, halogen bulbs still use filament technology. Halogens which are salts prevent the filament from burning out so you can put higher wattages in a smaller more hot place. That is why those ceiling halogens can get nuking hot without the bulb melting itself. The halogens protect the filament by providing a shielding to the filament aka the sodium or potassium, whatever they use inside the bulb. The HIDs contrary to xenon being used is actually fitting mostly with mercury and sodium, the xenon is a starter gas. This is why sodium vapor lamps take an hour or so to get maximum brightness while the xenon can do it in about 30 seconds. Second the element has really nothing to do with how bright it is, yes the specific properties of the xenon gas does make it different but any gas in their column can basically do it, (Neon in the same column can do it with neon lighting) There are krypton and argon bulbs but mostly they are used for specific laser beams. But the main difference is that Xenon lights use arc discharge to produce the light source. Similar to florescence but it does not need a phosphate coated tube to turn the uv light to visible light. Though the xenon glass has special properties to do that itself.
As with the feeling hot difference. The fact is that most xenon bulbs are 35 watts while the regular bulbs are 55 watts is the reason why they feel hotter. That and xenon bulbs are more efficient producing visible light and halogens are not. Xenon bulbs at the arc itself is actually hotter than the surface of the sun.