Each driver tries to distinguish his vehicle from the general background, tuning it with new devices that improve functionality and appearance. Xenon in foglights is one of the most common ways to attract attention to your car, which was used by every third driver several years ago. The team of the AutoFemida publication has prepared useful material for you that reveals the nuances of using xenon fog lights. Read the next article and you can decide whether to install xenon in the PTF.
Xenon fog lights
Motorists who care about their safety often install xenon in the PTF.
Gas-discharge lamps provide high brightness of the luminous flux, consume a minimum of energy, and serve their owners faithfully for years. Manufacturers produce standard optical devices for installation in standard foglights, bi-xenon lenses for PTF, and kits with angel eyes. Xenon is an inert gas that is odorless, tasteless and colorless. One of its features is that when an electric current is passed through it, this gas becomes a powerful source of light. There are several reasons why xenon has gained immense popularity among car enthusiasts. Xenon lamps produce very bright daylight, and this is more familiar to human vision. They have high light output and allow a wider view of the road in front of the car.
It is permissible to install xenon in fog lights if this is provided for by the design of the car. You can verify this by looking at the headlight markings. If the letter “D” is present in it, it means that the PTFs are adapted for xenon. You will receive the following benefits:
- High brightness, providing good visibility in rain, fog, snowy weather.
- The ability of a luminous flux, without scattering or reflecting, to illuminate the road in front of the car and part of the side of the road.
- Long operating time. By purchasing xenon fog lights, you are making a long-term investment in your safety.
- Resistance to external influences. Xenon PTFs tolerate temperature changes, humidity, and vibration well.
- Comfort for human eyes. Such fog lights do not blind the car owner or other road users.
- Multifunctionality. PTF for xenon can be used as daytime running lights during daylight hours. This is especially true for models with angel eyes.
Legal literacy is the key to safety
In order not to argue with inspectors about whether xenon is allowed in fog lights, it is advisable to learn almost by heart all the wording of orders and acts, as well as the relevant laws. Then there is a chance not to lose your license and not receive a fine.
If a report has been drawn up against you for “collective farm” xenon in fog lights (VAZ-2110, for example), you should not expect that the situation will change for the better on its own. In this case, you will need the help of a competent lawyer who specializes in these cases.
Xenon is very good. These lamps are bright and provide excellent illumination of the road.
Surely on the road you have seen more than once (often through tears from blindness) the following cars:
Recently, for some reason, it has become fashionable to install xenon in fog lights. It seems that this fashion is fueled by xenon sellers who are directly interested in increasing sales. It is considered especially chic to drive with the PTF on and low beam headlights, and the color of all headlights should be the same. Indeed, the appearance of the car is transformed: it looks more aggressive and becomes more noticeable on the road, which improves traffic safety during the day. Such use of PTF is not prohibited by traffic rules:
19.4 Fog lights can be used: 1. in conditions of poor visibility, both separately and with low or high beam headlights; 2. at night on unlit sections of roads together with low or high beam headlights; instead of low beam headlights in the conditions provided for in paragraph 19.5 of the Rules.
19.5 When driving during daylight hours, in order to indicate a moving vehicle, low beam headlights must be turned on: ... 7. when driving outside populated areas.
Moreover, the Rules do not prohibit the use of PTFs and low beam headlights during the day within populated areas. Their use, I repeat once again, is during the day and nothing more! significantly improves traffic safety.
However, let's not forget that the direct purpose of the PTF is to illuminate the road in fog; all fog lights are designed based on this purpose. They also have a cut-off line (CTB), and a special light distribution within the light spot. Installing xenon in reflector fogs clearly blurs the cut-off line and leads to severe blinding of oncoming drivers. If during the day this is even a benefit, then at night the situation changes to the opposite - driving with such a light is dangerous, it sharply increases the accident rate. A driver who is blinded by you may lose orientation on the road and come into your head.
Is it possible to install LED bulbs in fog lights?
