Autobulbs Direct’s list of common myths

As we spend our days here submerged in the world of car bulbs, it shocks us when we read some of the information that other companies present to their customers in an attempt to “get the sale”. Therefore we have devised this list for you so you can finally know the truth and not be fooled by the underhanded sellers out there.

First we need to clear up one common confusion. What is a Xenon bulb? There are 2 types of bulbs that can be referred to as ‘Xenon bulbs‘. First you have Xenon upgrade bulbs. These are halogen bulbs with added Xenon gas within the bulb and usually a premium filament. These can offer upto 90% more light on the road. Secondly you have HID Xenon bulbs. These are the new HID gas discharge technology that can be selected as an optional extra on some modern mid-luxury vehicles.  These have a seperate power pack and generally operate with 35W.

For the purpose of this article we will always state Xenon upgrade bulbs for the first type and HID Xenon for the second type.

1. Myth – Aftermarket HID Xenon conversion kits are road legal.

   Truth – This is the biggest one we encounter. Aftermarket HID kits are NOT road legal. This is because the bulb of the HID kit cannot be E marked. One of the criteria of obtaining an E mark is that it has to be of the same type of that which it is replacing. Therefore when replacing a halogen bulb with an HID bulb, this cannot be E marked. However, good quality HID kits will pass an MOT as they check the beam pattern and colour of the light. These will both be correct with the kits we sell.

2. Myth – Xenon upgrade bulbs will melt your headlights.

   Truth – All the bulbs on our website including HID and high wattage bulbs are UV protected to ensure they are compatible with plastic headlights. The addition of Xenon gas does not cause the bulbs to be hotter than standard bulbs. The only reason you would cause any damage to your headlights with bulbs is if they are poor quality and have no UV protection.

3. Myth – Xenon upgrade bulbs produce a higher wattage/use less power than a standard bulb.

   Truth – Xenon upgrade bulbs use the same amount of power than a standard bulb. They are able to produce more light by using additional Xenon gas within the bulb, advanced filaments and greater gas pressures. This does not result in a increase or decrease of power, just a greater spread of light.

4. Myth – Xenon upgrade bulbs last longer/shorter than a standard bulb.

   Truth – The use of Xenon gas does not affect the durability of the bulb filament. That is only down to the quality of the filament used. Some manufacturers have produced long life bulbs but that has nothing to do with Xenon, only the type and quality of the filament in the bulb.

5. Myth – Xenon upgrade bulbs give a blue tint.

   Truth – The additional Xenon gas will cause the bulb to be a little whiter (although not massively) than a standard bulb, however it will not give a blue tint. The blue tint you see from these bulbs is created by the addition of a blue coating on the bulb. Without the blue coating, you will not see a blue tint. This same blue coating is also what creates a the noticeably whiter light as it filters out the yellow part of the light.

6. Myth – A bulb with a higher colour temperature (Kelvin rating) is brighter.

   Truth – The colour temperature is just an indication of the colour of the light emitted, not the light brightness or intensity. Standard halogen bulbs are around 2500K which is a white light with a yellowish tint. Upgrade bulbs/HID kits can give up to around 8000K colour temperature. 4000K is a white light with still a slight yellow tint. 5000K is a pure white light. 6000K is white with a slight blue tint. 8000K is white with a strong blue tint. In practice around 4000-5000K HID bulbs will give the widest spread of light. Our eyes have naturally evolved to focus the best on sunlight which is around 5500K. For this reason the most comfortable lights to drive with are 5000K and 6000K bulbs. When you go to higher colour temperatures you start to lose the focus of the light and it then becomes harder to see objects.

7. Myth – Xenon upgrade bulbs will fail an MOT.

   Truth – All our Xenon upgrade bulbs are fully E marked and road legal. If your mechanic has failed them on an MOT then he has done so incorrectly. Unfortunately these common myths also get as far as some mechanics who believe them without checking the facts.  As far as the MOT is concerned, they should check the light output and the colour. If the beam pattern is correct and the light is predominantly white then it should pass.

We will add to this list as and when we hear or read other myths circulating. It is our aim here to make sure you can make the correct choice based on true information and not be tricked into buying based on false information. If anyone has heard any information about any products that we sell that they want confirmed, please send them through to us.

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