Why is 6k+ white light so popular?

It seems that white light above the 6k temp is really popular. For headlights, reverse lights, aux lights etc. I personally don’t like it at all and find it difficult so see with. I much prefer something around 4500 but it’s relatively difficult to find this temp, especially in LEDs.

What am I missing?

 

Good question.


Probably because it “looks” cool man.
(Plus these genre of people have never driven in a downpour or heavy snow)

I did a whole research and design project on this subject in college, and compared LED to Halogen. Let’s just say you get way more benefit out of the 4500k over the 6000k no matter what anyone says. Trusting and evidence in the research. Period

 

6k is blue, its terrible and should be enforced across the continent.

2nd gens with HID's in stock housing are one of the worst violators.

I only run 4300k on any of my models.

 

Because it looks different and scratches that "mod itch" some people have where they want to look unique.

 

Fashion over function

 

I run a 4300k Xenon Depot kit and it is perfect. For fogs I run KC HiLites amber and it is great! For high beams I run Xenon Depot Extreme LEDs and you can see the HID's are brighter but a little more yellow.. I don't mind it, they work perfectly and are super bright.

 

Totally agree. Anything over 4500k seems pretty terrible for the wet humid conditions where I live. I prefer the warmer lighting in my cab as I do in my home too.

 

4300k only here as well.

The blue lights are for the tweeny derps who don’t care if has less lumen output or fatigues their eyes, performs less, whatever.

They just want to look cute for all the other boys..

 

While everyone's vision is a little different, 4500 to 5500k is pretty close to white. Below 4500 many people start getting the yellow tint and above 5500 start getting blue. Some people like the blue which I think started on European vehicles but has since changed. I personally like 5500k. You can see the blue when that are warming up but then change to white in about 20 seconds. The biggest turn off for me is when they don't properly adjust their lights. With the great cutoff on today's new lights there should be no excuse.

 

Bright white sucks in the home and the car. Warm to neutral is good.

 

Right. And natural sunlight is around 4400, I think....

 

That's pretty yellow. The sun is closer to 5800k.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature#The_Sun

I personally like the 5500-6000k for that exact reason. It looks natural. All the bulbs in my house are 'daylight' 6000k bulbs which gives off a very white look. If I'm outside, my lights are noticeably whiter than my neighbors standard lights which appear very yellow in comparison. Most stores use ~6000k bulbs, and most homes use ~4500k bulbs. A lot of people prefer the softness of a yellower bulb in the home.

Under 4900k starts to look yellow. Very Yellow under 4000k
Over 6400k starts to look blue. Very blue at 7000k+

Yellow is easier on the eyes, as opposed to blue being hard on the eyes. That's why a lot of phones now have a 'blue light filter' that makes your screen look super yellow.

Basically, I have 6000k LEDs in my truck because I think it looks better in all scenarios. Just my taste.

 

I have morimoto 4500k HIDs but once they need replacing I will buy 5500k. I want a light that closely matches the DRL

 

Mine are 5500K, And it is function over fashion. I drive dark twisty roads at night and I want it lit up as much as possible, And the fact most of the time, we have pretty good weather here in Ca.

 

Anything higher than a 5k color temp will make you very popular with the police.

 

I hear a lot about Virginia and their police. Lots of rules and things seem pretty heavy handed. Not judging, just a casual observation.

 

By all means judge! We have plenty of dumb laws, taxes, and other BS in VA.

 

I assume some eyes see it differently. I am honestly surprised by how many in this thread are ok with the 4500. My wife has a RAV4 with stock LEDs, they work amazing. I can see so much better on wet roads, in snow, and just regular darkness. The street signs also pop as if they're illuminated from super far away.

The stock halogen on my truck and when I ride in other vehicles looks like an old flashlight that's losing its battery to me. I've gotten out of my truck before to see if the headlights were actually on before.

 

I drove by someone with an extremely blue HID must have been 10,000k. It looked like you couldn’t even see with the headlights. I don’t get it

 

But the attention they get at the Hooters lot on Saturday nights, makes not being able to see on the way home, worth it.