FAQs

Frequently asked lighting questions

How does wattage effect light output?

Wattage is the measure of the electrical power input only, Lumens is the measure of light output: Lumens/Watt = Efficiency.

Does the highest Lumens make the best light?

It certainly is an important factor, however the Lux rating for the greater distance and area is a more useful indicator: Lux = Lumens/m².

Is the highest Lux and distance the best light?

Certainly a good place to start, however the width and height of the light pattern are important factors in its usefulness. A very high Lux rating for a great distance may only produce a narrow light that is not very useful and leaves the driver blind as the road bends out of sight. We are looking for the most Homogenous area of illumination possible, not just distance. A laser light is an example of a very high Lux/distance rating, but this is of no practical use for night driving.

Is having the kelvin (K) colour closest to daylight the best light?

Yes and no. Yes for poor visibility conditions, no with broadly distributed high lumens that can cause reflective glare issues. Increasing the colour from the standard QH 2500 K is a definite advantage but this needs to be approached carefully, the colour and performance of existing headlights plus the type of driving conditions need to be considered to select the best combination to suit the vehicle, driving conditions and the driver. Light pattern control is a major factor in selecting the best K rating to suit
each application, 6000 K headlights for city or coastal driving is often preferred and most drivers select 4200 K for long distance high performance driving lights to reduce reflective glare.

What is the most critical light for night driving?

Easy, your Low Beam, it is used the most and is your only source of light with oncoming vehicles which can produce some of the most precarious situations whilst driving at night. Many drivers neglect to improve their headlights when considering long distance driving but these are equally important.

Is fitting better driving lights more important than good headlights?

No not really. Safe night driving is achieved by having good performing and well balanced headlights and driving lights in combination with each other, they each play an important role in the total light produced.

Are pencil beam driving lights better than spread beam units?

Not really as with headlights they are all used in combination to give better visibility for winding or undulating terrain – for these conditions many drivers prefer two spread beams, but for all round use most drivers combine one of each. For highway use a spread beam gives wider view for changing road conditions and off-road hazards; the proven spread ratio is twice the width as height, as this compliments the existing headlights. But drivers using their lights on long open flat areas most often use two pencil beams to best meet their driving conditions. A lot does depend on where you do the bulk of your night driving.

Is having more lights going to give more distance?

The distance performance stays essentially the same, but more lights does mean higher Lux in the same area giving greater visibility. This applies also to the number of light sources, for example: twenty small pencil beam lights will illuminate a much greater area than just two, giving the effect of a high performance spread beam. The light projection performance of each individual lamp determines the distance.

What is more important the light type or the reflector?

As both of these contribute equally to the light performance, they should be equally matched. A high output light source will be ineffective with a poor reflector. The amount of light at your disposal is produced by the source, but the beam pattern and distance are the result of the reflector. The better quality both are the better the illumination you will have. A very high quality small diameter reflector will give very good results with QH or HID.

Is a bigger diameter driving light better?

Certainly a larger and deeper reflector does project the light further and in a bigger area. However reflective quality, light pattern, focal accuracy and heat dissipation are also major contributing factors to a reflector. Reflective quality being the most difficult to produce and critical for performance. The modern lamp also uses the free-form reflector to create the beam pattern, such as low or high beam in a headlight.

Are all HID lights the same?

Arc lamps or High Intensity Discharge lamps do all work on the same principals, but HID technology has advanced considerably over the last ten years. Modern units have improved efficiency, higher output, lower startup surge current, faster startup from cold and instant refire once warm, with very stable colour rendering.

What is the difference between Hard Start HID and Soft Start HID?

HID involves striking an arc in a small tube using an initial strike voltage of 23KV for a few microseconds and then dropping away to an arc run voltage of 80V. This means the initial startup current is higher than its run current. With earlier model HID technology this surge current was up to 400% higher than the run current and took longer to stabilise, often causing colour differences between the globes. New units released have less than 50% surge verses run current and stabilize much faster. This reduces the flickering effect and miss-fires on startup experienced by the older versions and are also used standard in many OEM headlights.

Are HID lights better than quartz halogen lights?

This is a little like comparing diesel engines with petrol engines: it depends on your requirements. HID has higher output with lower run currents, produces less heat but is usually more expensive as it requires matching electronic control units. Both are good value if you use the one that is best suited to your expectations.

Are the newer LED lights better than HID lights?

This is a little like saying the new hybrid engines are better than combustion engines, it depends on your application. Both have high output with lower run currents, both produce less heat; with HID heat produced at the burner, and LED produced back into the electronic control board which can be difficult to manage. LED is well suited to work lights and emergency lighting because of its flat but wide beam production. HID is better suited to long run cycles, large area illumination including long distance intense lighting because of its very high output from a single burner being ideal for using in combination with high quality
performance reflectors.

Why spend more for HID?

HID lights cost approx twice that of quality quartz halogen versions, but produce more than three times the output, so the maths demonstrates the value. In addition to this the more intense and clearer light dramatically reduces driver fatigue and increases response times, both priceless commodities for serious night drivers. If you compare the cost per Lux @ 500m, the Xray Vision HID lights are the lowest cost for this performance which represents great value!