efficient headlights

If you'te comparing the standard halogens to the hID bulbs, the HID's use a lot less power. I don't remember how much, but someone else here will let you know.

 

Standard halogens are only 55 W each on low beam. It is my understanding that the HID's use 35 W each (please correct me if this is in error.) So by changing to HID one could reduced consumption by about 40 W. Don't forget that other lights will be on when the headlights are, so the total with halogens and running lights is ~135 W while with HID it would be about 95 W.

I wouldn't want the HID's as they are too expensive if there are any problems. But to look at it another way, at home I would swap out fixtures for ones that can take standard CFL's if I was saving ~40 watts and the conversion was less than about $20...of course this depends on how many hours it is used per day and your electric cost. It's pretty easy to justify CFL's themselves (especially now that per bulb cost is way down), but changing fixtures is trickier/more expensive problem, although a no brainer if you are remodeling and changing the fixture anyway. On that sort of basis the HID system is also out.

 

H4 halogen bulbs consume 5 Amps on low beam and 7 Amps on high beam. HIDs consume about 3 Amps on either high or low (same single light emitter).

Total draw is of course double the above as there are two lamps.

I'm not aware of any "more efficient" halogen bulbs. There isn't much you could do to improve their efficiency, other than operating them at a higher temperature, but that would greatly shorten their life (and make them "bluer"). One day we may see LED headlamps, but I think they are still a few years off. You can get them now, but only if you have a LOT of money. They are still "experimental".

 

Lexus LS600h uses LED headlamps, but the wattage is greater than halogen lamps.
Maybe, we'll see LED headlamps on the 2010 Prius.

Ken@Japan

 

I don't know the Dutch one, but the UK Lexus LS600h has the LED low-beam headights for night drive.
LEXUS - LS - EQUIPMENT LIST

Ken@Japan

 

I use low-beam headights 99.99% of time at night.
How about you?

Ken@Japan

 

I assume that is for a 12 V system rather than the ~200 V system of the Prius. When talking about power usage I'm hesitant to give amps without stating the voltage.

 

Say what? Driving around with your high beams on with any traffic around is against the law here.

About the only times I use high beams are on rural roads, and even then it is pretty rare since I'm accustomed to not using them.

 

Same here in Japan.
Dutch law is strange, or his comment is strange.
Which one is true?

Ken@Japan

 

I suspect this is some sort of miscommunication/language or terminology difference. Perhaps he was referring to DRL's or fog lamps or even the parking lights rather than normal low beams? There is that autoleveling feature to consider as well, maybe he was thinking of some aspect of that? I'm not familiar with European lighting regs though.

 

I believe we use "low-beam headights" world-wide in English.

Ken@Japan

 

I can see "Light Emitting Diode (LED) low-beam headights" on the UK LS600h site as you quoted post #9.

Ken@Japan

 

So, how do you call the lower beam of headlights used for normal night drive switched by one on the following picture?

Ken@Japan