headlights: why is one white and the other blue?
#1
headlights: why is one white and the other blue?
so previously my car(with its previous owner) has been in an accident the previous owner changed one of the headlights and kept the other one one there (as the son has told me) I installed an hid kit about 2 years ago because the passenger side blasst was having some problems, (only the passenger sidr headight ballast was changed to a new kit ballast (one of those slim ones) the drivers side is still factory HID ballast powered. Both bulbs have been switched over to 6000k bulbs and ive even gone and bought a new drivers side headlight being told that my drivers side is the green tint veriant and the passenger side being clear. I have now a clear drivers side headlight installed and a clear passenger that has always been on the car. The car is a 1998 with Factory HID's. Could anyone tell me why one headlight looks blue and one white?
Notice how the passeneger side has a more blue tint to the light (6000k color i ordered) And the drivers side has a more pure white (5000k?) Could it be because the manufacturer i ordered the lights from accidently packaged a 5000k and 6000k blub in the packaging?
Drivers side from a side
This is a picture of the previously installed headlight (green tint) with the same 6000k bulbs from my hid kit, the ballast on the passenger side is aftermarket any help appreciated!
Notice how the passeneger side has a more blue tint to the light (6000k color i ordered) And the drivers side has a more pure white (5000k?) Could it be because the manufacturer i ordered the lights from accidently packaged a 5000k and 6000k blub in the packaging?
Drivers side from a side
This is a picture of the previously installed headlight (green tint) with the same 6000k bulbs from my hid kit, the ballast on the passenger side is aftermarket any help appreciated!
#2
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (8)
Most likely you're using cheap bulbs (no offense, pretty much everyone does) They really only last about 2 years and will begin discoloring or just stop working at all. Its normal. This even happens to authentic Phillps bulbs, thats why they sell 85122CM bulbs CM meaning color match because they do loose their color over time, name brand bulbs just last much longer than aftermarket bulbs. Ballasts wont matter in the color, it has to do with the gases in the bulbs. Now if they're out of the box like that, then yes the seller could have mixed them up, or they just came from totally different batches and the gases dont match.
#7
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (17)
Try swapping the bulbs and see whether it's the bulbs.
It very well may be the ballasts, goes against conventional wisdom but when I did my quad fogs I had 2 xenon depot "higher quality" ballasts and 2 cheap ballasts. The cheap ballast bulbs were dimmer and looked bluer, swapped bulbs and those ballasts were always dimmer. Bought another pair of xenon depot ballasts and they all matched.
I'm far from an expert on the inner workings of these things, but the aftermarket ballast may not be giving quite as much power to the bulb or something along those lines so it isn't as bright and therefore appears bluer.
It very well may be the ballasts, goes against conventional wisdom but when I did my quad fogs I had 2 xenon depot "higher quality" ballasts and 2 cheap ballasts. The cheap ballast bulbs were dimmer and looked bluer, swapped bulbs and those ballasts were always dimmer. Bought another pair of xenon depot ballasts and they all matched.
I'm far from an expert on the inner workings of these things, but the aftermarket ballast may not be giving quite as much power to the bulb or something along those lines so it isn't as bright and therefore appears bluer.
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#8
From my experience, over time HID bulbs slowly turn more and more blue as they age until they turn purple and die. I'm guessing the bulb that you had in there before is "older" than the brand new one, hence the color difference. If it's a relatively new bulb, I'm guessing their quality control isn't very good and 6000k could be + or - 1000k. I'm assuming they will send you a pair that match each other, not necessarily other bulbs of the same temperature. The new "white" one looks more like 5000k than 6000k
#9
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (17)
If I read correctly both his bulbs are the same age, there can definitely be variations between two bulbs that are the same color temp, I've had that happen before as well, particularly with cheap bulbs.
Swapping the bulbs side to side is always my first troubleshooting step with lights, easiest thing to check and eliminate or confirm as the problem.
Swapping the bulbs side to side is always my first troubleshooting step with lights, easiest thing to check and eliminate or confirm as the problem.
Last edited by Kyle Harty; 03-26-15 at 12:27 PM.
#11
Ohh I misread that, he was referring to the ballasts, my mistake. The only thing I can think of is quality control of the cheap bulbs, or possibly they did pack the wrong color temp in the box. Only real solution would be to buy two new bulbs from a more reputable dealer. Doesn't look too noticeable from pictures but it may be more prominent in person..
#13
Ohh I misread that, he was referring to the ballasts, my mistake. The only thing I can think of is quality control of the cheap bulbs, or possibly they did pack the wrong color temp in the box. Only real solution would be to buy two new bulbs from a more reputable dealer. Doesn't look too noticeable from pictures but it may be more prominent in person..