Do-it-yourself auto-corrector for xenon headlights: description, principle of operation

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

As statistics show, about half of all accidents occur at night or in conditions of insufficient visibility. According to experts, most of the accidents occur due to the fault of the car's lighting fixtures. To improve the quality of lighting, a device such as an auto-corrector for headlights has been developed, which any owner can install.

It is clear that this problem could not be ignored for a long time. Therefore, since 1990, all cars manufactured in Germany have been equipped with the auto-correction system. And since the mass use of xenon lighting devices began in 2010, such a device must be present on every car.

Need for a correction system

When driving at night, it is important that the headlights illuminate the path well. However, proper adjustmentdoes not in all cases contribute to safe movement at dusk. This is explained by the fact that in cases of changes in the suspension of the car due to the loading of the trunk or the presence of passengers, the light flux changes its trajectory. As a result, this reduces the level of illumination of the headlights and dazzles oncoming drivers.

Therefore, there is a need for constant adjustment of the luminous flux relative to the vertical plane using special devices (it does not hurt to find out how the headlight auto-corrector works). There are almost similar devices - sensors for automatically turning on headlights. But there is a significant difference between them, so you should not confuse them.

Advantages of xenon lighting

Currently, halogen lighting devices are losing their relevance and, for obvious reasons, are being replaced by xenon headlights. They owe their name to the name of the gas - xenon, through which an electric discharge is passed, which leads to a glow. In addition to the high-pressure gas, the headlight glass bulb contains less than 1 mg of mercury and metal s alts. What is one of the main benefits.

But besides this, it is worth highlighting three main key points that significantly distinguish xenon headlights from other analogues with the prefix more:

1. Bright light.
2. Safe lighting.
3. Long resource.

The light from xenon headlights is significantly brighter than from halogen sources. It doesn't matter if it's far or near. the light itselfhas a bluish tint, which brings it closer to daylight. This greatly improves visibility at night.

By installing xenon headlight auto-corrector, you can notice an improvement in contrast and color depth, which leads to a reduction in eye strain. What's more, their light does not dazzle oncoming traffic and reflects better off the special paint on road signs.

But the most important thing is the service life, which is much higher than that of halogen headlights (2 or even 3 times). Due to the absence of filaments, xenon lamps are more resistant to shock and vibration. And thanks to the use of ionized gas, electricity consumption is reduced by 25%. With any luck, the bulbs can last the lifetime of the car without replacement.

Safe driving conditions

Currently, due to the increase in the production of automobiles, there is a large traffic flow in cities. In such conditions, it is important to ensure the optimal distance to the vehicle in front, which is easy to achieve with the help of an auto-corrector for headlights (VAZ, etc.). Especially when moving late in the evening or at night. This requires high precision adjustment of lighting fixtures.

Starting from 2010, cars with xenon headlights must have a corrective system. This is the only way to protect yourself and other road users. In addition, special corrective devices give a full guarantee that all roadsigns and markings will be clearly visible. At the same time, bright and powerful headlights will not dazzle other drivers.

Historical background

Headlight correctors are not only equipped with modern cars, in history there were cases of using such a system several decades ago. In the distant 1950s, such devices were installed only on expensive car brands. At that time, the headlights were adjusted manually, for which a special whole mechanical drive was responsible. The static dimmer (as some kind of auto-corrector was previously called) was installed directly in the headlights, and their adjustment was made before each trip.

Since then, the technology has been constantly improved, and in the 1970s it became possible to adjust the headlights from the driver's seat. This was done through different drives:

• hydraulic;
• vacuum;
• electric;
• pneumatic and others.

However, these devices quickly lost their relevance, as it was difficult for drivers to determine the desired direction of the light flux. In particular, difficulties arose in the case of a loaded car. Over time, headlight adjustment became automatic.

The principle of operation and types of headlight range control

The headlight correction system includes a vehicle tilt sensor installed at the rear of the vehicle. His duties include determining the height relative to the road, calculating the angle of inclination and transmitting all information to the control unit. Based on this information,xenon headlight auto-corrector controller makes the appropriate decisions. That is, if necessary, the signal from the computer changes the angle of the light flux in the right direction, for which the corrector is responsible.

