There’s an array of aftermarket bulbs available that you can choose from that range in price from a few pounds to over PS35. We’ll look at whether it’s better to go to the latest, more bright bulbs, more durable bulbs, or bulbs that have an increased white-light output or if you’re better off to go with the cheapest bulbs that you can get.
There are three kinds of headlight bulbs that include the halogen (which is based upon the technological advancements that’ve been used for a long time), xenon (which uses the latest technology to provide a longer-lasting, brighter lights) and LED which is the latest and most efficient type of auto light.
The car’s design will generally determine the kind of bulbs will be used. Cars that are smaller and less expensive tend to feature Halogen headlight bulbs, whereas the ones with more athletic style will feature narrower headlight units which is why they’re more likely to make use of xenon lamps.
While the most recent LED bulbs are employed for daytime running lights in new vehicles as headlights, they’re typically reserved for top-of-the-line sports, luxury and sporty models because they’re most costly to make.
Halogen bulbs
The technology behind bulbs containing halogen has been around for over 50 years and are still in use since they’re the most affordable to make and to replace.
Halogen bulbs utilize a filament made of tungsten, like the one in a typical bulb, however, they are made of halogen gas which makes the filament more brightly and last for longer. It’s a dual-filament headlight bulb, which is typically found in cars with small engines. These bulbs, H17 and H18 are both smaller and larger halogen lamps that are more efficient and the H8, H9 and H11 are self-sealing bulbs which aren’t required to be a part of watertight units, and therefore they’re typically employed as fog lights.
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Life expectancy for a typical person: 2000 hours
Xenon and high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs
Xenon bulbs, also referred to in the industry as high intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, are characterized by an arc rather than filaments between the two electrodes. According to law, they have to operate at 80 percent capacity within 4 seconds after turning on, and therefore requires an ignition source that is high voltage to ignite the gas, as well as an electronic control device to keep the bulb in good working order. While xenon is the fuel used to ignite an arc the metal salts that keep it burning.
In the past, vehicles equipped with xenon lamps also required headlight washers and a self-levelling mechanism in order to keep the beams of light directed downwards regardless of how loaded the vehicle is. This is why they cost more to make – the main reason why car makers chose to use halogen lights for many years.
But bulb manufacturers are now able to make bulbs with xenon that have lower output of light and do not require a self-leveling system or lens washers, which makes them less expensive. They’re being available on a variety of smaller vehicles and lower trim levels.
While xenons tend to last longer than halogen lamps, their light output could diminish over time, meaning that eventually, they won’t be emitting enough light to make them safe for use at night. Certain manufacturers recommend replacing xenon bulbs at least every three years.
Life expectancy for a typical person is 10,000 hours
LED bulbs
LED lights are currently replacing xenons on carsbecause they’re more efficient in energy use they last longer, and also permit car makers to design unique light designs.
With LED lamps, electrical energy is transported via one or several light-emitting diodes , instead of a filament or an arc. The light that is produced is comparable in brightness to an xenon bulb, however LED bulbs do not produce excessive heat, making them more efficient and hence less costly to operate.
A concern is that should the electronic components of the LED bulb fails typically, the whole light bulb will need to be replaced. This is expensive, and thus not practical in older cars and have a lower value. There are certain LED bulbs that can be replaced on their own instead of having to be soldered within a light unit.