Bright future for tractor lighting Byline: Wayne Wenzel HID, which stands for high-intensity discharge, is the gold standard in automotive lighting. The bulbs, which are filled with Xenon gas, are as much as four times brighter and last up to 10 times longer than conventional halogen bulbs do. Recently, HID lights have gained popularity as a premium option on tractors, machinery and indoor lighting as well. For farmers, the most noticeable difference with the lights is a wider, brighter beam that illuminates a larger work area without drawing any more power than a conventional light. "These exceptional lights offer near-daylight color impressions that provide tremendous illumination," says Andy Anderson, senior parts marketing representative at John Deere. "Obstacles and potential problem spots in fields are more visible and easier to recognize." Tractor upgrade HID lights come standard or as a premium option on many new tractors. A farmer looking to upgrade his old tractor's headlamps or rear-facing work lights will have to go through a machinery dealer to get compatible HID lamps. Ag machinery companies and dealers buy the lamps through companies such as United Group, a major OEM supplier of HID lighting. United lists AGCO, Caterpillar, CNH Global, Franklin Equipment and John Deere among its major ag customers. Farmers can't buy direct from United Group, but anyone can access the company's Web site, www.unitedgroupcommerce.com. It has a technical specs page for COBO-brand HID lighting. The next big thing - LEDs ...
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