What are "Xenons" when talking about headlights

[mrmr96]

Just wondered how you guys use the word "Xenon" when talking about headlights as I've seen it used to refer to both:
i) "Normal" headlights which use Xenon instead of Halogen as the gas, but still work using a hot wire (incandescent).
ii) "HID" headlights which use vapourised metal halide and pass current through and arc in the gas.

Cheers

[matthias73]

Something that halfords sell to confuse me. In fact, I was so stumped by their selection of H7s that I had to phone a propper PHer to ask which ones I should buy and if tbe suppahhbright ones made any diference.

[rohrl]

Gas discharge lights with a separate transformer. That's what I understand them to be. A filament in a Xenon atmosphere is just a halogen bulb, Xenon being a halogen.

[Superhoop]

Gas discharge = no filament, anything else is just a fancy halogen bulb

[mudster]

rohrl said:

That's what I understand them to be. A filament in a Xenon atmosphere is just a halogen bulb, Xenon being a halogen.

Xenon is a noble gas and not a halogen (one group to the right of halogens).

I always refer to HIDs as, well HIDs.

[otolith]

rohrl said:

Gas discharge lights with a separate transformer. That's what I understand them to be. A filament in a Xenon atmosphere is just a halogen bulb, Xenon being a halogen.

Halogen = fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine.

Xenon is a noble gas (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon)

[mudster]

Beat you

[otolith]

Bugger!

[fozzymandeus]

otolith said:

Halogen = fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine.

Xenon is a noble gas (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon)

If you can make an Astatine bulb, then get out of the kitchen.

[otolith]

fozzymandeus said:

If you can make an Astatine bulb, then get out of the kitchen.

I wouldn't particularly want to hang around fluorescent tubes full of radon for that matter.

[rohrl]

Aargh bks I knew that really. How embarrassing.

[300bhp/ton]

I call them HIDs :gemetcoat:

[mrmr96]

Haha, everyone knows what HIDs are; that's not ambiguous. The question is "what are 'xenons'?" lol!!

[Scuffers]

mrmr96 said:

Haha, everyone knows what HIDs are; that's not ambiguous. The question is "what are 'xenons'?" lol!!

just about all car makers list them as Xenon's

[mrmr96]

Scuffers said:

just about all car makers list them as Xenon's

Then it's clear that these car manufacturers use "xenon" to mean HID. However I've seen that bulb manufarcturers like to use "xenon" to mean "bright filament bulb"!! haha!

[Zyp]

Scuffers said:

just about all car makers list them as Xenon's

Porsche call theirs Litronics, just to confuse the easily confused.

[David87]

Xenons and HIDs are one and the same - hence the term 'bi-xenon'.

[McSam]

Cheers, Matt

"Xenons" is so often used to replace the term HID, which does lead to confusion when someone has a "normal" filament bulb with xenon as the gas.

It's not really correct, but I always treat "xenon" to mean "HID".

[mrmr96]

David87 said:

Xenons and HIDs are one and the same - hence the term 'bi-xenon'.

Not according to 20% of the posters on this thread, nor these websites selling "xenon bulbs"
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/Xenon-Bulbs.html
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I tend to mean "HID's" when I say "xenon" but this thread makes it clear that that isn't what 100% of people mean by the term.

[Scuffers]

Zyp said:

Scuffers said:

just about all car makers list them as Xenon's

Porsche call theirs Litronics, just to confuse the easily confused.

do they?

Porsche website said:

All 911 models come equipped as standard with bi-xenon headlights with dynamic range control. The resulting brightness is around twice that of conventional halogen lamps. With dipped or main beam, the lights are stronger and more uniform, helping to minimise driver fatigue. A headlight cleaning system (SRA) is built-in.