Which bulbs give the best light to a car? Which bulbs to choose for a car. Which low beam lamps are best for a car?

An article about which lamps to choose for a car. Important selection criteria, tips and tricks. At the end of the article there is an interesting video about car lamps.

The content of the article:

Replacing car light bulbs is a troublesome task. The modern market is replete with products of various modifications and manufacturers. It’s unlikely that anyone will be able to deal with the entire assortment offered, but it is still possible to highlight the main ones.

Classification of light bulbs for cars

There are two main types of car lamps:

• headlight lamps (designed for headlights);
• additional lighting lamps (this includes lamps for side lights, interior lighting, signal lights, etc.).

Based on the principle of operation, auto lamps are divided into several types:

Incandescent lamps

A classic and familiar version of the lighting fixture. It is a vacuum glass sphere in which a spiral of thin tungsten wire is placed. It is characterized by low efficiency (from 6 to 8%) and susceptibility to temperature increases. The lamp tends to heat up, so it can melt the plastic elements of the machine if you are not careful.

The light bulb is a cylindrical bulb (as opposed to a spherical incandescent lamp). A tungsten spiral is also placed inside, but instead of a vacuum, the flask is filled with an inert gas containing halogen vapor.

This made it possible to solve some problems that remained characteristic of incandescent lamps - the design of halogen devices helps clean the internal space of the glass vessel, which prevents tungsten particles from settling on the walls during operation. Therefore, the halogen lamp is not in danger of dimming.

Xenon lamps

They are a cylindrical flask filled with xenon. Instead of a spiral, two electrodes are placed inside, between which, after applying electricity, an arc occurs. The lamps have a high color temperature (K), unlike the two previous options.

But xenon lighting devices require an ignition unit to provide the lamp with the necessary voltage, which is not always convenient.

LED bulbs

LED bulbs for cars have undeniable advantages:

• efficiency;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• high light temperature;
• the ability to switch to LED lighting without any major modifications to the car.

Which light bulbs in a car are preferable? Each variety has its own characteristics. But LEDs have become so popular in recent years that a complete transition to LED car lighting will not surprise anyone.

Classification of lamps according to the characteristics of the base

The base not only performs the functions of fastening and transmitting electricity to the lighting device, but also serves to seal the bulb. The only exception is the LED version - these devices do not require sealing.

Plinth markings:

• 1 contact (S);
• 2 (D);
• 3 (T);
• 4 (Q);
• 5 (P).

How to choose lamps for car headlights

Too large a selection of items and often dubious advice from sellers put many car owners at a dead end when it comes to changing lighting devices.

Things to consider when replacing head bulbs:

Lighting fixture type

Suitable lamps for headlights:

• H1 - single filament incandescent lamp, power 55 W, service life from 350 to 550 hours;
• H3 - designed for fog lights, have a special connector, power 55 W;
• H4 - halogen lamp with two tungsten spirals, used for high/low lighting of the road, power 55 W;
• H7 - have one thread, well suited for high and low beam lighting.

In addition to the above, devices such as H11, H15, HB3, HB4, D2S and others are also used.

If you don't know which category you need, you can find the information in the vehicle's registration certificate. All types of lamps and base types are indicated in the corresponding tables. Or you can take the broken light bulb to the store and ask the seller to find you the same one.

Lighting devices in the headlights should be changed in pairs, otherwise the brightness will differ

Old lamps shine weaker. In addition, the life of any equipment is limited, and if one of the lamps burns out, then the second one will not last long.

Don't skimp on lighting details

Choose products only from a well-known and reliable manufacturer. The best light bulbs for cars are made by Philips, Narva, Osram.

Each lamp is designed for a certain power that a specific car can provide.

Therefore, you should not buy a 90 W device instead of the required 60 W. Excessive loads can damage wiring, damage the plastic protective layer of the headlights, or disrupt the operation of fuses.

Lamps with a light temperature (K) from 4,000 to 4,500 are distinguished by white light.

At 5,000 K a bluish tint is clearly visible.
From 3,500 to 4,000 K - yellow tint.

It is advisable to buy ordinary factory-made lamps.

You should not experiment with products that feature various improvements (additional brightness, etc.). Such a device may not work correctly or may not be suitable at all.

