# Xenon = incandescent?



## Hallorann (Mar 3, 2007)

I was reading an article where they use the terms, xenon, HID, and metal halide interchangeably.

The article is drawing a comparison between these lights vs. incandescent lights.

I've always been under the impression that xenon was an incandescent bulb, but this article implies that it is not.

Many incandescent 3v flashlights are advertised as having xenon bulbs, so I am confused.

What is what with the terminology? I know that LED is a chip as opposed to a bulb, but are metal halide, HID, incandescent, xenon all the same thing? Are they all bulbs?

Thanks!

Hallorann


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## Phaserburn (Mar 3, 2007)

Xenon is a type of incandescent bulb; it has different gases inside to aid brightness, color and longevity.

HID is a High Intensity Discharge bulb, and is completely different than incandescent.

Not sure of the technology behind a metal halide, but I know it's not incan or HID.


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## Flummo (Mar 3, 2007)

HID lamps for cars are commonly called xenon lamps here. So are incandescent lamps filled with some xenon gas, so it is easy to get confused.


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## winny (Mar 3, 2007)

Xenon is a noble gas, nothing other.

There are several type of HID lamps, including xenon and metal halide. Both have different advantages and disadvantages. A xenon HID lamp work by shooting an electric arc though xenon gas, without any filament, so distinguishing a HID xenon lamp from a incandescent xenon lamp is very easy.
A HID lamp does definitely not have to be a xenon HID lamp. Please keep that in mind.

Now, when it comes to incandescents, the normal procedure is to add argon or krypton as an inert gas to prevent blackening and thus prolong life and efficiency. An even better gas to use for this purpose is xenon, but xenon is several ten-powers more expensive than argon, hence the higher price for xenon incandescent bulbs. Apart from the gas, the xenon-filled incandescent lamp operate just like any incandescent bulb would.

So:
Expensive, no filament, says xenon on the box = HID xenon lamp.
Inexpensive, has a filament, says xenon on the box = Incandescent xenon-filled lamp.


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## 65535 (Mar 3, 2007)

What you were reading about is HID Xenon arc lamps, MetalHalide HID and, comparing them to standard xenon argon or krypton incandescent lamps.


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