What shines better, xenon or LEDs. Which lamps are better to put in headlights: choice, description, characteristics

Good illumination of the road, which is provided by halogen headlights in dark time days is the main guarantee of traffic safety. The quality of lighting depends on what headlights you use for the car. Today we will tell you how halogen headlights are arranged, what are their pros, cons, and also how they differ from xenon ones.

1

Its device is simple. In general, it is an ordinary incandescent lamp. This is a tungsten filament stretched between two electrodes and enclosed in a glass bulb. However, there is one major difference. Instead of a vacuum, a mixture of gases (vapours of iodine, bromine, fluorine, chromium) is pumped into a halogen lamp and a heat-resistant glass flask is used.

The device of halogen lamps

During operation, tungsten evaporates from the filament, which leads to its thinning, and the tungsten fumes settle on the flask, causing it to turn black. To positively influence this process, gas is used in the lamp. It prevents the tungsten atoms from settling on the glass and, circulating inside the flask, returns them back to the filament. Thereby prolonging the life of the lamp and protecting it from blackening. Also, due to the gas, the light output increases.

2

The advantages of these lamps include:

1. They are more expensive than conventional lamps, but much cheaper than xenon and LED.
2. The service life is about 1000 hours.
3. Wide choice for all headlights and weather conditions.

Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages, namely:

1. The most significant is energy consumption, since during operation the lion's share of all energy consumed is converted into heat (from 300 degrees).
2. They must not be touched by hand. When replacing, use rubber gloves or, in extreme cases, a napkin. Greasy prints left on the flask can subsequently lead to its blackening or even malfunction.

Application of these headlights

To improve light output, halogen lamps are coated with a special coating that reflects infrared rays. This coating captures infrared radiation, reflecting it back to the filament, causing the temperature in the lamp to rise.

For better lighting, in bad weather conditions use the so-called all-weather halogen lamps. They possess increased efficiency in high humidity (rain, snowfall, fog). This is achieved with the help of light diffraction (curvature of the trajectory of light rays to bypass small obstacles). At high humidity, the rays have to hide from a kind of obstacle in the form of moisture.

Even for better color reproduction and scattering of light rays, special halogen lenses are used. They look much prettier and don't dazzle oncoming cars as much. True, when using them, a slight dimming of the light is noticed.

3

The difference between halogen headlights and xenon headlights is quite significant. TO hallmarks relate:

• different design;
• installation and start-up methods;
• lighting quality;
• price.

Comparison with xenon headlights

Xenon headlights have better color reproduction and a deep tint that is pleasing to the eye. However, the price for such pleasure is correspondingly high. Therefore, when a car owner needs to choose between two evils, one should rely on the expected effect, price and class of the car.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, taking into account all the shortcomings and differences, you should not write off halogen headlights from accounts.

Although they are inferior in characteristics to xenon or other more expensive options, but still are economical and quite quality replacement conventional incandescent lamps.

And when right approach to the choice of optics, you can achieve good results for moderate money. This light will good decision, if it makes no sense to invest a lot in a car, but often have to drive at night.

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Halogen headlights are automotive optics in which, for the formation luminous flux lamps filled with a special gas mixture are used. Most often, the bulb bulb is filled with a buffer inert gas with vapors of one of the halogens chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine. To create a glow, inside glass flask a filament is placed, which ensures the temperature of the spiral within 3000 K.

Benefits of gas-filled lenses

• light output efficiency 15-22 lm/W;
• service life 2000-4000 hours;
• high light intensity;
• smaller dimensions compared to conventional lamps of the same power;
• uniform illumination provides more high reliability recognition of the surrounding space;
• resistance to voltage surges.

Today, most car models are equipped with optics based on halogen lamps and parabolic reflectors. The special glass used to make the bulb bulb ensures long term service and high luminous flux.

The first gas-filled lamps were produced with a single filament. They were used in headlights or additional light. In 1970, Philips introduced a light bulb with two filaments for dipped and high beam. If early models halogen headlights distributed light with special diffusers, then modern devices equipped with lenses or reflectors, however, like everything else that today you can choose and buy inexpensively.

