Lets talk about your headlights. As long as they light up the road so you can see, you may not pay them much attention. Believe it or not, there is a lot more to headlights than just turning them on and off! If you’re looking into brightening up your ride, here are some helpful tips on what lights may be the best for you and your vehicle!
Incandescent
Patented by Thomas Edison, these lights generally use a glass bulb with an electric filament that is superheated until it glows. Most people are familiar with incandescent lighting because it has been around for over 150 years. These bulbs require a lot of power to run. The stress and heat on the electric filament usually causes them to have a shorter life than more modern lights. The light is also not directional, therefore, it shines in all directions.
HID
HID stands for High-Intensity Discharge. A glass bulb is filled with gas and is ignited to produce light. Similar to incandescent, these bulbs produce light that is omnidirectional. They have the ability to throw light much farther out than incandescent lights. This makes HID’s a great choice for headlights, but they do take a bit longer to reach their full power because they have to warm up. The longevity of this bulb is also not the greatest when compared to more modern lights.
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LED’s
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. This has only been around for about 50 years and is the newest type of automotive lighting technology. LED’s are the most difficult to explain, but they are basically a compound junction with a semiconductor on the diode that is used to create a glow. The light created is sent out in a 180-degree arc, which is beneficial if the use is targeted as it is in headlights. This type of light was more costly until recently. LED lights have a much longer life than both incandescent lights and HID’S. They also put off the lowest heat production and they consume the least amount of energy. It is pretty clear that LED’S possess most benefits out of the three types available on the market today.
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