How to Change Xenon Light Bulbs

You've seen the brilliant white, bluish tint glow of luxury car headlights, and you wonder why they look so special. The answer is Xenon, which is the gas used to fill these lights. Xenon, otherwise known as High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights utilize an electric arc for illumination, rather than a filament or diode; this new technology emits much greater output at the same wattage as halogen or other stock bulbs, and at an equivalent price. The light, reflected and redirected via a mirror assembly and focused through lenses, shines brighter than any equivalent light on the market. In this guide you'll learn how to change Xenon light bulbs and provide your car that extra glow of luxury.

Xenon lights were first developed as bright lighting for wide areas such as gymnasiums and parking lots, but technological innovation has brought them into the smaller realm of consumer lighting areas; you'll find them in kitchens, gardens, bedrooms, dens, and of course, cars. 

Another true benefit of Xenon bulbs is that they can go anywhere a conventional bulb goes. Whether you would like this light for cabinet fixtures, track lighting, lamps or your car's headlamps, Xenon lights have penetrated the market with affordable pricing, long life, ease of use, and an unmatched color temperature and signature, and almost addictive display. 

Replacing existing lights with Xenon light bulbs is a simple matter of doing what you would normally do with the original bulb. To illustrate, let's examine how to change your car's headlights to Xenon light bulbs.

  1. First, know that if your car uses headlights, chances are they make a Xenon bulb for it. You can find them at an auto parts retailer, your car service dealer, or online. However, unlike your original bulb, Xenon lights offer wider road coverage, more natural light for better vision, greater shock durability, and a lifespan three times longer than halogen.
  2. Before starting, turn off your car. Since you'll be working with electricity you have to turn off the power source, or to be as safe as possible, remove the negative post cable from the battery and tie it back. Why negative? Because that is what completes the circuit back to the battery. By disconnecting it, you can accidentally drop a tool onto the positive post side and touch another part of the car, but without the complete circuit back to the battery, it can't short out (or use you as a conductor).
  3. Wear safety gloves to protect the bulb from contamination (from your skin oil, or other contaminents in the car), which can shorten the lifespan of the bulb, or even result in breakage. Xenon bulbs aren't as sensitive as halogen in this regard, but the contents, like halogen, are under pressure; so gloves are as much as for your protection as the bulb's.
  4. Reach behind the headlight and look for what feels like a lid to a jar. On either side, you'll find grippers. Twist them counterclockwise and pull the socket out of the headlight housing. That's your headlamp bulb.
  5. For a halogen or Xenon bulb, simply grip the bulb firmly and pull it straight out. You confirm its make on the back of its base, where all the necessary bulb information will be printed. Take your new bulb and simply line up the two pins to the holes, and push in until it locks into position.
  6. Next, place the headlight back into its housing, give a clockwise twist until it locks into postion. Be careful not to touch the bulb to any other surfaces.
  7. Reconnect your negative battery terminal and test the bulb.
  8. For taillights, once you've gotten past their access panels and pulled out their housing, note that you will push in the bulb and turn it counterclockwise to remove it – just like a medicine bottle. Replacing those bulbs require a pushing-in motion, and turning into place. 
    When in doubt, check your car's user manual. Instruction for how to replace bulbs usually can be found there.

How to Change Xenon Light BulbsHID lighting utilizes an arc between two electrodes that activate the Xenon gas and ignites the metal halide, resulting in an unsurpassed illumination. This increases visibility and road safety, at a lower energy consumption than halogen. Xenon lights burn a cooler color temperature than the glare of an incandescent, but warmer than halogen. At 7000k they can illuminate with almost daylight quality light. Therefore it's important that headlights be properly aimed so as not to blind oncoming traffic. 

A Society of Automotive Engineers technical paper found that HID lights perform better than tungsten-halogen lights in terms of safety visibility and edge-of-the-road hazards. While possibly producing more glare, on balance most people find Xenon a good and safe choice.

Xenon lights produce about two or three times the illumination of a halogen H7 type light, but at two thirds the power consumption. They are available for all your car's needs, and motorcycles too. High-priced packages that were once only available for high-end automobiles like Mercedes, BMW and Porsche, these luminous fashion statements have entered the realm of affordability and unbridled joy for the common car enthusiast. Once you go Xenon, some say, you'll never go back to Halogen.

Which is fine for everyone except those who pay a thousand dollars or more for their high-end luxury cars to be converted to Xenon at a premium price. Because Xenon lights are so powerful and efficient, even ordinary auto afficianados and custom designers have a new tool for shaping their lighting systems with greater control and narrower profiles, without compromising on safety.

In your home, they come in as many shapes and sizes as conventional halogen bulbs. Dimmable versions for home fixtures are also available. Find them for track lights, puck lights and pendants, recessed spotlights or small task lights. Consider your usage and calculate the longterm savings as well as quality lighting enhancement Xenon lighting will offer you.

With better energy efficiency, a longer life, increased safety, visibility and peripheral vision, and just plain cool looks, Xenon lights are a “no-brainer” investment. If you can change a light bulb, why not change it to a Xenon light bulb?

More How to Articles