Headlight bulb wattages

Does anyone know what the default wattages are for the lowbeam headlights and the highbeam headlights?

55w 65w 100w ??

same wattage for both or different wattage for both?

Any help is much appreciated.

thanks in advance

Reply to
VJF
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sounds like an amperage reading is in order................

Reply to
TranSurgeon

Basic replacement: usually the same specifications as original equipment (OE), about 35-watt low beams and 55-watt high beams.

Reply to
Pete

The power consumption of the bulb is, barring any external problems, decided by the bulb. There is no "default". In the past, industry standard was 55 or

65 watts low beam, and 85 high beam. Important to consider is the current carrying capability of the wiring and the heat load on the reflector/lens assembly.

Reply to
Jim Warman

Here in the UK, and I suspect the rest of Europe, low beam is 55w and high beam 60w. Sometimes this is provided by a dual filament 55/60w bulb and sometime by separate bulbs. In the days before halogen bulbs, IIRC the power was 45/50w.

You can get high wattage bulbs (I've got some 130w on the rally car, but they are marked "not for road use", so at least in theory illegal...assuming you get caught in the first place!!

Just a throw away thought - despite the stated power of the HL bulbs, I'd bet a fair amount of money that 95% of road cars are actually putting out considerably less. On my old Audi rally car, with the OEM wiring the voltage at the bulb was ~10v c/w ~13v at the battery which equates to less than 45w or ~20% less output - I'll leave those more in the know to tell you whether that equates to 20% perceived less light.

We replaced the OEM wiring and switches with 32/.2 and relays - net result was a noticeable difference in output and the ability to run high wattage bulbs without the danger of burning out the switch gear :-)

Reply to
Anon

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says closer to 60% less light.

10 / 13 = 77% volts

.77^3.4 = 41% light

Reply to
Sparkle

Stern Lighting is an excellent site - I'd forgotten he had stuff on there about replacing OEM wiring, otherwise I'd have posted the link ;-)

Reply to
Anon

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