HID Question for the lighting experts out there....

[FastDEW1]

Hi All,

I have the factory HID lights. My question is that I park in a underground garage everyday for work. When I pull into the garage the lights turn on (in the auto position) and then usually in a minute or less I am parked and shutting the car off. Then opposite when I leave. The lights turn on when I start the car and within a minute or two they turn off when I leave the parking garage.

Is this bad for the HID lights? I have read that HID lighting doesn't like short durations of on/off. Is this considered short duration? Will this wear the lights or ballast's or other parts out quickly? Or does this matter at all?

Separate question - At night when I start my car, I notice the headlights go through a process whereby they move from side to middle and then up and down, like a calibration in a way. You can see it happen. Does this only occur when the lights come on, or does this occur every time the car starts, even if during the day and the lights are not illuminated.

Thanks all!!

 

[gameday22]

Hi All,

I have the factory HID lights. My question is that I park in a underground garage everyday for work. When I pull into the garage the lights turn on (in the auto position) and then usually in a minute or less I am parked and shutting the car off. Then opposite when I leave. The lights turn on when I start the car and within a minute or two they turn off when I leave the parking garage.

Is this bad for the HID lights? I have read that HID lighting doesn't like short durations of on/off. Is this considered short duration? Will this wear the lights or ballast's or other parts out quickly? Or does this matter at all?

Separate question - At night when I start my car, I notice the headlights go through a process whereby they move from side to middle and then up and down, like a calibration in a way. You can see it happen. Does this only occur when the lights come on, or does this occur every time the car starts, even if during the day and the lights are not illuminated.

Thanks all!!

Yes it does shorten their lifespan some but I doubt the quick on/off cycle each day going into your garage at work are going to hurt them, these things are tested for thousands of cycles MTBF. I had my old Genny for almost 4 years and the HID's never burned out.

The lights only move up/down during the start process to level the lights based on the load in the car, there are sensors over the back shocks that tell them where to position the lights on the road. That adjustment is then fixed until the next time the vehicle is started.