Improvement of headlights light

Improve the light of the headlights is within the power of almost any driver. You don't have to replace the entire part to do it, you can use a few recommendations to bring back the brightness. It all depends on the nature of the problem, it is also easy to find the cause of the deterioration, you can usually do it by external signs.

Is it possible to improve the light with your own hands

Deterioration of performance is not always due to the deterioration of the headlights or the exhaustion of their resource. As a rule, you can make a simple repair and return the quality of light to its original or significantly improve it. Over time, many elements wear out or the system malfunctions, so some parts need attention.

It's important to choose options that don't break the law. For example, installing xenon bulbs or lenses is a direct violation of the traffic code and could result in a fine. In addition, non-standard xenon is impossible to adjust and it blinds oncoming drivers. Or the light flux is distributed in such a way, that at high brightness it illuminates the road worse than the regular halogen bulb.

How to improve headlights illumination

There are several proven ways to solve the problem of bad light. Sometimes it is enough to do one of the work options, and sometimes you will have to use 2-3 ways to ensure a good effect. It is important to clearly follow the instructions, as any violations can lead to the failure of the headlight or damage to the electrical equipment, which will result in more expensive and complicated repairs.

If the problem occurred on the road, the fault may be dirt on the outside of the headlights. You just need to wipe them down to get the brightness back. This happens when driving during precipitation, when a splash rises from the road, which when drying on the glass leaves a deposit that prevents the normal penetration of light from the bulb.

Dried dirt deteriorates the light many times over.

It is worth inspecting the construction during daylight hours. If dirt and dust have accumulated on the inside of the glass, you need to clean it. To do this, you have to disassemble the construction by cutting off the factory sealant. To make it come off more easily, use a construction hair dryer. Use it to warm up section by section and gently separate the glass from the housing. If you do this without heating, you can damage the elements and then you will have to buy a new headlight.

You will not be able to separate the glass without heating.

After disassembly and cleaning with a soapy solution of dust and dirt on the inside, you must inspect the reflectors. If they are also dirty, you must remove all the connectors and elements that are afraid of water and wash. You should not rub the reflector, you should wash it in water with dishwashing liquid. Dip several times and shake vigorously. When the dirt comes off, rinse the body well to get rid of detergent residue, then leave the item until it is completely dry.

If it turns out that the reflector is damaged or part of it is burned out from the constant heat, you need to repair it. In some cases it can be repaired element with reflective tape, special film or spray paint. If the surface is deformed, the reflector should be replaced with a new one. In this case, the main thing is to remove it carefully so as not to damage the connections on the body.

Polishing

Polishing makes the headlight look almost the same as it came out of the factory.

Most modern headlights are made of plastic materials. Over time, the plastic gets covered in small scratches or becomes dull from constant heat. This can severely affect the lighting, as light transmission is reduced and the flow is distributed incorrectly. The work is easy to do on your own, to improve the lighting, you need to follow a simple instruction:

1. Remove the headlights to ensure convenient operation. If this cannot be done, glue all the elements around, so they do not get dirty and damaged during the polishing of the surface. For this purpose, a special painter's tape for cars is used, which holds very well and leaves no traces of glue after removal.
2. It is recommended to use two compositions for the work. One for initial processing and leveling the surface (coarser) and the second for polishing and making the item perfectly smooth. You will also need a special polishing disc and a drill or grinder (better if it has adjustable speed).
3. The work begins with the first paste, it is evenly distributed on the surface, and then the glass is polished. It is important to do the work carefully, without missing a single spot. After drying, the element will be matte - this is normal, such an effect should be observed.
4. The second paste is applied in the same way, polishing is carried out until the surface is perfectly smooth. It is necessary to carefully rub the composition until the element becomes transparent and dry. After that, you can put the headlights back in place or remove the protective veneer.

