how many lumens do car headlights output?

[LukeA]

Sounds like a lame excuse to brag about some headlights that are illegal in the USA.

 

[mboni]

Wow, a long-dead thread from 2001, but not a single good answer to the original question.

To answer the question: the typical halogen car headlight is going to be around 1,000 to 1,500 lumens, depending on the bulb type. The full chart is here:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/bulb_types/bulb_types.html

The H7 bulb is probably one of the most common types, it's rated at 1,450 lumens. And according to DOT regulations, a legal bulb has to be within 15% of it's rated value.

HID systems seem to mostly use the D2S bulb, which is 3,200 lumens.

 

[-Virgil-]

incan car headlights aren't going to be 30 l/w. They are designed for longer life and are not driven very hard.

That's not an accurate generalization.

9011 (HIR1) bulb: 2350 lumens, 65 watts = 36 lm/w.
H9 bulb: 2100 lumens, 65 watts = 32+ lm/w.
9012 (HIR2) bulb: 1870 lumens, 55 watts = 34 lm/w.
H7 bulb: 1450 lumens, 55 watts = 26+ lm/w.

 

[bhvm]

Sounds like a lame excuse to brag about some headlights that are illegal in the USA.

Thank god :twothumbs I don't live in USA :thumbsup:

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

LOL.The join date for **DONOTDELETE** is Dec.1969!!! I happen to know flashlights weren't even invented yet.

 

[Morelite]

LOL.The join date for **DONOTDELETE** is Dec.1969!!! I happen to know flashlights weren't even invented yet.

Yea, and his post count is zero, but he clearly has posted at least five times. :shrug:

 

[42]

I guess the intent of the original question was: How soon will we see LED heahlights?

I'm thinking that the Luminus Phlatlight SST-90 with a rating over 2000 lumens may be getting close. Elektrolumens' new Blaster NG uses this LED and should be shipping soon, so I'll test it against my car.

Mark

 

[John_Galt]

How can a guy with 0 posts post 5 times, and how can he have joined before Al Gore invented the internet?

I smell a hacker...

 

[-Virgil-]

I guess the intent of the original question was: How soon will we see LED heahlights?

They exist right now, today, on several Lexus models, a couple of Audi models, and a Cadillac. Hamsar makes one, Speaker makes one, Truck-Lite makes one (sort of...you kind of have to play fast and loose with the definition of "headlight" to count it).

How soon will they be common? You'll probably see that by about 2018, with a double-hump adoption curve (premium cars and eco-friendly cars). By that time, HID headlamps as we know them today will no longer be designed into many new cars; it'll be looked at as a transitional technology. But if the various technical standards boards do their thing right, a new 25w HID system may go a good way towards eating away at the halogen market share.

 

[TorchBoy]

I smell a hacker...

This thread just won't die.

 

[Walterk]

Re: how many Candlepower do car headlights output?

And what Candlepower do the xenon high beam headlights do ?!!

 

[fyrstormer]

It was stated previously that HID headlights produce ~3000lm per bulb. It's not easy to convert that to candlepower, nor is it particularly useful to do so, since the purpose of headlights is to illuminate a large area fairly evenly, not a single spot very brightly.

Most cars that have HID headlights don't actually have HID high beams, because HID bulbs will burn out quickly if they are repeatedly turned off-and-on. Cars that do have HID high beams actually use a single HID bulb with a movable "eyelid" that blocks part of the beam when the low beams are engaged, and the "eyelid" is moved out of the way when the high beams are engaged.

 

[ma_sha1]

This is the oldest live thread I've ever seen in any forum, must be a record, almost 10 yrs old

 

[Walterk]

I was thinking Xenon projectorlights, with lenses preferably.

I am curious, in what range this should be. It is easy to calculate if you have a lightmeter. And a car with projectorlights.
( I would be surprised if I would be the first to wonder the candela-figures. )

I am interested in the candlepowers, dont be surpise to find this interest on this forum .

 

[-Virgil-]

Most cars that have HID headlights don't actually have HID high beams, because HID bulbs will burn out quickly if they are repeatedly turned off-and-on.

That's not the main reason. The main reason is the delay from power-on to full intensity.

 

[-Virgil-]

I was thinking Xenon projectorlights, with lenses preferably.
I am curious, in what range this should be. It is easy to calculate if you have a lightmeter.

One does not "calculate" the light flux within a headlight beam, one must measure it. And there is no single answer to your question, even if we look at headlamps equipped with only one particular type of bulb. Optical efficiency varies widely. Take a look, for example, at
Stern's 4-way comparison of 178mm H4 ECE headlamps, all with the same bulb, all tested on the same apparatus. Not only does the flux range from 441 to 695 lumens (695 is 158% of 441) but also this tells us nothing about the efficacy of the beam. The lamp with 695 lumens is not the best lamp presented.

What is it you are really trying to learn here?

 

[Walterk]

I don't know much, but I do know how to calculate candlepower, as for headlights Lux measurement at 1 meter gives no valid reading;

Lux measurement at distance to headlight x ( distance to headlight x distance to headlight ) = candlepower

What is it you are really trying to learn here?

@Scheinwerfermann:
I think that is blunt to say.
Maybe you know about headlights Scheinwerfermann, but did you forget how to obtain candlepower-figures? (I can't think of any easier to obtain number about light BTW. ) Or did you just didnt read my posts?
I would appreciate a little more consideration in wording .

 

[-Virgil-]

I don't know much, but I do know how to calculate candlepower

There is no way to calculate the flux within a headlight beam by knowing just the flux produced by the particular bulb used in the headlamp in question.

Lux measurement at distance to headlight x ( distance to headlight x distance to headlight ) = candlepower

Yes…and? This still doesn't tell you anything about the flux within the beam.

I think that is blunt to say.

You're entitled to your opinion.

 

[Walterk]

(My interest is candlepower, I can't be clear enough on that. )

Thanx for the link with test-data. I pulled open several images, and conclude the following (Correct me if I am wrong) as ball-park figures:

Low beam: 10 to 20.000 candela
High beam: 35 to 50.000 candela

I find this interesting, as a decent flashlight throws 30.000cd, and specific throw-lights do over 100.000 candela.

(Hope to measure Lux from headlights someday and will post findings then.)

 

[-Virgil-]

Low beam: 10 to 20.000 candela
High beam: 35 to 50.000 candela

That is not an accurate ballpark figure for beam peak intensities, no. Go read this report if that's the info you want.

flashlight

A flashlight beam isn't even remotely comparable to an auto headlamp beam (low or high). I ask again: what are you really trying to figure out here?