Xenon has recently been gaining popularity among motorists due to a number of advantages over other types of head light. But is it worth installing it on the car yourself?
To put xenon on the car or not to put it? This question plagues many car owners. By far, xenon is the best solution for automotive lighting at the moment. Why this is so, we will figure it out later, but for now a little history. The inert gas xenon was isolated from the air in 1898 by British scientists M. Travers and W. Ramsay. It is a product of the separation of air into nitrogen and oxygen.
In turn, a xenon lamp was developed by Philips and its application in vehicles they first found in 1992.
Xenon lamps do not have an incandescent filament, unlike halogen ones, and it is it that is most often destroyed by vibration and due to natural wear and tear. Therefore, xenon lamps serve about five times more. However, if such a light is not provided by the manufacturer, then its installation will require new lamps, special optics with lenses, two control units and two transformers to amplify the voltage.
How much will non-standard xenon cost?
What can we say, the cost of xenon lamps is several times higher than the cost of halogen lamps. Even though most often the control unit and the transformer are contained in the same case, the price tag does not greatly decrease from this. In addition to this, in order to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers, it is necessary to install special headlights, as well as an automatic headlight range adjustment system. Such norms have been in effect in Europe for a long time, but in Russia illegal, or as it is also called "collective farm" xenon, is still prohibited. As a result, the independent installation of such a light will cost a considerable amount, the value of which depends on the brand of the car.
Most modern cars of foreign production are equipped with regular xenon lights, but on the domestic models such opportunities are still not provided.
Pros of xenon lamps
Why is it worth installing xenon lamps on your car? Firstly, their service life significantly exceeds that of halogen ones, which is why they will have to be replaced less often, which means that they will spend money. Secondly, xenon consumes about 40% less electricity, which leads to fuel savings. Optics with xenon lamps heats up much less. But their most important advantage is the strong brightness of the emitted light, which ensures safer driving in almost any weather conditions. At the same time, so that the pluses do not flow into the minuses, it is necessary to correctly change the standard car light to xenon.
Cons of xenon bulbs
As mentioned earlier, improper installation of xenon light can cause significant blinding of oncoming drivers, and according to Russian law, severe punishment is provided for this, up to and including deprivation of a driver's license. Another drawback is the need to "warm up" for a few seconds when turned on, and if you often turn on and off the light, you can significantly reduce the service life of xenon lamps. Well, and finally, the cost of this type of lamp is high, and the installation is time-consuming.
conclusions
What conclusions can be drawn? Do I need to spend a lot of money to install a xenon system instead of standard, most often halogen lighting? The answer is unequivocal - if everything is done according to the rules, then it's worth it. And such costs cannot be called wasted or excessive. After all, xenon lamps will have to be changed less often than others due to the durability of work, and traffic safety here is enhanced.
