Purchasing Resources for Automotive Lighting

Automotive Lighting Key Terms

Learn about automotive lighting
By Marjorie Gilbert Anyone who has driven on a dark street at night knows the importance of automotive lighting. Automotive lighting has come a long way in recent years. There is no longer one single kind of lighting available. Each different kind of automotive lighting has different benefits.

Below, you will find information that will help you choose the proper automotive lighting for your vehicle, whether it's a company car or truck. With this information, you'll have a better idea of what automotive light will work well in certain situations.

Halogen bulbs

Halogen bulbs for automotive lighting offer the driver long lasting bulbs. Halogen bulbs have filaments contained within a small quartz filled with a kind of halogen gas. As a result, these bulbs last longer and are more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Halogen bulbs are different colors, such as blue, white, yellow and gold, and are extra-bright, allowing the vehicle to be easily seen while on the road.
Try:  How Stuff Works explains in greater detail how the halogen bulb works.

HID Xenon

HID xenon is another type of automotive lighting. The bulb consists of a tube that contains xenon and noble gases that flow between two electrodes. Blue/white light emits when the electrodes activate, creating a light three times brighter than with halogen bulbs. HID Xenon bulbs are even more efficient than halogen bulbs, as they last longer and make your vehicle easier to see, while increasing visibility at night. The colors of the HID xenon lights are white/blue, white/yellow and gold.
Try:  The Omega Xenon site is very helpful and contains good information about HID xenon automotive lighting.

Conversion lighting kits

A conversion lighting kit is necessary in some cases when you choose HID xenon bulbs as your automotive lighting. The kits include ballasts for the bulbs, as well as wiring, pads and instructions.
Try:  SharpHID has helpful information about conversion lighting kits.

LED automotive lights

LED bulbs are bright, efficient bulbs that can serve various purposes: a dome light, illuminating tail lights, signal lights and head lights. LED bulbs are efficient and long lasting, though not as bright as the halogen or HID xenon forms of automotive lighting.
Try:  Waytek has a very good site with information about LED automotive lights.

Mini or miniature bulbs

Mini or miniature bulbs are automotive lighting options used for various lights like dome lights, map lights, turn signals, reverse and parking lights. These lights are smaller than those used for headlights and tail lights. The lights can vary in color: white, yellow or blue.
Try:  The Racing Lab has good information about mini lights.

Sealed beam

The sealed beam is an older form of automotive lighting. These lights are large, sealed units that screw into the sockets. The sealed beam bulbs are incandescent, and are for high-beam headlights. The life of these bulbs is 150 to 500 hours.
Try:  GE Lighting has information about sealed beam bulbs.

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