Is it possible to install xenon in fog lights: allowed or prohibited

Operating principle and properties of xenon lamps

In xenon lamps, the filament is replaced by two electrodes placed in a sealed glass flask with a mixture of xenon and metal salts. To create an arc discharge between the electrodes, an alternating current of 25 kW with a frequency of up to 400 Hz is required. When it passes through the gas, the ionization of electrons begins, and part of the energy released in this process is converted into light.

To install them in foglights, you need an ignition module, a reflector and lenses. The delivery set also includes headlight washers and auto correctors. This makes the design of headlights quite complex, but eliminates the main drawback - the ability to dazzle. For fog lights, the use of lenses can be considered a disadvantage - they do not allow the flow of light to dissipate.

How to make xenon legal

Until 2014, every car owner had the opportunity to officially convert their vehicle by going through many checks and procedures. Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 1123 of December 22, 2014 canceled a number of decisions, including the possibility of legalizing a number of changes in the design of a car. This led to many administrative cases, fines and withdrawal of rights.

Today, it is possible to install xenon in a car if two conditions are met:

there is a DCR, DC or DR mark;
A headlight washer and automatic leveling are provided.

To legalize xenon, you must first undergo an examination at NAMI (Research Institute that certifies automobile products). To do this, you need to write an application and pay for the service - 4000 rubles.

After an interim expert assessment, they submit an application to the traffic police, where they register all the details of the vehicle and its owner.

The following is a package of documents:

preliminary conclusion by NAMI;
PTS;
vehicle registration certificate;
car owner's passport.

Then you will need to purchase and install new equipment on the vehicle. The final stage is a technical inspection and a full conclusion that the lighting devices meet the technical requirements. The driver now faces no fines or other sanctions.

Pros and cons of xenon

Like any xenon lamp, it has advantages and disadvantages. Car owners value these sources for their powerful flow of light and glow temperature close to daylight (4000-7000 K).

There are other advantages:

resistance to vibrations due to the absence of a filament;
low energy consumption (compared to halogen);
high efficiency;
long service life (up to 3 thousand hours);
heat transfer within 7%.

The disadvantages include:

the need for an ignition unit and a set of high-voltage wires;
light arc in the shape of the letter “C”;
instability to voltage surges;
dependence on external temperature;
the presence of ultraviolet radiation in the glow, which forms a yellow coating on the plastic elements of the fog lamp;
a sharp decrease in the efficiency of sources with high light temperatures in poor visibility.

Attention! The problem of the light arc is partially solved in Philips light bulbs. This company also supplies sources with quartz glass protection that blocks ultraviolet radiation.

Standard xenon installation

In theory, xenon fog lights are installed in the following order:

receive a permitting expert opinion from a specialized organization (list on the page of the technical regulation department of the website of the Eurasian Economic Commission);
contact the technical department at the traffic police with an expert opinion and a statement;
contact a licensed car service center with an application for alteration (filling samples are available at the traffic police) and certificates for all parts;
undergo a second examination;
undergo technical inspection;
visit the traffic police to get a mark in the documents.

Legality of installation

By law, the new xenon in the PTF can be installed in imported cars in which it is provided by the manufacturer. In any other situation, this is considered a modification to the vehicle's lighting design.

The legislative framework

There are no instructions in the traffic regulations regarding the use of xenon in PTF. According to paragraph 3.4 of the Technical Regulations, which determines the conditions for the approval of vehicles for operation, it is established that only lamps that correspond to their type must be installed in any headlights. According to clause 1.3.8. The flashlight marking must begin with the letter “D”. Cars like this are rare.

Attention! This means that xenon lamps are not required by law for any vehicles, so they cannot be installed.

The main reason is the need for a washer and auto-corrector. The luminous flux of most xenon sources is from 2000 lm, and according to paragraph 1.3.7. According to the technical regulations, these elements are mandatory for them. The washer and corrector can be omitted if the luminous flux is less than 2000 lm.

These are D8S and D6S bulbs with a power of up to 25 watts.

Responsibility for xenon in fog lights

The Code of Administrative Offenses does not separate headlights from foglights, so the punishment should be determined in accordance with paragraph 3.4 of Article 12.5. This is a fine or deprivation of rights for a period of six months to a year. The reason in practice is that the type of glow does not match the color. Most often, fog lights are confiscated.

Theoretically, white, yellow and orange xenon lamps, if they are installed in fog lamps, do not violate the requirements of the Technical Regulations if they do not blink and operate in two mandatory modes: constant and flashing.

Fine or imprisonment for xenon in fog lights?

In the context of the punishment for xenon light in the PTF, everything is similar to the ban on it in head lights. As we mentioned above, legislation often does not directly separate PTFs and headlights, and the Administrative Code is no exception. It provides for punishment for non-compliance with the Basic Provisions of the Traffic Regulations, paragraph 3.4 of which we cited above.

But why are we talking only about practice?! Because in theory, neither the color of the headlights when installing xenon in foglights (if it is white, yellow or orange), nor even their operating mode is affected. According to the Technical Regulations, there are only two modes:

constant,
flashing

If your xenon lights do not blink, then the mode is also not broken. And it should also be taken into account that in order to form a criminal offense for such an offense, both conditions must be met.

The legal punishment (unfortunately, in most cases only in theory) is a fine of 500 rubles under Part 1 of the same article, which provides for any violations of the Basic Provisions of Traffic Regulations, with the exception of exceptions (listed in the following parts of this article of the Administrative Code).

