Hid Bulb Ballast

This is because the xenon gas inside the bulb needs time to cool down before it starts receiving a strong high voltage current again that turns the light back on.

Hid bulb ballast.

Hid lamps take several minutes to warm up. If you do not use the ballast there will be nothing to regulate the electrical power and the bulb may use more energy and burn out quickly. A ballast is essential in hid lighting technology because it provides the voltage to start the bulb and it also helps in maintaining an adequate flow of electrical current to the bulb. Hids lights must be capable of turning on and off quickly in order to function without overheating.

Too much power and your lamp will die out faster and may actually explode. Here is an ebay aftermarket 10000k 75w automotive xenon hid lamp running on a us 70w m98 psmh ballast without the usual 3 wire ignitor wired to the ballast circuit. Typically the hid ballast sometimes with the addition of a capacitor and igniter serves to start and operate the lamp in a controlled manner. Just like other parts of your vehicle the hid bulb ballast is also not exempted from getting damaged over time especially if it s exposed to moisture.

Too little power isn t good for a hid lamp either as it can damage the light causing uneven lighting and a possible crack in the arc inside the bulb. An hid bulb gives off a higher light intensity compared to other types of bulbs. Hid lamps require a ballast to operate. Full light output is reached after the arc tube temperature rises and the metal vapors reach final operating pressure.

In order to sustain this brightness an hid bulb ballast must be used to regulate its voltage. The hid ballast has special circuitry installed that helps restart the lamp quickly after turning it off. Hid ballasts also act as dc to ac converters.