International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)

Volume 6, Issue 11, Nov 2015, pp. 102-105, Article ID: IJMET_06_11_012
Available online at
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=6&IType=11
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359
IAEME Publication

SURVEY AND DESIGN OF A HEADLIGHT

CIRCUIT TO REDUCE POWER
CONSUMPTION
Aman Doraya
Medicaps Institute of Science and Technology,
Automobile Engineering Department, Indore
Alekh Jain
Medicaps Institute of Technology and Management,
Mechanical Engineering Department, Indore
ABSTRACT
All the components in an automobile are powered by internal combustion
engines and thereby reducing its mechanical efficiency. Battery in an
automobile is charged with an internal combustion engine with the conversion
of mechanical to electrical energy by an alternator also known as generator.
Most of the people often forget to turn off their light in the morning which
reduces mechanical efficiency of an engine. We have designed an electrical
circuit which will automatically cut out the headlight circuit during the
daytime. This circuit will increase the mechanical efficiency of the engine by
reducing power loss due to the headlights.
Key words: Battery, Alternator, Electrical Circuit, Internal Combustion
Engine, Headlights.
Cite this Article: Aman Doraya and Alekh Jain. Survey and Design of A
Headlight Circuit To Reduce Power Consumption, International Journal of
Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 6(11), 2015, pp. 102-105.
http://www.iaeme.com/currentissue.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=6&IType=11

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Alternators
They are used in modern automobiles to charge the battery and to power the electrical
system when its engine is running. The definition of alternator is hidden in the name
of this machine itself. An alternator is such a machine which produces alternation
electricity. It is a kind of generators which converts mechanical energy into
alternating electrical energy. It is also known as synchronous generator.

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Survey and Design of A Headlight Circuit To Reduce Power Consumption

1.2 Headlights
Headlights are the most important part of an automotive electrical systems. They
increases the drivers visibility in the night time. Headlights take their power from the
battery which in turn gets charged by an alternator. If the headlights are on when they
are not required like in day time they reduce the mechanical efficiency of an engine.

1.3 Observation table

A survey was conducted at Indore to find out how many number of vehicle were
running with their lights turned on.
S.NO
1
2
3
4

Vehicle type
2- wheeler
4- wheeler
Bus
Truck

Number of Vehicles
37
13
7
5

2. CALCULATIONS
2.1 List of symbols
W = watt
A = ampere
hr = hour

2.2 Assumed data

Battery = 12 V, 65 A-hr
Lamp = 50W * 2 = 100W
Alternator rating = 150 amp

2.3 Current requirement by lamp

Power = Voltage * Current
100 = 12 * I1
I = 8.33 Amp

2.4 Time of complete discharge of battery

Time = (65A-hr)/ (8.33A)
= 7.80 hrs

2.5 Resistance offered by alternator

Voltage = Alternator current * Resistance
V = I2 * R
12/150 = R
R = 0.08 ohm

2.6 Power generated by engine to drive the alternator

P= (I^2) * R
P = (65 * 65) * 0.08
P = 338 W

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Aman Doraya and Alekh Jain

The ampere rating of the battery is 65 that is it can deliver 65 A of current

continuously for an hour or for a complete discharge. If the headlights are
continuously running for 7.8 hours than the engine has to deliver 338 watts for
running it for 7.8 hours. In other words, if the light remain on for 7.8 hours during day
time than 338 watts from an engine are wasted.

3. CONVENTIONAL ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

Figure 1 A headlight circuit inducting current flow with the dimmer switch
in the low BEAM Position

4. NEW DESIGN

Figure 2 The new design of the circuit

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Survey and Design of A Headlight Circuit To Reduce Power Consumption

When light falls on the phototransistor, it begins to conduct up to about 1.5 mA,
which pulls down the voltage at the lower side of the resistor by 1.5 V, turning off the
transistor, which turns off the lamp. When its dark, the transistor is able to conduct
about 15 mA through the lamp. So the lamp will start.

5. CONCLUSION
Survey shows that there are ample of vehicles including 2- wheelers and 4- wheelers
having their lights turned on in day time which results in loss of engines mechanical
power. The circuit designed can help to reduce this loss up to some extent which in
turn helps to save fuel.

REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]

[6]

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2007/a-simple-and-cheap-dark-detecting-ledcircuit/
http://www.electrical4u.com/alternator-or-synchronous-generator/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternator_(automotive)
Automobile engineering by Dr. Kirpal singh, vol. 1, Pg. 112.
Kapil Chopra, Dinesh Jain, Tushar Chandana, Anil Sharma. Evaluation of
Existing Cooling Systems For Reducing Cooling Power Consumption,
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 3(2), 2012,
pp. 210 - 216.
John Wilson and S. Sakthivel, Big Bang-Big Crunch Algorithm For Minimizing
Power Consumption By Embedded Systems, International journal of Electronics
and Communication Engineering &Technology, Volume 5, Issue 7, 2014, pp. 9 14.

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