Portugal: The Science of Car Headlamps

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Today we'll have a science lesson about car headlamps. In the UK where we drive on the left, the headlamps are designed so the beam shines all the way across left-to-right below center and then it dips up shining to the top-left (dipped beam, not the high beam when u flash someone). It doesn't shine to the top-right otherwise it would blind oncoming drivers.

In Europe where we drive on the right, it does the opposite and the dip kicks up to the left. It's important when driving a UK car in Europe to not blind other drivers.

When I brought my UK car over to Portugal ... I bought these adhesive stickers that you put on the headlamp unit which (i thought) would convert the beam as if it was a European car ... i.e. the beam no longer dips to the top-left but to the top-right.

Today while seeing my mechanic in Tavira I learned that this is not the case. All the stickers do is block off the dip to the top-left so it doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic ... and just leave the light below horizontal. I took my car to the mechanic because I don't want to leave the stickers on permanently ... I learnt from extensive research that they can damage the headlamp units from the extensive heat that is bouncing back.

My understanding was that just how during an MOT u can re-adjust headlamp alignment, u could move the bulbs around so they're now in EU driving mode. Not true. What headlamp alignment will do is move the entire beam pattern over to the right, but it will still be kicking up to the left. The only ways to convert this to correctly kick up to the right are:

1. Have a car that supports this (Xenon lights) where u flick a switch to change the beam pattern

2. Buy EU-friendly headlamp units

The 1st option isn't an option for me ... so I can either carry on driving with the stickers on or buy new headlamp units. I've also learnt that u can get vehicle-specific headlamp protectors which can be placed on the units prior to putting the reflector stickers on ... and this will make sure the unit doesn't burn out. This is an option I could take .... however the sticker option isn't really ideal driving in pitch black conditions ... without the dipped beam kicking up to the right I have less light shining out and therefore less vision than I should have.

One thing's for sure ... I need to do something soon. In fact, when the mechanic used his machine to see how my beam was shining ... we saw that it was still kicking up to the top-left quite a bit ... I haven't even put the stickers on properly ... lols. On the ferry over to Spain ... I inspected a lot of cars to see how others did it and matched theirs ... clearly I ballzed up.

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