HID Have you got Xenon Lights?

[Nick7]

Yes, Xenon lights have colder color, but they also dissipate less heat (so they take longer to melt snow on them).
In winter housing of my xenon lamp is still usually cold, unlike when I had regular H4 when housing would get warmer (it's on civic 6th gen).

[The Great Soprendo]

Well I'm not surprised car dealers don't know much physics (apologies to those that do, of course!).

My guess is that any headlights will produce a lot of heat...even very efficient lightbulbs such as the energy-saving type you can get for the house get hot, certainly giving enough heat to melt snow unless it was really coming down.

I'd imagine the xenons give better/brighter light than the halogens, but as with a lot of things like this, it's just a matter of what you get used to...if you've never had it you won't miss it.

As for claims of 30% better brightness, that is a bit misleading in real terms. If I remember much from my school days (16 years ago), the intensity of light reduces over distance in an inverse square fashion (if the light intensity at a given distance is x, then if you double that distance, the intensity is √x), so the effect would be pretty small and difficult to perceive. Please excuse this amateurish assessment however, I prepare to be corrected...

[allan40alt]

Auto Express magazine have conducted tests on bulbs.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carrevi...tests/archive/

May be worth a look.

PS: If you're not a member it's easy to join and free. Al.

[Maldax]

Originally Posted by The Great Soprendo

As for claims of 30% better brightness, that is a bit misleading in real terms. If I remember much from my school days (16 years ago), the intensity of light reduces over distance in an inverse square fashion (if the light intensity at a given distance is x, then if you double that distance, the intensity is √x), so the effect would be pretty small and difficult to perceive. Please excuse this amateurish assessment however, I prepare to be corrected...

I think that right but don't forget light work both ways so drivers coming the other way will see you better as your maths is then the other way, i think

[Bungle]

Yes and no. With a single undirected light source, it does use the inverse square rule.
Headlights are different, as they are concentrated by the parabolic mirror behind them, which directs the light forwards (and down).

Because of this, the maths to calculate how the light reduces with distance will be much more comlicated, and 30% more light will make quite a difference to the light shed on the road. The light spreads and diffuses as it propergates, but not as much as a bulb with free space around it.

[Bungle]

There haave been a huge number of complaints about the new xenon lights stateside and in parts of Europe, where the greater light from the lamps dazzles on-coming drivers, especially in wet conditios witht he light reflecting off the road. There have been talks of getting the lights banned...

[civic-babe]

Originally Posted by Bungle

There haave been a huge number of complaints about the new xenon lights stateside and in parts of Europe, where the greater light from the lamps dazzles on-coming drivers, especially in wet conditios witht he light reflecting off the road. There have been talks of getting the lights banned...

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by civic-babe

^
!
Civic-babe being blinded by Xenons?

[Maldax]

Originally Posted by Copycat

I have headligt washers on my Sport. No Xenons but headlight washers. Are you sure you don't?

The Sport in the UK comes with HID's hence the washers

[TTDegs]

Ok - here's a question I've been too embarassed to ask until now...

HID - High Intensity Discharge (I think)

Are they really Xenons?


Wife swears blind that they are not anything like as blue as the ones I had on my TT...

[Nick7]

Xenon is wrong name.
HID is correct.
HID bulbs are filled with Xenon gas.
Anyway, for more info: http://faqlight.carpassion.info/

[TTDegs]

Phew

cheers Nick

[Nick7]

You're welcome
(took some time before reading faq's, etc.. as retrofitted bi-xenon projectors in my 6th gen Civic )

[Trekker308]

I've never had HIDs before my Civ Sport, but having just returned from clocking up quite a few miles driving 'with enthusiasm' around mountain roads in the Highlands and Isle of Skye, I can only say they are a definite improvement over halogens - much clearer definition of detail allowing a more relaxed driving style as your eyes don't have to search so hard for potential problems ahead (suicidal deer can make a mess of your Civic! ).

I'm not sure that there's a tremendous advantage in more normal urban/motorway driving though.....

[Newboy]

Allan - I agree. Dark country lanes etc HIDs make a noticeable improvement, everywhere else ie where the roads are lit, its less so.

[rmh999]

I have a Sport Diesel and dont know if i have the headlight washers

Cant find it in the manual under lights or washers (Yes i did look there first !!) so where would the control be to activate them ??

There are 2 large plasic insert bits on the front bumper under the lights ??


Help please

Rob

[civic-babe]

Originally Posted by rmh999

I have a Sport Diesel and dont know if i have the headlight washers

Cant find it in the manual under lights or washers (Yes i did look there first !!) so where would the control be to activate them ??

There are 2 large plasic insert bits on the front bumper under the lights ??


Help please

Rob

...

[Velocity]

I cannot comment in the civic as I am still waiting for mine, but on my present car which has xenons the washers are operated automatically. This is not done manually.

The large plastic inserts are the washers "Aliens"

Velocity

[Trekker308]

Originally Posted by civic-babe

.. ALL... are they an extra or do they come as Standard..???

Standard on Sport and EX models I think! (i.e. models with HID lights)

[civic-babe]

Originally Posted by Trekker308

Standard on Sport and EX models I think!

But only with xenon lights, right?