These days, a lot of car owners want to improve the headlights of their cars by getting halogen projector lightbulbs. Some of the most popular options you have at hand are H11 and H11B bulbs. However, not every HID will fit into your lightbulb casing.
So, you need to know the difference between H11 And H11B the two options to decide which one might be a better fit for you. Also, you need to understand which one is compatible with your car.
The two lightbulbs H11 and H11B only have a slight difference and that is in the socket housing and orientation of their tabs. H11 and H11B are definitely not interchangeable and this article will give you all the reasons why.
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Difference Between H11 and H11B
The H11 and H11B lightbulbs are quite similar indeed and we understand if you get confused between the two and can’t decide which one to get. So, if you don’t know how to distinguish the H11 and H11B lightbulbs, then, read on to find out a detailed comparison of the two lightbulb types.
#1 Filament Life
No products found. has almost 3x times longer filament life than H11. The filament life of H11B 930 hrs while that of H11 is 270 hrs. This is because H11 is meant to be a fog light or your car’s driving light. So, it isn’t built to run as long as H11B should. On the other hand, H11B is a low beam bulb.#2 Different Socket Size
Both H11 and H11B bulbs have three tabs and can fit into the cutouts of the headlight housing. One of the tabs is wider than the rest in both cases and that usually determines which type of lightbulb your car needs. H11 and H11B surely don’t fit in the same socket and can’t be used interchangeably.
#3 Exposed Connection Plug
H11B has an exposed connection plug that looks similar to any regular electrical plug that common household electronic items have. On the other hand, an H11 light bulb comes with a connection that remains enclosed within a connector. This allows it to hold the wires in position.
#4 Compatibility With Other Light Bulbs
H11 is cross-compatible with a couple of other bulbs like No products found. and L-shaped H16. So, if any of the latter fit in your vehicle’s headlight casing, you can get an H11 bulb. On the other hand, H11B doesn’t fit in the headlight casing of any other bulb. So, H11B is not interchangeable with any other light bulb.
#5 Return Wire
The return wire of H11 is placed next to the widest tab, i.e. at the bottom of the ring. On the other hand, the return wire of H11B is placed opposite to the widest tab which makes it located at the top of the ring. Hence, these bulbs need different sockets and can’t be used in place of the other.
#6 Difference In Installation
H11 and H11B bulbs also differ in the way you need to install them to your vehicle’s headlight. H11B has a twist-in type of installation while H11 needs to be plugged in.
#7 High Beam Or Low Beam
H11B is not seen that often but is compatible with Hyundai and KIA cars. These cars have low beam lighting and H11B is perfect for that.
Which one do you need: H11 or H11B?
It is very easy to figure out which one you need. Just look at the back of the headlight and figure out the orientation of the widest slot. This could be very easy with some cars but not so much with others. Once you have figured out the position of the widest slot, you can order the required bulb either online or from your nearest hardware store.
Note: Using the wrong bulb can cause problems for your vehicle. The bulb might fit but its return wire could be placed in the wrong orientation. This will cast a shadow from the mid of your car’s headlight resulting in less light and efficiency. Moreover, you won’t be able to see at a distance, especially while driving at night. Obviously, this could be risky.
Why is it important to pick the right bulb?
If you pick the wrong bulb, then the return wire of the HID bulb will be placed on top once it is installed in the headlight. This return wire can cast a shadow down the middle of your car’s headlight output. Hence, you will get a reduced performance and it wouldn’t look neat as well.
As a result, driving at night might become a risky experience because the headlights won’t execute their function properly. Your vision will also suffer due to this and overall you will be putting yourself at risk of accidents.
Normally, in a projector-style headlight, the return wire of the lightbulb should be placed at the bottom. And in the case of a reflector style headlight, the return wire should face down for low beam lighting and up for high beam lighting. So, figure out which headlight style your car has to determine which lightbulb works best for you. This way it won’t cast any unnecessary shadows and will work efficiently.
If you are having problem related to headlight, you can read this article.
Final Thoughts
It is very common to see car owners getting confused with the H11 and H11B lightbulbs and often wonder which one to get or which one would be the right pick for their vehicle. In the above sections, we’ve clarified some of the myths about these two halogen bulbs. The first thing you need to know is that H11 and H11B cannot be used interchangeably and have some significant differences. You need to check out the headlight socket where the lightbulb will go in to figure out which lightbulb will be well-suited for your vehicle.
