a u t o l a m p s - o n l i n e

The 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gas Discharge Lighting

1. What is Xenon Light?
The xenon bulb is a micro discharge bulb filled with a mixture of noble gases including Xenon. The bulb has no filament as is the case with a halogen lamp. The light is created by striking and arc between 2 electrodes. The xenon lamp needs a starter for quick ignition and an electronic ballast to function properly.

2. What are the advantages of Xenon Light?
The xenon lamp produces 2 to 3 times as much light as a halogen lamp whilst only consuming half of the power. Therefore the driver can see more clearly and the car is more economical to run. The light produced by the Xenon bulb is the same as daylight. Research has shown that this enhances driver concentration and thus safety. The life expectancy of the xenon lamp is that of the life of the car and only needs replacing in exceptional cases.

3. Why was Xenon Light developed?
The car over the last decade has been made safer and more comfortable with the introduction of such technologies as ABS, Airbags and Air-conditioning. However 60% of all accidents take place in the dark. Therefore vehicle lighting plays a very big role in road safety. It is a fact that a 60 year old requires 10-11 times the amount of light to perform the same functions as a 20 years old. With the increase in the average age of the population more light is required to drive safely.

4. What is meant by active safety measures?
Better lighting leads to earlier and improved recognition of objects, cyclists, pedestrians and potential hazards ahead. it is also vital that you get as much notice as possible of traffic signs and road markings to be able to react in good time. Therefore better lighting delivers an active contribution to road safety and driver comfort and can save lives.

5. Can't we improve halogen lamps?
The limits of the halogen technology was reached with the introduction of the PREMIUM lamp. This lamp offer 30% more light on the road ahead compared to a standard lamp. The only way for further improvements was via a new technology. The gas discharge lamp proved the answer.