As the benefits of LED headlights become more prominent, they have already overtaken halogens and HID lights to become the most popular type of car projector headlight housing. And we always receive inquiries about LED bulbs, and in addition to how to install the LED bulbs, some people are still hesitating to replace to the LED bulbs because they are not sure if they will work well in projector headlights.
So in this article you will learn how projectors work, whether LED bulbs are good for projector headlights, and how to choose the best LED bulbs for projector headlights.
Based on the headlight housing, the headlights are generally divided into projector headlights and reflector headlights.
Of course, whether it's a projector headlight or a reflector headlight, you have to make sure it's intact to get the best light output. If your headlight assembly is damaged, AUXITO offers you a wide variety of OEM headlight assembly replacements!
You can also check out the blog "Your Concerns - Headlight Assembly Replacement" to address some of your concerns about replacing your headlight assembly.
Next, you will understand the difference between reflector headlights and projector headlights and understand why more and more people prefer projector headlights.
Before the introduction of projector headlights, reflector headlights have been used in automobiles. The reflector is these fluted lines inside the headlight assembly that you can see the lines go up and down and then they work their way out. Think of those reflectors as like a mirror, the halogen bulb is Illuminating bouncing off those mirrors and then aligning onto the wall to give you that beam pattern.
But the main cons of a reflector headlight are that the beam cannot be controlled. This provides a less distinct light source that isn’t consistent across the entire width of the light output, i.e. the headlight illumination will fade in brightness as they taper away from the center.
Compared to typical reflector headlamps, projector headlights have an added lens that works as a magnifying glass to increase the light beam’s brightness. This lens, known as a condenser lens, project a focused beam of light that can increase brightness and illuminate more road surface at greater distances than typical reflector headlights. And there is an even display of light across the light beam, which will appear as if your light doesn’t fade as the beam reaches the left and right edges, increasing visibility left, right and forward. Otherwise, like a reflector headlight, the light output would fade away from the center.
But when used as a low beam, does such a high brightness from projector headlights blind the oncoming traffic? The key to their effectiveness is in the special shutter/cut-off shield design of the projector's headlights. A cut-off shield can help direct light down toward the road, giving a very sharp cutoff to the light output from the projector.
Thanks to this crisp and clear cut-off line, you can have incredibly bright headlights without blinding other drivers in front of you. All the components in the projector are designed to focus the bright light in a pattern of evenly distributed and tightly organized beams. How do they all work together to create that beam pattern?
Projector Headlight Working Principle
Differing from that of traditional reflector headlights, the design of the projector's headlight is based on the idea of focusing light with a specially-shaped reflector, then using a shutter to project it on the road with a beam pattern that is evenly distributed and tightly organized. It is designed to project brighter beams of light on the road without blinding anyone. This picture will show you how the projector headlight work.
Every projector headlight includes these basic components:
Light Source: Every projector needs a light source. And projector headlights can use halogen, HID, and LED bulbs as the light source. Due to the design of the Shutter in the projector headlight, the bulb in a projection headlight needs to be much brighter than the bulb in a reflector headlight.
Reflector: Like classic reflector headlights, projector headlights actually include a component called a reflector that reflects the light source to the front. The difference is that they use an elliptical-shaped reflector instead of a parabolic-shaped one. The difference in shape causes the light emitted from the bulb in a projector headlight to focus on a narrow point near the front of the reflector, where it meets the cut-off shield.
Cut-off Shield/Shutter: The cut-off shield can also be referred to as a shutter. The shutter is one of the most important components in a projector headlight, and it's something that classic reflector headlight housings just don't have. This component is cut off part of the beam pattern from below, which causes a sharp cutoff and effectively aims the light at the road instead of allowing it to blind other drivers. In some vehicles, the shutter can be raised and lowered to switch between high and low beams. That is, the shutter will be activated in low-beam to provide the crisp cut-off but will lower in high-beam to allow all the useable light to be projected through.
Lens: This is the final component found in projector headlights, and it's designed to evenly distribute the beam of light that has already been shaped and aimed by the elliptical reflector and the shutter. Some projector headlight lenses also have a feature that softens the cutoff line between light and dark when the headlights shine on the road.
