1. Sealed beam. The old USDOT mandated square or round headlights. Coulnd't replace just a bulb, you had to replace the whole unit. EX: Any GM car from the late 1970's to early 1980's. 1980-1986 Saab 900, too.

2. Halogen. Common usage since DOT revamped its regs to allow euro-style flush headlights with removable bulbs. Always found on econocars and some higher end cars. Light emitted like a comon light bulb -- electyrticity through a filament in the bulb. Somewhat yellowish to near white light. EX: Any car, really, since 1987, but 1987-1998 Saab 900's, 1999-2002 9-3's have it.

3. High Intensity Discharge (HID). Here, the light is created by an arc of electricty between two elecrodes. Very white, maybe even slightly bluish light. Found on many luxury cars as an option, but finding its way down the chain (Mazda 3, Focus, Mini's have them as options).

Lights can be projected onto the street by either reflector or projector. A reflector is the old-tech way of doing it -- the light from the bulb (whether halogen or xenon) hits mirrored shaped reflectors around the inner housing, which then throw the light onto the street. (Saab 900 or OG9-3). The projector, first seen in some late 1980's BMW's and more interestingly in the last generation Integra, is a small round lens in a cylindrical housing that projects the light like a film projector. Better dispersion and intensity usually result. The projector can use halogen bulbs or HID bulbs. (Saab 9-5, 9-3 SS use these).

So, three types of light sources, two types of light-generation, and two types of projection/reflection.



posted by 208.200.1...

• ?'s about different headlights, Finch, Tue, 7 Dec 2004 20:57:57
  • Re: ?'s about different headlights, Dan95Aero, Mon, 5 Nov 2007 01:37:23
  • Saab has 'em all....., Mike Lynch , Wed, 8 Dec 2004 14:43:12
  • What do you recomend???, Finch, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 13:25:31
    • Re: What do you recomend???, TML , Wed, 8 Dec 2004 14:15:23
      • I read through the whole site, Finch, Thu, 9 Dec 2004 09:43:04
    • Re: What do you recomend???, cryptical, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 13:36:20
  • 3 main types, Hood, Tue, 7 Dec 2004 22:14:57 <-- Viewing This Message
    • whats the advantage of xenon?, Finch, Tue, 7 Dec 2004 23:17:50
      • HID's can be used in either reflector or projector, Hood, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 08:00:27
      • Xenon is a "brighter" white that's closer to daylight, Trev, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 05:31:27
  • Here's a website you should read..., Daanimal900, Tue, 7 Dec 2004 21:47:02
    • Great site, great info, Thanks. n/m, BobD, Wed, 8 Dec 2004 09:42:45
    • that is a fantastic site, TML , Wed, 8 Dec 2004 09:07:52

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