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From: strong@tc.fluke.COM (Norm Strong)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Car headlights
Keywords: question
Message-ID: <13389@fluke.COM>
Date: 19 Dec 89 18:25:49 GMT
References: <23418@gryphon.COM>
Sender: news@tc.fluke.COM
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 21

In article <23418@gryphon.COM> richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
}After spending the last month researching various lighting
}systems for my fishtanks, I have to ask:
}
}Whay are car headlights still crude tungstan filament (appx. 20
}lumens per watt) whenthey could be metal halide (> 100 lumens
}per watt)?
}
}Certainly the power to tunt is more or less ``free'', but
}could not a lot more light be shed on the road from a good
}set of metal halide headlamps ?

As a matter of fact, the electricity used in your car is the most
expensive electricity you'll ever use.  It's generated by a small,
inefficent generator operated by a gasoline engine, which is also
inefficient.  

Now the heater is another matter; it DOES operate for free.
-- 

Norm   (strong@tc.fluke.com)