Strange Observation of Modern Headlights

**Dan** · 03-13-2018, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Coleroad

Time to bring back the old headlight wipers

Didn`t those die with SAAB???

Originally Posted by Oneheadlite

I would guess most electric/hybrids would have electric assist for their HVAC - I know Audi has done this for their diesels to compensate for the slower warm up time.

Heating an electric vehicle is not a problem, they usually have more than adequate heaters, my Volt and Leaf get toasty hot and FAST. 1/2 mile and the cabin is getting toasty. The problem is that hit uses a ton of juice.

Back to the headlights, I haven`t had any snow sticking issues, but I do keep a healthy amount of LSP on them and i don`t live in Buffalo . I`d venture to say shape has as much to do with it as the type of bulb. I can`t imagine a tiny 55w bulb keeping the housing very warm when cruising at 60+.

**Desertnate** · 03-13-2018, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Dan

Didn`t those die with SAAB???

I didn`t realize SAAB had them too. My last memory of them are a handful of late 90`s vintage Volvo V70 wagons I`d see while I was living in the UK. No telling who was the last to use them.

Back to the headlights, I haven`t had any snow sticking issues, but I do keep a healthy amount of LSP on them and i don`t live in Buffalo . I`d venture to say shape has as much to do with it as the type of bulb. I can`t imagine a tiny 55w bulb keeping the housing very warm when cruising at 60+.

I`ve been quite surprised on several occasions by how much heat they would generate. One particular trip across Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas in a freak Spring snow storm on my way home to Oklahoma that saw the entire front of my E46 BMW (with halogens) totally encased in snow and ice. At one gas stop the only distinguishing features on the car were small areas around my fog lights and my low-beam headlamps which were totally clear. The rest of the lense was soft and easily cleared away, while the rest of the vehicle was packed solid. I`ve also been trapped in ice storm where I had a very hard time clearing the windshield, yet the headlights remained somewhat clear right around the beam pattern on the lense.