They provide minimal blinding to drivers with a sufficiently large lighting distance. The dipped beam of modern halogen headlights is asymmetrical, which creates good conditions to illuminate the right (left) side of the road and part of the roadside.

Types of halogen lamps

Gas-filled light bulbs are divided into several types:

Standard Halogen bulbs are usually installed in the headlights at the factory. The power of devices for high beam is 60 watts, and for low beam - 55 watts.

Halogen bulbs with enhanced luminous flux differ from standard devices by higher brightness within 30%. A brighter glow is created by overheating the spiral. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in the resource, so such light bulbs burn out much more often than conventional lamps.

All-weather halogen bulbs Designed for use in inclement weather. The glow of the all-weather headlights is distinguished by a yellow tint, which ensures good illumination in fog and slush.

Halogen lamps increased power characterized by a longer and thicker helix. They consume more energy and heat up more. The installation of such bulbs in standard optics is not recommended due to the fact that the headlights high temperature may be deformed. The wiring may also burn out. Due to the distinctive geometric parameters spirals, headlight adjustment with high-power halogen bulbs has its own characteristics. Therefore, it is better to entrust this event to specialists.

• Pseudo-xenon halogen bulbs create a brighter bluish glow compared to standard lamps due to the coating of the bulb with special bluish dyes. The power consumption of such devices is higher. In good dry weather, the efficiency of such lamps is quite good. However, during bad weather, the illumination is significantly reduced. Also, if moisture gets in, the lamp may burst due to high heat. The installation of pseudo-xenon lamps significantly knocks down the luminous flux, therefore correct adjustment headlights is almost impossible.

Installation of halogen lenses

In cases where the head standard optics does not provide high-quality illumination of the road, it is recommended to install additional halogen light sources. To do this, you will need headlights, a block and fuses, wires, a power button, a power relay, heat shrink tubing, electrical tape, clamp pads, as well as a set of screwdrivers and keys.

First you need to decide on the choice of additional headlights. The best option there may be standard devices for which there are mounts in the bumper of your model. If this is not provided by the manufacturer, you can buy any halogen headlights, if you have the appropriate certificates. It is better to buy optics complete with wiring and fuses. For standard low beam lamps, a power of 55 W is enough for 10 A fuses and 25-30 A relays.

Remember, the best way is to connect halogen headlights through the low beam relay contact or to the ignition switch. In this case, when the ignition is turned off additional headlights will turn off automatically.

Thus, it is possible to avoid discharging the battery, if for some reason - or for some reason, you suddenly forgot to turn off the headlights forcibly. It is imperative to connect additional headlights through a relay with fuses.

All work on installing additional optics should be done by first disconnecting one of the battery terminals. All wires and connectors must be carefully insulated, and the relays and contact buttons must be placed in heat shrink tubes.

Installation of halogen headlights is carried out at regular points on the bumper, if any. If such places are not provided, then the optics should be mounted in accordance with the requirements technical regulation. After installing the headlights, we mount the wiring. One of the headlight wires must be connected to ground in any convenient location, screwed to the body. The other two wires are placed in a corrugated plastic tube and attached to the car's standard wiring with plastic clamps. Then the wires are brought into the cabin. Try to arrange the wiring in the area where the relay and fuse box are located.

Wiring diagram for halogen headlights

After the wiring is completed, halogen headlights are connected. In the fuse box, as a rule, there should be free places for relays and fuses. If there are no free slots, then the relay with fuses should be mounted in a separate block, which should then be fixed close to the fuse box.

The wiring diagram for halogen headlights is as follows. The wires are connected through separate fuses to the relay (connector No. 86). Output #85 is connected to the battery positive. This can be done in three different ways:

• ignition lock contact;
• hotel wire from the battery;
• low beam relay output No. 85.

Relay output No. 87 is connected to ground in any convenient place.

After that, we mount the power button. If your car has special places for buttons, then we remove one of the plugs and install the key. For convenient connection of wires, you must first remove the decorative overlay of the dashboard.

