The automotive industry does not stand still, there is a constant improvement in the design of vehicles. This process also affected lighting devices. The traditional halogen bulbs were replaced by xenon headlights first, and then even more sophisticated lights began to appear. diode lamps.

Nowadays, LED headlights are mainly installed on expensive car models, so many car owners want to install LEDs on their own. This article will cover penalties for diode bulbs in the headlights that can be obtained in different situations... Let's get started.

Usage light diode headlights
There are 3 possible options use of LED headlights:

• Factory fitted LED headlights. In this case, the lighting devices are installed quite legally and the driver does not face fines.
• Installation of LED headlights on a vehicle, if such headlights are fitted by the manufacturer on vehicles of a similar model.
• Installation of LED headlights on a car, if the manufacturer did not provide for such an installation.

This article will focus on the second and third situations.

Installation of LED bulbs in halogen headlights.
Let's start with the simplest option. There is a car equipped with standard halogen bulbs. Accordingly, the headlights themselves (reflectors) are designed to work with halogen lamps. The driver finds LED bulbs with a similar base and installs them in the headlights.

In this case, there is a violation of paragraph 3.1 of the list of faults and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited:

3.1. The number, type, color, location and mode of operation of external lighting devices do not meet the requirements of the vehicle design.

The punishment for this violation is provided for in part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code:

1. Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the Admission of Vehicles to Operation and Obligations officials for security road traffic the operation of a vehicle is prohibited, with the exception of malfunctions and conditions specified in parts 2 - 7 of this article, -

It shall entail a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.

Thus, the maximum penalty for installing LED bulbs is 500 rubles.

Since in this case the type of light bulb does not correspond to the type of reflector, it will not be possible to legalize the structure.

Installing diode headlights instead of halogen ones
Consider another option - complete replacement halogen headlights to LED. In this case, there is a violation of the same clause 3.1 and the penalty for violation will be 500 rubles.

However, in this case, it is possible to legalize LED bulbs. To do this, you need to obtain a certificate of compliance of the vehicle with the changes made to its design to safety requirements, and then re-register the car with the traffic police. This procedure was discussed in the article "Penalty for gas equipment in a car". So if you have documents for LED headlights, you can legalize them and not pay fines.

In addition, the situation is much better if LED headlights are installed on vehicles of the same model. In this case, the driver does not have to pass a safety check. Chapter V, Section 4, Paragraph 77 technical regulations customs union:

77. Vehicles are not subject to inspection in the following cases:

1) when installing components on a vehicle:

Designed for this vehicle and passed the conformity assessment as part of this vehicle, which is confirmed by the documentation of the component manufacturer;

provided by the vehicle manufacturer in the operational documentation;

2) when making serial changes to the design on the basis of the design documentation developed and agreed in the prescribed manner, if on its basis the conformity assessment of the changes made was carried out.

In this case, you need to install headlights that are installed on cars of a similar model. Such a replacement should not cause problems when communicating with traffic police officers.

In conclusion, I want to note that replacing halogen headlights with LED ones can cause problems in the operation of the car electronics. This is due to the fact that different types lamps have different resistances. So in practice it may not be enough just to change the headlights and you will have to additionally change the control unit for them. Keep this in mind.

LED lighting sources are gaining momentum in popularity every day. They may be different colors, but do not be guided only by your tastes. Since this may lead to a violation of the law. Therefore, we suggest that you clearly study the rules for using LED lamps. So, let's begin.

Traffic regulations prohibit the use of vehicles if the machine is equipped with:

• In front LED lighting sources with lights of any bright color... Only white, yellow or orange can be used, as well as reflective devices other than white. The color blue is strictly prohibited!
• Behind the car has headlights and lighting of the state license plate with lamps of any color, except for white. As well as lighting fixtures of any color, except red, orange or yellow. Reflective devices of any color other than red.

So that you do not have questions and disputes with the traffic police, instead of ordinary lamps, it is worth using LEDs that will shine only with pure white light. LED light sources are recommended for daytime running lights, but only snow-white color... Otherwise, you will have to pay a fine or go to court to defend your rights.

Reasons for using LEDs that may cause you problems with law enforcement: The LED lamp shines with a white saturated light, but in the reflector it can give off a pronounced blue. For this reason, traffic police officers can stop your vehicle and point out the discrepancy. In principle, the unintended design of the headlights for the use of LEDs can be summed up in the "Malfunction Driving" Act. Namely, that the use of lighting devices, the color and mode of which does not meet the requirements of the law of the basic position of the car for operation. That is, application, quantity and color lighting fixtures do not match the design of the headlights of the car.

