skate80s

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How to choose autolamps?

Car lamps are an indispensable element of vehicle lighting and safety. Often car enthusiasts (especially inexperienced ones) wonder about the correct choice and use of autolamps. This article covers not only questions about what types and types of automobile lamps exist, but also provides several useful recommendations for their selection and further operation.

From the history

The first "autolamps" were ordinary wax candles, and a little later - kerosene lamps.

The big breakthrough was the invention of acetylene lamps. The driver loaded a special gas generator with water and calcium carbide. As a result of this reaction, acetylene was obtained (the same as in gas welding machines), which then burned out in the headlight. Having become acquainted with this invention and the rules of its operation, it comes to the understanding that the delay in the ignition of a modern xenon lamp is not a disadvantage, but is a certain feature that is not even worthy of any criticism.

When equipped with a car with good lenticular optics, such a primitive design could illuminate quite well. But this design also had serious drawbacks: the headlights quickly and strongly heated up, the ergonomics left much to be desired - every couple of hours it was necessary to clean the headlights from carbon deposits and refill reagents.

Light bulbs quickly ceased to be unusual items specific to a certain area, and it was decided to adapt them to cars. The first attempt was a carbon filament autolamp. But it was unsuccessful. There were many disadvantages in this model: intolerance to shaking, high power consumption, inconvenient operation, because these models were powered by bulky batteries that required frequent recharging.

At that time, power generators were primitive and not in demand, because neither brake lights, nor turn signals, nor any other electrical consumers were used.

In 1906, they first tried a tungsten filament, which had higher reliability and had a low power consumption. An important role in the development of automotive lighting was played by the "generator-battery-starter", which began its activity after several years of the first use of tungsten filament.

Halogen lamps

The year 1962 was marked by a new discovery - the invention of the halogen lamp by Hella. This invention became very important, and the idea of ​​creating it is quite simple - a compound of iodine and bromine in a gaseous state was introduced into the bulb of an incandescent lamp, preventing the evaporation of tungsten and the rapid burnout of the filament, which made it possible to significantly reduce the size and significantly increase the light output and resource. During all this time, halogen lamps have improved in quality and increased in quantity.

Manufacturers now offer a wide variety of halogen lamps. For example, coated lamps create the visual effect of xenon light. This does not affect the strength of the luminous flux, but only slightly changes the color. It whitens somewhat and acquires a bluish tint.

This type of lamp is usually labeled as Xenon or Xenon Effect. This often confuses inexperienced car enthusiasts. And lamps, signed as Long Life and DayLong, offer an increased resource, which will be very important when used around the clock (for example, in daytime running lights).

For rainy and cloudy weather, All-Weather lamps are best suited. And if the package indicates + 30% (+ 50% and so on), then the presented lamp has an increased light output. Such a lamp has a standard electrical power and it is easily suitable for upgrading standard optics without the risk of overheating the wiring and the diffuser. It has a small increase in luminous power and is the most economical option.

At present, halogen lamps have good light characteristics at a low price and a wide selection. But they also have their disadvantages: low efficiency - no more than 10% and a relatively small resource.

[skate80s]

Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV), France, 1981.

[skate80s]

11.6.19 || Musei Capitolini, Roma