# 6k vs 8k which ones truly brighter???



## D_R_I_V_E (Oct 25, 2009)

ok im looking at buying hid lights, now im looking for strictly the brightest lights. it doesn't have to be the blue tint of the 8k but i'v herd that the 6k is brighter then the 8k???

O. and what is the dissents between (DDM)35w and (DDM)55w???
thanks...


----------



## Seven11 (Mar 10, 2008)

the brightest are 4300k

but if your question is which one is brither out of the two, 6000k or 8000k, the answer would be 6000k!


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 15, 2006)

6000k has more light output than the 8000k, assuming you are comparing 35w to 35w bulbs.


----------



## Adumbration (Jun 23, 2007)

Here's my understanding:

There's an interesting difference between what light appears "brighter" and what light allows for the best visibility. We all know the human vision system responds to bright light by contracting the retinas, thus letting in less light. However, light on the blue end of the color spectrum causes the retinas to contract much more than light on the red end of the color spectrum. This is why, for example, pilots, soldiers, submariners, etc., use red lighting when reading charts and maps: so they can more quickly shift from reading an illuminated chart to looking around in dimly lit conditions.

HID lights are often strongly on the blue end of the spectrum. This is *not* because light of this color temperature is superior. Quite the opposite. Originally it was purely a side effect of HID technology and now many people mistakenly equate bluish light with expensive goodness. When HID lighting was first introduced, it was popular because of the intense amount of light that it can produce per watt, not because of the color temperatures HID bulbs produced. Per lumen, halogen lights with their more yellowish color temperature are actually superior for human visibility, especially in inclement weather, but HID lights can produce considerably more lumens per watt and really flood the road with light without overtaxing a car's power system.

If your goal is to produce light that maximizes your ability to see and perceive threats, then a yellower light is the right tool (I'm taking a guess here, but I would say in the neighborhood of 4500K is a good range). If your goal is to produce light that seems glaringly bright to others, then a bluer light is the right tool, but the bluer the light, the more your retinas will contract, thus letting in less of the produce light. Additionally, from about 6000K and above human depth perception is significantly reduced.


----------



## D_R_I_V_E (Oct 25, 2009)

sory double post...


----------



## D_R_I_V_E (Oct 25, 2009)

Adumbration said:


> Here's my understanding:.


nice!

thanks, yah i do a lot of nighttime driving so im looking for the light that gives me the most distance. so i think i may go with 4.5k and 55w...


----------



## 1love (Nov 10, 2007)

Don't bother with 6k Kelvin or 8k Kelvin, especially 8k and above is just useless unless the road is completely dark. This is at 35W, i don't have any experience with 55W.

I assume with 55W you need a new ballast as well?


----------



## NWS Alpine (Dec 20, 2008)

Yes the ballast is what makes it 35 vs 55w. You can run OEM D2S bulbs on 55w ballasts. Stick with OEM bulbs for best light output and don't just stick HID bulbs into your reflectors. The light pattern will be all messed up due to the focal point of the bulb and you will blind drivers. D2R bulbs will be better but your housing still is meant for a regular not HID bulb. You need to retrofit projectors.


----------



## tturedraider (Nov 11, 2005)

Seven11 said:


> the brightest are 4300k
> 
> but if your question is which one is brither out of the two, 6000k or 8000k, the answer would be 6000k!


+1 - 4300k gives you the most useful light.


----------



## velvetlevel (Apr 16, 2009)

Hi everyone,i always thought that 4300k give the best visibility,tho last week on the highway i caught up with 645,whos lights were surely brighter and by that i mean once we were parralel to each other 645 had a larger,brighter area lit(and clearer) than my stock 4300 and i could see the road perfectly clear.!! how can that be??


----------



## cmybimmer (Sep 16, 2008)

OP... I have some 55w 5000k HIDs from DDM and love em. Its a bright white color with a hint of yellow. Looks great too!! matches my angel eyes too :thumbup:


----------