By the way! Some people cover the surface with lacquer after polishing to protect it. This option is not the most successful, since the varnish begins to be damaged after 1-2 years and if you polish the headlights again, you will have to spend time removing the coating, which complicates the work.

Voltage Increase

The headlight power circuit consists of many elements and at each contact, some voltage is lost. If in new cars it does not play a big role, over the years, the losses grow and instead of 14,2-14,4 V coming out of the battery to the lamp comes to 11 V or even less. You can try cleaning all the contacts, renewing the connections and treating them with a special compound to improve voltage transfer.

Particular attention in older models should be paid to the steering wheel switch, it burns contacts over time, so often the problem with the light can be solved by replacing this element.

But it is easier and more reliable to install an additional relay in the circuit of the dipped headlights. This technique allows you to ensure normal voltage on the bulbs and they will work with maximum efficiency. The process is not complicated:

1. You can buy a ready-made kit for installation under the hood, it will cost about 1000 rubles. But you can buy a relay, fuse and wires separately to assemble the system yourself. You will also need heat shrink tubing to work.
2. One wire is connected to the plus on the battery and through the fuse is brought to the appropriate contact of the relay (the connection diagram is in the manual for each model, you can also find it online).
3. For the relay selected a convenient place under the hood, it is usually placed near the headlights and is attached to the body with a screw or small bolt. Do not just put it in a recess.
4. The wire from the switch should be cut and connected not directly, but through the relay, this will ensure a stable voltage on the bulbs. From the relay the second piece is led to the lamp socket on the headlight and connected to the contact. All connections must be protected with shrink tubing of the appropriate size. Use ready-made terminals for the contacts, avoid twisting and use of duct tape.

The wiring diagram is simple and easy to understand.

After installing the additional relay, the brightness of the bulbs usually increases by 15-20%, and in some cases even more.

Video example: What does the extra relay for a dipped beam.

LED bulbs

This option allows you to improve lighting without large-scale modifications. Its essence is to replace the regular halogen bulbs on the LED. They consume little electricity, which reduces the load on the elements of electrical equipment, they are less heated, which prolongs the life of the reflector. But it is important to remember a few tips:

1. Choose LED lamps the same design as the halogen ones. The main thing is to match the light distribution, otherwise the light will be reflected incorrectly, which can lead to dazzling oncoming drivers or ineffective lighting. It is worth reading reviews to find out which option is best.
2. When installing, you often need to position the power supply inside, usually it is inserted into the housing so that there are no unnecessary elements under the hood.

LED light is better than halogen light due to the brightness and light distribution.

It is worth specifying the size of the bulbs, due to the radiator in the back they are larger and may not fit in the housing of some headlights.

Light bulbs with improved light output

Many manufacturers have a line of products with increased light output. And, the difference can range from 20 to 100% and even more, it all depends on the model. This option is much better than installing lamps of higher power, as the headlight is designed for a certain heat and with constant overheating will deteriorate the reflector.

In addition, halogen versions are designed to last for 500 hours, over time the coil will thin and the light will deteriorate even if the bulb works. Therefore, replacement can solve the problem, and the improved light output will provide light that is even better than originally.

Phillips is the leader in the light output segment.

Light bulbs with a higher color temperature

If you have the usual yellow elements in the car, it is worth replacing them with bulbs with white emission. They will provide good color rendering and significantly improve visibility without much modification. And if you pick up a variant with improved light output, the effect will be even greater. The main thing - do not use too cold light, its temperature should not exceed 6000 K.

Do not put bi-xenon bulbs in OEM diffusers, as they are very hot and can melt the plastic. In this case, you should buy units complete with a lens. But this solution can be implemented not on all cars, if the factory did not install the lens, it is illegal and punishable by a fine.

Comparison of lamps with different glow temperatures.

Increase the brightness of the light in the car in most cases it is possible without replacing the headlights. It all depends on the nature of the fault and the condition of the elements. Sometimes you need a complex of measures, such as polishing the glass and replacing the bulbs or installing a relay.