Can I Use LED Headlight Bulbs in the Project Headlight?
There are different types of bulbs you can choose from in your projector assembly, such as halogen bulbs, HID bulbs, and LED bulbs. Halogen lights give you ample brightness but do consume more energy than other options, while HID bulbs also have the disadvantage of being inefficient (HID needs at least 2 second response time while starting). If you are looking for an alternative to halogen bulbs, LED headlight bulbs would be an excellent choice for projector applications as they are energy efficient and deliver an optimum amount of intensity for a unique visual experience.
However, LED bulbs can be used for projector headlights, but not all LED bulbs are suitable. Before choosing an LED bulb for your projector headlight, you need to consider factors such as the brightness, beam pattern, and light source position of the LED bulb, as well as if its compatibility with the projector housing.
LED Projector Headlight Bulbs Buyer’s Guide
What LED headlight bulbs perform best in projectors
What factors should be considered when finding so many LED headlight bulbs that claim to be the best for projector headlights? We have summarized three points based on the structure of the projector - High Brightness, 360° illumination, and 1:1 Same Beam Pattern.
High Brightness
In low beam mode, the light from the lower surface of the light source is blocked by the cut-off shield, which means that the final projected light is not 100% of the light source. So the light source in the projector requires more lumens to provide optimal illumination.
Halogen bulbs typically emit 1,000 to 1,500 lumens. In contrast, LED bulbs emit over 3,000 lumens, which is significantly brighter and solves the problem of insufficient lumen output from the projector due to the light source being partially blocked by the Cut-off Shield.
360° illumination
When upgrading a halogen bulb to the LED bulb in a projector headlight, we often find a blind spot directly below in the projected light. This is because the board between the LED chips is too thick and the beam angle on both sides does not reach 180 degrees resulting in a blind spot in the output light. Therefore when choosing an LED bulb to replace a halogen bulb in a projector headlight, the thin board design are important parameter for reducing the blind spot in the light output. The shorter the distance between the LED chips, the closer the "point" light source can be to the original headlamp design, which outputs 360° of light.
1:1 Same Beam Pattern
LED light bulbs are made up of several small LED beads, so that they can be arrayed in any shape. Whether it is a reflector headlight or a projector headlight, if upgrading a halogen bulb to an LED bulb, the 1:1 beam position and size are one of the parametric considerations for the reflector in the headlight assembly to capture the light properly. They provide a more distinct light rather than diffuse light when installed in the projector housing.
Best LED Bulb for Projector Headlight
Based on the desired features, we have selected two series of the best LED bulbs for projector headlights from our store, so you don't have to compare multiple products to find the one you need most.
If you want the best and brightest LED headlight bulbs for projector headlights, then the Y13 series is your top choice. Adopt double-sided LED chips and ultra-thin interval arranged. 80W 16,000LM per set, 400% brighter than halogen bulbs, and get better headlight output.
What we like
80W 16,000LM per set, 400% brighter than halogen bulbs
Each bulb has 1,2000RPM cooling fan to provide supercooling ability
0.08in between opposing CSP chips and 1:1 OEM Beam position and size
What we don't like
Need to find space to prevent additional drivers.
Compared to the Y13 series LED bulb, the Q16 series LED bulb in the projector headlight occupies the advantage of its thinner base board, ultra-thin 0.039 base board allows the beam angle to be closer to 360° illumination, no blind spot, and has a more perfect projection pattern.
What we like
1:1 beam pattern technology and ultra-thin 0.039 base board
Luminous flux of up to 13,000 lumens, 55W, and 6000K color temperature
The directly plugged wireless design, driver, and fan all in one unit, no hassles
What we don't like
Larger fan at the bottom.
Q&A
Q: How do I install the LED bulb so that I can get the best light output in the projector headlight?
A: In the above article we learned that the projector headlight has a cut-off shield and Halogen bulbs have full 360 degree light output so it does not matter what orientation the bulb is in. But for LED headlight bulbs, you need to rotate it during installation so that the LEDs are side by side (9 and 3 o'clock) and you will get a better light distribution, otherwise, there will be blind spots in the beam that will be unevenly distributed on the left and right sides.