How to choose a lamp by car make

To choose a light bulb for a specific car, you need to know four things:

1. Car make.
2. Model.
3. Year of issue.
4. Engine size (not necessary, but may be useful).

With this information, it is possible to select the right type of lighting fixtures for any purpose; you just need to contact a consultant in the store.

When purchasing from an online store, you should look for a special service for selecting car lamps using the above criteria. As a rule, such filters for selection can be found on the websites of companies involved in the manufacture of automotive lighting devices.

The selection of light bulbs for the car can also be done by studying the documents for the car.

Interior lighting

For interior lighting, two types of lamps are most often used - baseless (W5W) and soffit (C5W, C10W).

To determine which lamp is needed in a particular case, you should study the failed one and understand which category it belongs to:

1. W5W. It is made entirely of glass, including a flat base, the width of which is about 1 cm. The lamp has a power of 5 W.
2. C5W. Power 5 W. It has two cone-shaped tips on both sides, made of metal. The length of the flask does not exceed 37 mm.
3. C10W. The design is similar to the previous version, with the only difference being that the length of the flask is 38 mm or more. Power 10 W.
4. T4W. Power 4 W. This variety is rarely used. The lamp has a cylindrical metal base and a bulb made of glass.

It is advisable to install LED light bulbs in the car interior. They are durable, impact resistant and consume minimal electricity.

If there is enough space inside the lamp, then it is advisable to install wider lamps. They will make the lighting brighter, and thanks to the economical consumption of electricity, overvoltage will not occur. But there are some features that cause LED fixtures to flicker.

Car lights are blinking - what is the reason?

Low quality built-in stabilizer

Cheap LED lamps are equipped with a stabilizer that is not able to limit the supplied electricity to the required level. The current supply exceeds the norm, as a result of which the lamp fails and operates intermittently.

Excessive heating of the LED lamp crystal

This often happens when headlight LEDs are located next to incandescent bulbs. The latter heat up, the temperature of the crystal rises above 80 degrees and the lighting fails and begins to flicker.

Incorrect connection

Before installing an LED, you should find out what voltage is required for a particular lamp model.

Sooner or later, every driver faces a lighting problem and often does not know how to change a light bulb in a car. The huge number of options is confusing and complicates the choice, but determining which device is needed in a particular case is not so difficult. In order not to make a mistake, you should make a purchase in reliable stores, where qualified consultants work, who know exactly how to help the client and value their (and the store’s) reputation.

Video about car lamps:

HALOGEN FLOW LAMPS

The first halogen lamps appeared back in 1962 (model H1) and are still the most common source of lighting in car headlights. The design of these lamps is not very different from conventional incandescent lamps and is their evolution: the “halogen” also includes a sealed glass bulb, inside of which electrodes with a tungsten filament are placed. But due to tungsten's high operating temperature, its atoms evaporate onto the bulb, limiting its lifespan. To increase the service life, they decided to pump a special mixture of inert and halogen gases into the flask, which, interacting with the evaporating tungsten particles, prevents them from “sticking” to the walls of the flask and helps them “return” to the filament. This process made it possible to extend the life of the lamp and increase the temperature of the coil, making the glow brighter. Despite their age, headlights with such a light source are unlikely to retire in the next twenty to thirty years. They have extremely low cost on their side, which neither xenon nor LED headlights can compete with yet.

pros

Low cost of the lamp and optics in general, simplicity of design, installation of auto-correctors and headlight washers is not necessary.

Minuses

Short service life, low efficiency, strong heating of the optics, weak light compared to xenon.

The future of simple and affordable halogen lamps depends entirely on the speed of development of other light sources.

