HID conversion and Kelvin color information

If you’re having issues with night time driving visibility and have considered vehicle lighting upgrade you might consider converting your factory halogen headlights to HID headlights using a conversion kit. There’s a range of HID kits on the market and the prices vary considerably, so how do you choose the right kit for your vehicle?

Low end HID kits can be bought for as low as twenty dollars on eBay, but do you really want to risk burning out your vehicle wiring with cheap electronic components? The repair bill from damaged wiring could run into the thousands of dollars. The mid to higher range of HID kits are priced from about $70 to $140 and they’re backed by a warranty.

When purchasing HID bulbs, the first thing you need to decide is which color you like, so a basic understanding of the Kelvin rating for headlight bulbs will be very useful. Kelvin (K) is a rating of the color temperature, not the brightness.

3,000K is the lowest rating in HID and the color is yellow. This tone is best suited to fog light applications, as it lights up the road very well in fog, snow and icy conditions.

4,300K is pure white with a daylight-like brightness. This is a popular choice for those drivers who are concerned about attracting the attention of law enforcement which sometimes comes with the more vibrant colors.

6,000K and 8,000K are bluish tones and 10,000K is the deepest blue. The deep blue is undoubtably the most popular HID color tone making to the best seller.

The 12,000K is a purple, but the tone of this tends to vary from a blue tone purple to a pink depending on the headlight lens and reflector color of the vehicle it’s installed into.

Other HID colors include green and pink and some sellers are promoting 30,000K blue tones, but none of these are true HID colors; they’re just tinted bulbs.

HID headlight kits should include 2 HID bulbs, 2 ballasts, 2 ballast mounting brackets and installation instructions. If your vehicle was manufactured post 2008 you should consider a CANBUS ballast upgrade. CANBUS ballasts are able to communicate with your other vehicle’s electrical components eliminating issues such as flickering and error codes.

If you have no experience when it comes automotive electrical it’s recommended that you consult a professional installer so as to avoid damage to the product, or your vehicle. Although most quality HID kits include a warranty; any damaged cause by improper handling or installation will not be covered.

The author of this article is Luke Ward, a 37 year old motoring enthusiast and proprietor of http://www.motorfiend.com

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