The latest trends of headlamps in automobiles have led to the creation of new technologies in the sector. The newest technology developed is the high intensity lamps and gas lamps.
HID vs Xenon Lamps
The difference between HID and Xenon bulbs or lamps is that HID or High-Intensity Discharge bulb or lamp is a kind of light fixture that has various advantages, these types have a more efficient light-producing tendency, that is, they give a brighter light in comparison to the traditional lamps whereas Xenon lamps are a kind of high-intensity discharge lamps, they do not give instant brightness but once they gain enough heat they glow with all of its intensity.
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They contain a mixture of gases in the gas chambers instead of the conventional filaments. The light from HID lamps is more efficient and natural.
The Xenon lamps are a subcategory of HID lamps. They contain the Noble gas Xenon as the major gas.
Comparison Table
| Parameter of Comparison | High Intensity Discharge Lamps | Xenon Lamps |
|---|---|---|
| Basic definition | High intensity discharge lamps are the lighting system that has the gas chamber in them instead of the filaments, they contain a mixture of gases in these chambers, where Xenon is one of these gases. | The xenon bulb is a kind of high intensity discharge lamp containing the noble gas Xenon in the major proportion. |
| How do they produce light | The gas inside them gets ignited when a high voltage is applied across them and an arc is produced across the electrodes. | The light in the Xenon filled lamps is produced by striking an arc between the two electrodes. These lamps require a starter for the ignition to be quick, there is also a need for electronic ballast for their proper functioning. |
| Type of light | The light produced by these lamps is almost natural and has a cool radiance as compared to the warmer lights. | The light produced by the Xenon filled bulb is almost similar to the daylight or to the natural sunlight. Also, the intensity of their light is twice that of the conventional lamps. |
| Advantages | High Intensity Discharge lamps are efficient at producing light and give a brighter light for the given power rating. These lights are consistent in case of varied temperatures and therefore are more suitable for outdoor applications. They have a lower pressure which is in contrast to the Xenon lamps. These lights are also cost-effective. | The advantages of the Xenon lights is that they give higher intensity light with less power, the light produced is somewhat natural, the color of the light makes the signboard and marking easily visible during the night hours, when the visibility is less due to weather conditions it provides road safety, it is eco-friendly in many ways. |
| Disadvantages | Some of the disadvantages of high intensity discharge lamps are- they cause a problem for the front drivers due to their high beam on the rearview mirror which may lead to accidents, in some cases, they are less efficient in poor weather conditions. | One of the major drawbacks of these lamps includes that they have high pressure in them which may be at times explosive. Another drawback of it is that they are expensive. |
What are High Intensity Discharge Lamps?
HID is short for High Intensity Discharge. HID lamps are the ones that have gas chambers inside them in place of the filaments.
When the high voltage is applied across these the gas inside them gets ignited producing an arc between the two tungsten electrodes. The lights emitted by these lamps is almost similar to the natural white light and also has a cool radiance.
These lights are stable when the temperature varies, thus, are more suitable for outdoor use. The pressure in these lamps is lower as compared to Xenon lamps.
On the contrary, the major drawback of these lights is that they can sometimes prove to be hazardous for the front drivers when the beam from their light falls on the rear-view mirror.
What are the Xenon Lamps?
Xenon lamps are a kind of HID lamps. In these lamps, the gas chamber contains the Xenon gas in major proportion.
The advantage of these lamps is that they are more efficient with less power. They make the signboards and markings visible for safe driving.
Main Differences Between HID and Xenon Lamps
- HID lamps contain a mixture of various gases while Xenon lamps have Xenon gas in major proportion.
- HID is stable in varying conditions of temperature while this is not the case in Xenon lamps.
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/838109/
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/4147808/
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
