Whether you are a simple person or a flirtatious person; whether you want to change a light bulb for safety reasons or purely for appearance, etc., do you seem to have no idea where to start? What type of light bulb is suitable for my car? What rules should I follow if I want to upgrade? How to understand those messy parameters? Today, we will take you to find out!
A must-read history of car lights in one minute
The car lamp did not appear until two years after the invention of the automobile, and this was a handmade kerosene lamp. It is said that in 1887, when a driver got lost in the dark wilderness, a civilian family used a handheld light to guide him home. This is also known as the earliest lighting tool on the car.
Starting in 1905, acetylene lamps were widely used in automobile lighting because of their high brightness, stable combustion, and low price. It was not until 1925 that they were replaced by high-quality incandescent lamps and halogen lamps.
In 1960, the upgraded version of halogen lamps of incandescent lamps officially appeared. Because of the addition of halogen elements, the brightness of incandescent lamps can be increased by 1.5 times, and the service life is also 2-3 times that of ordinary incandescent lamps.
In the 1990s, the advent of xenon lamps basically laid the technical foundation for modern car headlights. Because of their long life and high brightness, xenon lamps have become one of the most popular and reliable types of car headlights today.
As the benchmark of car lighting technology in the 21st century, LED and laser technology car lights not only have superior performance but are also energy-saving and environmentally friendly. However, due to cost and regulations, they have not yet been widely used.
How to check the car light model
Most people feel that the models of car lights are ever-changing, and it seems impossible to understand and distinguish the differences. Today I have summarized seven common models and parameters of car lights, and mastered these seven car light models to ensure that you will not be confused when changing lights!
Before purchasing or replacing a light bulb, it is best to check the model and related parameters of the original light bulb.
The common bulb models are the following seven: H1, H3, H4, H7, H11, HB3, and HB4. Common car bulb base shapes include round, oval and rectangular. Depending on the model, the rectangular base is mostly a 1-leg lamp holder, while the round base is available with 2-legs or 3-legs. Please look carefully when purchasing and replacing. It doesn’t matter if one foot is missing or one foot is added! Isn’t it a bit confusing? Let’s look at the pictures and let’s talk!
Three common models: H1, H4, H7
H1 is a monofilament single-legged bulb, mostly used for high beam; H4 is a double-filament three-pin bulb, usually a far and near unit; H7 is single-filament double-legged, mostly used for low beam.
H1 and H7 bulbs can be adapted to most European and American models, including BMW, Jeep, and Mercedes-Benz. However, H4 has better adaptability and can basically be used in all models. It can even be used in very unique ( qi) Special (pa) Japanese and Korean car bodies.
Uncommon model: H3
The H3 model should be said to be a special model. It is generally used on Japanese cars and is rarely used on other cars. Of course, some H3 Japanese cars can generally consider using H4 bulbs.
Common models in Europe and America: H11 HB3 HB4
H11, HB3 (9005), and HB4 (9006) are representatives of the black bakelite socket base at the rear. Most of them are European and American model specifications and are generally used as low beam lights.
It should be said that the above seven types of bulbs can basically meet the selection needs of most car owners on the market. As for whether to choose halogen lamps or xenon lamps, it is a matter of opinion, but the price of xenon lamps is relatively higher.
How to avoid pitfalls when changing lights
Let’s take a look at what exactly is color temperature? Is it true that the higher the color temperature value, the brighter the light? The brighter the light, the better?
- Color temperature really needs to be clarified
In fact, to put it simply, you can understand color temperature as a macro-environment. For example, if you pick up a picture, the overall light distribution is full and gentle, or monotonous and cool. You can understand it literally. Simply understood as an overall impression on people, including warmth, coolness or coldness. It can be understood that the higher the color temperature, the cooler and whiter the light. Let's feel the "color temperature" under different color temperatures based on the pictures
- Are the whiter the car lights, the better?
Some people will modify xenon headlights with a color temperature of 6000K, 8000K or even 10000K, thinking that the higher the color temperature, the brighter they will be. In fact, the higher the color temperature, the whiter the light and the more dazzling it is. Although some xenon headlights can significantly increase the "brightness" of the light, an excessively high color temperature will sharply reduce the penetrating power of the car lights in rain, snow, fog and other weather conditions, and the light may also feel "dazzling" during driving. ", bringing hidden dangers to driving safety. On the contrary, the warm yellow light with medium color temperature is more penetrating and safer.
Therefore, if the color temperature is too high, the light will be too dazzling. For vehicle safety, this is a hidden danger that cannot be ignored. This pit cannot be avoided!
Summarize
Many people say that car lights are the eyes of the car. In fact, I think that the car lights are the eyes of people, and the driver is the eyes of the car. In order to keep these "eyes" open, in addition to regularly replacing car lights with the correct model and appropriate parameters, we must also improve our own safety awareness in using car lights.