Typically, standard power buttons are equipped with indicator lights. In this case, the indication connection leads are connected in parallel with the wiring of other keys. Similarly, we connect the positive contact in parallel. The second control wire of the button is connected to the output of the headlight relay No. 30.

We check the correct connection of additional headlights.

If, when the ignition is turned on and the button for turning on the halogen headlights is pressed, a click is heard (the relay is turned on) and additional optics are lit, you can proceed to complete the installation work.

The main advantage of LED headlights over halogen ones is not at all that they save electricity: the benefit is cheap. The main plus is that the spectrum of such lamps is closer to daylight, which is why we see the objects illuminated by them in natural colors. The driver's eyes are less strained, fatigue comes later, and this has a positive effect on safety. And since there can be not one, not two, but several dozen light sources, it appears more possibilities to form a light beam of the optimal shape: we illuminate everything that is needed without blinding the oncoming ones.

But this is in theory, which so far only works in cases with . For example, smart matrix LED headlights they know how to dim part of the light flux so as not to dazzle other drivers, and are able to peel high beam up to half a kilometer.

Budget lighting technology is much simpler, its capabilities are much more modest, so the technical characteristics of inexpensive LED headlights, to put it mildly, are far from ideal. Repeatedly, cars with budget LED headlights fell into our hands (for example, Nissan Tiida and X-Trail, Mazda 6, Lexus LX, Toyota Land Cruiser 200), and they always lost to the same cars, but equipped with traditional halogens. There are a lot of show-offs, but a little sense.

But gradually LED lighting technology is being improved. And just about it will be able to compete in terms of lighting characteristics with halogens, even on inexpensive cars.

Captur and Captur

First compact crossover with LED lighting. In the top version, it is equipped with LED head optics with Pure Vision technology and dynamic direction indicators. The same Kaptur with conventional halogen headlights will cost 60 thousand rubles cheaper.

We take two Captures - one with halogens, the other with a cold LED "look" - and run them according to our "light" method.

Cars in turn take their starting position in front of the area marked with cones. The distance between the cones in length and width is 10 meters. A kind of chessboard. In the low beam and high beam mode, we measure the illumination at each “landmark” with a luxmeter and get light distribution diagrams that clearly show which headlights shine better.

Shine everywhere

I am on a Capture with halogens - and I can’t put these headlights for work above a four with a minus. Instrumental measurements of illumination confirmed my assessment. With the low beam turned on, the light meter showed zero at 80 meters - far from an outstanding result. In high beam mode, the last value other than zero is fixed at 170 meters.

And with the "LED" Capture, you seem to see clearly! The difference in the results of measurements is one and a half times. At 120 meters, the light meter still recorded low illumination (0.6 lux) in low beam mode. Moreover, the light beam turned out to be not only longer, but also wider, which again plays into the hands of the driver. In the high beam mode, the advantage is more modest, but it is there: the device caught the last rays at a distance of 200 meters.

We then ran both cars on our standard road test route. common use. Driving with LED headlights is easier and safer. They hit further than halogens, and their border of light is more blurred: there is no “closed curtain” effect - a clear separation into light and dark. In addition, in the white spectrum, it is easier for the eyes to perceive the environment.

And the repair? "Catch" a stone - give it back for new headlight 35–40 thousand rubles (prices official dealers). For the money you can buy five halogen headlights.

Something is possible. Halogens periodically burn out, and the resource of the LED block that forms the low beam beam is about 4000 hours - enough for ten years. During this time, you will pay for halogens and their replacement (many entrust this operation to servicemen) from 5,000 to 7,000 rubles.

Take or not?

In the case of the Captain, yes. His led light better than halogens in every way. As a consequence, more safe driving in the dark. Kaptur proved that the above theory is now valid for inexpensive cars.

Finally, a hint to marketers: it would be more correct to offer such headlights as an option, and not to make an “exclusive” package for them.

Today, motorists are offered a wide range of different lighting sources to improve the light characteristics of the car as a whole. However, due to huge selection it is sometimes difficult for our compatriots to decide what type lighting fixtures better to use. What better xenon or halogen? You will find the answer to this question below.

