Halogen or LED headlight bulbs, which one is the better choice ?

The automobile industry is constantly changing and innovations are making it better and tech-savvy every day. Every now and then the market has to offer a new, technologically more innovative and better product for very part and aspect of a car.

Even if you talk about the headlights of a car you will see innovative ways in which the headlights are being designed and installed in the designated portion of the car. Now-a-days, we have different types of headlights which have different mechanisms that generate and emit light. Their range, intensity and even colour are of different type. These types of headlights are classified into halogen headlights, LED headlights and HID headlights.

In this article we will talk about which type of headlights are better to use; halogen headlight or LED headlights. Before jumping to any conclusions we must understand first hoe both of these headlights work and what are their pros and cons:

Halogen Headlights

Halogen headlights are the cheapest in the market. Halogen headlights consist of an incandescent light bulb which is made up of a tungsten filament plus a small amount of a halogen gas is used in the bulb which is mostly Argon. When current is passed through the tungsten filament, it heats up and glows. The halogen gas used in the bulb re-deposits the evaporated tungsten back on the filament. This not only increases the brightness but also the lifespan of the bulb. Halogen headlight bulbs emit a lot of heat energy due to which they feel hot when touched.

Halogen headlight bulbs have a fast starting time and uniform light. The best feature of halogen headlights is that they have a very strong ability of lighting penetration like if thrown towards a forest they can bleed into the woods a bit.

LED Headlights

LED headlights generate a much brighter light and operate by transferring current through a semi-conductor which emits photons generating light. They do not produce heat as much as halogen headlights, thus making the LED headlights have an indefinite lifespan. LED headlights are larger than halogen headlights as they require extra heat sinks and fans. LED headlights emit a whiter light and work on much lower voltage (DC 12V) than halogen headlights. So you don’t have to worry about high voltage danger of up to 20,000V. Along with innovative communication systems in the cars, cooling systems and extra electronics for correct functioning and liaisoning with the system, makes the LED headlights bulky ,more complex and costly which can chuck away a great portion of your money.

Halogen v/s LED Headlights

• LED headlights are brighter making visibility for a longer distance and last longer than Halogen headlights.
• LED headlights extra brightness is near borderline to dangerous as it blinds the other cars which is no less hazardous than not to see the road for you.
• Due to LED headlights complexity they are much expensive than the Halogen headlights.
• LED headlights have a floodlight pattern, they do not have a penetrating light as the halogen headlights have.
• LED headlights do not take up much voltage resulting in longer battery life.
• In some jurisdictions replacing halogen headlights with LED lights are deemed illegal, so before you want to change from halogen headlights to LED headlights you should get up to date on local laws.

Conclusion

The intensity of LED headlights is great and put much less strain on your car battery. But due to the hazards it can put on your and other people’s lives and the amount of money it takes to install LED headlights. In my opinion, LED headlights are better than halogen headlights due to their longevity and other benefits. You just have to keep in mind that the LED headlights you are installing are DOT and SAE certified.