It is permissible to install xenon in fog lights if this is provided for by the car design
Well, have you already noticed that LED light sources have almost half squeezed out conventional incandescent, halogen and even xenon lamps? In fact, at the beginning of the 21st century, we witnessed another revolution in the world of lighting sources. It is not surprising that LEDs eventually came en masse to the automotive industry. Every year more and more new cars are equipped with LED lamps. For example, today many car models are equipped not only with LED lamps installed in the rear optics or in the front as daytime running lights. Thus, in recent years, a lot of cars have entered the market with front optics in which LED lamps are installed as low beam.
Also, many modern cars are now equipped with fog lights with LED bulbs. It is not surprising that many car owners, having seen such sources of bright and beautiful lighting on new cars, wanted to install the same ones on their vehicles. But, unfortunately, some car enthusiasts have completely forgotten that it is strictly forbidden to install LED bulbs not provided by the car manufacturer in low-beam headlights instead of conventional incandescent or halogen lamps.
This is also how it is impossible to install gas-discharge lamps (xenon lamps) instead of conventional halogen lighting sources, without changing the headlights, which must be equipped with special lenses for xenon, as well as auto-corrector and headlight washers.
Remember how not long ago a large number of cars with “collective farm” xenon drove on Russian roads, which in most cases only blinded oncoming drivers. But after they began to deprive their licenses for “collective farm” xenon, the number of drivers who installed xenon lighting sources in headlights with reflectors instead of conventional lamps decreased noticeably. Unfortunately, the paradise on the road did not last long.
More recently, a lot of cheap Chinese automotive LED lamps have appeared on the Russian market, which can easily be installed instead of conventional halogen lamps with H1, H4 and H7 sockets. As a result, some drivers, having forgotten about the direct ban on installing non-factory lighting sources in the low beam of headlights, began to equip their cars with LED lamps, many of which are even brighter than xenon lamps.
How to choose anti-fog lights?
There are no universal xenon fog lights produced. For each car model they are selected individually, taking into account the lamp base.
Self-installation of xenon is not recommended, since it is necessary not only to install the lamp in place of the old incandescent lamp, but also to configure the ignition unit. Specialists will be able not only to configure the correct operation of the system, but also to direct the glow in the right direction.
Xenon is classified by color temperature, it varies from 4300 to 6000 Kelvin. Moreover, the higher the indicator, the more blue the color, and the less yellow. And the blue glow impairs visibility when weather conditions are bad, especially snowy or rainy weather. For example, in European countries, the color temperature should not exceed 4800 K.
Xenon fog lights have proven to be highly effective and allow for safe illumination while driving, even in thick fog.
Selection and installation of xenon in fog lights
If the headlight is installed on left-hand drive cars, then the arrow will not be drawn. It is not available on right-hand drive vehicles either. If there are arrows in both directions, then this device is universal.
The marking of headlights for xenon type GOST implies the designation of the angle of inclination for low beam. As a rule, this figure does not exceed 1%
If you look at the marking symbols, you can even find out where this headlight was manufactured. Similar data is located on the inside of the glass. Glass markings may also be under the hood. As a rule, it is very difficult to search for such data in a car. To do this you need to remove the optics.
The marking of headlights for xenon type GOST implies the designation of the angle of inclination for low beam. As a rule, this figure does not exceed 1%. This data must be indicated on stickers in the headlights. Marking headlights by light source There are two most popular types of optical systems. We are talking about halogen and xenon lamps. The first type is considered standard and already familiar to everyone.
New order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Let me remind you that according to the Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated December 22, 2014 N 1123, in force since January 27, 2015, “On the recognition as invalid of the regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and certain instructions of the regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia,” the traffic police no longer issues a permit, conclusion for registration of changes to the design of the car.
Now motorists will not have the opportunity to make changes to the design of the car, no matter what part this change concerns. Those who converted their car before this order came into force and received a certificate before 2020 can drive. Does it make sense to install xenon yourself in PTFs not intended for this? Everyone decides for himself why he needs xenon in the PTF, for show-off or for the convenience and safety of trips in rain, snow, and fog. Installing it is easy, there are no difficulties.
What is PTF?