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Incandescent lamp comparisons

To make a choice in the direction of good and more efficient light bulbs, you need to understand how automotive halogen lamps differ from xenon ones. To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the basic information about these light sources.

Xenon

Xenon lamps are based on a special gas that ignites as a result of the operation of a module installed inside the product structure. The main technical characteristic of discharge lamps is the color temperature, since each type of temperature has its own color. For example, the higher the temperature, the more the light will have a blue tint, and the brightness will decrease accordingly. At low temperatures, the light bulb will emit yellow, but the glow itself will be brighter.

Consider the main advantages of gas-discharge lighting sources compared to halogens:

1. Minimal heating of the optics lenses. The headlight glass does not heat up so much, which means that dust and dirt from the optics is removed much easier.
2. Improvement appearance vehicle. Many motorists use xenon as a tuning element.
3. Gas-discharge sources consume much less energy - at least 40%.
4. A brighter glow, which allows for more comfortable visibility.
5. Also, xenon has a warmer emission spectrum of the lighting flux. With this feature, the visibility pavement in the dark and when driving in bad weather it will be more improved (the author of the video is the Eric Davidich smotra channel).

As for the disadvantages, they are as follows:

1. Unlike halogen, the cost of xenon is higher.
2. If the halogen fails, then one light bulb can be replaced, but if such a problem occurs with xenon, then both light sources will have to be changed. This is due to the fact that gas-discharge bulbs change their glow temperature during operation, so the difference in color between a new and an old lamp can be significant.
3. Unlike halogens, the installation of gas-discharge sources implies additional installation ignition block.
4. When activating the optics, the driver may notice a slight delay. If you put xenon in fog lights or in the near and, then we must take into account that it will take a certain time to ignite the gas.
5. The probability of blinding drivers of oncoming cars. Such problems are usually associated either with making mistakes when installing lenses. or using low-quality and cheap xenon. If you want to do tuning and surprise other motorists, then put high-quality xenon - cheap lamps will only cause inconvenience to other road users.

Halogen

Halogen lamps are one of the most common and simple light sources. Such a product is a flask, gas is also filled into a halogen bulb, and its device is protected by special glass. The power of such sources can reach 130 watts.

Main advantages:

• affordable cost;
• ease of installation - got it and replaced it (the author of the video is the Car Program channel).

Of the minuses of halogens, it is worth highlighting:

1. Instability to vibrations, since the device of the product has a filament, as well as a tungsten spiral. Because of this, the life of halogen lamps may be reduced.
2. During the operation of these light sources, the glass of the optics heats up, and this, in turn, negatively affects the illumination of the road surface, since the dust and dirt that has settled on the lamp quickly solidifies.
3. Compared to xenon, the brightness of halogens will be lower.
4. It should also highlight more low term services. If gas-discharge lighting sources allow you to work out about 3 thousand hours, then halogen lamps usually last no more than 400 hours.

And although halogens cannot boast the same technical specifications, currently - this is the most popular type of lighting sources among our compatriots.

Photo gallery "Lamps for cars"

What bulbs to choose for the car?

So what kind of light sources to use - xenon or halogen? Judging by the main characteristics, xenon bulbs are more efficient than halogen bulbs. But there are many nuances here, for example, our compatriots often use halogens because of their affordable price and ease of replacement and installation. Moreover, today you can find halogen lamps, the color of which will be more white. And if one product fails, it can be replaced without problems without touching the lamp in the second headlight.

If you want to install high-quality xenon, then in any case you will have to spend money. You can buy it in any store or on the Web, but the use of such light bulbs is impractical. Not only will you not be able to appreciate the quality of the glow of real xenon, but you will also cause inconvenience to other motorists. And this, in turn, can develop into a conflict.

In general, if you decide to put auto gas discharge bulbs on yours, then of course, this is a more acceptable option if the budget allows, but you need to put only high-quality products. Before buying, analyze all the advantages and disadvantages of both types of lamps - this will allow you to make the right choice.

