Re: xenon lightbulbs

In article <481e46ba$0$7720$4c368faf@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 
says...
> 
> "Elder" <carl.robson@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> > Are you refering to Xenon Bulbs (a normal bulb with one of the halogen
> > group gases) or HID Xenon lamps (a spark based system with no
filament).
> 
> You got me confused :)
> 
> I am referring to the Xenon bulbs which have a big magnifying glass in
the 
> housing, found in a 2006 Saab 9-5. I am not sure what type is included
in 
> this car that is why I posted the question. 
> 
> 
> 
A lot of the "50%" brighter/whiter halogen bulbs you see in auto stores 
are just normal bulbs containing xenon gas. They cost a little more than 
normal umarked bulbs depending brand. Some have blue filters over the 
glass to look like HID lamps.

HID Xenon capsules use something 1ike 10-30000volts at very low amperage 
using a transformer/converter to convert the 12v car system high enough 
to throw a hi intensity arc (like a welder) between two terminals. Those 
are the lights that look blue/yellow/purple from a distance and 
brilliant white close up, and when you switch them on for the first time 
flicker like a florescent tube. Mercs and BMWs have them standard on 
higher end models. From Saab they probably cost something like a couple 
of hundred GBP to replace. You might find a compatible unit on the 
web/ebay cheaper. You need to work out which you have.

Depending on year/spec you might find base models had normal lights with 
xenon bulbs, while better models or option packs had b-xenon HID 
lighting.

A bit of googling with show you the difference between lamp shape and 
light output of a halogen xenon bulb and a HID xenon capsule


-- 
Carl Robson
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