GAS DISCHARGE XENON

Progressive for its time, optics with gas-discharge lamps first appeared in 1991, as usual, on a premium-segment car - the BMW 7 Series. And from the very beginning, the main advantage of “xenon” was undeniable: its spectacular and, most importantly, efficient light. Other advantages include lower energy consumption (about 7% of energy goes into heat instead of 40%) and a longer service life. If the life cycle“halogen” lasts about 500–800 hours, while “xenon” lasts up to 3000 hours (unlike an incandescent filament, in xenon lamps the glow is produced by the discharge arc between the electrodes). But the disadvantages are still quite significant: such a light source requires the installation of expensive ignition units, as well as special lamps that must be replaced in pairs (to avoid differences in color, which changes over time). But this is not enough: if the surface of the headlights is dirty, oncoming drivers have a hard time: with moreBrighter lighting compared to conventional lamps, the light refracted by dirty glass is scattered in all directions, interfering with oncoming traffic. But even with clean windows, on uneven roads you can blind oncoming traffic. Therefore, any optics whose luminous flux exceeds 2500 lumens must be additionally equipped with an auto-corrector and washer, which actually affects the final price of the car. At Philipsfound a way out by releasing a lamp with a “safe” luminous flux of 2500 lumens - this is less than that of traditional xenon (3500–4000 lumens), but still brighter than halogens (1000–1500). In order to reduce the cost, we also revised the rest of the design, combining the ignition unit with the lamp. First of all, such systems will be installed on affordable small cars. Although, perhaps, the days of “xenon” are already numbered, because LED headlights have appeared.

pros

Approximately twice as bright and 5–6 times more durable than halogens, low energy consumption, low heating of the optics.

Minuses

The need to replace lamps in two headlights at once, the high cost of “reduced power” lamps.

“Hybrid” lamps combined with an ignition unit can make the use of “xenon” widespread only if LED optics do not become cheaper.

The light beam of a headlight is highly dependenton manufacturing accuracy: thread centeringincandescence is checked on each lamp

A thin pipe is welded to the lamp bulbka required for halogen injection

The powerful xenon luminous flux requiresinstallation of autocorrectors and washers

Combined with a deforce ignition unitThe D5S lamp does not need additionalbody equipment. And at least the costthe car becomes lower, replacing lampswill cost significantly more

Xenon is pumped into the lamp, cooledgiven up to 190°C, and at the very endlamps are annealed: so colorthe temperature reaches the desired quantities

Light from various sources (top to bottom): H7 halogen lamps, new "halo"Genki" X-treme Vision H7, xenon lamps,LED optics

LEDS

At first, LEDs began to fill the space of the rear lights, starting with brake lights, then gradually replaced incandescent side lighting, and more recently, LED optics became available as head lighting. The first production car to feature LED low beams was the Lexus LS 600h in 2007. In recent years, similar optics have begun to be installed (at an additional cost, of course) on relatively affordable Golf-class cars. It would seem that an ideal light source has been found: the response speed of the LED is several times faster than any lamps, the service life is almost 10 times longer than that of xenon, and the energy consumption here is negligible. It looks really impressive!

But the efficiency is not as good as it seems: due to design refinements and limited space, it is not always possible to accommodate a sufficient number of LEDs, which directly affects the luminous flux. For example, the LED optics of the Seat Leon produce about 1600–1700 lumens - slightly more than headlights with a conventional H7 lamp. And if these same headlights had xenon, the light would be much brighter. But this option is not cheap: Seat LEDs are priced at 47,600 rubles! This in no way means a waste of money: driving with such light is really convenient: the light beam is distributed extremely evenly over the road surface, and the color is close to white. But if instead of 6 LEDs you put 15, as in a BMW headlight, the flow rate will be equal to xenon 4000 lm. So not all LEDs are “equally useful”.

pros

Long service life; minimal energy consumption; spectacular design; brighter light than halogens; uniform luminous flux.

Minuses

In production, xenon is still more expensive; the efficiency of light depends heavily on the design of the optics.

In terms of efficiency, LED optics have just begun to approach xenon optics, but, having reached the same cost, they can displace it.

The more LEDs you can fitin the headlight, the brighter the light will be, which is not alwaysmore efficient than halogens

LEDs on automotive opticsfirst appeared in rear brake lights

LASER LIGHT SOURCES

However, BMW is aiming for a different result. The BMW i8 will go into mass production in the fall of 2014: the hybrid sports car was supposed to be the first production car with a laser sourcelight, and in the coming years the BMW Group intends to equip other new products of the concern with similar technology. But the Bavarians were ahead of the guys from Audi: a limited edition of the sports R8 LMS with laser headlights should be released in the summer. The highlight of this lighting is the unprecedented range of light, reaching up to 600 meters, which is twice the range of modern LED high-beam headlights. The technology itself is very close to LEDs,but there are differences: laser diodes are ten times smaller than conventional ones and at the same time more powerful. This makes it possible to save space inside the headlight, while reducing the size of the reflective surface by almost ten times compared to LED elements. But because the laser beam is too small, it passes through special lenses into a fluorescent phosphorus substance inside the headlight, which transforms it into bright white light. Due to the fact that the outgoing light is much brighter than modern headlights, it is impossible to do without using a high beam control system that uses cameras to monitor oncoming traffic.

pros

Incomparable lighting efficiency, superior to any analogues; extremely compact headlight design, impressive appearance, low energy consumption.