Cancellation (termination) of registration for xenon in PTF

Separately, a very important point should be noted - the cancellation of registration for the installation of xenon xenons in the PTF. This is quite possible, including in practice. The fact is that vehicles whose design has been amended () are not subject to registration.

At the same time, a paragraph of the same Order prescribes that in the event of violations identified in already registered cars, in the form of changes to the design, the registration of such cars is subject to termination (cancellation) until the reasons for cancellation are eliminated.

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If you install xenon in fog lights of a type that is not suitable for gas discharge, you are making a change to the design of the vehicle and are required to formally register such a change (but you will not be able to, since such a car will not pass safety certification).

In addition, when installing xenon in PTFs that do not provide for its installation, part of the electrical wiring almost always changes, because xenon requires more powerful wires, and this, alas, also changes the design of the car.

How to communicate with a traffic police inspector if you have xenon installed

If a car with xenon fog lights is stopped by a traffic police officer, you need to:

ask to present a full ID and copy down the data;
To stop a car, compelling reasons are required (Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 185), the presence of a xenon bulb can only be determined visually;
in order to determine the type of light source, it is necessary to open the hood; during an inspection, video recording and 2 witnesses are required (part 1 and part 2 of article 27.9 of the Administrative Code);
before signing the protocol, in the line “Responsibilities and rights explained,” you should indicate that they were not explained (if this is true);
in the “explanation” line, indicate “I do not agree with the violation, I require a lawyer.”

Important! A traffic police officer does not have the right to send a car to a parking lot. Stopping for inspection is prohibited in the same places where it is prohibited by traffic regulations.

Is it possible to install xenon in PTF legally?

PTF headlights are external lighting devices that are used as additional lighting. Fog lights can only be used in conditions of poor visibility and bad weather conditions. The rest of the time, turning on such headlights is prohibited.

Is it possible to install xenon in fog lights?

Is it legal to install xenon fog lights? In order to answer this question, it is worth turning to the legislation, norms, rules, requirements and regulations for the use of external lighting devices in car optics.

We find out from the law whether xenon is allowed in fog lights. In order to avoid being fined for xenon in the PTF, it is worth knowing a few regulations.

Traffic police officers do not have the right to check (determine) on the spot whether xenon or halogen is installed in your optics. Only a Rostekhnadzor inspector can handle such a matter. The inspection can only be officially carried out at a special site.
In order not to receive a fine, your optics must be equipped in accordance with all the rules, namely, be certified.
Another point is labeling. It is prohibited to install xenon lamps in optics that are marked for the installation of halogen lamps.

Marking in PTF

If your optics are marked with the letter “H”, then you should know that you cannot place anything other than a halogen lamp here, since this action will be regarded as illegal. For xenon lamps there is a different marking - “D”. Again, it is worth considering that this type of optics is designed only for the installation of gas-discharge lamps.

Illegal!

Install xenon bulbs in optics that are labeled for the use of halogen lamps.
Use xenon lamps in non-xenon optics.
Carry out independent “reorganization” of optics from halogen to xenon.
Use of unregulated xenon optics. You must have a special certificate with you, which will serve as confirmation that the reinstallation of the optics was carried out by specialists, following all installation standards and rules.

In case of failure to comply with the above requirements, each driver may be held accountable. The measure to suppress illegal activities is deprivation of a driver’s license for a period of six months.

Despite the fact that a traffic police officer does not have the right to check your optics at the stop for the fact that xenon lamps are used, he can check the markings. If the installed lamp does not correspond to the markings, the driver will be punished. Also, he may be asked to go to a special point to undergo a full technical inspection conducted by technical supervision inspectors.

General information about xenon headlights

Xenon optics of the main light (we are not talking about PTF) implies the presence of a special auto-corrector and washers. The headlight range control is needed so that the light can be automatically directed correctly. The need for washers is justified by the fact that dirt, dust and other particles can clog the glass.

In this case, a very bright xenon light may shine in the wrong direction (when the light rays are refracted and do not illuminate the path, but blind drivers of other vehicles passing by).
A similar rule cannot be applied to fog lights, since they act as an additional source of lighting and have a special purpose, and, therefore, a narrower area of use.

Before you decide to break the rules and put xenon in PTF instead of halogen in non-adapted optics, think about the consequences this could lead to. Xenon lamps are quite powerful, so incorrectly set light boundaries can lead to the risk of accidents, etc. Reflectors (reflectors) that are installed in halogen optics when combined with a xenon lamp will greatly enhance the negative effect. Therefore, you will not get a well-lit road surface, but on the contrary, you will blind drivers of oncoming traffic and those driving in front of you in the same direction, illuminate the side of the road, trees and anything else, just not the road.

Conclusion

Xenon in fog lights, as such, is allowed for use. But in order to be able to use this light source with impunity, you should follow a few basic rules and not break the law.

Main conclusions

If the design of the vehicle does not provide for xenon in foglights, there is no need to rush to install it. These gas discharge lamps require lenses to focus the beam in one direction. This defeats the main purpose of the fog lights. If you install a lamp without lenses, the flow of light will be limited only by the design of the device; it is impossible to set the upper limit. This may lead to an accident due to reduced visibility.

Attention! Yellow xenon is suitable for driving in light fog and cloudy weather. Therefore, manufacturers producing xenon foglights call them additional.

When purchasing xenon, you should not choose products with temperatures exceeding 6000 K. Their light quality is lower. If one headlight fails, you need to install two new ones at once, since the temperature of the old one will not be the same as the new one.

You should not install fog lights yourself. If the kit is incorrectly selected or the slightest error during the installation process, the light flux will be directed incorrectly. If you make a mistake when installing the ignition unit, there is a high probability of a short circuit.

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