Xenons with no wash?

[twindecks1210]

Just been having a look at the new Vauxhall Corsa VXR which is fitted with xenons as standard but I can't see any headlight washers.

I thought that cars had to have some sort of wash system fitted if they had xenons, seems to the case on other cars?

[mph999]

I think, if they are a lower power it's not needed.

[SkinnyPete]

Yep lower power xenons do not need it, in other words they are not really xenons...

Porsche do this on the current Cayman S, 'xenons' as standard but there is an option of more powerful xenons with washer jet.

[Nickbrapp]

if they emit lower than 3000 lumins i think it is, they dont have to have them. same for LED headlights on all the new mercs.

[All that jazz]

Does that mean that the headlights will be really st then when it comes to lighting stuff up?

[Nickbrapp]

All that jazz said:

Does that mean that the headlights will be really st then when it comes to lighting stuff up?

Maybe not as bright as normal xenons but better than halogens. That's what you get for being tight and not
Ticking the options box

[xRIEx]

SkinnyPete said:

Yep lower power xenons do not need it, in other words they are not really xenons...

Porsche do this on the current Cayman S, 'xenons' as standard but there is an option of more powerful xenons with washer jet.

Surely they'd be 'xenons' if they contain xenon.

[haggishunter]

Are they maybe "projector" lights?

[richcorsavxr]

When I bought my corsa in 2008 they called them halogens rather than xenons. they weren't that bright iirc In fact I thought they were crap.

[anonymous-user]

Halogens aren't xenons, they're halogens.

[David87]

Yeah, they can get away with no washers on xenons / LEDs if they're below a certain light output. My Qashqai has bi-LED headlamps, but no washers.

[SkinnyPete]

xRIEx said:

SkinnyPete said:

Yep lower power xenons do not need it, in other words they are not really xenons...

Porsche do this on the current Cayman S, 'xenons' as standard but there is an option of more powerful xenons with washer jet.

Surely they'd be 'xenons' if they contain xenon.

Technically they are, but dont expect the same performance as the Xenons on a 15 year old Ford or anything else that requires washers.

Its only recently they've been slipping in these mediocre headlights under the xenon guise.

[Tomo1971]

Never heard of lower power Xenons on production cars....

And can someone post the legislation that allows or distinguishes between low power and normal xenons and been no requirement for washers.

[Cyder]

People don't have write some rubbish!

Washer systems are mandatory if the light output is 2000 lumens or greater regardless of whether the light source is Xenon, LED, Halogen or candle.

Most xenon systems are over 2000 lumen hence the need for wash systems, but LED head lamps are generally lower so do not require wash systems. However LED's can seem brighter to the human eye as the colour is generally closer to natural daylight.

ETA, somebody mentioned projector modules, this is merely the 'fish eye' lens that is present in some lamps instead of a reflector. The projector can be halogen, xenon or LED, similarly a reflector can be lit by halogen or LED, but they tend not to be used for xenon's in OE applications.

Edited by Cyder on Saturday 20th June 22:10

[drdino]

UNECE 48

[EuroFighter]

There are a few different types of lights available on production cars:

1. Halogens (Can have washers if lumens = 2000+)
2. Xenon [Old Style] (Lexus LS <2001) / Laguna (2001) / Qashqai J10 (2007-2013) / Honda Civic (2006-2012). These did not have projector lenses but did have washers & self-levelling...
3. HID / Bi-Xenon (Washers)
4. LED (No washers)
5. Laser (No washers)

Under 2000 Lumens = No washers needed

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/mercedes-e-klasse-o...

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/292489-xenons...


Reading a host of articles like the one above suggests that washer's are not that effective...but self levelling is important in order to stop blinding other motorists. Hence why retrofitting HID/Xenon's is not a good idea without self-levelling and if necessary washers..(EU mandate)



Cyder's post above is excellent and summarises everything...

Edited by EuroFighter on Saturday 20th June 22:21

[Magic919]

They stick the lower-powered HID lighting on the Boxster, as mentioned above. Any lighting regs for these will be European, as we have none of our own.

[crazy about cars]

EuroFighter said:

2. Xenon [Old Style] (Lexus LS (<2001) / Laguna (2001) / Qashqai J10 (2007-2013) / Honda Civic (2006-2012). These did not have projector lenses but did have washers

Interesting, I always thought these cars were modded with aftermarket HID bulbs as the beam looks too which to be standard halogen in reflector lenses. Now I know

[EuroFighter]

crazy about cars said:

Interesting, I always thought these cars were modded with aftermarket HID bulbs as the beam looks too which to be standard halogen in reflector lenses. Now I know

The Nissan Primera was the same...

Digging up some old threads I found this..

Kentish said:

Trommel said:

Kentish said:

So my wifes new Nissan Qashqai which does not have projectors but does have HID (factory fitted) with conventional reflectors and clear lenses, are you saying that we should remove the HID and fit halogens?

That would be stupid.

Those lights have been designed to work properly.

I agree.

Certain cars lend themsleves to a retro fit better than others.

For example, the current shape Primera has the same haeadlights fitted with and wihout HID according to the spec of the car but with the only diferrence being the bulb holder and the ballast units.

And of course the auto-levelling.

Putting HID into these will give no different result in output than the optioned HID on a higher spec model, therefore the units are quite suitable to retro fit HID into.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/post.asp?h=0&f=23&t=763023&r=12693223&m=quoteReply&mid=414035

[Cyder]

EuroFighter said:

There are a few different types of lights available on production cars:

1. Halogens (Can have washers if lumens = 2000+
2. Xenon [Old Style] (Lexus LS (<2001) / Laguna (2001) / Qashqai J10 (2007-2013) / Honda Civic (2006-2012). These did not have projector lenses but did have washers
3. HID / Bi-Xenon (Washers)
4. LED (No washers)
5. Laser (No washers)

Under 2000 Lumens = No washers needed

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/mercedes-e-klasse-o...

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/292489-xenons...

Cyder's post above is excellent and summarises everything...

Why thank you!

To expand more...
LED's and Xenon's must also have auto levelling systems but Halogen can be manual levelling.

Lasers... I've mentioned this on here before, they're rubbish!

I've driven both system that are in the market (Audi and BMW) and its a gimmicky waste of time. Both cars have very good main beams that illuminate 300m ish down the road, whilst the laser gives you 2 very bright pencil beams to 600m or so which really has no meaning unless you're at V max on the autobahn and even then they barely illuminate the signs at that distance.

The biggest issue is that if another car comes towards you they switch off leaving you with the main beam (adaptive so only dark where the other car is) and the contrast in brightness leaves you feeling like it's suddenly gone pitch black.
I wasn't very impressed with them. (I liked driving the cars they were fitted to though! )