03/16/2020 708 Light
Author: Victor
Side lights are a type of optics that every car is equipped with. Despite this, not all drivers, in particular, we are talking about beginners, understand what these optics are needed for. This material will allow you to find out basic information about the dimensions, their disadvantages, as well as what types of lights there are.
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Description of side lights
To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the basic description of this type of optics. Let's look at the purpose, design and types of headlights.
Concept and purpose
Five additional headlights for cars
What are side lights? A marker light is an optical device that is placed in the front as well as the rear of the car, in accordance with traffic regulations. Front and rear marker lights are designed to indicate the dimensions of a vehicle so that the vehicle can be seen by other drivers. The photo shows that this type of optics can be used as parking lighting. Side lights must be on on every vehicle at night.
Types and device
Side light bulbs can be white, yellow or blue. In accordance with the traffic rules, the use of only white is allowed, however, in fact, traffic police representatives do not issue fines for such violations. As stated above, every car must be equipped with dimensions. Moreover, this type of optics can be installed either separately or as part of the main headlight unit.
As for the device, in this case the light source is a halogen light bulb. Of course, if you install xenon in the dimensions, the light source will be a gas-discharge lamp. As an option, diode bulbs, as well as entire blocks, can be installed in the headlights. If you are changing side or rear light bulbs, you need to remember that the light sources from behind should not shine as brightly as the brake lights (video author - Andrey Gorbunov).
Advantages and disadvantages
Instead of traditional lamps, diode lighting sources can be installed in the side dimensions. They allow you to emit a brighter glow, and if they blink, the voltage consumption will be lower. In particular, when compared with conventional headlights. In addition, one of the important advantages of diode elements is a higher service life, which on average varies around 100 thousand hours.
It should be noted that diodes are less sensitive to regular vibrations, as well as temperature changes and high loads. As for the disadvantages, this is the higher cost of lighting sources.
Features of operation
If you don’t know how to turn on the side lights, then there’s nothing difficult about it. We recommend that you read the service manual for operation; it contains more precise information on how to turn on the optics.
We will look at several ways:
- If the car is equipped with a power button located on the center console (as, for example, in the VAZ 2109), then this button activates the side lights, as well as the low beam. To turn on the first, the button must be pressed once, and when the next mode is activated, the low beam is activated.
- If you use a steering column switch, you need to work with it to control the optics. The switch should have a button that turns on the lights (the author of the video is the Rama rus channel).
Types of radiating elements
- Incandescent lamp. Traditional emitter. A vacuum is created inside the glass flask, inside which the tungsten filament is heated by electric current to 2000 °C. They work 500-1000 hours.
- Halogen lamp. The glass flask is filled with a halogen buffer gas - iodine or bromine. Thanks to halogens it works up to 4000 hours.
- HID lamp. In a flask made of molten quartz or aluminum oxide, heated gas (xenon) emits light. Operates up to 25,000 hours. Xenon is a noble gas and has no taste, color or odor. It is used in incandescent lamps, for the treatment of brain injuries, medical diagnostics, and as a working fluid for lasers.
- Light emitting diodes (LED). They work on the phenomenon of electrons filling empty “holes” in a semiconductor with the release of a photon. Energy efficient. Works up to 50,000 hours.
How to convert turn signals to dimensions?
How to make side turn signals larger? To make the dimensions in the turn signals, you can contact a specialist, but as an option, you can redo the side turn signals yourself. It must be taken into account that the dimensions in the turn signals are a violation. Therefore, if the side turn signals are converted to this type of optics, you may face a fine.
If you still decide to change the purpose of the turn signals, then do the following:
- First of all, you need to open the hood and remove the corresponding lamp. Here you need to be guided by the design features of the car, the process will be individual.
- Remove the lamp.
- Pull out the ground wire. To convert the turn signals, this wire should be connected to the power cable for the side lights.
DeHb › Blog › GOSTs and rules for automobile headlights and lamps
The recording contains excerpts from the regulations and rules at a given time. Write in the comments what points concern you, we’ll try to figure it out together. So…
► LED bulbs in halogen headlights
.
List of faults and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited: 3.4. There are no diffusers on the light fixtures, or diffusers and
lamps that do not match the type of the given light fixture are used.
That is, it is enough to remove the lamp, submit it for examination and receive a reasonable answer that the lamp does not comply with the GOST R IEC 60809-2012 standard, and therefore, with such a lamp installed, the headlights do not comply with the technical characteristics of the light distribution established for this type of headlights, that is, in the face of a mode discrepancy their work to the requirements of the vehicle design.
In addition, there is a technical regulation of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles”, which contains clause: 3.8.2. The headlights must use light sources that correspond to the type of light module specified by the manufacturer in the operational documentation for the vehicle.
and further in the text, a lot of interesting things are also written. In general, Code of Administrative Offenses 12.5.3, period.
In this case, it is enough to check the lamp for the standard, even visually, which any examination can do, it is not necessary to do a full cycle - compliance with the standard, checking the light distribution in the reference headlight. Well, I think it’s clear what the court will say.
All non-standard lamps fall under this - high power, with colored bulbs (not yellow), they will not all comply with the standard (that’s why the package says “off-road use only”).
That’s why I’m in favor of using factory components when remaking headlights and getting as close as possible to the factory appearance—you can’t give the inspector the slightest reason to doubt.
Once again, for those who are just looking at pictures, an example on the H4 lamp.
Then we insert the lamp into the reference headlight and check with the standard: the lamp will not correspond to the illumination at the control points.
► Why are factory LED headlights labeled HCR?
Because there is such a marking standard, our GOST does not keep up with it.
The link is below, by the way, it contains interesting points: 6.2.8 It is allowed to use only one filament light source or
one or more LED modules (modules) for the main low beam beam
. Appendix 10, paragraph 1.3 The LED module (modules) must be protected from unauthorized access
- that’s why the headlights are made without a back cover on the side of the LED module, but we know that the Germans can replace them