Q: The LED bulb I have is not 360° illumination, so there will be a blind spot underneath when projecting light rays, how should I improve it?
A: Since the LED chip is designed with two sides, if the base board where the LED chip is placed is too thick, the dispersion of the light source on either side will be less than 180°, resulting in a blind spot under the pattern projected through the lens. It is recommended to replace the thin base board and 360 ° lighting LED bulbs, designed to minimize the blind spot, or put back the original halogen bulb.
Q: How do I determine which LED bulb I need when replacing the halogen bulb in the projector housing?
A: You have to find answer to the following questions.
a)What type is your older lights socket (h11, h7, h4, h3) .
b)What is the wattage of your older lights (60w,55w) . A more "power hungry" bulb needs thicker wiring (more amperage) .
c)Are the lumens, color temperature, and other technical parameters of the LED bulb sufficient to meet your lighting needs?
d) How compatible are LED bulbs with the vehicle electrical system? Is it a CANbus design to prevent error codes?
Q: What is the best h7 led bulb for projector headlights?
If you want the best and brightest H7 bulbs for projector headlights, then the Y13 series H7 LED headlight bulb is your top choice. Its brightness of 16,000LM is 400% brighter than halogen h7 bulbs, making it the brightest H7 LED bulb available.
Compared to the Y13 series H7 LED bulb, the Q16 series H7 LED bulb in the projector headlight occupies the advantage of its thinner base board has a more perfect projection pattern.
You can read the blog "TOP PICKS FOR THE BEST H7 LED BULBS" to view more H7 LED bulb options.
Search AUXITO Bulb Replacement Guide is a great resource to help most drivers find the right part:
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Automotive lighting bulbs for projectors are becoming increasingly crucial and an inevitable trend for customers. Nowadays, many people attempt to install LED headlight bulbs in projector housing, the most common and worthy alternative.
As the benefits of LED headlights become more prominent, they have already overtaken halogens and HIDs to become the most popular type of car projector headlight housing. However, some people are still hesitating to replace to LED bulbs because they are not sure if they will work well in projector headlights.
In fact, you have nothing to worry about. In contrast, it is necessary for you to explore why most people prefer using LED bulbs in their projector headlights.
In this blog, let’s dig into the question of why LED headlights bulbs are favorable for projector headlights.
#1 What are projector headlights?
#2 Can I use LED bulbs in my project headlights?
#3 LED VS Halogen: Which is better for projector headlights?
#4 Several types of the headlight housing
#5 What brightness is best for projector headlights?
#6 Best LED bulb for projector headlights!
#7 Max3 LED headlight bulb testing
#8 Things to consider before buying LED bulbs for projector headlights
#9 FAQ
The projector headlight consists of light set inside a metal bowl, mirrored reflectors, a shutter, and a lens. The main difference between projector and reflector headlights is the design of using a lens and a shutter, and reflectors don’t have those. The shutter is used to cut off haphazard beams so that the light is only direct at the road. While the lens is round so that it can reinforce the beam of light, this focused light helps to further down the road to increase the distance you can see.
That means projector headlights are specialized for focusing light into a tightly controlled beam that provides well-organized light distribution.
(Projector headlight working principle)
The answer is always “YES.” Installing LED headlight bulbs in projector housing will provide you with excellent performance for nighttime driving. Why? To sum up, LED bulbs are preferred in projector headlights for the following reasons:
#1 LED light bulbs are high energy-saving consumption bulbs. They consume less power to produce super bright light. Then with the help of the shutter and lens in the headlight housing, LED bulbs finally deliver a focus and standard cutoff light for better visibility.
#2 LED light bulbs are made up of several small LED beads, so that they can be arrayed in any shape. Therefore, the light beam pattern of the LED headlight bulb can be designed perfectly. Although LED headlight bulbs are no match for HID in terms of brightness, they provide a more distinct light rather than diffuse light when installed in the projector housing.
#3 LED bulbs are preferred to be used in projector headlights for their long lifespan. Most LED headlight bulbs are waterproof and are manufactured with high-quality materials like aluminum and high-speed. They are high durability and require few maintenance costs. Fixing LED bulbs in your projector headlights is an advisable way to save your money.