If you are an offender of this article, then you should be punished:

• Deprivation of driving license from 6 months to 1 year with confiscation of lighting devices;
• Withdrawal of a driver's license, as well as a ban on driving with the removal of a state number plate.

You may be allowed to use a vehicle that does not comply with the laws of your country, but for no more than one day. In order to move it to the place of elimination of the cause of incorrect lighting. Traffic police officers proved that bright colored lighting, especially in head optics, cannot be used categorically, because it distracts other road users. And it can lead to the creation of an accident. We are for it correct application vehicle lighting, obey traffic regulations.

In the era of Zeus and Hercules, every earthly day began with the fact that the goddess of the morning dawn Eos went to heaven. She was carried by two immortal horses - Phaeton and ... Lamp. Note that there was definitely no horse named LED on Olympus. However, mankind has decided to abandon incandescent lamps and gas-discharge analogs in favor of more economical and durable semiconductor light sources. Today they are installed in the head lighting equipment of even relatively inexpensive cars.

Down with halogens!

Automotive LEDs at the beginning of their career ruined their reputation: the aftermarket was flooded with an outspoken "leftist". As a rule, the light source for head optics consisted of a dozen dead LEDs shining in different sides, - the correct light distribution was not worth even dreaming of. However, soon there was a product Philips LED headlight, in which the narrow strips of LEDs exactly corresponded to the location of the filament in a conventional light bulb. And soon many Chinese manufactories began to produce semiconductor light sources similar in design.

Actually, you can't install LEDs in headlights that are homologated for halogens, and we wrote about this more than once. But eastern manufacturers persistently write H4 or H7 on the packaging of their products! Is it illegal? Undoubtedly. However, let's leave for now legal side question. Our the main task- test LEDs for professional suitability. To this end, we have purchased five headlamp mounting kits designed to work with H4 bulbs. Please note that all purchased LEDs are capable of operating at voltages of both 12 V and 24 V. This indicates that they use solid power stabilization units - the so-called drivers.

Differences of a lamp trying to be correct ( top photo), from completely unusable: in the correct lamp, separate lines of LEDs for high and low beams are provided. These rulers are similar in size and location to an incandescent spiral in a conventional lamp. The correct lamp has a screen covering the lower hemisphere of the dipped beam luminous element. In addition, the correct lamp is equipped with a 12-24 V driver and a heatsink.

Regloscope is listening

Let's start with a simple check - perhaps everything will end there. We go to the service station to an old friend of the magazine Anatoly Vaisman to test the LEDs directly on the car. We took the popular Kia Rio as a carrier. This car was also chosen because when replacing light bulbs, it is not necessary to disassemble half of the car. By the way, many people put LEDs instead of halogens solely in order to change lamps less often, because on some cars this operation is laborious (for example, you have to remove the bumper) and, accordingly, expensive.

The car service technician drives the car onto the site and installs a regloscope in front of the headlamp - such a device is used to check the lighting equipment during a mandatory technical inspection. We start with a regular halogen lamp... Everything is okay! Now let's see what kind of light distribution the luminous semiconductors will give.

Three products out of five failed: instead of a model "tick", something resembling a UFO from a television horror story appeared on the screen. But two subjects - Philips LED headlight and G7 Head light conversion kit - gave an acceptable picture. And if during the technical inspection the checking inspector does not carefully look through the transparent cap of the headlight which lamp is installed in it, then, in theory, he should not have any complaints. In addition, in headlights with a diffuser or lensed optics, you will not be able to see the bulb from the outside! In general, the likelihood of missing a vehicle inspection is very high.

It turns out that some LEDs can still (at least from a technical point of view) be installed in headlights? To get an accurate confirmation, we turned to the "higher court" - the testing center of LLC "NTC AE", where we conducted control tests LED sources for compliance with the requirements of UNECE Regulation No. 112–00 in relation to the passing beam.