Fog lights (abbreviated as PTF) refer to the external lighting devices of a car and are used as auxiliary lighting. The main and, perhaps, only purpose of the PTF is to ensure visibility during fog (hence the name fog - against fog), rain, snow, in general during precipitation and poor visibility.
Fans of these little helpers will be surprised, but the use of fog lights in normal visibility and absence of precipitation is prohibited. Surprised? Now you will be even more surprised...
With the advent of xenon lamps and the beginning of total “xenonization,” these bright light bulbs began to be installed everywhere possible, even in PTFs. Such freedom naturally did not go unnoticed by law enforcement agencies, who regularly received complaints from motorists who were blinded in the truest sense of the word.
Is it possible to legally install xenon in PTF?
It is necessary to replace all the optics that are in the car with xenon ones. If such equipment is already available for a certain brand of car, then you can safely change the entire system.
However, you need to understand that not all cars have a similar set. Nuances Even if the car is marked for xenon, and the lamps are installed at the factory, there may still be some problems. In addition to markings, the car must be equipped with optics with auto-corrector and washer. The latter should get high pressure. Of course, you can do without this equipment.
Moreover, many drivers notice that this equipment is ineffective. However, if a person faces a technical inspection, then he will have to explain for a long time that all the data on the equipment comes standard with the car. Below we will look at how to make markings on xenon headlights.
Alas, miracles do not happen. LED lamps require a special lens to operate effectively. Naturally, there can be no talk of any reflector. In headlights with reflectors, there is no point in using LED lamps, since LED lamps only produce a directional beam of light. In the case of reflectors, LED low beam lamps will only dazzle oncoming drivers.
True, such “collective farm” tuning is today successfully suppressed by traffic police officers, who have now begun to hunt those car owners who thought that since xenon lamps are illegal, it means that instead of conventional lamps, LED headlights can be installed in the headlights.
Remember how not long ago a large number of cars with “collective farm” xenon drove on Russian roads, which in most cases only blinded oncoming drivers
But no. The law is also strict regarding LED lamps. Here is our detailed review of why, if your car does not initially have factory LED light sources in the headlights, you may face completely legitimate administrative liability under Part 3 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. For those who don't remember, here's what it sounds like:
Driving a vehicle on the front of which are installed lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the mode of operation of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of safety officials road traffic, entails deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of six months to one year with confiscation of the specified devices and accessories.
Pay attention to the words in the text: on the front of which there are installed lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the operating mode of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Regulations for the Admission of Vehicles to Operation
In simple words, it is illegal to install anything that is not provided by the manufacturer on the front of the car. That is, if your car in another configuration is not supplied to the market without LED low beam bulbs, then you cannot install LEDs in the headlights of your car.
But even if your car in some other configuration comes with xenon or LED front optics, you still do not have the right to use LED lamps on your car as low-beam lamps without installing new headlights.
It turns out that in order to comply with the law and ensure that your vehicle complies with the requirements of the Fundamental Regulations for the Authorization of Vehicles and the Responsibilities of Road Safety Officials, in order to install LEDs in your headlights, you need to buy new headlights, the design of which allows you to effectively direct the LED sources light onto the road without the risk of dazzling oncoming drivers.
If you install LED headlights in a car that never left the factory with LED headlights, then you will not be able to do without the procedure for making changes to the design of the vehicle
Also, do not forget that after installing such new headlights, in principle, you must register such a conversion of the car with the traffic police, making changes to the design of the car, and also passing tests in a special laboratory.
True, if the model of your car in some more expensive configuration leaves the factory with LED headlights, then if you buy other front LED headlights instead of your standard halogen or xenon ones, traffic police officers are unlikely to bring you to administrative responsibility on the road, because they cannot prove that your car did not leave the factory with LED low beams. In this case, the main thing for you is to change the headlights themselves, buying exactly the optics that are installed on the more expensive equipment.
Of course, if you install LED headlights in a car that never left the factory with LED headlights, then you will not be able to do without the procedure for making changes to the design of the vehicle. After all, any employee of the State Traffic Inspectorate can theoretically stop you and bring you to justice under Article 12.5, which, do not forget, threatens with deprivation of your rights for a period of 6 to 12 months!!!
