There was an extended period during which all cars used a single design for their headlight housings. The difference is that nowadays, projector and reflector headlights are both st equipment’s. To put it simply, reflector headlights are the kind used on vehicles built in the 1990s and earlier. Projector headlights are more up-to-date, but even so, not all modern automobiles include them. Reflector Vs Projector Headlamps.
Reflector Vs Projector Headlamps
Reflector Headlamps
In the years since electric headlights were first introduced, reflectors have become the industry standard. A reflector headlamp is a type of headlight that uses a bulb enclosed in a steel bowl. Light on the road is reflected from within the bowl by mirrors placed there. The lens at the front of the headlamp was responsible for shaping the light beam in older reflector designs. A sealed-beam headlight has a housing that cannot be opened to replace a blown bulb. With technological advancements in the 1980s, reflector headlights became available, which reflected the light beams inside the housing. In other words, there was no longer any need to hermetically seal the lens to the headlight housing, and the bulbs could be simply removed and replaced. Reflector headlights remain standard on many new cars. The continued success of this design can be attributed to a few key features:
- They have a lower production cost. Since reflector headlights are more cost effective, they are commonly used by manufacturers.
- You’ll notice that they’re more diminutive. The additional depth of projector headlights means they require more room in the vehicle’s interior.
Projector Headlamps
The use of projectors in headlights is a relatively recent development. It wasn’t until the 1980s that they began to be widely installed in high-end cars. The use of projector headlights has now spread across the automotive industry. In many ways, projector headlights are just like their reflector counterparts. A light bulb is housed inside a steel bowl, and the bowl is surrounded by mirrors that serve as reflectors. A projector headlight, on the other hand, contains a lens that functions as a magnifying glass, making the light beam even more intense.
A cutoff shield is also include to direct the beam of light from these headlights in the right direction. The light is better able to be focuse on the road with this in place. The shield allows for a very precise cutoff in projector headlights. More and more people are opting for projector headlights, and for good reason. They’re helpful in numerous ways:
- The light output increases. Brightness is greatly increase by using projector headlights instead of reflectors.
- Other motorists are less likely to be blinde by them. Since projector headlights point down at the road, they won’t blind oncoming motorists.
- The light from projector headlights is more uniform. There may be dimmer areas in reflector headlights.
- Projectors are able to manage a higher-intensity headlight bulb, such as a HID bulb, because of the sharp cutoff.
- Better visibility at night is achieve with higher-intensity headlight bulbs.
- Finally, they have a great design.
These days, you may find a wide variety of projector headlights on a variety of vehicles. There are a few different types of bulbs that can be used in projector headlights, but they all employ the same basic architecture.
- The original generation of projector headlights, like reflector headlights before them, utilised halogen lamps. Even though they employ the more antiquated halogen bulb technology, these headlights often cast a more uniform beam of light than reflectors, with a clearer transition between the light and dark regions of the road.
- The second generation of projector headlights to hit the market made use of high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, and they are still on the market today. Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights are another name for these. They outperform regular halogen bulbs in terms of both brightness and lifespan. Since HID bulbs are so much brighter than halogen, it is usually not a good idea to use them in projector housings that were intende for use with halogen lamps.
- Newer technology includes LED projector headlights. Energy efficiency is high, and they last far longer than halogen or HID bulbs. LED projector headlights have a lifespan that can extend beyond that of the vehicle they are place in if they are never damage.
- In some projector headlights, a ring of light, or “halo,” appears around the centre of each beam. The ring is not a projector, despite the fact that some manufacturers refer to them as halo or angel eye projector headlights. About half a dozen distinct technologies, including cold cathode fluorescent lighting (CCFL) tubes, LEDs, and even incandescent bulbs, go into the making of these rings.
- Since the light output of reflector headlights is less controllable and the low beam cutoff for oncoming traffic is less apparent, projector headlamps offer a significant benefit over ordinary halogen ones. Because of the lack of precision in regulating the light output, this layout is not typically used with high-output light sources. The halogen bulb commonly used in reflector headlights is less powerful than a HID bulb. There are strong and weak points in the light’s beam.
- Especially for use as a low beam, the projector headlamp is vastly superior. The projector headlamp is preferable to the reflector headlight due to its even beam, its capacity to handle a HID bulb, and its aesthetics.
Reflector Vs Projector Headlamps
Projector Headlamps
- Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8L
- Toyota Fortuner Sigma4 2.8L
- Toyota Fortuner V 2.7L
- Toyota Hilux Revo V 2.8L
- Honda BR-V (all variants)
- Honda Civic (all variants)
- Kia Sportage
- FAW X-PV
- FAW Carrier
- Changan Karvaan
- Changan M9 Pickup
Reflector Headlamps
- Toyota Corolla 1.3L
- Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6L
- Toyota Yaris & Yaris Ativ 1.3L
- Toyota Yaris AtivX 1.5L
- Toyota Fortuner G 2.7L
- Toyota Hilux Revo G 2.8L
- Toyota Hilux E 2.8L
- Toyota Hilux Single Cab variants
- Honda City 1.3L
- Honda City 1.5L
- Honda City Aspire 1.5L
- Suzuki Swift
- Suzuki Cultus
- Suzuki WagonR
- Suzuki Alto 660cc
- Suzuki Bolan
- Suzuki Ravi
- Kia Picanto
- FAW V2
FAQs
Can you put LED bulbs in projector headlights?
Changing to HID or LED bulbs is a great technique to increase the light output of your projector headlights. These bulbs emit far more light than standard halogen bulbs, effectively increasing the apparent brightness of your vehicle’s headlights.
Which is better HID or LED on projector headlights?
Compared to LED projectors, HID projectors often produce brighter light and may cast their beam farther down the road. -High-Intensity Discharge (HID) projectors typically have more projectors and bulbs to choose from. 10-Oct-2018
What are the 4 types of headlights?
- Halogen
- LED
- Xenon/HID
- Laser
Are LED headlights projector or reflector?
Today’s vehicles frequently come equipped with LED projector headlights. Both halogen and HID headlights can’t hold a candle to their longevity and efficiency. LED lights are so durable that they can outlast the average vehicle’s useful life.
