Xenon lights... Who's right??
Discussion
Evening,
So i have owned 3 E46s with xenon headlamps, all factory fitted. As with all other BMWs i see on the road with xenons, they have a blue tint to them.
Never had to change a xenon before but this week my E46 M3 bulb flickered when turning the lights on, along with warning light bulb, eventually it died.
I got the replacement bulb from halfords (D2S) fitted for £70!
After an hour or so i noticed that it was definitely not the same colour as the other one,
I phoned Halfords who bulled me about it being the other bulb is on its way out so is a different colour. Now i aint that stupid so went to my local BMW specialist who is usually great, he fitted his own xenon bulb, after a minute or so it turned more white again, nothing like the original bulb still in on the other side.
I got the impression he didnt know what was up either stating that they must of been aftermarket bulbs, which is why the original one still in is a bluer tint.
So, unless ALL my previous 3 BMWS with factory xenons have been replaced by bluer lights, and infact every other e46, e92 and e39s out there i have seen, i must be in the wrong.
Its weird because you turn the lights on and they do seem the same colour, the new bulb however seems to change colour once heated or whatever happens.
Any advice cheers.
67
So i have owned 3 E46s with xenon headlamps, all factory fitted. As with all other BMWs i see on the road with xenons, they have a blue tint to them.
Never had to change a xenon before but this week my E46 M3 bulb flickered when turning the lights on, along with warning light bulb, eventually it died.
I got the replacement bulb from halfords (D2S) fitted for £70!
After an hour or so i noticed that it was definitely not the same colour as the other one,
I phoned Halfords who bulled me about it being the other bulb is on its way out so is a different colour. Now i aint that stupid so went to my local BMW specialist who is usually great, he fitted his own xenon bulb, after a minute or so it turned more white again, nothing like the original bulb still in on the other side.
I got the impression he didnt know what was up either stating that they must of been aftermarket bulbs, which is why the original one still in is a bluer tint.
So, unless ALL my previous 3 BMWS with factory xenons have been replaced by bluer lights, and infact every other e46, e92 and e39s out there i have seen, i must be in the wrong.
Its weird because you turn the lights on and they do seem the same colour, the new bulb however seems to change colour once heated or whatever happens.
Any advice cheers.
67
Malone
"Xenon" lights are a type of discharge lamp. In other words, rather than an element being heated up, there are two elements with a gap between them and the light is provided by electricity jumping the gap. Very much a miniaturised bolt of lightning.
There are many factors that decide the colour temperature (how blue or orange a light is) - there are many different variations on what constitutes a standard.
However, I can tell you that over time a xenon lamp will lose colour - it is very slight (about 0.5 kelvin per hour, for a guide in the film biz we call 5500K "daylight" and 3200K is "tungsten" - ie. old fashioned headlights). This means that over time a light will become slightly "warmer" in appearance.
It may not help that the light you are comparing with may have been a little warmer to begin with. If you have fluorescent lights in your house you will notice the makers of these bulbs have many variations on "white" - as in light terms there isn't such a thing.
Hope that helps!
JM
"Xenon" lights are a type of discharge lamp. In other words, rather than an element being heated up, there are two elements with a gap between them and the light is provided by electricity jumping the gap. Very much a miniaturised bolt of lightning.
There are many factors that decide the colour temperature (how blue or orange a light is) - there are many different variations on what constitutes a standard.
However, I can tell you that over time a xenon lamp will lose colour - it is very slight (about 0.5 kelvin per hour, for a guide in the film biz we call 5500K "daylight" and 3200K is "tungsten" - ie. old fashioned headlights). This means that over time a light will become slightly "warmer" in appearance.
It may not help that the light you are comparing with may have been a little warmer to begin with. If you have fluorescent lights in your house you will notice the makers of these bulbs have many variations on "white" - as in light terms there isn't such a thing.
Hope that helps!
JM
Thy need changing in pairs really.
Age affect performance but main issue is getting an identical bulb to what's fitted..
Oem xenons are generally 4300k but a lot of the newer factory fitted ones are now 4800-5000k which are a lot more white and a nicer light imo.
Anything more than that just looks chavy.
I'd just go buy another of what you've juet got for the other side and fit that.
Age affect performance but main issue is getting an identical bulb to what's fitted..
Oem xenons are generally 4300k but a lot of the newer factory fitted ones are now 4800-5000k which are a lot more white and a nicer light imo.
Anything more than that just looks chavy.
I'd just go buy another of what you've juet got for the other side and fit that.
It's an interesting question as the bulbs in my 5 series are still the originals from 2008. Whilst still good I sometimes think that they aren't as powerful as I would like.
I wonder if there would be an improvement if I put new bulbs in. I just don't fancy spending £140 just for something marginally better.
I wonder if there would be an improvement if I put new bulbs in. I just don't fancy spending £140 just for something marginally better.
Some of the prices are just shocking!
A pair of Philips D2S - £42
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-GENUINE-PHILIPS-HID-...
Or you could buy a single one from BMW on ebay for only £182
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-DS2-35W-Xeno...
They do also go a lot cheaper too.
A pair of Philips D2S - £42
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-GENUINE-PHILIPS-HID-...
Or you could buy a single one from BMW on ebay for only £182
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-DS2-35W-Xeno...
They do also go a lot cheaper too.
TheEnd said:
Some of the prices are just shocking!
A pair of Philips D2S - £42
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-GENUINE-PHILIPS-HID-...
Or you could buy a single one from BMW on ebay for only £182
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-DS2-35W-Xeno...
They do also go a lot cheaper too.
Judging by the standard of English in the eBay listing you couldn't be sure these are genuine. Probably Chinese knock-offs.A pair of Philips D2S - £42
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-GENUINE-PHILIPS-HID-...
Or you could buy a single one from BMW on ebay for only £182
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-DS2-35W-Xeno...
They do also go a lot cheaper too.
I had two e46 with factory Xenons, upgraded both to 6000k bulbs off eBay for 10 to 15 quid and the light output and life was the same as genuine.
Ok one failed after 2.5 years but hardly a complaint. Save yourself some money and get the cheaper ones in the kelvin rating you want which sounds like 6000k
Ok one failed after 2.5 years but hardly a complaint. Save yourself some money and get the cheaper ones in the kelvin rating you want which sounds like 6000k
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