Why are some headlights pale yellow, others white, and a few of them bright bluish-white? Those differences are called color temperatures, and the subject is a favorite among our Clovis, NM Hamilton Ford team's auto geeks. Here are the basics.
Color temperature is a way to express the color of a given light source based on heat temperature measured in kelvins (K). Pale amber to soft yellow lights have a color temperature of 2700K to 3000K. Color temperatures of 3500K to 5000K typically correspond to yellow, neutral white light, or midday light. Above 5000K, color temperatures resemble cool white to bluish, light. Think of the light during a bright, overcast day.
Which Headlights Have the Best Color Temperature?Most experts agree that neutral to pure white light is the best color temperature for headlights, especially high beams. That breaks down to a color temperature range of about 4000K to a little over 5000K for halogen, LED, and even xenon/HID. This optimal color temperature may change with the invention of newer, more powerful headlight technologies, such as laser.