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Automotive lighting
Question: Can the OSRAM TRUCKSTAR series be used universally and has it been ECE approved? Answer: Yes, of course all models in the OSRAM TRUCKSTAR series fully meet ECE R37 requirements and have been approved for all uses. So you can replace your standard lamps now with the appropriate TRUCKSTAR model of the same category and immediately enjoy improved light and an extended service life. top Question: How was it technically possible to combine 100% more light with a 100% extended service life, all in one lamp? Answer: OSRAM single-coil technology is the secret. Up to now, physical limitations have meant that 24-volt lamps were always equipped with a double coil. Double-coil lamps have major disadvantages when it comes to homogenous light density and even heat distribution throughout the coil. This leads to significant reductions in light distribution and service life. After intensive research and development, OSRAM is proud to become the first manufacturer in the world to offer single-coil technology for both 12-volt (car segment) and 24-volt lamps. This breakthrough has effectively done away with the disadvantages of conventional lamps in terms of service life and light distribution. It represents a quantum leap in light technology and operating life. The result is a significant increase in safety and improved efficiency for the trucking industry and its drivers. top Question: Why wasn't this breakthrough introduced to the 24-volt segment earlier? Answer: The technology for TRUCKSTAR coils in the 24-volt lamp segment requires special advanced coils and coiling machines. Years of research and extensive expertise in the automotive industry have allowed OSRAM to refine its production methods to guarantee a high-quality series production that meets the company's high standards. top Question: Can "xenon lamps" be installed in any vehicle? Answer: "Xenon light" works on a completely different principle from conventional halogen headlight lamps. They need electronic control gear in order to operate, and since the geometry of the lamps is different from that of other headlight lamps, they also need special reflectors. "Xenon lamps" can only be installed if the entire headlight is replaced. Please ask your dealer whether "xenon light" is available for your vehicle as an option. top Question: My dealer said there is no retrofit with Xenon-Lamps possible for my car, although there are a lot of cars with Xenon-Lamps on the road that didn't have Xenon from the start.Is it possible to replace the existing luminaries by a Xenon-version by myself? Answer: It is not possible to replace a halogen lighting system with a Xenon lamp by yourself. Some car manufacturers offer a special conversion which is done by the their garages (VW, BMW). Some car manufacturers have not yet decided, whether they should offer this possibility. The reason is that this is a very complex and expensive integration that must be adapted to the total electrical system of the car. Further, a large number of tests are necessary. To avoid abuse of the Xenon light there are many regulations. E.g. an automatic levelling system is needed in some markets to reduce glare for the oncoming traffic. In addition to this, a headlamp-washing device is also required in certain European markets. Finally you may have to change many parameters of the car electronic system. Nobody would like the airbag to open when you turn on the lights. So we recommend that you avoid modifications that do not come original from the car manufacturer. top Question: Does the OSRAM range include "high-wattage" headlight lamps such as the H4 100 W? Answer: Although OSRAM supplies all its normal halogen headlight lamps in high-wattage versions, they are not approved for use on public roads. They may be used only in off-road vehicles such as rally cars. Using them on public roads many cause the authorities to withdraw the licence for the vehicle and therefore its insurance coverage. Drivers who want a little more light in their headlights should look to the OSRAM SUPER and OSRAM SILVERSTAR series. These lamps still comply with legal requirements but offer up to 50% higher luminance on the road, particularly at a distance of 50 to 75 m. top Question: What does "SUPER" mean in connection with headlight lamps? Answer: "SUPER" is the name OSRAM gives to its range of headlight lamps that have been developed specifically as replacements lamps. SUPER versions make use of the latest advances in headlight technology. The dimensions of the filaments have been reduced to increase the luminance of the lamps. This in turn leads to an increase in light on the road of up to 30%, particularly in the crucial area between 50 and 100 m ahead of the vehicle. Obstacles can be seen sooner and more easily. This is a real contribution to road safety. top Question: Is there an H7 SUPER? Answer: No. Development of the OSRAM SUPER range of H1, H3 and H4 lamps is based on the technology of the H7 lamp. Further improvements