车灯的一些建议英文版

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Headlights

Better vehicle lighting can improve driver recognition of objects and therefore increase vehicle safety. Vehicle manufacturers have addressed this issue by fitting new vehicles with higher output headlights, as well as new lighting technology such as high intensity discharge lamps.

But excessively glary headlights can dazzle other road users and create dangerous situations. Queensland’s road rules prohibit drivers using lamps that dazzle other road users and the police can issue fines for this. The Australian Design Rules for Road Vehicles (ADRs) set out the design criteria and safety and performance standards for headlights that vehicle manufacturers must meet.

However, some drivers continue to raise concerns about the blue coloured headlights that appear to be becoming more common.

In Queensland law, blue lights are reserved for the police and certain emergency services vehicles and their use on non-approved vehicles will quickly attract the attention of authorities, and a hefty fine.  However, headlights with a certain amount of blue colouration are permitted.

These bluish headlights fall roughly into three groups - high intensity discharge (HID), aftermarket HID conversions, and halogen lamps that have had some types of  aftermarket globes installed.

High Intensity Discharge lamps

HID headlamps are becoming increasingly popular as original equipment on new cars. They are a gas discharge lamp that produces light by means of an electric arc between two electrodes housed inside a transparent quartz envelope. They are electrically more efficient and have a higher light output compared to conventional incandescent lights because a greater proportion of their radiation is in visible light as opposed to heat.  The light they emit may appear to have a blue tinge, particularly around the peripheries of the beam, but it is actually whiter than that produced by a standard halogen lamp.

Due to their higher light output, HID lamps must comply with a specific set of Australian Design Rules.  These include specifics as to light colour, proportions of specified light wavelengths (including blue wavelengths) and ultra violet (UV) emissions.

Self levelling systems and headlight washers are also required to off-set the increased risk of dazzling other drivers.

Vehicle manufacturers sometimes refer to HID lamps as Xenon or Bi-Xenon lamps. However these should not be confused with conventional incandescent bulbs that use xenon gas in their glass envelope.

Aftermarket HID conversions

Aftermarket halogen to HID conversions are available however their use on a road registered vehicle will generally result in contravention of the relevant ADRs. Typically these ‘conversions’ comprise ballasts, wiring and HID globes that plug straight into the existing lamp.

Halogen lamps and their globes must comply with ADRs 46 and 51, while HID lamps and their globes must comply with a different set of requirements within ADRs 77 and 78. Interchanging globe types (such as putting HID globes into a lamp designed for a halogen globe) prevents continued compliance of the lamp/globe assembly.

In addition, ADR 13 requires that all vehicles fitted with headlamps (including HID) producing over 2,000 lumens (a measure of light output) have a self-levelling system and headlight washers. These simple retro conversions don’t provide these features and are therefore likely to be excessively glary to other road users.

If the vehicle manufacturer offered optional HID lights for a particular model then retrofitting the complete system including lamps, globes and the features required by ADR 13 to that model should be acceptable. But ‘grafting’ a full system between models or makes would impose performance certification requirements in the new application and is unlikely to be viable.

HID headlight conversions are not permitted under Qld legislation. However, it is not clear if other Australian states view the issue in the same way. If you operate in another state you should check requirements in your area.

Note also that Queensland's Dept. Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) advises that there is currently no legislation concerning HID conversion of driving lights.

Aftermarket lamp globes

Replacement  headlight bulbs frequently claim to offer improved light output and whiter light. The common claim is that the higher wattage translates to a higher light output. Care should be exercised when choosing aftermarket bulbs that claim increased light output, as they may have a higher current draw than the vehicle's electrical system  is designed for. In some cases the increased current draw is disproportionate to the actual increase in light output, with much of the additional power consumption merely generating extra heat in the headlight.

A common question from those seeking to improve their vehicle's  lights relates to the maximum legal wattage headlight that can be fitted.