approximate price 2000 RUB Consumption current - 1.37 A (standard "halogen" eats about 4.16 A). The regloscope immediately caught the illumination on the left in the headlight. Laboratory measurements confirmed: at point B50L, the luminous intensity is 2.0 cd instead of the permissible 0.6 cd. In zone III - seven times the luminous intensity. The only advantage is that the cover on the Kia headlight was closed.		approximate price 4650 RUB The current consumption is 1.57 A. The Kia headlight cover has closed. The lamp makes it possible to adjust the angular position relative to the holder. Check in garage conditions gave it green light product: I liked the light distribution. However, more careful measurements in the test center still revealed deviations from the norm: at point B50L it turned out 0.8 cd instead of 0.6 cd, in zone III - 1.6 cd instead of 1.0 cd. It is a pity, but - does not correspond to the norms.
approximate price RUB 10,000 The current consumption is 1.65 A. The description honestly says that free space is required: 70 mm behind the headlight and 60 mm in diameter. The lamp allows you to adjust the angular position relative to the holder. The lid on the Kia didn't close due to the huge driver unit. The light distribution according to the regloscopic made the product a leader. However, all at the same points the experts revealed deviations from the tolerance: 2.0 cd instead of 0.6 cd at point B50L and 2.82 cd instead of 1.0 cd in zone III. In general, these lamps shine better than other proven ones, but you cannot go on public roads with them.	approximate price 2300 RUB The current consumption is 1.35 A. The Kia headlight cover has closed. But the parameters are worse than ever. Deviations were noted at points B50L, 75R and in zone III (as much as 13.2 times!). Verdict: refuse!		approximate price RUB 4500 The current consumption is 1.48 A. The Kia headlight cover was closed. The mount sways a lot. The light distribution does not correspond to the norm at point B50L and zone III, exceeding the permissible limit many times. Is it possible to expect anything different from a lamp, the LEDs of which are in the form of bold circles that do not in any way resemble spirals? Sentence: do not buy.

Refuse!

Semiconductors ... have failed. The whole crowd. All LED sources of light , alternately placed by the employees of the testing laboratory in the headlight of the GAZelle, blinded the oncoming driver, and the cheapest ones, in addition, refused to properly illuminate the right side of the road. Better than others, naturally, looked those that showed a normal picture on the regloscope - Philips LED headlight and G7 Head light conversion kit. By the way, their luminous intensity is amazing: for example, Philips at the 50R point gave 100 cd (candela is a unit for measuring luminous intensity), exceeding the standard tenfold. But they also turned out to be illegal, the results are in the table.

In addition, some light sources do not sit tightly in the workplace and rotate slightly around their longitudinal axis. It is clear that when moving, the light distribution picture will go astray. A working temperature of different-colored radiators of cooling such that we were even afraid for the safety of the plastic casing of the headlight.

We also note that in most cases, the back cover of the Rio headlight can be closed when installing the LED bulbs - only the huge Philips lamp unit simply did not fit under the cover. The headlight of the GAZelle, on which the bench tests were carried out, turned out to be less hospitable. How to ride without a cover? The headlight will quickly turn into a waste basket.

LIGHT DISTRIBUTION ON REGLOSCOPE SCREEN

And further. Any car manufacturer recommends using only bulbs in their cars. of a certain type- in our case it comes about halogen H4. Light sources of a different type and design have not been homologated and therefore cannot be installed legally. For this reason, replacing halogen light sources with LEDs is illegal. amateur activities of the car owner for which the car manufacturer is not responsible. But the current Rules prohibit the operation of such machines.

As for the statements of the manufacturers of LED light sources about full compliance with their original, as well as the H4 inscriptions on the boxes, this is an outright deception. Only the letter L should be used to designate LEDs, and only the car manufacturer or an authorized certification body has the right to approve their installation in place of halogen lamps.

By the way, to our request, representatives of Philips officially replied that one should not drive on public roads with such a light. These lamps are designed primarily for ATVs, snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles. However, the sellers of oriental lamps, all these subtleties, excuse the pun, to the light bulb. Is it shining? Does the connector fit? Use it to your health!

In general, it was no coincidence that there was no LED horse in the Olympic stable. The gods preferred to use the services of the faithful Lamp ... Which is what we advise you too!

TEST RESULTS OF HEADLIGHTS WITH LED LIGHT SOURCES

Control points	Standardized value of luminous intensity, cd	Actual value of luminous intensity, cd
		Clearlight Flex LED				V16 Turbo LED

* In brackets are actually admissible values ​​for serial production. ** Dark area above the light distribution border.

Indicators that do not meet the standard are highlighted in italics.

The tests were carried out on an ALRU.676512.124 type headlamp at the Autoelektronika Scientific and Technical Center.

TEST PROCEDURE Each lamp was assigned a conditional number. Measurement technique - according to the requirements of the UNECE Regulation No. 112–00. Measurements were made at several control points (B50L, 75R, 50R, 50V and zone III) at a voltage of 13.2 V, a temperature of 23 ºС and an atmospheric pressure of 730 mm Hg. Art., while using a headlight type ALRU.676512.124 (from GAZelle). Equipment involved: mechanical goniometer (device for high-precision measurement of angles), power supply, ammeter, light meter.

