The missing jigsaw piece

There are bulbs and more bulbs. Car owners are in a dither wondering what to go for when converting their headlamps from halogen lamps to the HID lamps. For owners, the D2S bulb would do well for their old car models as long as the headlamp housing can take in the new lamps.

A D2S bulb was initially used by BMW. This differs from the D2R at the base. The D2R was designed for Mercedez-Benz, so that's where the difference lies. This difference is not about the lighting quality but about fitment purposes. The notch and the fastening system differ. You'll also know if it is a D2S because the capsule does not carry ceramic paint on the sides.

A D2S bulb can only be used in vehicles carrying Xenon headlights from the same manufacturer. If in your case the missing piece is the Xenon headlights, you will need an HID kit. So, before you gleefully jump into the conversion bandwagon, check out your car if you need a kit or not. Don't go for those tinted headlights because you won't be getting the genuine thing.

What to Watch Out For When Buying a D2S bulb

The D2S will have a color shift and flux reduction throughout its lifetime. These can run for 2,500 hours or more. These can stand strong vibrations and are waterproof.

Xenon headlights are not tinted. When you get a D2S bulb replacement kit, you will be given other combination elements to produce that tinted effect. The ignition will give that color effect. The higher the voltage, the deeper the color effect because of the heightened activity at the molecular level.

When your D2S bulb has a kelvin of 9,000K, you will have a purplish light. A 7,000K will give you a blue light. Better get two bulbs to have well matched colors. A kelvin is the basic unit of thermodynamic color temperature. The higher the number, the whiter the light. At 9,000K and 7,000K, you get real white light.

If your car has a 12V 35 watt HID system, note the plug design. Just to make sure, remove one of the HID capsules from your car and compare it with the plugs that are shown online. Yes, no need to drive to the shop just to compare the plugs. You also have the convenience of ordering the kit online.

Light Your Night On the Road

As with all HID technology lighting that produces the arc light, your car headlamps will illuminate more of the road ahead. You can prepare for a sharp turn because area signs are visible from several feet away compared to the usual halogen lamps.

When driving at night, your family kids will know you are okay even during those long drives. The kids can sleep well because they know their daddy's kept safe by the D2S bulb, and two of those at that.