HID Projector Color Temp

[subaron]

Planning on getting the HID Projector from ebay (link below). Was wondering what color temperature is the most visible to the human eye. I read somewhere that its not white but more like sun light. In that case would that be 4300k, 6000k or 8000k in HID Projector?

Any other advice?

hid bi-xenon projector lens headlight Motorcycle angel eyes devil eyes h4 hi/lo | eBay

 

[RJ2112]

4300 is closest to the spectrum that the human eye sees. The higher the number, the more blue there is in the light.

 

[degake]

^^ +1

4300K has the best usable light....

Grtz,


Degake

 

[subaron]

Thanks guys! 4300K it is.
Also, anyone try the ebay motorcycle kit with their ballast? Any thoughts?

Btw I am not trying to fit the hid inside the projector lens. I am trying to mount it outside independently, likely under the headlight or on the fork around the front hugger. The HID projector will be auxuilary lights for use only when I am outside the city on highway without street lights.

So would also like to know what kind of housing I should get to keep the narrow profile. And the best mounting options for the HID projector securely.

 

[mave2911]

I disagree. I fit 6000k in all of my installations.

Halogen is 4300k - why get HID if you're going to reduce it to the capabilities of halogen?

6000k has a tinge of blue, more like daylight. (5000k is pure white)

Cheers,
Rick

 

[RJ2112]

I disagree. I fit 6000k in all of my installations.

Halogen is 4300k - why get HID if you're going to reduce it to the capabilities of halogen?

6000k has a tinge of blue, more like daylight. (5000k is pure white)

Cheers,
Rick

To each their own. HID produce 3X the amount of light a Halogen does. Personally, I'm more interested in more light that I can use, than I am in advertising that I have done something different to my vehicle.

 

[mave2911]

The perception of light is greater with 6000k, as it is more like daylight.

I don't know the legalities where you live, but in the interests of safety, I consider 6000k considerably better.

I challenge you to fit 4300k bulbs, drive a bit and then swap them out and drive the same route.

Eliminating other variables, you'll find the 6000k temperature bulbs offer greater visibility, especially in darker areas, shadows and the like.

6000k also has the added benefit of making animals eyes light up like beacons, and I haven't confirmed it, but here in Oz, once they've looked up and 'seen the light', kangaroos stop, seemingly transfixed when my vehicle approaches. (and that, alone is reason to use them over here)
(I honestly have never had one move once they've seen the HIDs)
Cheers,
Rick

 

[RJ2112]

I'm not trying to change your mind about anything. You'll do as you see fit, and it will most likely work as you desire.

I can almost certainly tell you that my perception of light is not the same as yours... unless you have passed 45 years of age. I do not see as much of the yellow end of the spectrum as I did 20+ years ago. Wearing amber tinted glasses re-balances the amount of color I perceive by blocking out some of the more blue tones. I get a lot more contrast and clarity as a result.

I first tried such lenses when I was around 20 or so, and found them incredibly annoying. Everything looked cartoon like.

I've driven the same car for more than 11 years, and now find that anytime I need more light, I am better off adding the fog lights for more 'fill'. I used the OEM halogens for about8 years, then switched to Sylvania Silverstar Ultras for more light output. Those things burn out much too quickly to warrant the cost. I was popping a bulb about every three months. Even with free replacement it was too much of a PITA. Even with those, I found the fogs did a better job of filling in the light.

Shorter wavelength blue light is more easily refracted. If you drive on a wet road, the wet pavement will suck up every last bit of that light.

Do animals and people notice bluer light more easily than white or yellow? If they do, I suggest it's simply because it's not a typical natural color. I don't really think it's more readily perceived due to energy content.

Your kilometers may vary...

 

[iSteve]

I'm pretty sure 4300k are best for visibility. Of course 6000k+ are more popular because it looks cool. I think higher K does seem to have more contrast but less depth of field.

Remember Kelvin is just the color temperature not how bright the light is.

 

[rsw81]

The perception of light is greater with 6000k, as it is more like daylight.

I don't know the legalities where you live, but in the interests of safety, I consider 6000k considerably better.

I challenge you to fit 4300k bulbs, drive a bit and then swap them out and drive the same route.

Eliminating other variables, you'll find the 6000k temperature bulbs offer greater visibility, especially in darker areas, shadows and the like.

6000k also has the added benefit of making animals eyes light up like beacons, and I haven't confirmed it, but here in Oz, once they've looked up and 'seen the light', kangaroos stop, seemingly transfixed when my vehicle approaches. (and that, alone is reason to use them over here)
(I honestly have never had one move once they've seen the HIDs)
Cheers,
Rick

Hey Rick,
This is a common misconception. The 6000k bluish color appears brighter to the human eye, but that does not necessarily make it the better headlight. As someone mentioned, the problem with blue is that it while it appears very bright, it also does not allow your eye to see contrasts that allow you to determine depth/distance to an object. This is why most sunglasses or ski goggles are amber or yellow in color as they filter out the blue's to allow you to have more accurate depth of view in low light settings. This is why it is widely accepted that HID's in the range of 4300-5000k produce the most USABLE light. I honestly can't say which one is the BRIGHTEST as I have not done any study with this, but I can tell you what appears the brightest is not always the brightest and/or the most usable light.
Rob

To OP: For what's it worth, when I did the projectors in my FZ6, I used 4300k HIDS.

