Types of headlight bulbs
What are the 3 types of headlights?
There are three main types of headlights: LED, HID or ‘xenon’, and halogen. We’re going to take you through the features of all three, so you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your car.
How do I find out what headlight bulb I need?
You can contact your vehicle manufacturer for the bulb fitting information, or simply take a look in your vehicle handbook, which should state all the fittings that your vehicle needs for each type of light.
Which is brighter xenon or LED?
One reason xenon lights have gained in popularity is their extreme brightness. It’s often brighter than both an LED light and a standard headlight. These brighter headlights do come with a trade-off, though. They use much more energy than LED light.
What headlight is brighter halogen or LED?
LEDs appeal to automakers and consumers for several reasons: They’re brighter than halogen headlights and often cast a wider pattern, plus they use less energy, last longer and have a much whiter color than halogens, which typically are yellowish.
How do I know if my headlights are HID or halogen?
The easiest way is to park your vehicle in front of a wall and switch on the headlights. Usually, HIDs are close to the white color while halogens have yellow tint. You can try and compare your high and low beams if your vehicle has separate bulbs for them or switch on the fog lights along with the headlights.
What headlight bulb is the brightest?
Xenon headlights are probably the brightest bulbs you can get for your car that are actually street legal and can, in fact, often be confused for high-beam lights.
Is it worth replacing halogen with LED?
Replacing your existing incandescent or halogen bulbs with durable LED bulbs offers numerous benefits. You enjoy an even better light performance and benefit from very low energy consumption. Furthermore, LEDs can handle all hues of white light, so the warm yellowish light of halogen bulbs is perfectly within reach!
Can I change my halogen headlights to LED?
All vehicles fitted with halogen headlight bulbs from the factory are suitable for LED conversion. The main advantage is a massive increase in road illumination and therefore improved safety when driving at night.
Is it worth upgrading headlights to LED?
LED headlight bulbs offer superior durability because they are energy efficient they last longer than most bulbs on the market. LED headlights have a brighter light since they emit a white light instead of the yellow light produced by halogen light bulbs.
How do I find my headlight part number?
The OEM part number can be found directly on the part itself. You can also call a dealership with your VIN, and they will provide you with the OEM part number. You can give one of our car specialists a call at 1-888-907-7225 for further assistance in purchasing your headlight assembly.
What size headlight does my car take?
You can call your vehicle manufacturer or dealership to find out the bulb size required for your vehicle. By providing them with your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), they can supply you with that information the majority of the time. You can find the VIN of your car on the dashboard or near the driver seat.
How do I know what size light I have?
Numbers in a bulb code indicate the size of the base, measured in millimeters or eighths of an inch, depending on the bulb. Take an A19, for example: letter ‘A’ indicates that the bulb comes in a standard household shape, and the ’19’ indicates that the base is 19/8ths inches in size.
Is H11 the same as 9005?
Q: Is The H11 The Same As 9005? While the two bulbs share the L-shape, they are not compatible. The H11 is a single low beam light, whereas the 9005 is high beam light with a high illumination capability.
What are the 4 types of headlights?
The four most common types of car headlights are halogen, LED, Xenon/HID, and laser.
Can I put LED headlights in my car?
Can I install LED headlights in my car? You can, but you’ll need to make sure they aren’t too bright for other drivers. There are some significant benefits to choosing LED bulbs — they last much longer than traditional bulbs and they use a lot less energy, so many drivers want to take advantage of those benefits.
Can I legally fit LED bulbs to my car?
OE LED bulbs are completely road legal and fitted as standard by car manufacturers. However, OE LED bulbs are a non-replaceable part and so if the bulb fails then the entire headlight needs to be replaced. Retrofitting is when you replace a standard bulb with an LED version.
What is H4 and H7?
The H4 headlight has a waterproof rating of IP65 which means it can withstand rainfall or damp environments. The H7 headlight on the other hand, has a waterproof rating of IP7 which enables it to be submerged underwater and will still work efficiently.
What is the most common headlight bulb?
Halogen car bulbs are the standard and most popular choice. It is believed that this type of automotive light bulb accounts for an incredible 80% of all headlight bulbs across the world.
Is xenon the same as LED?
Xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights have bulbs, but unlike halogen lights, they don’t have filaments so they tend to last longer than halogens but not as long as LEDs. They use less energy than halogens and more than LEDs. They also are hotter than LEDs and become dimmer over time.
What’s brighter H4 or H7?
The light output is higher with H7 systems than with the H4 ones because two lamps interact. But since H7 systems require four bulbs instead of two, and bulbs should always be replaced on both sides at the same time because of their similar lifetime, H7 systems have a higher cost factor over time.
Can I use H7 for high beams?
The H1 is used for the high-beam light, whereas the H7 is used for the low-beam light. The H1 and H7 are both single-beam lights and use a single filament to create a fixed beam.