Therefore, we do not advise owners of old cars (especially lovers of old VAZs) to experiment by tuning the headlights with LED low beam bulbs. Otherwise, you risk losing your driver's license.
What is xenon and its harm
Xenon is an inert gas used to make gas-discharge lamps. The use of such headlights on cars began in 1992.
The light bulb consists of 2 bulbs - the outer one protects it from temperature and pressure surges, dirt; and a mixture of gases is pumped into the inner flask, the main filling being xenon.
Such lamps illuminate the space well and consume little energy compared to incandescent or halogen lamps. Used on headlights, they make the driver's visibility better and the outlines of objects in the dark clearer. The driver can avoid overstraining his eyes; such light does not distort perception in rain or fog, and visibility on the sides of the road is better.
Why is xenon dangerous? If a car owner installs such a bulb inside a halogen bulb, the light does not clearly fall on the headlight reflector, but is scattered randomly. This threatens to blind drivers of oncoming cars, for example, giving them an incorrect estimate of the distance or disorienting them in space for as much as 2 minutes. Such a flash can cause an accident on the road.
Advantages of installing xenon lamps
- increased luminous flux with reduced energy consumption;
- ensuring visibility of the extended section of the road;
- passage of light through fog and rain;
- preventing headlights from overheating;
- many times longer service life (compared to conventional halogen lamps).
In addition, installing xenon in foglights or low/high beams allows you to use a light source whose spectrum is very close to natural daylight. For any driver, this means a noticeable reduction in eye fatigue when driving with the headlights on.
What are xenon headlights afraid of?
Xenon light optics are very complex devices.
Compared to incandescent and halogen lamps, they are more delicate and fragile. As is the case with other types of light sources, xenon ones are afraid of frequent switching on and off. Since a high-temperature discharge occurs inside the lamp during operation. If you turn it on and off several times, the heated light-transmitting impurities can simply burn out. And as a result, the appearance of shades of green and red in the glow. In addition, such lamps are very sensitive to vibrations. Even with the slightest depressurization of the outer seal or damage to the glass bulb, the light bulb fails.
What is the punishment for xenon in fog lights (ptf)
What advantages does this optics option have compared to halogen lighting? Thanks to it, it is better to see the side of the road, as the area of illumination increases. This is quite important when entering a turn, because it is on such sections of the road that you can get into an accident. Thanks to xenon lamps, you can quickly see an obstacle or a pedestrian, and, accordingly, react faster.
Xenon fog lights use different types of sockets; you need to determine which marking is best suited for a particular car. If there are no symbols on the glass, then you will have to remove the optics and see which base is needed.
When choosing a xenon lamp for a fog light, you need to determine the temperature regime that will be most optimal for a given car.
What is regulated
Illegal installation of xenon is punishable by decision of a judicial authority. Cases will be considered not only on the basis of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, but also on the provisions of traffic rules and GOSTs:
| Link to legal act | Area of regulation by law | Explanations regarding the illegal use of xenon in car lighting |
| GOST R51709-2001, approved by Post. State Standard of the Russian Federation No. 47-st dated 01.02.01. with the latest edition 03.28.06. | State standards of motor vehicles | There is a method for traffic police officers and traffic police technicians to check for the presence (or absence) of xenon in a car’s PTF. |
| Part 3 of Article No. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation | Peculiarities of punishment for driving a car with unauthorized equipment | The penalty indicated is deprivation of the right to drive a car. |
| Part 1 of Article No. 12.5, as well as Article No. 12.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation | The penalty indicated is a fine. | |
| Part 3.1 of clause No. 3 of the traffic rules | Illegal external lighting mechanisms | The presence of xenon is a reason to remove the driver from driving the vehicle. |
| Technical regulations of the Customs Union Commission | Vehicle safety | Xenon reduces the degree of protection of a car due to the fact that it can provoke an accident, “blinding” another car. |
The magistrate will make his decision strictly on the basis of the points of law that directly relate to the violation.
But it is worth noting that there is no official ban on the installation of such lamps. You also need to understand that the xenon itself in the lamp device is not certified. There is a ban only on their use without permission.