Minuses

The need to use high-tech, and therefore expensive, electronic systems.

Laser optics is the next revolutionary stage in the development of automotive lighting.

Laser light beam rangetwice as much light as LED headlights

Dense beam of laser diodesscatters when passing through lenses and fluoresorbing phosphorus mass

The compactness of laser optics provides widedesign possibilities

ORGANIC LEDS

Philips is actively working on completely different diodes - organic ones. Organic LEDs have been developed relatively recently, although the effect of electroluminescence itself was discovered in the early 1950s: French scientist Andre Bernanoz and his collaborators discovered the effect in organic materials by applying high-voltage alternating current to transparent thin films of acridine orange dye and quinacrine. It was only in 1989 that Eastman Kodak employees Chin Tang and Steve van Slyke showed the first working samples of organic light-emitting diodes. So far, such lighting is not going into mass production, but experts from Philips are predicting a path to the organic conveyor by 2016. According to them, they are the only ones who have all the necessary resources for this. And it’s hard not to believe German specialists: over the past three years of work on OLED light, the efficiency of diodes has been increased more than 3 times: from 20 to 65 lumens/W. At the moment, this is the most efficient light source (a conventional lamp produces only 7 lm/W). But even without this, such a light source has plenty of prospects. For example, using a special layer of a substance, you can make glass either be completely transparent or emit light with different strengths, while adding a “tinting” effect. As for durability, this is also in order: after 30 thousand hours, only 30% of the light efficiency is lost. Similar technologies are already used at Philips for lightingpremises, prototypes of marker and signal car lights are already ready, and in the near future there are plans to make light sources completely flexible!

The issue of modifying standard optics is always relevant. Standard halogen headlights often cannot provide good visibility at night or in bad weather, so car owners often replace them. Let's talk about what headlights you can drive with in the Russian Federation according to traffic regulations, as well as what lamps you can put in your headlights.

What kind of light bulbs can be installed in headlights?

In fact, the answer to the question of what headlights can be installed on a car is quite simple: you cannot change the factory optics yourself and use unsuitable lamps in it. This is related to security. If the optics do not work correctly, the light they create can not only impair visibility on the road in poor visibility, but also blind drivers of oncoming cars.

The situation is approximately the same with the question of which lamps can be used in factory-made headlights. Only those lamps that are provided by the manufacturer can be installed in original headlights. This applies specifically to the design of the lamps, but not to their characteristics. That is, if the headlight is designed for halogen lamps, you cannot install xenon, since in this case you will not be able to pass the technical inspection and you may even get a fine.

What headlights can be installed in? Only those that have special optics - it is capable of correctly collecting the light emitted by xenon and forming clear cut-off boundaries.

Today on the market there are many non-original headlights in which xenon or LED lamps work normally, that is, the flow of emitted light does not go beyond the boundaries indicated by traffic regulations. Such headlights will properly illuminate the roadway and will not interfere with other road users.

What headlights can you drive with?

Another fairly common question: what light bulbs can be installed in headlights? We answer: Traffic regulations allow the installation of white, yellow and orange lamps in front, and red, yellow and orange lamps in the rear (for illuminating the state sign - only white). Also remember that the optics must scatter the light emitted by the lamp in such a way that the cut-off boundaries it forms comply with the traffic rules.

As for color, for example, it passes well through fog and rain and works better in dusty conditions, but at the same time illuminates the road less brightly in good weather conditions. neutral and does not distort the natural colors of the surrounding world.

TOP 5 best bulbs for car headlights with prices and reviews of the article. Scroll!

From the fact what kind of bulbs are in the headlights?, the detail and quality of the road view in the dark directly depends. Accidents often occur due to poor visibility, so what bulbs to put in the headlights- the question is very important.

Car headlight bulbs are divided into three groups:

• Xenon.
• Halogen.
• LED.

