LED Light Bulbs for Automobile Headlamps
Drivers need to understand that exterior auto lighting plays an important role in road safety. In fact, annual inspections ensure that all headlamps, taillights, brake lights and license plate lights work properly. The average life span of a bulb for an automobile is about three years. However, innovative optical and electrical technology has led to the development of long-lasting LED lights.
The color that headlamps emit will usually vary on the visible electromagnetic spectrum. This scale is used to determine the visual coolness and warmth of light that is radiated from the bulbs. Color temperature of light is measured in degrees Kelvin. For example, a high temperature such as 5,000 degrees K is considered to be cool and it’s associated with white tones. By contrast, warm color temperatures are rated at about 3,000 degrees K, and they are linked to yellow and orange tones. For maximum visibility on the road, LED headlamps emit cool colors that create much better contrast and clarity for the human eye to process. Traditional yellowish glows from headlamps can temporarily blind drivers and lead to potential accidents.Â
LED light bulbs for headlamps are engineered to be energy efficient. Therefore, such fixtures have relatively small power requirements of only a few watts. However, the intensity of the light is redirected thanks to high quality reflectors in modern headlamps. Some of the most efficient LED headlamp bulbs can easily generate illumination above 500 Lumens. Usually, small LED bulbs are installed in pairs or in series in order to provide very bright light that might be rated above 2,000 Lumens. An automotive light such as the 1156 LED bulb and other bulbs are examples of innovative lighting solutions for headlamps in passenger and commercial vehicles.
When headlamp light bulbs are installed by a professional auto mechanic or technician, it is important that safety precautions be taken. Some bulb kits come with built in resistors that precisely control the incoming electrical current. These resistors can prevent fuses from getting blown out in the electrical panel under the hood. Additionally, some modern LED light kits have dimming switches that could alter the intensity, and therefore current, of individual bulbs.Â
When selecting light bulbs for parking and brake housings, it’s important to realize that the color temperature does not really matter. The covers for these rear light fixtures have filters that ultimately emit a distinct red light.