Some vehicles have headlights which are a projector-reflector hybrid. It applies a projector for the low beam, and the reflector is for the high beam; this only comes to vehicles with independent high and low beams. (Single-beam headlight system) For this hybrid headlight assembly, matching LED in your projector headlight is perfectly great and will give you the best overall results compared to halogen for your beams.
This headlight assembly requires one bulb for both high beam and low beam functions. From the below picture, you can see that there’s only a project lens. It switches high beam between low beam functions by raising and lowering the shutter in the lens. Installing LED headlight bulbs in dual beam projector headlights, will also get a perfect beam pattern without blind other drivers.
For this headlight, the high beam and low beam carry without any projector; This headlight is called a reflector headlight system. Reflector headlights are the most commonly used type of headlight unit for your vehicles. The bowl-like compartment is made of a glass mirror that reflects the light generated onto the road.
However, the low beam and high beam are equipped with different reflector bowls. For the low beam, the reflector bowl is big and round, whereas the reflector of high beam is small and sharp. Different designs of the reflector bowls determined different light beam patterns.
When you decide to convert your headlight bulbs to LED, you may wonder should I install an additional optical lens into my projector housing? Here you will find the best solution.
If your vehicle’s headlights contain a projector for low beam and a reflector for high beam. It is unnecessary to add a lens to your headlights. Choosing quality LED headlights can produce a perfect light beam pattern through the projector headlight housing. You have better choose LED bulbs with these features:
▪ Thin gap between two light beads
▪ Same lighting position as halogen headlights
▪ Come with a 360 degree adjustable holder
In this headlight housing, you will see the high beam and low beam share the same projector headlight housing. If your vehicle has a projector headlight, it is highly recommended that you upgrade to LED bulbs, and you also no need to buy an optical lens. But you may ask: Can LED bulbs be entirely installed in projector headlight housing? LED headlight brand like NAOEVO, they design the LED bulbs as compact as halogens, so as to be installed into projector headlight housing easily. Easy installation LED bulbs come with these features:
▪ All-in-one design
▪ Same collar holder as halogen
▪ LED bulbs with reasonable driver size
The above mention headlight systems all obtain a projector housing. However, for this type of headlight unit, neither the high beam nor the low beam has projector lenses, called reflector headlights. If there’s no lens inside the housing, will the light emitted be diffused? You don’t need to worry about this problem.
Some Volkswagen vehicles are manufactured with two reflector bowls for high and low beams. Why the light emitted from the reflector bowl still have a clear cutoff line?
When producing car headlights, designers have made the reflector bowl large and round to achieve a distinct cutoff line through the careful arrangement of the reflector plates.
Even so, LED headlight bulbs vary from halogen lights. You should pay attention to the following considerations when choosing LED bulbs for your projector headlight.
▪ Same lighting position as halogen bulbs
▪ Slim lighting space
▪ With cutoff light for low beam and concentrated light for high beam
Projector headlight with LED bulb provides you with an outstanding light beam pattern for night driving, but not too much light that you blind other drivers. A report from RAC found that 65% of motorists have been dazzled by LED lights, even when they are using dipped beam.
The brightness can be measured in lumens. In general, halogen headlights produce around 1,300 lumens, which regards as adequate. The HID headlight bulbs with an output of about 30,00 lumens were a welcomed brightness, and drivers praised the improved visibility they provided.
With the growing popularization of LED headlight bulbs comes another lumen increase. On average, 4000-5000 Lumens (per bulb) is a common range for LED headlights.
Headlights allow you to see clearly at a distance of 50 to about 100 meters ahead, but too much light will become dangerous.
Do you want to install LED bulbs in your projector headlights with the highest lighting performance? We highly recommend NAOEVO Max3 LED headlight bulbs for your projector headlight housing. To get the best bulb, let’s see the outstanding features of Max3 LED bulbs on brightness, longevity, and installation.