Be sure to take this into account if you wantbuy a light bulb for the headlight.

Important! Be sure to pay attention to base type- it is marked N. H1 used primarily for high beam headlamps, H4- for cars that have combined high and low beam systems.

Halogen light bulbs consist of a bulb and a filament. There is halogen gas inside the flask. They provide even light and good visibility. However this is not best headlight bulbs, since they have a high operating temperature, this shortens the service life of the product. Filaments are also afraid of vibration - they quickly fail.

Xenon lamps. Their design does not include a filament, so they are not afraid of vibration. There are two electrodes located in the xenon medium: due to the electric arc formed, the glow occurs. They have a light blue light that provides excellent visibility. Such lamps do not blind oncoming drivers. The downside is the high cost. Besides, replacing headlight bulbs more labor intensive.

LED bulbs for cars. The most popular among car enthusiasts: they provide an even, non-dazzle light, are resistant to vibration, and have a low operating temperature, so they are also suitable for plastic headlights. LED bulbs in headlights They also have a drawback: you will have to install lenses to adjust the light beam. Diodes do not produce point light.

What else you need to pay attention to:

• Life time(manufacturers indicate the number of hours on the packaging).
• Lighting color. Xenon or diode bulbs for headlights are preferable.
• Brightness and stability of lighting.
• Price category. As a rule, the cheapest light bulbs quickly become unusable, so focus on the middle price segment.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY THE BEST CAR HEADLIGHT BULB CHEAP?

Bright angel eyes in the XSTORM car (2 pcs, LEDs)

Price from 512,5 rub. (check price and discount)

Customer reviews:

Review #1: Arrived in 2 weeks. Bright. Thank you, I recommend!!! Installed on fog lights with dimensions. Looks like fire!!! In general, good.

Review #2: Just got around to it, installed it, connected it to the generator, and the total plus is in series and separately for each ring. They turn on automatically after starting the engine, i.e. work exclusively from "genes". I recommend.

Review #3: The eyes are excellent, they shine very brightly, they arrived very quickly, in 10 days, but I was slightly wrong with the size, I ordered a size larger. They look awesome in the evening.

Bulbs for car fog lights XSTORM (2 pcs. H8 H11)

Price from 695,64 rub. (check price and discount)

Seller's reliability: excellent!

Delivery within Russia: free!

Customer reviews:

Review #1: The bulbs arrived, they look solid, they are sealed well. The seller also included as a gift for the dimensions. I haven’t installed it yet, I’m waiting for it to warm up

Review #2: Good quality not cheap, arrived very quickly in my country within 15 days. Thanks to the seller for the gift.

Review #3: Excellent lamps for fog lights, they arrived in the Kemerovo region in 11 days, and running lights during the day are generally normal. I often drive short distances during the day, so the battery discharges during starts and does not have time to catch up with conventional 55-watt lamps, together with 110 watts. And now with these 6 watts each it turns out to be 12 watts, the generator is 10 times less strained and the battery has time to recover from starts. I highly recommend the product and the seller!

Daytime running lights for cars HVIERO (9 colors, 6-20 diodes)

Price from 173,2 rub. (check price and discount)

Seller's reliability: excellent!

Delivery within Russia: free!

Customer reviews:

Review #1: Ordered on July 23, the seller sent quickly the next day, received on August 14. At first glance, everything is intact and working. I tested it, everything was fine.

Review #2: Delivery on time. No damage was found. They shine the same. Installation is simple. The quality is not bad. Plastic fastening. The wires are thin, I had to solder them to others. I recommend.

Review #3: Well, let's start with the fact that the light bulbs arrived in 10 days, everything was packed in a postal bag + the light bulbs themselves were in the original box. The seller also gave 2 light bulbs for a w5w socket as a gift, they were too big for me. I am very pleased with the quality of the lamps themselves; they shine quite brightly. There are no complaints about operation in the dark, I ordered the H8 - everything worked great, the rubber seals are better than the original ones. The seller sent quickly, answered questions.

Headlight bulbs for low and high beam Hlxg (2 pcs, HB3 HB4)

Price from 808,03 rub. (check price and discount)

Seller's reliability: excellent!

Delivery within Russia: free!

