Yellowing of Headlamp Lens w/ aftermarket HID bulbs

[1125Altima3.5]

Hey guys - amazing forum here. Looking for some feedback from people who have installed aftermarket HID bulbs in their cars.

I just bought a 2008 3.5SE w/ stock halogen reflector headlamps, and I'm looking to install an aftermarket HID bulb (Retro Solutions). The bulb is going to be a 4300K 55w low beam (H11).

Unfortunately I found out from the internet that the elevated ultraviolet output of HID bulbs can cause yellowing of polycarbonate headlamp lenses. I'm guessing that our Altimas have polycarbonate lenses like 99% of current new cars, so I was wondering:

0) Does anyone know if the Altima headlamp lenses are treated with an anti-UV compound?1) It not, does anyone have an idea of how long this yellowing takes to happen? 2) When it does happen, how much would it cost to fix it? Since you would have to separate the lens from the housing and then use a de-yellowing kit, I'm guessing it would be a fairly custom (i.e. expensive) job.

Thanks a bunch guys! Appreciate the help.

-Dean

[CPS]

I have 5000k HID's in my bike, in my Firebird, and in my Astro van. The van and the bike both have poly lenses and they have not yellowed yet. I've had the bulbs over 3 years so far, with many, many miles. And as you know, on the bike, the headlight runs anytime the key is on, so it never gets a rest. I ride at least 4 days a week, even to work. So I would have to say the information you have found is questionable.

[1125Altima3.5]

Ok, fair enough. Not sure what the output wattage is on your bike, but I'm guessing that if you've gone 3 yrs with no yellowing then I should have at least 2-4 years before I'm looking at color changes in the lens.

Here's where I found the info:

http://www.hubbellonline.com/lighting/wplenses.asp

It talks about HID lamps in much higher-power applications, but the general point is that poly lenses yellow over time when exposed to UV light from HID bulbs.

[CPS]

I would say the UV from the sun is much worse. We had a customer with an 05 Maxima come in and replaced both HID headlamps in his car due to yellowing, but the yellowing was on the top of the housing, which is exposed to the sun most of the day. I can't tell you how many headlamps we've replaced on Altima's due to the PB135 recall that were yellowed, and none of those had HID's installed at all. We replaced a set just yesterday that were so yellow you would have thought they came that way from the factory.

[1125Altima3.5]

Ha - guess I should just install the kit and hope an unrelated recall gets me a new set of headlamps!

Sounds like those lenses weren't treated with UV-protection. Hopefully Nissan figured it out and the 4th gen Altimas won't have the problem...

[Keyan]

The 3rd and 4th gen Altimas all have options for HID and the part for the lamp cover is the same, so either it's treated (unlikely) or they consider it to not be a major concern. I have not experienced any yellowing on my current 07 or my previous 05 at all, from the sun or from the factory HIDs.

The odds are that your lamp covers will yellow from the UV from the sun LONG before they would ever yellow from the light of a HID bulb.

This information seems very much like an Internet myth/over exaggeration and I wouldn't take it seriously.