Burning Headlight Bulbs Too Frequently: What You Should You Do
Your vehicle may be burning through your headlights too quickly, and there are usually numerous reasons for why this is occurring. If you can discover the issue you will be able to save yourself from purchasing replacement bulbs, and thus the need to change them.
The Times You Use Your Headlights Affect their Usage
The life of an original halogen light bulb is typically 350 to 400 hours. If you do a lot of driving during the winter, at night, or have your headlights on during the day you could be using your lights up in two to three months.
When you update your headlights to new xenon bulbs they are meant to last for 200 hours, however their light projection is much more than the standard bulb. Drivers who use their headlights for long periods of time can reduce the need for changing out their bulbs by getting a longer life bulb.
Heavy duty components for headlights, which last longer than regular halogen bulbs, provide you the same performance as halogen bulbs.
Are You Touching The Glass Bulb When You Change Them?
Glass bulbs are very sensitive. If you touch the glass during the changing of the bulbs your skin’s oils are getting on the light, thus leaving a residue behind. Halogen bulbs have what are called hotspots when oil is left on the glass. This hotspot will burn quicker and thus the light will fail. You should always wear gloves, like latex, when changing out halogen lights.
Moisture or Vibration Affects Light Bulbs
Manufacturers of headlight bulbs use a reinforced glass in the construction process so they will be able to handle the demands of the road. However, a thermal shock can occur if water gets into the headlight connectors or into the bulb itself. It is important to check that your bulb is protected in the holder from bumps, jolts, or moisture that could harm the filament.
Is The Car’s Electrical System Working Correctly?
When installing the bulbs make sure that the electrical connectors from the lights power lead are firmly joined to the metal connectors on the base of the headlight bulbs, otherwise it is easy to get a short circuit and blow the bulb.
It is also important to check that the alternator is not overcharging the battery and delivering more voltage than the bulb is designed for. Typically the maximum voltage of a bulb is around 13.2 volts.
Are You Buying Good Quality Headlight Bulbs?
Inexpensive is something you tend to look for because you want to save money, but it is not always better. Quality of the materials used to create the light bulbs has a direct effect on how long they will last. Osram and Philips are two top manufacturers of light bulbs. The highest rating for bulbs is called the E1 mark, which Osram and Philips have. It means testing and quality has been found to be the best.