Off-road vehicle owners who have to travel over rough terrain are often interested in installing additional LED headlights on their vehicle. By creating a bright and clear luminous flux, they help the driver navigate off-road, provide excellent visibility in the forest and in the field, regardless of the weather and time of day. But is their installation allowed? Will there be any problems with Traffic police? Experts answer these questions.

A person interested in how to connect additional headlights to a car should pay attention to the T-1 standard. It indicates how you can and how you can not convert SUVs. In particular, you will find there the answer to the question of how many additional headlights can be installed on the car. According to the regulations, there should be no more than eight of them. Moreover, the installation of LED lamps is carried out in pairs (2 near and 2 far, 4 identical and other options).

Can an additional high beam be installed?

Such "alteration" of the car is not prohibited by the rules. But remember that you can only use the headlights off-road. When the car is moving on the highway, they must be turned off or closed with opaque covers.

The T-1 standard does not indicate how to connect additional headlights high beam by car. The answer to this question will be given by the instructions for the products. It is also important to comply with the requirements of the relevant GOSTs.

Many car owners are interested in additional high beam headlights - which ones are better and which ones to choose for an SUV. There are no strict requirements here. The main thing is that they are powerful, bright and cope with their tasks. Therefore, give preference to products from reliable manufacturers.

Rules for installing additional low beam headlights

Speaking about which additional low beam headlights are better to put on a car, most experts recommend choosing products of such brands like Epistar or CREE for example. There should be at least two of them, and it is best if you use the trunk of a car for installation. It can accommodate up to eight LED fixtures.

In addition, the installation of an additional low beam can be carried out on special roof rails or on the power bumper. Moreover, waterproof LED models are suitable for the bumper.

Can additional fog lights be installed?

If you are interested in installing additional fog lights, give preference LED models... They have many advantages over alternative options and are ideal for any vehicle. But remember that in some cases additional fog lights are prohibited. In particular, they must not be placed on the roof, as these LED devices give a thin and wide beam that cannot be used as a working light.

A person who is interested in how to install additional fog lights should know that they can only be mounted on the trunk or bumper. Installation of such LED lamps on the sides or back is not allowed. This rule must be followed so that there are no problems with employees. Traffic police.

The LEDs in the headlights have a strong luminous flux and a long service life. They can significantly save on energy, and their life can be up to 7-10 years.

Leading car brands cannot stay on the sidelines of innovation. Moreover, they are intensively implementing them. LEDs in the headlights were no exception. The first company to use them in production vehicles was Audi. The slightly bluish tint of the light gave the new series of cars a futuristic look, making them a hit.

At first, the LEDs in the headlights were installed only in expensive cars premium class. But times are changing and now you can meet given type lighting even in budget cars. True, for the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that in most cases this function is optional and you will have to pay extra for it.

If you have an old "fret" or "Ford" of the nineties, then you will have to do the installation of LEDs in the headlights yourself. Fortunately, the installation process is not particularly difficult. In addition, the necessary set of tools for this can be found in every garage.

What is a car head light

Before you start installing LEDs in headlights, you need to understand the very concept of head light. In fact, this is a whole complex, which includes:

• the lights daylight,
• low and high beam,
• all weather lights.

Some drivers decide to replace only one group of headlights with LEDs, while others completely change the head light in the hope of achieving greater safety, economy and reliability.

It is on the point of expediency when installing LEDs in headlights that you need to dwell in more detail. So, this technology allows you to significantly save on electricity. This automatically extends the battery life and reduces petrol consumption. Of course, the difference will not be very noticeable, but if you count in thousands of kilometers, then the savings will be impressive.

First of all, drivers install LEDs in daytime headlights... The fact is that these headlights work almost always and there is no desire to constantly change the bulbs, throwing thousands of rubles into it. In addition, reliable European lamps with a lifetime of one year are very expensive.

Installing LEDs in the low and high beam headlights also makes sense. If possible, it is recommended to carry out a complete modernization by installing LEDs in the entire headlight complex.

Pros and cons of LEDs

Each technology has its own pros and cons. LEDs were no exception; the obvious advantages of the equipment include:

• The light emitted by LEDs is as close to natural as possible.
• The LED bulbs are instantly activated and immediately run at full power.
• The luminaires do not include harmful substances like mercury and other chemicals that are harmful to the environment.
• If we take into account the lifespan of LEDs for headlights, then their purchase is extremely profitable.
• Improved road safety due to better lighting.
• LEDs are absolutely insensitive to vibrations due to the absence of a filament.
• Headlight LEDs are resistant to high and low temperatures and also have low power consumption.

