HID in flashlights and in cars question?

[UVLaser]

I have seen HID in flashlights and in cars, but when I see beam shots of that of a flashlights(the only few that I have found on CPF)I always see that yellow color in most of those beam shot. Actually in till now I have seen a beam shot that did not have that yellow color to it. web page And what does this have to do with cars that have HID well out of all the cars that I have seen, all of them had a white to purple to blue color to them not this yellow white blue color business going on with flashlights.
What gives? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks a ton
I am out for the night........ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepy.gif...z..zz...zz..zzz.z

 

[BatteryCharger]

HIDs are available in different color temperatures. Only certain temperatures are white. In general, the whiter it is the less lumens it has, although it APPEARS brighter to the naked eye.

 

[iddibhai]

all automotive use HIDs that are OEM are around the same temp, mid 4000s K, and shift to high 4000s K with time with 2800-3200 lumens depending on reflector or projector use, respectively. that is for the source arc. the color you see from the output device can be tailored, since different areas of arc are different in color (ranging from yellow below to very blue/violet above arc). different focus will give different apparent color. plus the rainbow fringe color in projection lamps is from the cutoff shield (diffraction). some marques go so far as to get a unique signature (bmw projection HIDs have a blue border band).

 

[Sway]

The 4100K temp HID's have a slight yellow tint to them but they have the highest lumen output. The 6000k temp lights blue and up actually have less lumen output than their halogen counter part they are just perceived as being brighter (in most cases) for me I will take the lumens over color /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[iddibhai]

right, aftermarket accessory HIDs can be had in any flavor, OEM real toys are regulated.

 

[markdi]

the 4300k bulbs drift up to around 4600k
so they get whiter

 

[cheesehead]

It's still an intersting idea, since you can get more lumens out of blue LEDs, yet they are much less useful. Maybe there is some thing true about this, although with HIDs the higher the color temp, the more blue you are getting.

 

[markdi]

4600k is very white

eyes are less sensitive to yellow or blue light.

I am not sure but I think higher color temp(frequency) light

scatters less and less of it is adsorbed by the atmosphere.

I bet less of it is adsorbed by objects and more of it gets reflected.

I could be wrong.

 

[cheesehead]

It's all confusing to me, since last time I drove through Canada they had yellow lights, and I thought it was for less "scatter". But like you say, blue light refracts less, so I'm confused, again.

 

[iddibhai]

blue refracts *more* doesnt it??

 

[cheesehead]

Yup, you're right (got off my butt and googled it), so it makes sense to use "yellow" light, but then you get the opposing effect that "whiter" or blue light is "brighter" or our eyes are more sensitive to it, thus, you now realize my confusion. Interesting thread.

 

[markdi]

I think the light gets blueish at 6000k or so

 

[cobb]

Interesting thread. I have seen a rtange of lights as mentioned. I have seen yellow, white halogen lamps and seen yellow to white, blue to almost UV HID lights. Yellowish on motorscooters and white on suvs and near uv on bmws and other cars. Of them the near uv gets my attention the most, however as mentioned they do not make me want to squint like the yellers do.