Tech Tip: Do Laser Headlight Bulbs Work?
Tech Tip: Do Laser Headlight Bulbs Work?
Do Laser Headlight Bulbs Work?
Your car likely uses a standard halogen bulb, regardless of whether you have a reflector fog light, projector headlamp, or reflector headlight. If you desire brighter headlights, you can upgrade to a brighter halogen bulb, an LED headlight bulb, an HID conversion kit, or lasers.
High beam lights in Mercedes, BMWs, and other luxury cars have already been equipped with laser plug-and-play technology, which is now available to consumers for vehicle retrofits. But is it worth the cost to claim that laser headlights are installed in your vehicle? Today, we discover the advantages and disadvantages of employing laser headlight bulbs.
ABOUT LASER Plug n' Play Bulbs
This replaces the laser headlight bulb. You will see right away that it is compact. A halogen, LED, or HID bulb's bulb extends out from the main housing, giving it a lengthy construction. Although they are significantly shorter, the laser bulbs are just as powerful.
Regrettably, the project's packaging and advertising do not convey its brilliance. As far as we know, the light is coming from a Nichia Laser Tube. The laser is cranked up and delivered through a tube located down at the bottom. The laser strikes a phosphor, and it begins to glow similarly to an LED chip.
The main distinction between laser and LED bulbs is that the former are very directed. This is due to the absence of mirrors and other light-splitting facets.
According to the people marketing the light, it is useful for fog lights or supplemental lighting. But is it safe to point at approaching traffic? What applications does it function on, and is it helpful for driving?
DO THEY WORK? HIGH Versus LOW BEAM
First, the laser will be tested in a low-beam halogen beam reflector. It is evident that the glare cover, which was intended to reflect the halogen bulb onto the headlight housing, blocks the laser after the original bulb is removed and the laser one is inserted. Therefore, it is not appropriate for low-beam reflector halogen lights.
In contrast, a 2018 Toyota Tacoma's H-11 halogen headlamp has a maximum low beam brightness of 570 Lux. An S-V.4 LED bulb maintains the factory beam pattern while emitting up to 930 Lux.
Its laser bulb outputs 210 Lux at its maximum and has a hyper focused beam pattern with a blue/white center that diffuses into yellow. With this low-beam reflector housing configuration, the laser is being operated incorrectly.
The S-V.4 LED bulb emits 1700 maximum Lux when tested in a high beam, which is four times brighter than the stock high beams. The laser has a maximum emission of 2160 Lux, which is more colorful than the other two, but the beam pattern is concentrated, just like the low beam pattern.
Despite its power, laser light is utterly useless for everyday driving. As a spotlight? Yes, exactly. These laser lights, however, are not what you want if you are going out for the evening and need to see the road.
DO THEY WORK? FOG LIGHTS
The Lux rating of S-V.4 LED fog lights are higher than that of halogen lights, and the beam pattern is nearly flawlessly maintained. With a little hotspot, fog lights are extraordinarily broad. They lack a pronounced intensity and are not particularly tall.
Halogen and particularly LED bulbs are not in competition with laser bulbs. As seen by the low and high beam tests, laser light emits a highly concentrated beam of light. Fog lights are completely useless.
Its closest use would be as an auxiliary light, off-rod light, or spotlight. These could be used to see a great distance down the road, but they might also blind other drivers.
The technology of laser lights is excellent, but it will take some time before it can be used in a retrofit setting. If you would purchase this light, please describe your plans for using it in the comments section.