 

[mave2911]

rsw, I respect what you say, but I maintain in my personal experience, the 6000k were a better colour temperature.

The more red you go in the spectrum (i.e. 4300k) gives you less contrast and shadows and things lurking in those shadows are almost invisible.

Sure, 6000k may not be to everyones taste - 6000k reflects off road markings and signs very intensely, as well as the aforementioned critters eyes.

As for depth/distance discernment, I've been using 6000k in all of my vehicles for 7+ years and haven't run into anything, so maybe I'm just more attuned to discerning distance than most? (sorry for the sarcasm!)

8000k and higher are useless (uness you're a ricer, then they are 'fully sic!'), but remember, 6000k has only a touch of blue, so it's not 'blue' light in the truest sense. Like I said, 6000k is closest to natural daylight, so the brain doesn't need to compensate to whether it's day/night.

I'm fully aware that the perception of light is different from person to person, but I fit 6000k in all of my installs and haven't had one person say they wished for a more yellow light.

It'd be nice for the OP to try both and give us his impressions, as mine are obvious.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[FB400]

6k is going to work ok if you like the way a bluish beam looks.

But if I had to choose, I would go with 4.3K. It seems everyone just has to try and look cool with blue lights to the point of it getting irritating.

It's your bike though, so decide for yourself. you should be able to see comparisons on the the kelvin ratings using a simple google search.

 

[mave2911]

6k is going to work ok if you like the way a bluish beam looks.

But if I had to choose, I would go with 4.3K. It seems everyone just has to try and look cool with blue lights to the point of it getting irritating.

6000k isn't blue. I don't use 6000k bulbs to be cool, or be with the 'in' crowd.

I personally use 6000k because, for me, it gives better light.

Sure, as I've said, some ricers get 'fully sic' HIDs way off into the purple spectrum, but 6000k IS NOT BLUE.

It has such a subtle shade, that makes it easier on the eyes than 5000k pure white, and replicates daylight better.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[rsw81]

6k is going to work ok if you like the way a bluish beam looks.

But if I had to choose, I would go with 4.3K. It seems everyone just has to try and look cool with blue lights to the point of it getting irritating.

It's your bike though, so decide for yourself. you should be able to see comparisons on the the kelvin ratings using a simple google search.

The 6000k HIDs really aren't that blue. It's like a tinge of blue on a white bulb. The racer wanna-be's are using 8000k or higher which is the really blue to even purple color lights that give off NO usable light.

Really, anything from 4300-6000k is going to be fine and perfectly legal in terms of color (can't have true blue lights on the front of a car, unless you are police). What you choose between these values is a personal preference. However, there is a reason why ALL OEM HIDs are 4300k. I personally like the look of the 6000k better, but defaulted to the OEM spec for reasons in my last past.

 

[FB400]

hey mave2991 and rsw81. I didn't mean to come off sounding critical of the 6K color. I DO have a set of these bulbs but uninstalled them after a few minutes. I was just expressing my opinion for liking the 5k to 4.3k range better.

Agree here once you get into the 8K range you will look like a total squid.

To the OP, to help with deciding get a look at this chart

 

[Jman]

It looks like around 5.2 is best....

 

[subaron]

That chart is awesome. The ebay seller either has 4300 and 6000. Given those options I will stick with 4300, but when it comes time to replace the bulb I will look around for 5000

Btw thanks everyone for your input.

 

[mave2911]

Another thought is that, since this is for an ancillary light mounted beneath the existing headlights, why not get a different color as they'll be running in conjunction with the existing lights?

Why go more of the same when you could get a different Kelvin temperature light and see a greater spectrum?

With the headlights, you'll already have the 4300k covered, whereas the 6000k will increase your ability to see contrast and shadow.

Just another perspective.....

Cheers,
Rick

 

[VeeDubbinJetta91]

Just remember there is a reason OEM manufacturers use 4300k bulbs in their vehicles...i have a 6k bulb in my vs2 kit(got the hid kit as a bday gift) the lighting on the road is very blue and i can tell a huge difference between it and a 4300k bulb in my car

 

[mave2911]

I have a 6k bulb in my vs2 kit(got the hid kit as a bday gift) the lighting on the road is very blue and i can tell a huge difference between it and a 4300k bulb in my car

Whilst I agree there is a marked difference between 4300k and 6000k, if the light you're seeing is "very blue", I'd suggest maybe your light isn't really 6000k temperature.

If you didn't see 6000k next to a 5000k, you wouldn't know it's not white.
6000k is so slightly 'not white', most people need to compare it to a 5000k to tell.

Compared to 4300k, it is white.

By the way, it is several times people have now used the OEM argument, can someone please specify WHICH OEMs only fit 4300k lights? (maybe it's an American thing?)

Nearly every Lexus, Mercedes, BMW with HIDs over here definitely aren't using 4300k.

Cheers,
Rick

P.S. For those that keep dropping the '000' (4.3k, 6k etc) the 'k' in this scenario stands for 'kelvin', not 'thousand', so 4.3k or 6k light would be so low on the spectrum as to be invisible. Cheers.