Beyond all questions, NAOEVO Max3 H11 LED is one of the best bulbs for projector headlights you will come across in the market. Equipped with an innovative double-sided customized flip-chip, it delivers an excellent light output of 6500K cool white.
Whether you want to use the bulb in projector or reflector headlight setting, it will also offer a breathtaking lighting performance with a mammoth power of 6500LM for a bright and clear vision in almost any light condition. Despite producing high lumen output, it only consumes 60-watt, which is a high energy-efficiency LED bulb.
Installing Max3 LED bulb in your projector headlight, you will enjoy a superior long lifespan of over 50,000 hours, which indicates that it can last for a minimum of 10 years even after daily usage. Most significantly, the Max3 LED headlight contains an intelligent temperature controller. You won’t ever face overheating issues while enjoying nighttime camping or on a long journey. You get the credit that goes to the low headlamp heat, which is pretty lower energy-wast than halogen bulbs.
Durability is a huge concern for every car owner. Projector headlight housing with Max3 LED headlight bulb will surprise you with its 50,000 hours of sustaining light supply, which you would hardly find in such quality. Its effective heat dissipation is based on the aluminum heat sink that enhances durability. Say goodbye to inferior LED bulbs as the double copper heat pipes and high-speed mute fan of Max3 will keep the bulb fresh and keep overheating problem at bay.
◾Perfect light beam pattern (distinct cutoff light and centralized light)
◾Extraordinarily bright and white light
◾Easy installation
◾Excellent heat dissipation
◾2-year warranty
The array of Max3 LED chips contributes to produce a broader and even brightness. For the low beam, you can see there’s a sharp and clear cutoff line without any glare on the wall. Putting Max3 in projector headlight will deliver excellent brightness down towards the road, which won’t blind oncoming drivers. Setup Max3 LED bulbs in your projector headlight will have a better result than HID and halogen.
For the high beam, the Max3 LED bulb delivers super concentrated light through the reflector headlight bowl to see further distance.
Another splendid feature of Max3 LED bulb is the stable power operation. Some LED bulbs from other manufactures are likely to come with a striking lumens rating at 7000 t0 8000. However, as temperature goes up, the lumen output of LED will decrease. A LED headlight claimed 60 wattages could be had 50 wattages.
◾Brightness: Brightness is the first consideration before putting LED bulb in the projector headlight. LED bulbs for projector headlights should not be too bright or too dim. You can see the brightness level by looking at the lumen rating.
◾Enough space: Buying LED bulbs for your projector headlights, the space of your headlight housing is a prior consideration. LED bulbs might require broad space under the hood for the air circulation. If your projector housing has a small hole, installing LED bulbs that carry with the driver could be difficult.
◾Heat dissipation: LED headlight bulbs become hot when they run for several hours. So the quality of the cooling fan is a big factor to consider when purchasing LED bulbs for your projector headlight. Make sure the fan is not loud because it will cause some noise in your drive.
◾Road Legal: While thinking of upgrading LED bulbs into your projector headlight. Due to intense light, the bulbs might blind opposite drivers. It would be better to look for LED bulbs that certificated with DOT approval.
◾Maintenance: Nobody is willing to replace the car bulbs time after time. Maintenance of the bulb is a big hassle for every car owner, it is better to have a headlamp that requires almost zero maintenance.
LED bulbs will be the most suitable choice for projector headlights to provide the best brightness for nighttime driving. Unlike halogen and HID bulbs, LED headlights do not require complicated collection light. The main purpose of LED is only to shine brighter and wider. Thus, it is worth upgrading your conventional headlight bulbs to high illumination LED bulbs.
LED headlight bulbs consume less energy to produce maximum power. They are more energy-efficiency than HID and halogen headlights. LED headlights are up to 300% brighter than halogen headlights and around the same level as HID bulb. Therefore, the LED headlight bulb is absolutely bright enough to be seen on the headlights of the projector.
Projector headlights are designed to enhance valuable brightness rather than consuming excessive power. Unlike reflector headlights, projector headlights are equipped with round lenses that can magnify the intensity of the light beam. Moreover, projector headlights are also coming with a cut-off shield; this allows the light beam to be directed down towards the road. The shield is responsible for the sharper cutoff light.