Simply, there is no maximum wattage for headlights defined in legislation. A 'Watt' is a measure of electrical power and is not a reliable or appropriate measure of light output, though in the past it has been (quite incorrectly) used as a default standard for light output.

The Australian Design Rules for Road Vehicles use either Lumens or Candela to define light output (different parts of the standard use different units of measurement). For high beam headlights the total light output of all headlights is not permitted to exceed 225,000cd, though you need to read ADR13 to understand how this measurement is applied, as it isn't as straightforward as it appears.

There is no maximum specified for dipped beam headlights, however anything over 2,000 lumens requires a self levelling system and headlight washers, so by default, given that these systems would be impractical to retrofit, this could be regarded as the maximum for normal practical purposes.

However, bulb manufacturers almost without exception use Watts, or other even less useful marketing terms, which cannot be compared to the design rule requirements.

In short, there is no way to know what is acceptable unless the bulb manufacturer can provide the light output of the bulb when installed in the lamp in question - in terms that are consistent with those used in the ADRs.

Another thing to consider is that light colour is defined in the design rules in terms of chromaticity co-ordinates, while bulb manufacturers typically specify colour in terms of the Kelvin scale (there is no direct comparison that we are aware of).

This becomes important when trying to determine if a particular bulb from the 'bluer' range of aftermarket bulbs is legal. Many have mild blue colouring of the glass envelope, are marked as ADR compliant and are legal for road use. However others emit significantly more blue spectrum light, and are not ADR compliant. These are usually marked for off-road use only and represent a potential hazard to other drivers if used on-road. It's also illegal to cause a glare hazard to other road users.

Ultimately, given the complexity of the subject, we recommend that you either stick with what the vehicle manufacturer specified as original equipment or be guided by the bulb packaging / manufacturer.

LED headlights

A small but increasing number of new vehicles are appearing with original equipment Light Emitting Diode headlights. These are acceptable under Australian Design Rule 46. Their claimed benefits include reduced power consumption that translates into fuel savings and emission reductions.

However there are also aftermarket LED conversions available that use an LED bulb in the vehicle's original headlight assembly. We are not aware of any of these having been tested and certified as meeting the requirements of ADR46. Without this certification they are not acceptable for on-road use.

We believe the compliance issues currently faced by these conversions resolve around light colour - LEDs change colour slightly as they warm up; and the ability of such conversions to focus and direct their light output correctly.

Given that LED bulbs are constructed differently, and give off light in a different manner to conventional filament or gas discharge bulbs, there is a concern that the headlight's output could be affected, causing glare to other road users.

Advice received from Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads is that due to differences in headlight design, these conversions would need to be certified for the particular application, rather than just as a blanket approval for the LED bulb.

We understand that some Queensland drivers have already been fined for using these unapproved conversions.

Headlight protectors

Headlight protectors are a popular accessory, however their value in protecting headlights from damage is questionable. Most modern cars use polycarbonate plastic for headlamp lenses instead of easily damaged glass.  Polycarbonate is very strong and offers good shatter resistance and in this respect is superior to glass lenses, and the acrylic used in lamp protectors.  Lamp protectors may offer some protection against scratching of the lens though.

Queensland Safety Certificate requirements state that clear headlight protectors are acceptable provided they don’t affect the light intensity on high or low beam. Tinted covers are also acceptable but must be removed when the high or low beam headlights are operated.

Headlight alignment

Incorrect headlight alignment is a prime cause of dazzle for drivers and is a common source of complaint.

A quick test of headlight alignment can be made by parking the car on a level surface (a driveway will do) at right angles to a wall or garage door. Reverse back approximately 4 metres from the wall and with the lights switched to high beam the spread of the two beams should be at about equal heights and roughly straight in front of the vehicle.  When low beam is selected the light beams should drop and move slightly to the left.

If the beams are wildly out of alignment it may be necessary to temporarily cover each light in turn in order to determine in which direction they need to be adjusted.

Owner’s handbooks usually provide instructions on adjusting headlight alignment, or alternatively you may wish to have your local repairer do it for you.

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