are not technically feasible at present. top Question: Are there "SUPER" versions of HB3 and HB4 lamps and if so, where can I get them? Answer: No. At present, OSRAM does not offer SUPER versions of HB3 and HB4 lamps. top Question: What does "SILVERSTAR" mean in connection with headlamps? ? Answer: The successful technology of the "SUPER" - lamps was developed further. The luminance has been optimised in view of modern headlight systems. The effect: up to 50% more illumination (in comparison with the standard version) in 50m - 100m in front of the car and a longer illumination of 20m, a real Plus of security. In addition for the first time the H7 has been designed with a silver cap. This lamp generation fits harmoniously into the shiny look of modern transparent headlamp modules. top Question: Which is better, SUPER or COOL BLUE or Silverstar? Answer: This all depends on personal requirements and preferences.Safety-conscious drivers who are looking for maximum performance and as much light as possible on the road ahead tend to choose OSRAM SUPER or better the OSRAM SILVERSTAR. The OSRAM SILVERSTAR is the best possible choice at present for halogen headlights because it offers the highest light output. Drivers who prefer good performance, high visibility and something a little different tend to choose lamps from the OSRAM COOL BLUE range. The idea is that you are safer in a car that is noticed. top Question: What does ALLSEASON mean? Answer: ALLSEASON is the name given by OSRAM to its yellow-coated range of headlight lamps. The yellow impression is provided by interference filter coatings that are applied to the bulb in sequence of consecutive operations. This enables an extremely precise and virtually loss-free change to be achieved in the colour location (<1% loss of luminous flux). From certain angles reflection headlights equipped with these lamps also appear bluish. The colour location of the ALLSEASON coating lies within the standardized ECE white field and, in contrast to the selectively yellow-coated "French yellow" lamps and it can be used without restriction in all headlights. An ALLSEASON lamp can replace any clear lamp. top Question: Which products are available in COOL BLUE? Answer: Headlight lamps: H1, H4, H7, HB3, HB4 Auxiliary lamps: H6W, W5W, T4W top Question: What is the advantage of OSRAM COOL BLUE lamps? Answer: Apart from the special visual appeal of the OSRAM COOL BLUE lamp in the headlight, a look that so many car drivers favour, the lamp offers photometric improvements over standard lamps. However not to the same extent as the lamps in the OSRAM SUPER range which provide up to 30% more light. The daylight colour of the OSRAM COOL BLUE lamp helps counter fatigue at the wheel. To achieve a uniform blue light colour at the front of the vehicle, OSRAM offers various COOL BLUE parking light lamps. A COOL BLUE Version is available for: - Headlamps: H1, H4, H7 - Auxiliary lamps: H6W, W5W, T4W top Question: Can I get 24 V lamps in SUPER and/or COOL BLUE versions? Answer: No. As technology stands at present, 24 V SUPER headlight lamps cannot be manufactured to last as long as professional users demand. top Question: What is the advantage of OSRAM COOL BLUE lamps in auxiliary lights on cars? Answer: These lamps have special coatings so they produce a higher colour temperature and therefore the impression of blue light. COOL BLUE parking light lamps is a sensible addition to OSRAM XENARC gas discharge lamps, COOL BLUE headlight lamps and halogen headlight lamps to underline the blue impression. top Question: What is the advantage of OSRAM COOL BLUE lamps inside the car (for example for reading light)? Answer: These lamps provide brilliant white light that is ideal for reading maps and other interior lighting functions because they produce a better contrast than ordinary lamps. top Question: What does DIADEM mean? Answer: The DIADEM is an innovative signal lamp with interference coating, which produces yellow light. Due to the interference coating the DIADEM produces an amber colour when lit and features an opalescent white surface - without the "mirror effect" of normal yellow coloured lights. The DIADEM supports the cool and stylish look which car designers desire to produce with all cleared and transparent headlamp modules. The DIADEM is interchangeable with other yellow signal lamps ( in front and in the back of the car) and it is approved for use throughout Europe. Besides the DIADEM offers twice the lifetime of the standard yellow signal lamps. top Question: Why does the OSRAM DIADEM flash yellow even though it looks blue? Answer: By applying several interference layers to the bulb the light emitted by the filament is refracted and only the yellow component in the light passes through the coating and is therefore visible. top Question: Which materials do halogen and discharge headlamps contain? Answer: The bulb of halogen lamps is made of hard glass or quartz glass, the socket is mostly made of steel and/or plastics. The filament is made of tungsten. The filling gas