According to traffic regulations, the car's lights must be turned on during the entire daylight hours. It is assumed that the use of lighting will prevent accidents that occur due to poor visibility: fog, smog. In addition, daytime running lights warn road users in advance of an approaching vehicle.

The main technical characteristic is that the range of the light flux should not exceed 40 meters. Which lamps to choose to provide optimal lighting, comply with regulations and not spend extra money on the purchase? Brief overview of popular models.

Lamps can be classified according to technical characteristics:

• base device;
• what type of headlights are installed on;
• functional purpose (light characteristics, power);
• design features of the light source;
• principle of operation.

There are many halogen models on the market with two or one filament. The lamp base is the main element of the headlight marking that is installed in the car. Classification according to the accepted marking of the base:

1. H1 is a certified model, applicable to many types of car headlights with four-block lighting. Used for high/low optics and fog lights. It features strict tolerance parameters for the spiral to the flange.
2. H2 - practically not used today, intended for high and low beam headlights, PTF.
3. H3 - the model was developed only for fog lights.
4. H4 – halogen with two spirals, provides high and low beam lighting, traditionally used for cars of European configuration and assembly, installed in two-headlight systems.
5. H7 is the most common type of low and high beam headlight lamps, the equipment has replaced the H1 model, and is installed in four-headlight systems.
6. Two-pin bulbs for turn signals and parking lights.

European markings differ from GOST of the Russian Federation; the logo and model number include the letter designations:

• manufacturer;
• base type;
• voltage;
• power;
• country of approval;
• approval number;
• lamp type (halogen, xenon, led).

The most popular and widespread examples for low beam remain consumables with base H4 and H7. Each headlight must comply with the rules adopted in the Russian Federation for the installation and safety of optical elements of a car.

Standard halogen

The most common are models in the base H4 and H7. The optics have sufficient luminous power and an optimal service life of 2,000 hours. Standard halogen lamps cost from 250 rubles. per piece

If the manufacturer has installed halogen H4 in the car, you can only replace the standard optics with similar ones; LEDs on such models are installed only for turns.

A conventional halogen lamp produces a luminous flux of warm yellow, yellow-white light up to 40 meters long. Color temperature should not exceed 3,500 K, brightness 1,500 L.

Halogen lamps in the H7 base have a standard power of 55 W and a brightness of 1000 L. Popular models:

1. Philips Vision. The brand logo speaks for itself. The headlight provides a powerful directional beam up to 55 m long and lasts 30% longer - 2,350 hours.
2. MTF Light Standard H7. A quartz glass bulb is used, absorbs up to 90% of UV radiation, is resistant to vibrations, and has a long service life.
3. Osram "Original Line". Manufacturers recommend installing lamps from Osram as a replacement for almost all foreign cars with four-block headlights. The range of standard halogen lamps provides the driver with smooth, white light of increased brightness.

With enhanced luminous flux

With improved brightness, they are produced by all companies that specialize in the production of automotive optics. Brightness is increased through the use of new technologies:

• increase in pressure in the flask;
• use of refractory filaments;
• installation of a flask with compacted walls.

A halogen lamp with increased light output is used as a variation of the standard lamp for low beams. The most popular models in the H7 base:

1. Philips H7 Racing Vision. It has a brightness increased by 1.5 times due to the high pressure of the inert gas in the flask and the reinstallation of the filament. The low beam headlight illuminates the road at a distance of up to 60 meters; before installation, it is recommended to correct the optics to reduce the beam range.
2. MTF Light Argentum. The lamp remains the most inexpensive in the segment, starting from 200 rubles, and has increased brightness by 80%. Does not require additional adjustment to reduce beam length. The optics produce a soft, warm yellow light, with good roadside illumination.
3. Osram Night Breaker Laser. For close-in lighting, the brand offers a lamp with increased brightness characteristics and a longer range - up to 65 meters. The model produces white light through the use of xenon.

With extended service life

A lamp with a long life will allow the driver not to spend money on annual replacement of optics. A long service life is possible if the manufacturer has modernized the production of the filament and uses refractory materials. The most popular in the line are:

1. Philips "Long Light" LongLife EcoVision. The service life is increased 4 times and is at least 10,000 hours. The compacted walls of the quartz flask are resistant to vibrations and temperature changes.
2. Osram Ultra Life. For low beam headlights, the model is the most promising. The lamp is designed for continuous use over a long period of time. The average working life is 3.5 years or 100,000 km, they have a stylish design and are installed in transparent blocks.

