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Old 16th March 2012, 19:55   #1
Jakg
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Default How to tell what type of headlights you have - Reflector, Projector, Xenon etc (MK1)

This seems to be a common form of confusion on the forum, so here goes...

This only applies to MK1's - MK2's were all projectors, with a mix of halogen and Xenon systems.


There are two different types of housing:

Reflector - bulb sits in a holder, a parabola of mirrors behind it focuces and aims the light.

Projector - a ball-shaped lens focuses the light.


There are two types of bulb technologies:

Halogens - a "normal" filament bulb.

Xenon - a gas that can be ignited by passing very high voltages through it. HIDs are exactly the same thing, but "Xenon" is normally used for an OE fitment, "HIDs" for an aftermarket install. Do not get these confused with a filament bulb full of Xenon gas (it's not the same - they are rubbish!)


On our cars, reflectors are halogen, and projectors can be halogen or Xenon. But other cars can have Xenon reflectors (although quite rare).

Pictures:

Reflectors:


ZT's came with "black insert" reflectors, where there was a dark bit at the front (pictures shows a 75, but it's the right headlights):


75's came with this shiny instead:


Projectors:


From the outside, halogen & Xenon projectors look virtually indentical. SOME (but not all) Xenon projectors have "XENON Technology" written on the inside of the outer lens, as shown here:


They will also have a metal box on the back (a ballast) as well:


Projectors on the left, reflectors on the right:


From the factory the Xenon projectors would also come with powerwash (headlight washer jets) and auto levelling (so no levelling wheel on the LSM at all).

Live thread here

Last edited by Dragrad; 9th March 2014 at 02:09..
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