How Many Lumens Are In Car Headlights?

Lumens are an important measurement when determining what type of headlights should go on your car. In simple terms, they tell you how bright a bulb is. The more the lumens, the brighter the bulb will be. 

The ratings you’re likely to come across in different bulbs vary depending on the make and model of the vehicle as well as the bulb type. Furthermore, it’s important to ensure that you do not confuse Lumens with Kelvins. 

Kelvin is a measure of color temperature. That is, how yellow or white a bulb is. A bulb with a lower K rating will be yellow, similar to the color of light produced by a candle. A bulb with a higher K rating will be whiter. 

How many Lumens Are In Car Headlights

When determining how many lumens are in car headlights, it’s good to note that there are different types of headlights available on the market. Each offers a different Lumen and Kelvin rating. 

The most popular types include halogen headlights, HID or Xenon headlights, and LED headlights. 

Halogen Headlights

Halogen headlights typically produce about 700 lumens of light when used as a low beam and about 1,200 when used as a high beam. This doubles in situations where you have a quad-headlight. 

A quad-headlight has two bulbs in one headlight. A non-quad headlight has only one bulb. The former will produce more lumens of light. Most brands emit between 1,600 and 1,700 lumens, especially when used as a high beam. 

When compared to HIDs and LEDs, halogens fall on the lower scale in terms of brightness. They are the more affordable alternative and last for a fair amount of time. They are enough for normal driving conditions and provide enough brightness at night. 

HID Headlights

HID headlights are also referred to as Xenon headlights. They are brighter than halogens and tend to be more popular among car enthusiasts. A typical HID will emit about 80 lumens per watt. 

For example, a bulb that is rated 30 watts will roughly emit 2,400 lumens. One that is rated 40 watts will produce 3,200 lumens. This makes HID headlights some of the brightest lights available on the market. 

The average HID bulb is rated about 3000 lumens. It is up to three times brighter than the most common halogen bulbs. Halogens also consume less power, making them more energy efficient. 

LED Headlights

The invention of LED headlights is what pushed manufacturers and consumers to switch from watts to lumens as a rating for brightness. Unlike the other types of headlights mentioned, it can be a bit difficult to provide a ballpark figure of how many lumens LEDs emit. 

One of the determining factors is how many LEDs are contained in the bulb. The brightness is also dependent on the wattage of the bulb. A diode with 1 watt produces about 130 lumens. If there are 15 diodes in the bulb, it will emit 1,950 lumens. 

Some aftermarket options are rated at 10,000 lumens and above. This isn’t always true and should not be taken at face value. On average, however, most LED headlights will emit between 2,000 and 4,000 lumens. 

Conclusion

Halogen headlights tend to be the cheapest headlight option on the market. They also have some of the lowest lumen ratings. They produce a decent amount of brightness and are easier to replace and maintain. 

On the other hand, HIDs and LEDs are the brightest. They produce more light on a dark road. They also last relatively longer that halogens. LEDs are the most popular today with most car manufacturers choosing to go with them. They are more expensive, but better in terms of efficiency and performance.