Curious about the differences between H11, H8, H9, and H16 bulbs? Or confused by bulbs listed as “H9/H11” or “H8/H11”? This guide got you covered.
If you are in a rush, here are the key takeaways:
The sockets and connectors of H11, H8, H9, and H16 are nearly identical, making them easily interchangeable with each other. However, the H11, H8, H9, and H16 halogens have different wattages, lumens, and sightly different dimensions optimized for their intended uses. (The later section will cover these details).
For LED upgrades, most H11 LED bulbs are univeral. Aftermarket LEDs are engineered to directly replace H8, H9, H11 and H16 halogen equivalents. For example, SEALIGHT offers combined LED lines like H11/H9/H8 LED headlight bulbsand H11/H8/H16 LED fog lights.
So if your halogen is an H9, SEALIGHT's H11/H9/H8 LEDs will fit right in.
What Are the Differences And Similarites of H11, H8, H9, and H16
The Similarites
Shape and connectors:
H9, H11, and H8 and H16 have the same connector since they are the same bulb with the exact same plug. As pictured above, it consists of two narrow-set prongs enclosed in a plastic oval casing with a plastic divider at the center and two tabs on either end of the casing.
It is characterized by having a traditional right-angled style connector input base, a large rubber o-ring below the metal tabs, and 3 metal tabs spaced evenly apart around the base to lock it in place.
Filament:
All are sigle filament bulb.
Voltage:
All three are rated 12 volts. Most automotive headlights and fog light bulbs are.
Lighting Technology:
H11, H8, H9, and H16 are available in halogen, LED and HID lighting technology. They always come in standard halogen bulb from factory, but they can all upgrade to LED or HID bulbs.
The Differences Between H11, H8, H9, and H16
Although the bulbs are physically interchangeable, you should know that, the halogen types of H11, H8, H9, and H16, their have some different technical metrics. Let’s break it down:
Wattage:
The main difference between these bulbs is the wattage, with H16 having the lowest wattage at 19 watts, H9 at 65 watts, H11 at 55 watts, and H8 at 35 watts.
Applications/Position:
H11 is the most common of the three, using 55 watts and found in low beam headlights and can also used as fog lights. H9 is usally found in high beams and uses 65 watts. H8 is used for fog lights and uses 35 watts. and the H16 is also usually placed in fog light applications.
Brightness:
The standard H8 halogen bulb has 800 lumens, H9 is 2100, H11 is 1350, H16 is 500 lumens. Note that the exact number may vary depending on the manufactuerer.
If you opt for LED headlight bulbs, the lumens will go higher as LED headlight bulbs are much brighter. For example, at SEALIGHT, the H11/H9/H8 headlight bulb lumens range from 14000 to 28000 lumens.
Lifespan:
Average Life of the basic halogen bulb: The H8 has a life of 320 hours, the H9 has 240 hours, the H11 has 270 hours, and the H16 has the shortest lifespan at 150 hours.
Note that lifespan of the headlight bulbs also depends on many factors. One major consideration is the use frequency of the bulb. If the H11 bulb is used as low beam and H9 is for high beam, then H9 will have last longer since lower beams are used less often.
Also read:
H11 vs. H8 H9 H16, Are They Interchageble?
When shopping for headlight bulbs, you'll often see H11, H8, H9, and H16 listed together as options. This can create confusion about which bulb sizes can be used interchangeably. Here's a breakdown of how these common headlight bulb types compare:
H11 vs. H8
The H11 and H8 bulbs have identical dimensions and connectors, making them interchangeable in most vehicles. H11 bulbs operate at 55 watts, producing brighter output often used in headlights. H8 bulbs run at just 35 watts with lower light output, typically used in fog lights.
H11 vs. H9
The H11 and H9 share the same physical design and can be swapped in most applications. The key difference is power draw and intended use. H11 bulbs pull 55 watts for low beams, while H9 bulbs draw 65 watts for high beams.
H11 vs. H16
The L-shaped H16 is essentially an H11 bulb that operates at lower wattage. They are interchangeable, with H11 used for low beams and H16 for fog lights.
More information about H16 Bulbs:
You may find that the H16 bulb comes in two styles: L-shape and T-shape. Only the L-shape style is interchangeable with H11, H9, and H8 bulbs.
The original H16 bulb design is L-shape. Most OEM bulbs labeled as H16 from brands like Sylvania or Philips use this L-shape design. It is part of the H9/H11 bulb family.
However, in recent years, some manufacturers have made a new version of the H16 bulb that uses a T-shape design. This newer T-shape H16 is equivalent to bulb numbers 5202, 2504, PSX24W, PS24W, 5201, and 9009. It is not interchangeable with the original L-shape H16 bulbs.
So in short:
H8 = Interchangeable with H11, lower output for fog lights
H9 = Interchangeable with H11, higher output for high beams
H16 (L-shaped) = Interchangeable with H11, lower output fog light
H11 vs. H9 vs. H8 vs. H16, Which Bulb Size Do You Need?
Determining the correct headlight or fog light bulb size for your vehicle can get confusing fast. The most accurate way is to remove your existing bulb and check the numbers printed on the base.
You can also consult your owner's manual, as it will specify the bulb type needed.
If you are looking for halogen replacement - the H11, H9, H8 and H16 have similar shapes and connectors. The difference lies in their wattage output. So if your stock bulb is an H9, look for a comparable H8 halogen replacement to match light brightness.
If you want to upgrade to LEDs - With LED bulbs, there’s more flexibility. Since the H11, H9, H8 and H16 halogens are so alike, many LED manufacturers design bulbs that are interchangeable between them.
That means, when shopping online for your vehicle and you enter your vehicle’s information and the shows the H11 LED headlight bulbs are the fit, but you pull out the stock bulb and see H9 or H8. That’s normall. Because the H11 LED headlight bulbs are universal and can fit into H9 and H8.
Similarly for fog lights - an H8 halogen can often be replaced with an H11/H8/H16 LED fog light bulbs.
Moral of the story - always verify which bulb fits your particular vehicle before purchasing. Getting the size right matters.
Shop at SEALIGHT
If you are looking for LED headlight bulbs, SEALIGHTis your go to choice. Our vehicle selector takes the guesswork out of finding the right fit. Just enter your car's year, make and model and we'll show you exactly which LED bulbs are made for your ride. Plus, we offer free shipping and 90-day returns for a hassle-free purchase. Make the switch to SEALIGHT LEDs today!