Issue price

The cost of a set of halogens today is from 300 to 2 thousand rubles. Concerning xenon bulbs, then one lamp will cost from 800 to 4 thousand rubles on average. And about 1-3 thousand rubles more will have to be spent on the purchase of an ignition unit.

Now many motorists are beginning to wonder - which is better xenon or LEDs? Progress has also reached the lighting fixtures of the car. It becomes clear that the technology of halogen lamps is becoming obsolete and more and more more manufacturers switch to new car lighting systems. Xenon no longer surprises anyone, but recently LED car headlights have begun to develop very strongly. Almost every car manufacturer implements LED backlight or basic LED lighting. So what to choose from the technologies of the future? I'm intrigued, read on...

I would like to note right away that the technologies are very different, the principles of their work differ, which is said radically, there is no common denominator here, no common parts! But there is a very bright, bright glow, from 3000 Lm (Lumen) and above. At the beginning of our article, we will start talking about xenon, yet it was the first to be installed in wide application into the headlights.

XENON

The operation of these lamps is based on the principle of "ignition" of an electric arc in a special gas. Usually such a gas is a monatomic, colorless and odorless inert gas - XENON. It is used very often and the arc in it is very bright.

The lamp is a closed flask, into which only one of our gases is pumped, and two electrodes are also installed there, between which an electric arc occurs. To ignite it, you need a very large voltage, 25,000 volts, and this is what the “ignition unit” is used for.

The glow of this "arc" in the gas is very bright; at least they exceed the glow of the halogen by 2, and sometimes 3-4 times! For example, an ordinary halogen burns with a luminous flux of 1500 Lm, but xenon can “squeeze out” up to 6000 Lm. The difference is in the face.

Pros of xenon

1) This is a very bright and powerful beam of light that illuminates the road much better than conventional halogen headlights. It breaks through any fog and "slush". And that means safety and visibility.

2) A xenon lamp is much more durable than a conventional halogen lamp, the life of xenon is from 2000 to 2500 hours, but halogen 150 - 600 hours. He does not have a filament, and accordingly there is nothing to tear, he is not afraid of bumps and shaking of the body. If you drive 2 - 3 hours a day, it will last about 4 years, no less.

3) Another plus is the lower temperature of the lamp itself. That is, you can put it in a standard headlight, and it will heat up less than a halogen. In xenon, only 7 - 10% of the energy is converted into heat, but in halogen as much as 40%.

Now about the cons of xenon

1) Not all xenon is allowed. According to the law of the Russian Federation, only the one that is regularly installed at the manufacturer's factories is allowed. THAT is if you put "handicraft" Chinese equivalent, then you can be fined for this, you can even lose your rights for six months or a year (I don’t remember exactly now). When passing MOT (technical inspection), they will definitely force you to remove it.

2) Sophisticated equipment. When installing, you need to install complex equipment. In order to light the lamp, you need a voltage of 20 - 25,000 V, and then you need to maintain "burning" with a voltage of 40 - 60 V (with a frequency of 300 Hz). Regular system the car will never withstand such a voltage, so "ignition blocks" are installed. And they are bulky, do not fit in stock headlight, are mounted outside, sometimes on spars.

3) Slightly increased consumption. xenon block although it takes on the main role of increasing electricity, more energy is still required from the car's generator, huge pressure- a little more fuel consumption, because the load on the engine. Consumption, of course, does not increase significantly, but you will still give 0.1 liters per 100 km.

4) Expensive equipment. The lamps themselves and the equipment are not cheap. The cost of "handicraft" xenon reaches 3,000 rubles, this is without installation. Branded xenon is even more expensive, up to 10,000 rubles. Moreover, over time, the xenon luminous flux changes in color, and if you have one lamp burned out, then you need to change them in pairs, otherwise the headlights will shine in different colors.

5) Also, do not forget that this is a very powerful lighting system. You need to think over the tilt of the headlights, you should not lift them up even the “dipped” light, otherwise oncoming cars will blink at you. Now almost all manufacturers of cars with xenon require an automatic headlight beam leveler.

