Checking External Lighting

Sometimes when you get home from work, it’s late, gloomy and dark. And so you switch on the lights in your home to see where you are going and to see the room. Exterior car lights have the same purpose – to see the direction and to see all around. Without these lights, you will be driving into danger. Even if one light is out, it can make all of the difference to your safety and comfort. When the time comes to replace or upgrade a light bulb, it is easy to leave it until tomorrow or the next weekend, but just like replacing a bulb in the home, you need to replace a bulb in your car as soon as possible. Driving with one headlight on in the dark may confuse motorists into thinking a motorcycle is approaching, not a 1.5 ton car.

If your headlights fail while driving in darkness, try using the light from sidelights or following the tail lights of another vehicle until you reach somewhere safe you can assess your situation.

Brake gently and try the dip switch. You may get lucky and still have a full or dip beam available if one or the other fails. Also try your light switch; sometimes a bad connection causes a temporary fault so turn it on and off a few times to see if anything happens.

If nothing happens and you are still without lights, pull off the road where possible and park safely. Switch your hazard lights or indicators on to make other drivers aware of your presence. They are very unlikely to see you unless you do this.  

It is recommended that you check your car lights on a weekly basis. Have someone with you to stand in front and behind your car while you test each and every light. Any light that does not illuminate will need to be replaced.

Finding the bulb that needs replacement will be easy. Auto LED Shop has the highest quality car light bulbs at competitive prices. If you are not sure as to which bulb you need, you can use the Find Your Matching Bulbs form on our website.

7 Things We Bet You Don’t Know About LED Lighting

Most of us are already aware of the cost and energy saving capabilities of LED lighting. Average LED bulbs come with a lifespan exceeding 50,000 hours and several benefits like reduced maintenance, reduced energy costs and reduced labor. However, the benefits of LED don’t stop there. Here are 7 things you might not have known about LED lights and bulbs.

1. They switch straight on

CFLs of the yesteryears took some time to warm up and glow to the requisite power value. However, this isn’t the case with LED. There is no waiting around and you can expect a full glow the instance you put on the switch. Also, unlike the CFL, LED is highly efficient and consumes 90% less energy.

2. They allow a direct replacement

There is a rising misconception that LED lights come as retrofits and replacements require a complicated process of wiring. Many believe that LEDs cannot be replaced without an electrician and that they need GU5.3 fittings, especially for the MR16 down lights. In reality, MR16 lights use a mere 12V of power that requires a compatible driver. However, most LED fittings can be easily replaced with minimum fuss. Other bulbs like the E27 Traditional Edison LED and GU10 can be plugged straight into the socket, just like we did in earlier days.

3. It’s not about the wattage

Become LED came into the market, choosing a light bulb required choosing a power (wattage) that would be bright or dim according to the ambience of the room it is to be fitted in. LED technology on the other hand works differently. Wattage is no longer a primary determinant. Other elements that come into consideration would be the beam angle, color temperatures, etc. Further, you can even control an LED to adjust its brightness according to the requirement. These dimmable LEDs make room lighting versatile. LEDs today give the users a deep sense of control and customization.

4. Cost of ownership

Buying LED bulbs might seem more expensive than incandescent alternatives. However, in the longer run, LEDs provide to be highly cost effective. They have a longer lifetime and consume only a fraction of the energy. When buying LEDs, make sure you check the manufacturer’s warranty and reputation.

5. No more need for step ladders

Halogen lights would provide a lifetime of around 2000 hours. If used four hours a day, they would run for a year and a half. LEDs on the other hand give a whooping 15,000 hours of life. Some high end LEDs even provide 50,000 hours of lighting. If you are buying from a reputed manufacturer, you can comfortably stack your ladder away for even a decade!

6. Huge energy savings

With LED lighting, the energy savings are not just marginal but huge. Of course it will depend upon the type and length of usage. You would be saving more than 90% of electricity compared to if you would have been using incandescent bulbs or halogen. Further, you are getting better quality lighting.

7. You are saving the environment

Climate change and global warming are becoming a serious cause of concern. By using less amount of electricity, you are in fact contributing to saving the natural resources and doing your nit for the environment. Also, LED lights have less carbon emission than other alternatives.