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Halogen bulbs are the most popular and commonest headlight bulbs – used typically as the stock headlight bulbs on vehicles. They are quite bright and shine farther, and can last for up to 1,000 hours or higher.
On the other hand, xenon bulbs are more expensive than normal headlights; however, they shine brighter, and for that single reason, most drivers seem to prefer upgrading from normal halogen headlights to xenon headlights. But can you replace normal headlights with xenon?
Yes, you can actually upgrade from halogen headlights to xenon, but it all depends on how your car is built. You may need a “Conversion Kit” before you can install xenon headlights on your vehicle.
This article explains all you should know about switching from normal headlights to xenon.
Why are Xenon Bulbs Considered Better Than Normal Headlights?
Xenon bulbs are built differently; they produce about 3x brighter illumination than typical halogen bulbs. Most drivers prefer xenon headlights because they are the best for night-time driving, or when you’re cruising in low-light areas.
Also, xenon bulbs are not just brighter, they are equally whiter than halogen/traditional bulbs. Xenon bulbs use a lesser amount of energy to produce super-efficient and brighter illumination than any other type of bulb you may have on your vehicle.
However, upgrading to xenon bulbs is pretty expensive; then again, not all cars are designed to support xenon bulbs structure.
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Can You Replace Normal Headlights With Xenon?
The simple answer is yes, but there are factors and conditions that apply!
For some vehicles, it’d be an “Easy Peasy” to upgrade from regular headlights to xenon, while for some others, an HID conversion kit is needed – and this may warrant removing some components in the car (around the headlamp area) to rewire the electrical setup.
HID kits are pretty expensive, and asides from that, your car would need to be rewired to accommodate the kit and the xenon bulb.
Hence, for vehicles that cannot be easily upgraded to xenon headlights, it is rather advisable to buy tweaked halogen bulbs, which are advertised as “Xenon Headlights” because they deliver nearly the same brightness and feel like the real xenon bulbs.
Notwithstanding, if you wouldn’t mind defying the law and modifying your car’s headlight area, xenon bulbs are actually the best type of bulbs to have on a car. They are the best option for night drivers because they shine farther and brighter.
In some cities, using HID lights is concerned a crime, you could be fined for upgrading your headlight – if you live in such cities. So, you should check if your city prohibits those lights before proceeding to make an upgrade from regular headlights.
Conclusion
So, can you replace normal headlights with xenon? Yes, you can, but that would cost you a reasonable amount of money, and it’d imply tweaking the electrical system of your vehicle. But, you should understand that you could get fined for using HID (High-Intensity Discharge) headlights in some cities.
Well, you can always go for safer alternatives, which are “Xenon” bulbs. These are actually halogen bulbs that are built to slightly outperform regular halogen bulbs and deliver almost the same performance and efficiency as typical xenon bulbs.