LED light in the car: when to use it

Is it worth putting LED bulbs in your headlight? car? The website RMAX made a summary of the pros and cons of this technology and we will tell you if it is a good time or not to change your car.

The first thing to know is that, under current legislation, it is not possible to install lamps that require ballasts in the main headlight. Therefore, LED (or xenon) lamps that need a ballast are prohibited, they can only be used in the mile light. However, from 2021, it will only be possible to use the vehicle's original bulbs, that is, you have until then to make any changes.

Another important thing to know is whether your car headlight has a projector or not. Very bright lights in cars without a projector can dazzle drivers coming in the opposite direction. That is, instead of guaranteeing strong and safe lighting, it can cause accidents. The important thing is to buy an LED lamp designed to be used in sets without projectors.

Finally, it is necessary to note that if your car does not have a smooth headlight, if it is an older model and it has those grooves in its lens, do not change it to LED. In addition to blinding other drivers, your lighting will be impaired, as this headlight was designed to work with common lamps. There are LED lamps for all tastes and budgets, but there are some factors that are more important than price to consider.

We need to talk about Kelvin

K, or Kelvin, is the measurement of color temperature that tells you what color the lightbulb is. The original car bulbs usually have between 3500 to 4500K, generating a yellowish tone, but reduced range in the case of filament bulbs. With 6000K, the tone is completely white, which can remove details by its intensity. The ideal is to stick with the 5500K, which is a not so intense white.

Let the Lumens be

It is the power of the light, or the force that the light has to get from one point to another, nothing to do with Watts, which are the electrical power (the maximum in Watts that a car can withstand is 55W. LED lamps usually have between 30 and 35W). A 1500 lumens lamp is enough to light up the darkest and stormiest night. Attention, as the lamps are sold in pairs, it is common for the manufacturer to put the value of the two together, that is, 3000 lumens instead of 1500.

What LED models to buy

Do not opt ​​for the cheapest bulbs. If a Chinese model costs R$30 and an equivalent model from a well-known brand like Philips or Osram costs R$600, something is wrong. LED already brings several benefits in terms of energy expenditure and durability, there is no reason to haggle when buying.

Avoid any lamp that has a fan on the back to “help” with ventilation. If they put a fan it's because it gets too hot, and if it stops, it can get too hot and ruin your headlight.

The cutting line test

Do the test at home: turn on your car's headlight low beam in front of a wall. You will see that there is a horizontal line on the left and a slightly slanted line on the right. It is the so-called cut-off line, required by law, designed not to obscure the vision of the car coming in the opposite direction and, on the right, to illuminate the road signs.

If you've never noticed this, notice it when you're on the road. Your headlight, if it's correct, won't get in the way of drivers and you can see the traffic signs lit up, as everything was designed so that the car's lighting can help, not get in the way.

But LED is different. The LED points and does not spread, while the filament bulb spreads evenly. It is much more complicated to make such a cutting line in LED lamps. The best models have focus adjustment, it is possible to rotate the lamp so that it is in the correct position.

And the durability?

LED lamps actually light up more than normal ones, a little less than Xenon, bringing great advantages. The first is battery saving, as the LED consumes less. Second, whiter light illuminates much more and is aesthetically more beautiful.

In the rain, like xenon, the LED disappears a little in relation to the yellow lamps, but it doesn't disturb those who come the other way and also doesn't leave you without lighting. Just be careful in foggy situations where the reflected LED light can become a white wall in front of you.