6) Difficult combination of dipped and main beam in one headlight. Need to install bi-xenon, and this further increases the cost of construction. After all, there the switching goes by moving the lens, it is close to the far position, there are solenoids or other switches.

However, on this moment, the system of this lighting is the most reliable (they work for about 4 years), and the price, although it can reach up to 10,000, you can take about 2500 - 3000 rubles for a non-branded one. But damn legal trouble and blinding oncoming drivers, that's not a good thing. You can ask how the traffic police will be able to calculate non-factory xenon lamps? YES, everything is simple - on our VAZs, they are not installed at all, so if it is found on KALINA, GRANT, PRIOR or VESTA, there will be problems.

Now in our article, let's talk about a powerful opponent, about LED lamps.

LEDS

This is a completely different technology, durable, economical, now developing at a global pace. Essentially, it is a semiconductor electricity converts to glow. Its peculiarity is that it has a plus and a minus, and if the terminals are mixed up, it will not work. It consists of a semiconductor crystal element, on a non-conductive substrate, a housing with contacts, and an optical system. The internal space between the crystal and the lens is filled with a special silicone compound.

In fact, there is also nothing to burn here, there is no incandescent filament, and other shaking elements, so it serves perfectly on rough roads. However, when misuse, the crystal can quickly degrade and fail, but more on that later.

What else I want to note is that LEDs are now being produced for the third generation, they are developing very strongly, with each generation their reliability, luminous flux and resistance to adverse environments increase.

The first generations could not compete with either halogen, let alone xenon, their luminous flux barely reached 500 - 600 Lm, although Chinese manufacturers they assured me that they contained 10,000 Lm! pure water divorce!

However, now there are systems with a driver, a certain voltage stabilizer, it is he who allows you to glow 4, and sometimes 5 times brighter. Now not a limit and 4000 Lm. However, their resource suffers.

Advantages of LEDs

1) The first and biggest plus of LEDs is their power consumption. It is several times less than that of halogen and xenon. An LED lamp that produces a luminous flux equal to that of a 60 Watt halogen lamp takes only 20 to 30 Watts of energy (if there is a special driver).

2) Fuel economy. The less energy is taken, the less fuel is consumed. The load on the generator from lighting fixtures drops, and, accordingly, the load on the engine also drops - you save on fuel. Again, you should not expect that you will save liters, but still 0.1 - 0.2 liters per 100 kilometers can easily be achieved.

3) Although there is a special driver. It can often be hidden in the rubber cover of the headlight, that is, nothing needs to be cut and taken out. In fairness - in some headlights, they still do not climb.

4) Luminous flux. Of course old LED bulbs, with a stretch it could be called bright, they could, but xenon is not bright. But again, progress does not stand still, and the third generation of lamps is coming out, which are based on completely different LEDs. Now the luminous flux is much superior to halogen lamps and almost reaches xenon. Sometimes you can’t even distinguish what is installed in the headlight, xenon or LEDs, the glow is equally blue - bright white. .

5) LEDs can be installed and no one will forbid you to use it, even by law. The thing is that LEDs have many colors of glow, if desired, you can even make red or blue headlights. You can also choose the color and power of a conventional halogen, that is, it will not be clear that you have halogens or LEDs installed. And as the law says - if the luminous flux is no different, then there is nothing to prohibit. They are officially permitted by the law of the Russian Federation, they can also be presented at the technical inspection.

6) Luminous flux. It shines brightly, but does not blind drivers like an opponent. Here the light is diffused, and close up illuminates a large area, which is really useful in fogs and slushy weather.

7) Shapes and sizes. Now you can install LED lightening for almost all cars, that is, the format and size of the lamps do not differ from halogen ones. Often they combine both near and far light.

8) Price. They are now inexpensive, as much as xenon lamps. The difference is minimal.

But there are not so many disadvantages of LEDs, but they are all significant.

Cons of LEDs

1) Temperature. Modern systems with "drivers" they get very hot due to the large flow of energy. Therefore, cooling is mandatory, radiators are often installed with “coolers”. Without them, they will fail very quickly.