HID Bulb Temp Preferences

[jayryan]

I'm ordering new housings this week, the current ones are all busticated. I need to pick a blub temp. I'm leaning towards 6000K.

What's the preferences/opinions of you chaps.

[03Indigo]

do you want bling, or performance?

performance is 4300K
bling is 6000K

you can expect about only 75% light output from the 6000K v 4300K.  I went bling in the MINI, but went performance in the daily driver, as that is where I want the light output from an HID/Xenon system.

[92UrS4]

What Jon said.

[jayryan]

Ahhh...hmmm...both? The car's not my daily anymore since I run my bike in the summer and the 4Runner in the winter mostly.

So Question, since I'm switching from the stock D1S to the H7, is the 55W 6000K setup more output than the 35W 4300K stock setup? 'cause I'm thinking blingy-bling.

[03Indigo]

nope, still not as much light, just uses more power.  If you want bling, go bling, but overall, you will still get the most out of the system with a 4300K light, period. 

[jayryan]

Interesting. I was told a 55W/6000K setup would be brighter than my stock 35W/4300K. Color temperatures are an odd thing.

Cool. I'll decide and take a pic when it's all in.

[03Indigo]

they may put out more light in lumens, but due to the temp, you lose the usable light on the outer portions, the center will be bright, but the blue hue causes the light to not be as visible on the ground, regardless of the wattage.  So, 75% of the light field on the ground will still be blueish, and the sides of the road not as visible, same as the distant road in the light field.  The higher wattage is just a way to try to get more light out of the higher temps, but in the end, the light field is not as even as a lower temp, it just becomes more splotchy and the light output on the sides is basically the same.  Been there, done that, not impressed enough to go higher wattage.  For ultimate light output, the 35w 4300K is still the best bang for the buck, the 55W is even better, and costs on those systems are dropping.

Best performance is still the D2S/D2R system, as that is what the lens and reflectors were designed for.

[SweetVW]

I have the H7 6000k bulbs used in the Hella Celis housings, and though they look cool, I can tell that they illuminate less than the 4300k that is on the Passat.  I kind of wish I went 4300k at this point.

[jayryan]

I have the H7 6000k bulbs used in the Hella Celis housings, and though they look cool, I can tell that they illuminate less than the 4300k that is on the Passat.  I kind of wish I went 4300k at this point.

That's a great answer. Just by that I might stick with the 4300s.

Jon, I don't have a choice about which bulbs/ballasts I use. The H7 are the ones that are used with the housings I'm getting. I have the D1S set up now but the housings are crap so I'm upgrading to something I like a bit better. The H7 bulbs are A LOT cheaper and easier to come by in the long run...at least what I've found in my research.

[gragravar]

I have the stock 35W/4300s on the allroad, and just put 55W/6Ks in the rover.  the 6K's are definitely more blue. Given the allroad's bulbs are getting kind of old (after 4.5 years and 95K miles) and are not as bright any more, the 6Ks seem brighter.  not sure how they would compare to a new 4300, but will find out when I replace the allroads bulbs shortly.  The one thing I am sure of is that the 55W/6K lights are MUCH brighter than the stock halogens!

[Eric18T]

do you want bling, or performance?

performance is 4300K
bling is 6000K

I am quite happy with my 4300k's (OEM). I have 3000k's in the fog lights.