At first glance, the advantages of LEDs in headlights are more than significant, but there are also disadvantages. First, the light elements need fine tuning and calibration. Otherwise, the risk of an accident is greatly increased. Secondly, if during installation you use non-original LEDs, then you will need a separate insurance for them.

At the right approach the disadvantages of LEDs in headlights can be completely leveled. It is enough to buy original spare parts and spend a little time on fine tuning.

Another important advantage of LEDs in headlights is the wide range of possibilities of their use and aesthetic appearance... You can choose any color of the elements, thereby making your car unique. Top lighting is blue and green.

How LED headlights work

The device of LED headlights is fundamentally different from halogen ones. Lots of small parts provides modern technology tactical and strategic advantages before outdated counterparts.

If you choose the three main differences in the design of LED headlights from halogen headlights, then this is the presence of a lens, a cooling system and a reflector. The fact is that the LED, in addition to bright light with a characteristic bluish tint (standard version) emits a large number of heat.

Considering that on long trips, headlights with LEDs have to work for 10-12 hours without a break - good system cooling is a must. Initially, car manufacturers tried to install radiators, but this solution was extremely unprofitable.

To ensure good cooling with a radiator, you need a lot of free space, which simply does not exist. Let's make a simple calculation. The LED emits about 20 watts. This power produces 1500 lumens of light. For effective cooling, a minimum of one and a half hundred square centimeters of area is required. An impressive figure, isn't it?

Important! The solution was found in the form of rather powerful coolers providing the required thermal conditions.

Separately, it is necessary to talk about the features of the direction of light by LEDs in headlights. Uniqueness led lamp lies in the fact that the rays are directed in different directions. The main task of the lens is to focus them into one stream and direct them in the right direction.

For the sake of comparison, consider how a halogen lamp works. There are two reflectors in the design. One directs light to the other, and he, bouncing off, illuminates distant and near objects.

LEDs in low beam headlights

The advisability of installing LEDs in low beam headlights depends on correct selection equipment. It must provide the desired flow of light and fit perfectly into the main structure.

In addition, it is necessary to arrange everything correctly. First, you need to take care of replacing the reflector and lens. Second, make fine adjustments. Thirdly, it is not worth saving on power. For LEDs in low beam headlights, lamps with a power of at least 20 watts are needed.

Attention! For running lights LED equipment rated for 3-12 watts is sufficient.

Installation

Many new cars are sold with LEDs in their headlights, and drivers are increasingly thinking about purchasing the same devices for themselves. This is not surprising, because the list of equipment advantages is more than impressive. But for the installation to be successful, you need to strictly follow the instructions and follow the safety rules.

What you need to install LEDs in headlights

There are many techniques for installing LEDs in headlights. No wonder the list necessary tools constantly changing. But if you choose the simplest and efficient algorithm, then you will need:

• soldering iron,
• sealant,
• wire,
• drill,
• dye,
• insulating tape,
• marker.

You also need to stock up on a car wiring diagram. This will allow not only to quickly find the desired contact, but also prevent the very possibility of an accident from an electric shock.

General installation algorithm

In order for the installation of LEDs in the headlights to take place without any difficulties, it is best to carry out it in the garage with good lighting... The process itself consists of the following stages:

1. In the first step, carefully disassemble the headlights and place them on the table.
2. Warm up the bonding layer with a hairdryer and dismantle.
3. Light reflectors should be painted black. This will help protect oncoming drivers from blinding light. Otherwise, your headlights could lead to an accident.
4. Take a marker and mark the places for the diodes.
5. Use a drill to drill the neat holes.
6. Connect diodes with resistors. This will help avoid short circuit and will protect the wiring from possible burnout.
7. Connect the equipment and put everything back. Secure the part with wire, which should be in your inventory.
8. Before filling the headlamp with LEDs with sealant - check the performance of the entire system. If something doesn't work, please reconnect.

After the LEDs are installed in the headlights, do a few more test checks and only then go onto the road.

Installation of daytime running lights

Remove the front grille of the car and cut out some lamp holes. Smooth out the radiator fins. You can use simple glue as a fixer. The headlight LEDs weigh practically nothing, so there will be more than enough glue.

Use the wires in the bumper as a power source. After finishing the installation, take care of the loops. According to safety rules, they must be securely fastened. Ideal option is the connection to supply power directly from the battery.

Important! The relay is responsible for the automatic operation of the LEDs in the daytime running lights.

Outcomes

Every year more and more drivers install LEDs in their headlights. This saves on gasoline and also provides increased road safety. The most important advantage of the equipment is its durability. One diode can last about 10 years. Installation is not particularly complex process and every car owner can do it.