Size of Car Headlights

Car headlight sizes and specs can be significantly diverse from one manufacturer to the other. Some have dimensions of 5.9 x 2.1 x 6.5 inches. Others measure 7 x 2 x 8.2 inches. Aside from the various sizes, they are also styled in different ways. Its purpose of course, is to light the road ahead for the driver.

Overview

The headlight or headlamp is typically situated at the front of the vehicle. When turned on, it emits bright lights that illuminate the road ahead. As such, they play a very important role; without these headlamps, driving at night will be very dangerous. As it is, over 20% of all traffic related accidents occur in the evening in the US.

Development

The oldest headlamps used acetylene and oil. The former was used widely because it was not affected by rain or the wind. It was not until 1889 that the first electric headlamp was invented. The maker was the Hartford electric company. It was only a matter of time before the lamp started being used with cars.

The round sealed beam emerged in 1940. It proved popular and would be included in cars in the US, the UK, Australia and other countries. A modified version of these lights would become very popular in Japan.

Today, different car headlight sizes and types exist. They are also much brighter compared to the older models. Modern headlamps are more powerful than four fluorescent lamps.

Types

Halogen lights started being used in 1962. It is very popular today because it generates candent filaments more so than the non-halogen types. OEM headlights are those that are built in to the car. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer.

Most of the time, these work out just fine. But some people prefer to replace them with other types. Projector headlamps are also very bright. They can also make the vehicle look very stylish.

Other Information about Headlamps

Over time, headlamp brightness is reduced. When the headlamps begin to dim, you have to replace them. You need to do some research as not all headlamps are equal. Whenever possible, check their color temperature rating. This will give you an idea of how bright it will be.

Aside from the different car headlight sizes, there are also many different styles. Make sure the one you choose matches your vehicle. Although highly functional, headlamps can also be used to jazz up your ride.