Skip to content
Home » Advantages and Disadvantages of the Different Types of Headlight Bulb

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Different Types of Headlight Bulb

There’s an array of aftermarket bulbs available to pick from today and prices range from a few dollars up to PS35. This is why we’re going to consider the best option to opt to the latest, more bright bulbs, more durable bulbs or bulbs that offer an increased white-light output or if you’re better off to purchase the most affordable bulbs that you can get.

There are three kinds of headlight bulbs including Halogen (which is based on technologies that have 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 light source that is the most efficient in terms of energy consumption. automobile light.

The car’s design will generally determine the kind of bulbs will be used. The smallest, most affordable vehicles tend to feature the halogen headlights, whereas cars with more sporty design will have smaller headlights and will therefore utilize xenon bulbs.

While the most recent LED bulbs are used as daytime lights on cars that are new but as headlights they’re typically reserved for top-of-the-line models, sports and luxury models due to the fact that they’re the most costly to make.

Halogen bulbs

The technology behind bulbs containing halogen has been around for over fifty 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 that is commonly used in cars with small engines. These bulbs, H17 and H18 are both smaller and larger halogen lamps that are more efficient as the H8, and H11 are self-sealing bulbs which aren’t required to be a part of an airtight container, which is why they’re frequently utilized as fog lights.

The average life expectancy is 2000 hours

Xenon or high-intensity-discharge (HID) bulbs

Xenon bulbs, also referred to by the name of high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, are characterized by an arc rather than filaments between the two electrodes. According to law, they have to be operating at 80 percent within four minutes of turning it on, which means it requires a high-voltage igniter to start the gas, as well as an electronic control device to keep the bulb burning. While xenon can be the gas used to begin an arc the metal salts that keep it burning.

In the past, vehicles with xenon lighting 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 means they are more expensive to manufacture – which is the primary reason that many car manufacturers chose to use halogen lights for many years.

But, bulb makers have managed to create bulbs made of xenon which have a less light output, and don’t require a self-levelling mechanism or lens washers. This makes the bulbs about half the price. They’re being sold on a greater number of cars with smaller sizes and less expensive trim levels.

While xenons typically last longer than halogen bulbs their light output could diminish over time, meaning that eventually, they won’t be emitting enough light to be considered safe for use at night. Certain manufacturers recommend changing xenon bulbs every three years.

Life expectancy for a typical person is 10,000 hours

LED bulbs

LED lights are currently replacing xenons in new automobiles, as they are more efficient in energy use are longer-lasting and permit car makers to design distinctive light shapes.

With LED lamps, electrical energy is transported via one or several light-emitting diodes , instead of a filament, or arc. The light that is produced is comparable in brightness to the xenon bulbs, however LED bulbs don’t generate excessive heat, which makes them more efficient and hence less costly to operate.

There is a concern that should the electronics inside the LED bulb fails generally, the entire light bulb will need to be replaced. This can be expensive and , consequently, not feasible for older vehicles and have a lower value. But, there are some LED bulbs that could be replaced on their own instead of having to be soldered within a light unit.

Visit Just German Parts for the best Audi D3S bulbs.