is mostly a mixture of rare gases containing less than 1% parts of halogen mostly bromine rarely chlorine or jodine. The electrodes of a gas discharge lamps are made of tungsten with 0,7% of thoriumoxid. top Question: Which hazardous materials do these lamps contain? Answer: Discharge lamps (Xenon-lamps) contain less than one milligram of mercury and traces of thallium. Due to the very low quantities involved there is no risk to health or to environment even if several lamps break. Because of the high fill pressure the instructions on the enclosed leaflet are to be followed. top Question: Are mercurial lamps also being used in cars? Answer: Yes they are, discharge lamps (Xenon-lamps) and miniature fluorescent lamps as in dashboards or interior lighting (e.g. in busses) containing less than one milligram of mercury. Because of the extremely small amounts of mercury involved there is no risk to health or environment. top Question: How do you dispose of defective car lamps during production? As they are hazardous waste do you dispose of halogen and discharge lamps separately? Answer: Depending on the stage of production we separate genuine glass from metal for recycling. If possible complete lamps are recycled as a mixture of metal and glass and are processed afterwards, otherwise they are disposed of as industrial waste. Only mercurial discharge lamps have to be disposed of as a supervised waste when they come up as defective goods after the Hg-Refilling (EWC Code 060404- mercurial waste). top Question: How can I legally get more light on the road? Answer: The simplest and most cost-effective way is to replace standard halogen headlight lamps with corresponding OSRAM SUPER or better the SILVERSTAR version. These lamps provide up to 50% more light on the road ahead at a distance of 50 to 100 m and longer illumination up to 20 m.Another way is to replace the complete headlight fixture with complete headlights designed for OSRAM XENARC gas discharge lamps.This option offers maximum light for every driver.Ask your dealer whether your car can be fitted with these headlights.The third way is to install additional auxiliary headlights to improve the full beam function. top Question: What does the label on the lamp mean? Answer: OSRAM automotive lamps have the following information on them:
top Question: What do B3 and Tc mean in connection with the service life of lamps? Answer: If we consider the service lives of products that are designed to last a certain time we can see that they all have the same or similar failure characteristics. If we plot the service lives of the individual lamps on special logarithmic graph paper, the graph produced is called a "Weibull distribution curve". In a stable production process we obtain a straight line for the service life on which we can read off various life values. For its products in the automotive sector OSRAM specifies a B3 value, which indicates the time at which 3% of the tested lamps have failed. OSRAM also specifies the Tc value (characteristic Weibull value), which indicates the time at which 63.2% of the lamps have failed. It used to be the case that only the average value was specified (the average life), which in this system would correspond to a B50 value (i.e. the time at which 50% of the lamps have failed). By specifying both the B3 value and the Tc value it is possible to get an idea of the spread of the product's service life and hence the quality of the product. In America B10 is also given. This value can be calculated from the B3 and Tc values. top Question: Why do headlight lamps have to have reduced UV emission? Answer: More and more headlights are now being manufactured with plastic components to save on weight and cost. Almost all clear headlight covers on new cars these days are made of plastic. The effect of UV radiation from light sources or from the sun on transparent plastics is well documented; over a lengthy period of time the plastic turns yellow and brittle, and this process is speeded up by high material temperatures. OSRAM UV-Cut lamps comply with the statutory regulations of ECE Standard R37 with regard to UV thresholds and can therefore be used without restriction in plastic headlights. This property is indicated on the packaging by the "UV block" symbol. On the lamp itself you will see the letter "U". All OSRAM halogen headlight lamps are UV-CUT lamps. top Question: Do auxiliary lamps for the automotive sector have to be standardized? Answer: Replaceable lamps on the outside of the vehicle must be approved. In addition to the headlights, these include the signal lights such as indicators, brake lights, taillights, fog lights, parking lights, reversing lights and registration plate lights. They are standardized in ECE Regulations 37 and 99 (Economic Commission for Europe). One of the benefits of standardization is that the lamps can be replaced by the same lamps from other manufacturers. Another benefit is that they cannot be confused with other lamps, which means that traffic safety is not impaired. Light sources inside