Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadomobile
- - - I see people are selling more powerful (up to 6000) bulbs - - -
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These numbers (4300, 5000, 6000, etc,) are the colour temperatures in degrees Kelvin/degrees Absolute) and signify the type of light (i.e. the wavelengths) emitted by the plasma arc. As the numbers go up, ultimately towards 14000 and beyond, the wavelength decreases. It heads into the Ultra Violet area. It decreases in such a way that the amount of light that's visible to human eyes (i.e. the useful bit) decreases dramatically. So, the most useful amount of light comes from the lowest colour temperature. This explains why MGR chose to fit 4300K burners rather than say 6000K or higher. Not withstanding, people like that bluish twinkle the higher numbers create and many plump for the compromise of 6000K. You get the Hiddy twinkle without losing too much road illumination. At the other end of the spectrum, the idiots who fit 14000K HIDs really can't see where they're going, but they in returm become intensely visible to insects. In compensation, I guess their cars don't suffer as much fly squash as the rest of us.
TC