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Car headlamp bulb

Standard Replacement 3 Pronged Car Headlight Halogen H4 Bulb 12V 60 / 55 Watt

Anyone know if this is a `dual` dipped / main beam bulb or should I look for a dipped only.

thanks

Reply to
ss
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Both the 60/55W designation and the three terminals tell you it is a dual filament lamp.

Reply to
Nightjar

It's a combined main/dipped bulb. Anything that wasn't wouldn't be called an H4

Reply to
Graham.

Is he having a laugh, or have I misunderstood? I mean, you could look at the filament(s).

Bill

Reply to
Bill Wright

Assuming you have the bulb, rather than the specification from the handbook.

Reply to
Nightjar

This is one of those things that is completely obvious if you already know the answer, but rather confusing if you don't.

Reply to
GB

And a single filament lamp would not have two wattages.

Reply to
polygonum

H4 is only dual filament. Single filament types have a different number.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Thanks for the explanation, and yes easy when you know. In 40 years of driving I have never changed a car light bulb so yes a bit confusing having all those numbers thrown at me.

Reply to
ss

You're lucky to have a car where it is a DIY job. Some are extremely tricky to change.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Long time since I've seen an H4, but IIRC they are two contact - the body providing the common. The prongs refer to the fitting flange.

Single filament headlight bulbs can also 2 contact - just don't use the body as ground.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Definitely three contacts, dip/main/common earth. Not all headlamp housings are metal...

Reply to
Adrian

40 years of driving and never changed a car light bulb is some going:-)

However I'll happily share my walk of shame with you.

I can walk into an electrical wholesalers and rattle off item numbers for lots of stuff without a problem but when I last needed a new headlight bulb I went into the motor factors and said "I want a headlight bulb with two prongs but I have no idea what it is called"

I was correctly sold a H7.

Reply to
ARW

Apart from the last 4 years I have always had company cars hence never had to change one.

Reply to
ss

...

I don't think my current car has a single user changeable lamp.

Reply to
Nightjar

Since LEDs are getting common, it may never need one changed in its life. Headlamps excepted.

My oldish BMW is actually easy to change any of the regulation bulbs. No tools needed for any.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I have driven company cars since 1972 and unless the faliure was spotted the night before a service, they have all been replaced promptly by me.

Reply to
Graham.

LEDs are ideal for car lighting. I can't understand why they only seem to be fitted on high end cars.

Why are the interior lights on most cars so piss poor?

Reply to
Graham.

I got sufficiently pissed off with the boot light, that it now has an LED. Was an MR16 for a while, but is now a nice LED G4 replacement from Kosnic (which unfortunately they just stopped making). It gives a much wider spread than an MR16.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I had to give up on my partner's last Micra, my wrist only having one joint, though the current model is much improved.

The current and previous Mondeo allow the whole headlamp assembly to be removed quite simply, which seems an acceptable solution.

My boss had a Jag where you had to take the front wheel off!

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

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