the vehicle do not need to be standardised but in most cases they comply with standard lamp and base specifications. top Question: Is there an incandescent lamp that will last forever? Answer: No. The laws of physics dictate that there is no such thing as an incandescent lamp that can last forever. When current flows through a filament some of the filament inevitably vaporises. After a while this results in the filament burning through. It is possible to design an incandescent lamp so that it lasts a long time. However, there is always a compromise involved because the luminous efficacy is reduced (i.e. the amount of light that can be generated from a particular input power. The filament can be operated at a lower temperature or a thicker filament can be used so that it takes longer for sufficient material to vaporise before it burns through. An important consideration is safety. Lamps with an extremely long life would not meet current requirements for headlights. Because they would not generate sufficient output to make a satisfactory beam pattern. top Question: What is electronic light? Answer: OSRAM makes a distinction between electrical light (this category includes incandescent lamps and halogen lamps) and electronic light (in other words, products that generate light with the aid of discharge lamps and electronic control gear)."Electronic light " has the advantage that more efficient ways of generating light are used and that the process of generating light can be controlled by the electronic circuitry independently of the operating voltage. What's more, these light sources usually have long service lives.OSRAM designs its electronic lighting components so that they last nearly as long as the vehicles in which they are installed. "Electronic lighting products" in the automotive sector include the following:
top Question: Do OSRAM automotive lamps have to be recycled? Answer: Conventional automotive lamps such as those for indicators, brake lights, tail lights and interior lights, do not contain any substances that will harm the environment so no special waste disposal measures need to be taken. The same applies to halogen headlight lamps. Gas discharge lamps and miniature fluorescent lamps contain mercury (between one and five one thousandth of a gram per lamp) so they have to be taken for recycling. In the case of "electronic light" the electronic components such as control gear have to be disposed off as electronic waste. In Germany, OSRAM takes part in the Dual System. The packaging for OSRAM products is therefore labelled with the "Grüner Punkt" (Green Dot) symbol. These products are disposed of in Dual System containers. top Question: What is MSCP? Answer: Different information is provided for American automotive lamps than for European lamps. In the American market, for example, they specify the current that the lamp draws, in amps, rather than the lamp wattage. Likewise, the luminous flux of the lamp is not given in lumen but in MSCP, which stands for "mean spherical candle power". For converting from MSCP to luminous flux, the rule of thumb is average luminous intensity in MSCP * 4 *  = luminous
flux in lumen. top Question: Why not increase the design voltage for lamps to 14 V to prevent lamps failing particularly in new cars that supply relatively high voltages? Answer: Because European ECE standards prescribe a design voltage of 13.2 V for headlight lamps and 13.5 V for auxiliary lamps. These are therefore legal requirements. The design voltage can only be changed if the standards are changed. The demands that the car industry currently places on lamps can be better met with somewhat lower design voltages. Light sources inside the vehicle do not need need to be standardised but in most cases they comply with standard lamp and base specifications. top Question: What is the difference between nominal voltage and the statutory test voltage? Answer: The nominal voltage, also known as the rated voltage, is the value that has to be stamped on the lamp in accordance with the provisions of ECE R37; in this case 12 V or 24 V. The test voltage, which is also defined in ECE R37, is the voltage for which the lamp is designed and at which all the values prescribed by the relevant standards has to be met. For example, the test voltage is 13.2 V for headlight lamps, 13.5 V for auxiliary lamps and 28.0 Volt for lamps in 24 V systems top Question: Which fault mechanisms affect the life of miniature incandescent lamps in automotive applications (lamps with small filament diameters)? Answer: - Vibration and shock - The ambient temperature in the headlight or luminaries - The power supply - Corrosion in socket leading to poor contact between the socket connectors and the lamp Other factors include inadequate quality or poor handling during the production process by the lamp manufacturer, the set maker or the car manufacturer. top Imprint / Terms of use / Privacy Policy / Sitemap / Contact © 2005, by OSRAM GmbH. All rights reserved. |
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