With xenon effect

With xenon effect it provides even low-level illumination of the road and produces a white spectrum. During production, the bulb is coated with a blue or cyan material, which removes the yellowness of a standard length beam up to 50 m. The most popular models:

1. Philips WhiteVision. The bulb's nanocoating technology is used, which produces high-contrast light. When illuminating the road, a clear contour of the light spot with an unblurred edge is provided. The lamps work well during fog and do not require additional adjustments. Sold in pairs, it is recommended to replace both low beam headlights at the same time.
2. The halogen optics of the Osram Cool Blue Intense line produce white light identical to xenon, as close as possible to daylight. The color temperature is 4200 K, which is considered a high parameter for daylight optics; the lamp is often installed as a high beam. The advantages of the model are that there is no blinding of oncoming drivers. Among the shortcomings, owners note the service life is lower than stated.
3. IPF Xenon White. Halogen optics with a xenon head start effect from a Japanese manufacturer are suitable for installation on low and high beam. It has 2 times improved brightness indicators at a standard power of 55 V. It remains the best example in terms of service life.

Xenon

Xenon or gas-discharge lamps provide bright illumination of the night road and roadsides due to the glow of xenon after the passage of an arc discharge in the bulb. The main disadvantage of headlights is the blinding of oncoming drivers and the prohibition on the conversion of standard halogen optics by traffic regulations.

Xenon lamps in headlights have a minimum operating life of 2800 hours. Model D2S (R) produces brightness from 1500 l, having light as close as possible to daylight. They are practically not used in DRLs; for daytime running lights it is better to install the usual halogens in the headlights. Xenon advantages:

• good road illumination;
• service life of at least 3 years;
• does not heat up the headlight unit.

The disadvantages of xenon low beams include the need to re-equip the optics circuit and install an ignition unit and a control unit, and high cost. Plus, it is necessary to systematically adjust the headlight unit.

The best manufacturers

Drivers determine low beams based on several criteria. The popularity rating does not include the brightest ones, since driving within the city with such lights is prohibited, and high beams must be used on the highway.

Koito

The Japanese company Koito, with a century of production experience, produces halogen and LED lamps in ten lines. The peculiarity of the models is high build quality and the use of new technologies. The optics provide good illumination of the strip without a blurred left edge. The length of the light beam in the low beams is up to 50 meters. The lamps provide light yellow and white light and do not blind oncoming drivers.

Osram

From Osram it is mounted on most European cars as standard optics. The brand has established itself as a reliable and high-quality supplier since 1906. The company produces all types of auto lighting from halogen lamps to point electronic laser units.

Each copy is checked for compliance and marked on the base. In production, quartz glass and refractory metals are used for the filament. The optics have the best price-quality ratios.

Philips

From Philips they provide comfortable road lighting at any time. Options for low beams can be used in PTFs and do not exceed European brightness standards for automotive optics.

Models are made from original components and environmentally friendly materials without the use of lead and mercury. One of the few brands whose products are rarely tampered with.

Bosch

The Bosch company remains a leader in the production of automotive optics. In addition to lamps for headlights, the brand produces ECUs, optical systems, flashlights and spotlights for additional lighting. The products are certified and installed on many cars as standard.

What lamps are allowed and prohibited to be installed?

The operating rules allow the installation of optics on a vehicle only of the class and type specified in the registration certificate. If the standard ones are installed as standard, then tuning is often found for headlights - conversion to more powerful and brighter lights.

If the car factory specifies the use of only halogen lamps, you cannot install xenon or LEDs. Many motorists ignore this rule, since it is virtually impossible to check which lamp is in the headlight unit if the lighting meets the standard of beam range and brightness.

Xenon lamps can be installed by law on car modifications where such elements are prescribed by the manufacturer or if the presence of xenon is allowed in the improved configuration of the basic version of the model.

Spotlights and additional light are installed only as auxiliary lighting if it is necessary to drive off-road, outside the populated area.

Every driver has the right to re-equip the car’s optics to improve the quality of lighting. The market offers a range of lamps of all lines that comply with the standard and are suitable for a specific modification.