Almost every modern car is equipped with a headlight adjustment system. It is divided into two types:

• quasi-static;
• dynamic.

There are significant differences between these systems, and the operation of one of them is faster and safer. It is worth considering in more detail what their principle of operation is based on.

Quai-static correctors

The quasi-static device includes the following components:

• vehicle body position sensor (two pieces);
• drive mechanism (in each headlight);
• Headlight leveling switch (for manual adjustment).

The sensors are connected to the axles of the car by means of special rods. You can also include a control unit here. The principle of operation of this system is based on a change in the angle of inclination of the body, which occurs when loaded or driving at high speed. Unfortunately, installing an auto-corrector for headlights of this type is not entirely rational, since the response time of the sensors leaves much to be desired. The effectiveness of the auto leveling is increased by installing a switch on the dashboard for manual headlight adjustment.

If the automatic mode is enabled, then the adjustment takes place with the participation of the control unit. To do this, the controller receives and processes everythinginformation regarding the location of the body and the speed of the vehicle. Tilt angle data is sent to him by the specified sensors, and he receives information about the speed from the ABS sensors.

Dynamic correctors

Dynamic headlight auto-correctors owe their appearance to the mass transition to xenon light sources. This is mainly due to the fact that a powerful luminous flux from xenon is more dangerous than light from halogen counterparts. Even a short-term bright flash will blind the driver of an oncoming vehicle and cause an accident. Therefore, headlight adjustment is vital. The auto-correct will do the best job.

The main difference between this system and the one discussed above is that it responds much faster to changes in the angle of inclination, the speed of the transport height. It takes very little time - some fractions of a second. That is, she does it almost instantly, which is very important when using xenon headlights.

Thanks to the dynamic corrector, the luminous flux will always remain at a given level in any situation in the movement of the car:

• overclocking;
• cornering;
• braking;
• driving on rough roads.

Thus, no matter how bright the lamps are, they are completely safe for all other drivers.

Self installation

To install the auto-corrector, you can use the services of service station workers or do all the work yourself. Typically, if a decision is madeinstall an auto-corrector for headlights with your own hands, the device may already be installed on the car. Therefore, it is first worth evaluating his work. And if necessary, nevertheless, replace the standard hydraulic corrector with another device, it is worth dismantling it first.

Many drivers prefer electromechanical auto-correctors due to their relatively inexpensive price. If the standard device fails, then this will be a great alternative.

Removing the stock system

The dismantling of the regular hydraulic corrector begins with cutting through the pipelines and draining the liquid from them. Usually they are located near the battery. This is followed by the operation of removing the main working cylinder. To do this, you need a screwdriver, which you need to press the latch that secures the cylinder body. To pull it out, first turn the body counterclockwise until it stops and pull it towards you.

At the next stage of the installation of the headlight autocorrector, you can go to the salon to remove the handle from the hydrocorrector unit held by the nut. And after the control unit is removed along with the pipelines, you can proceed to dismantle the rubber plug-plug of the engine shield.

After that, it remains to prepare the wiring by selecting the wires of the required section and length. From one end of the wiring, you need to solder the terminals to the control unit connection block. After that, the wires are laid through the hole in the motor shield where the pipeline used to be. Solder the other end of the wires to the blockdrive connections. Usually, rubber protective covers are provided for the pads in the auto-corrector package. But in their absence, you can use sealant or heat shrink tubing.

Two thick wires and 4 female terminals are provided for power supply (one of them is wide and the other three are narrow). The headlight auto-corrector works effectively when power is supplied with the dipped beam headlights turned on. To do this, connect to:

• terminal 10;
• switch 64;
• rear fog light power supply.

Ground can be connected using a free terminal of the wire going to the ignition relay. After that, install the drives in their original location and fix them with gaskets.

Universal option

There is a universal device manufactured by the German company Hella. The device can be installed on any car, and it can act as a stand-alone system or be an addition to manual headlight adjustment.

The principle of operation is based on the latest ultrasonic sensors, which are fixed in the lower part of the body at a distance of at least 25 cm from the road. From the sensors, the control unit receives the necessary information regarding the angle of inclination of the car body.

After making the necessary calculations, the control unit sends control signals to the electric drives of the Hella headlight auto-corrector. They, in turn, change the direction of the light flux depending on the situation.