04 Aug Automobile optics – types and features of xenon lamps

To date, most motorists equip the headlights of their cars with xenon and bixenon lamps. In this regard, it makes sense to get acquainted with the types, features and markings of xenon lamps.

There are two main types of xenon lamps, it is directly xenon lamps and bixenon lamps. The difference between them is that xenon lamps are able to provide the car in close light, and bixenon lamps may be switched to the mode of high and near light. In order to make such a switch possible, bixenon lamps have a special design. The peculiarity of the design is that the usual xenon lamp is enclosed in a special flask in which the lamp can “swim”. As a rule, a change in the position of the lamp in the flask occurs by turning on and off a small magnet and thus switching to a share or near light. The fact that bixenon lamps have somewhat complex, compared with conventional xenon lamps, the design does not mean that they have large sizes. If you visually assess the size of xenon and bixenon lamp, then you will not see any particular difference. Therefore, both types of lamps under consideration can be installed in the place of ordinary halogen lamps without any problems. Since xenon lamps do not consume a large amount of energy, when installing them, it is not required to make constructive changes to the car power system.

When buying xenon lamps, you will meet with the fact that they have a special alphanumeric marking. So in the marking of xenon lamps there is a letter D, which means that you have a gas discharge lamp filled with xenon. In this case, this designation also suggests that in the lamp to incite an arc, a discharge of high intensity is used. After the arc in the lamp is created, the lighting device ceases to consume a large amount of energy. If you need road signs manufacturing them, order them in the company “Bestmash”. They will make and install any road signs for you.

Further, in the marking of the xenon lamp, the figure is indicated, which indicates the generation of the lamp located in front of you. Currently on sale there is a second generation of xenon lamps. After the figure in the marking, the letter is again indicated. Here you can find two options for the letter designation S and R. These letters indicate the type of lamp basement. The closest attention must be paid to this designation, since in the headlights of different automobile manufacturers the seat under the base may differ significantly. So the letter R says that in front of you is a lamp with a reflex base. Such lamps are used to install Mercedes in cars and are almost no longer used anywhere. Thus, if your car does not bear the proud name Mercedes, then you need to buy a xenon lamp with marking s. It is worth noting that initially the marking of S appeared on the lamps that were produced for BMW cars and after that the automakers were divided into two camps, some followed the example of the Mercedes company, the other BMWs.