DIY HID Flashlight for your car/truck

Step 3 Install the new bulb

Remove the bulb by popping out the wire holder. Then take you new HID bulb and put in place and replace the wire holder bending it around the new bulb.

Comments

[-max-]

i hope you were VERY careful to not let that bulb touch your fingers or anything. some reason, this can shorten the bulbs life.

[photemis]

Yes, I did not touch the bulb. If you need to touch HID bulbs or accidentally touch them, its best to clean them off with a clean cloth afterwards, from what I understand, the oils from your finger can shorten the life of the bulbs causing them to fail early.

[-max-]

do you know why, my theory is that while the bulb is hot, and the dirt (oil, proteins, dead skin cells etc etc etc) will vaporize on the bulb and weaken the super fragile glass.

[Preowner]

Both HID and Halogen bulbs are not infact traditional glass (it can't handle the high temperatures). The bulb is actually quartz. The reason touching the bulb with your skin will cause them to fail is because the oils will cause the heat to build up and fisures will form in the quartz allowing the gas inside to seep out and air to seep in.

Sort of like the way oil from leftover food melts through a styrofoam container when in the microwave. if the oil was not there the container would be perfectly safe.

[-max-]

I know the bulb is quartz. So that's why the bulb goes bad when touched...

[-max-]

where did you get the flashlight from? is it one of those "dollar store" type of 6V lantern? what about the battery?