Headlights come in all different brightness and types. There’s standard, LED headlights, Halo, HID, and laser headlights. At LED One, we are always looking for ways to educate consumers about the types of bulbs on the market. Here are a few things you need to know regarding this type of light.
1. Standard Headlights
These headlights have been around since the beginning of the automobile journey. They are a forward-facing light bulb housed in a reflective container. These started out like incandescent bulbs, similar to the ones you used to have in your house. Now, they are made from halogen as they are more reliable as the incandescent lights tended to burn out quickly.
2. Halo
These lights aren’t popular for everyday driving vehicles but are found more in the world of sporty cars. They give a more stylish appearance. They make a soft light that isn’t good for seeing objects at night, as their name suggests, they produce a halo of light.
3. HID
These are very helpful at night as they give the furthest reach of light for the driver. However, they make seeing everyone else on the road harder. These are the bright white, almost blue, the light produced by xenon gas.
4. Laser
Similar to HID lights, this uses excited gas to produce light. The laser lights do not come from the headlight casing, but in fact, it is the laser that excites the gas particles.
The laser is more versatile, allowing for varying shapes of the lights much easier. They also need a significantly lower amount of electricity to emit light. This means for less energy you get a brighter light.
5. LED Headlights
These are the most energy-efficient bulbs. LED headlights can be in rope form so they are able to create not just a single bulb look, but a string of lights. They run much cooler than their counterparts and last anywhere from 5 to 10 years.
Your vehicle most likely came with standard bulbs, although some newer models are now coming with LED lights standard. The switch to LED is an expensive one, however, the long term cost and experience are definitely worth the price.
There are two types of beams that you can choose from, single and dual. Single beams have two bulbs per one headlight container. Dual beams have one bulb per headlight container. These are easier as they are interchangeable.
How to Install a Conversion Kit
There are a few simple steps to putting in an LED conversion kit. They may be simple but not always easy. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle accessing the headlight housing container might be difficult.
- Figure out which bulb you need, you can usually do this at a local parts store or online
- Get out your headlight housing container ***Make sure to take pictures throughout so you can put everything back correctly***
- Remove Halogen bulbs
- Install the new LED bulbs making sure to not touch the LED with your bare fingers
- Secure bulb by turning it clockwise
- You need to connect the LED ballast
- Test the high and low beams to ensure you’re not blinding other drivers
- Secure the ballasts with zip ties or electrical tape
- Take it for a test drive and enjoy your new view!
Order New Bulbs Today
Check out our store for a large selection of bulbs that we sell. You’ll find a great selection of commercial and residential LED lights. We’re happy to answer any of your questions, so be sure to contact us if you need assistance.