H1 bulbs
Encyclopedia
The H1 is a halogen lamp
designed for use in automotive headlamp
s and fog and driving lamps. It has also been widely applied in emergency vehicle lights.
60061. This is a round metal prefocus base 14.5mm in diameter with a flat and two dimples so the H1 can be installed in a lamp only in the correct, intended rotative position. There is one 6.35mm male spade terminal in the centre of the base, through which power is supplied. The H1 grounds
through the metal base itself.
s at 12 volt
s, and its test rating is 68w (maximum) and 1550 ±15% lumens
at 13.2v. R37 also contains provisions for 6-volt, 55-watt and 24-volt, 70-watt H1 lamps. The United States government does not recognise ECE regulations, but rather applies its own regulations. Under these, the H1 is rated 65w (maximum) and 1410 lumens ±15% at 12.8v. Despite the two different sets of specified voltages and test protocols, the lamps themselves are the same; with few exceptions, 12-volt H1 lamps are generally manufactured and tested to comply with both regulations.
or selective yellow
light. U.S. regulations require H1 lamps to emit white light. Under both ECE and U.S. specifications, the allowable range of white light is quite large; some H1 lamps have a slight blue or yellow tint to the glass yet still produce light legally acceptable under the requirement for white light.
with a wider pitch — the separation distance between adjacent filament coils. This tends to reduce the filament's luminance
and the focus of the beam from the headlamp, Opposite alterations are made to create higher-performance lamps; the filament is wound on a smaller mandrel with a tighter pitch. This increases flux and luminance and creates a better-focused beam from the headlamp, but lifespan is reduced. These same changes can be made with different parameters to give output identical to a standard bulb, but with lower power consumption.
. There is considerable variability by jurisdiction in the regulation of off-road applications of lamp types used in on-road vehicles.
Halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen lamp, is an incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament contained within an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine. The chemical halogen cycle redeposits evaporated tungsten back on to the filament, extending the life of...
designed for use in automotive headlamp
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s and fog and driving lamps. It has also been widely applied in emergency vehicle lights.
Origin
The H1 was the first halogen lamp approved for automotive use. It was introduced in 1962 by a group of European bulb and headlamp manufacturers. The bulb was not approved for use in the US until 1997.Base
The H1 lamp uses a P14.5s base in accord with IECInternational Electrotechnical Commission
The International Electrotechnical Commission is a non-profit, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies – collectively known as "electrotechnology"...
60061. This is a round metal prefocus base 14.5mm in diameter with a flat and two dimples so the H1 can be installed in a lamp only in the correct, intended rotative position. There is one 6.35mm male spade terminal in the centre of the base, through which power is supplied. The H1 grounds
Ground (electricity)
In electrical engineering, ground or earth may be the reference point in an electrical circuit from which other voltages are measured, or a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the Earth....
through the metal base itself.
Power and output
Under ECE Regulation 37, which governs automotive filament lamps in most of the world, the H1 lamp's nominal rating is 55 wattWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s at 12 volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
s, and its test rating is 68w (maximum) and 1550 ±15% lumens
Lumen (unit)
The lumen is the SI derived unit of luminous flux, a measure of the total "amount" of visible light emitted by a source. Luminous flux differs from power in that luminous flux measurements reflect the varying sensitivity of the human eye to different wavelengths of light, while radiant flux...
at 13.2v. R37 also contains provisions for 6-volt, 55-watt and 24-volt, 70-watt H1 lamps. The United States government does not recognise ECE regulations, but rather applies its own regulations. Under these, the H1 is rated 65w (maximum) and 1410 lumens ±15% at 12.8v. Despite the two different sets of specified voltages and test protocols, the lamps themselves are the same; with few exceptions, 12-volt H1 lamps are generally manufactured and tested to comply with both regulations.
Colour of light
Under ECE regulations, H1 lamps are required to emit whiteWhite
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
or selective yellow
Selective yellow
Selective yellow is a colour for automotive lamps. Under ECE regulations, headlamps were formerly permitted to be either white or selective yellow — in France, selective yellow was mandatory until 1993....
light. U.S. regulations require H1 lamps to emit white light. Under both ECE and U.S. specifications, the allowable range of white light is quite large; some H1 lamps have a slight blue or yellow tint to the glass yet still produce light legally acceptable under the requirement for white light.
Compliant
Because the light output is specified as a nominal value with a 30% tolerance (±15%), H1 lamps may be optimised for longer life (with lower flux and luminance), or for higher flux and luminance (with shorter life). A long-life filament is wound on a larger mandrelMandrel
A mandrel is one of the following:* an object used to shape machined work.* a tool component that grips or clamps materials to be machined.* a tool component that can be used to grip other moving tool components.- Variants :...
with a wider pitch — the separation distance between adjacent filament coils. This tends to reduce the filament's luminance
Luminance
Luminance is a photometric measure of the luminous intensity per unit area of light travelling in a given direction. It describes the amount of light that passes through or is emitted from a particular area, and falls within a given solid angle. The SI unit for luminance is candela per square...
and the focus of the beam from the headlamp, Opposite alterations are made to create higher-performance lamps; the filament is wound on a smaller mandrel with a tighter pitch. This increases flux and luminance and creates a better-focused beam from the headlamp, but lifespan is reduced. These same changes can be made with different parameters to give output identical to a standard bulb, but with lower power consumption.
Noncompliant
Lamps are available that conform to the physical specifications for H1, but not to the regulated specifications for power consumption, light output, and/or light colour. These include high-wattage lamps, and those that emit light of a colour outside the white or selective yellow specification ranges. Such lamps are illegal throughout the industrialised world for use in regulated automotive lighting devices, and so vehicle wiring, switches, and lighting components are generally not designed or built to withstand the higher heat and power consumption from off-spec lamps. Lamps with higher-than-specified output can also create unsafe levels of glareGlare
Glare may refer to:* Glare is difficulty seeing in the presence of very bright light* A glare is a facial expression of squinted eyes and look of contempt* A call collision in telecommunications* GLARE, an advanced aerospace material...
. There is considerable variability by jurisdiction in the regulation of off-road applications of lamp types used in on-road vehicles.
External links
- http://faqlight.carpassion.info/hl-hid-bulbs.htm (German)
- http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2002/05/06/headlight-complaints.htm
- http://www.safeny.com/emer-vt.htm