QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

LUMEN
Lumen is a common measurement form which is used to compare the strength of the light emitted from a light source. Lumen measures the flow of the light emitted from a light source in every direction. Lumen value is measured as raw and actual Lumen. Basically speaking raw lumen is measured in a laboratory and Actual lumen is measured from the lamp and various factors such as the lens and reflector affect the lumen value in a negative manner.

LUX
The lux is the unit of illuminance measuring luminous flux per unit area. It is equal to one lumen per square meter. How much a spot is being lit. 1 Lux = 1lm/m2. LUX specify the light strength by a specific point. For example, 1 LUX on 705 meters.

HALOGEN
Halogen has a short lifetime compared to LED and xenon (about 500 hours during normal conditions). The cost per unit is clearly lower than xenon and LED. It has a higher power consumption and not so powerful compared to LED and xenon.

XENON
Xenon/hid (high intensity discharge) has a longer lifetime and is more powerful than halogen it is also more effective because they consume less power. Lifetime is up to 6000 hours.

LED
The advantages with LED-light are many – compared to halogen and xenon, LED-light has a very long lifetime and is insensitive to vibrations. LED also consumes very little power and lights up instantly.

Light is not just white. The color temperature depends on how the human eye (or camera) perceives the light. The lower the color temperature that is given from a light, the more yellow the light will appear.

On the contrary a high color temperature gives what is called a cold light which is very well balanced and is comfortable for the human eye and is perfect for using in the work place or on the roads. We use the optimal color temperature for all our work and driving lamps. A higher temperature doesn´t automatically mean that it´s a better lamp when you exceed a certain level the light becomes blue and this is not optimal our eyes. The color temperature varies depending on which purpose the lamp is used for.

1500 Kelvin is in the warmest scale area and 8000 Kelvin is in the coldest scale area.

The light beam of a driving light is controlled by the shape and form of the reflector or the glass. A Flood beam gives a light beam similar to the standard beam light but longer and wider. A Pencil beam gives a long and narrow light beam.

All lighting for Vehicles must be EU-approved since 1/1 2005.
If you have a car that is older than 1/1 2005 you could claim that the driving lights were installed before then. The rule does not apply retroactively. But it is up to everyone to follow the rules.

E-approval is valid for both the fitting, the lights and the wiring. Everything should be E-marked as a whole. E-approval does not only give approval for the light emitted, but also for what it is approved as. Just because a lamp is E-approved it doesn´t mean you could use it for anything you like. Wrong combination is illegal. For example, a side marker that is
E-approved cannot be used as a front position light.

E-approval is only applicable when the light is fitted for the correct use. For example, the most powerful driving lights cannot be given E-approval due to the fact that they have passed the limit of how bright a light can be. The light can be so strong that you could damage your vision or blind you for a few seconds. This could be very dangerous at the brow of a hill or in other similar situations. But still some of the most powerful driving lights are bought and used by trucks, rally cars and other vehicle users in northern Sweden.

The lights that are not E-approved may not be used in traffic. But practically it´s unusual that the police in Sweden have any comments on E-approved lights because we do not bother about reference numbers. We can also have how many driving lights we want in Sweden.

Reference number is a value that is given with every E-approved driving light. According to the ECE-regulations, the added reference numbers of the driving lights and main beam lights of the vehicle may not exceed 100. The reference numbers are printed or embossed in the glass on every approved lamp. It is also a good indication of how powerful the driving light is. The higher the value the more powerful the lamp is. The value is a mixture of several measurements, for example the strength and the length of the beam.

Sweden do not closely follow the rules and regulations about the reference numbers but it is still important that the light is e-approved. There is no limitation for reference numbers and that’s is why you can install an unlimited amount of driving lights on your vehicle in Sweden. Abroad there are limitations in reference numbers, and that is why it is a good idea to be able to disconnect your driving lights while driving outside of Sweden.

IP-Classification specifies how resistant the product is.
This is an international value that specifies the protection the product has against subjects like dust and water.