American lights

Velcro · #1 06-07-2003, 04:19 PM

I've been looking around Internet on headlight lamps for quite a while now, and there are some terms of which I don't know what the type of light is, and what the purpose is: daytime running lights, low beam and high beam.

What is what? Are DRL and low-beam the same?

dw_1984 · #2 06-08-2003, 03:34 PM

Some countries (like Canada) require that all new cars have daytime running lights. On my 2001 Accord, it's basically means that even with the lights switched off, the highbeams are on (but only at half power). This is to make the car more visible during the day (or so they say) and also makes the car visible at night (if the driver forgets to turn on his/her headlights).

Low beams are your normal headlights that you use during the night.

High beams are for cases where you need a lot of light, or when you are trying to signal someone or get their attention...or piss them off... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif[/img]

Check out this thread Link

Daniel

Chris M. · #3 06-08-2003, 04:20 PM

Some European cars have them - namely Volvos. But here in the UK/Europe we have as well as low (or dipped) and high beam, additional small 5 watt marker bulbs which are sometimes a lamp lens all of their own (often next to the amber turn signals) but commonly are in the headlight reflector itsself. Not enough light to see by, but enough to act as a visible marker making the headlight glow. Volvos use these as their DRLs.

It surprises me to learn that US/Canadian DRLs use the high beams. No wonder some people complain about them. Even at half power, that`d piss me off on a dark cloudy day if all the oncoming traffic were like it.

Do US vehicles have low power marker lamps? If TV and the movies havn`t been lying to me all these years, it seems your orange front turn signals light at a low power with the headlights and just blink brighter when necessary - sorta like UK/Europe`s low power markers.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

dw_1984 · #4 06-08-2003, 05:24 PM

Chris,

actually my DRLs don't seem bright at all. Maybe it's my car but it doesn't hurt my eyes at all (then again my eyes aren't the best in the world).

On my Accord, there's a seperate strip of lighting underneath the headlamps that act is a "low power marker lamp". When you say low power, you mean the second click on the stalk right? Between off and full lowbeams.

I'll try and post a pic when I find my camera.

Daniel

Chris M. · #5 06-09-2003, 11:16 AM

<font color="800080">When you say low power, you mean the second click on the stalk right? Between off and full lowbeams.</font>

Exactly. Doesn`t even light the green "headlights on" lamp on my van, but the backlights do come on and it still chirps at me when I turn the ignition off and forget to turn it back.

When I think of all those highbeams running at half power, I keep imagining it being like a bunch of people walking towards me carrying D-cell maglites. Dim and yellowy but kind of annoying.

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

sunspot · #6 06-09-2003, 11:31 AM

When the DRL's first came to the US, they were too bright. The power has been decreased in recent years.
Chris, in the States, the amber lamps that come on at the first click position, are named "Parking Lights" and I have no idea why they are named that. They sure ain't bright enough to park by.
Here's another tid-bit for you. On the van I drive, if one pulls the stalk back, that is a momentary high beam. If I do it at night with the normal low beams on, both the low and high beams come on at the same time. Super bright IMO.

Willmore · #7 06-13-2003, 06:21 PM

sunspot. Thank you. I was getting annoyed at my fellow countrymen who seem to not know what the middle 'parking light' setting is even called. That said, let me go on and say that you should never use it. It's a holdover from the *way* old days when a horse drawn carridge would have lamps (like the burning oil kind) on the four corners. When the would stop by the side of the road, the lights would be left burning to note the location of the vehicle--so that others could see it in time and avoid it--headlights weren't what we've come to expect of them.

Now days, we have very nice corner reflectors that perform the same function and headlights that actually throw a bit. So, there is *no* reason to ever turn the switch to that position. I really with they'd change the laws and let the maufacturers get rid of it. It's dangerous. I don't know how many times (several a night) that I've faced cars who have the selector set to that position and are driving around in the dark--well, under some good street lights. The sad thing is that they probably think they have their headlights on as they turned the switch--just not far enough.

The Gentleman from the UK, Chris M., yes, we do have marker lights on the corners of our vehicles, but they are only on when the low beams (or the cursed parking lights) are switched on--not at all times the vehicle is on. Most bulbs are dual filament on the corners of vehicles. One filament burns whenever the headlights are on and the other burns only when the turn signal/brake (depending on the function of the lamp) is activated. This leads to some odd failure modes.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I really like that my car tells me when bulbs burn out. I don't know how many times I see cars with about half of their rear lamp filaments burnt out. I can't tell if he's riding the break or turning! It makes me very nervious as, if he can't maintain something as simple as bulbs, what is he doing to his engine and brakes? *shudder*

highlandsun · #8 06-14-2003, 04:29 AM

Thanks for the explanation, had no idea "parking lights" are a holdover from horse-drawn carriages...

In urban environments with tons of street lights (and light pollution) there's seldom any need for headlights. Parking lights look fine there. Of course, it's against most state laws to drive with only your parking lamps lit, if it's night.

hotfoot · #9 06-14-2003, 09:04 PM

Hmmm, I'm somewhat confused now (happens often [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])...

I thought parking lights were the ones where you had to turn the ignition key the *wrong* way whilst depressing a lock-out button. I found this on the European cars that I had had in the past (2 Fiat Unos and Renault Clio).

The carkey slot has a little "lock-out" button located such that it can be depressed by your thumb as you turn the carkey. Turning the key away from you would activate regular electrical systems for accessories and eventually start the car when turned all the way. Turning it *backwards* while depressing the thumb-button would switch on one-half of the car's pilot lamps (front and back, steady burn - not blinking) and this feature, I believe, was intended to indicate a car's position when left stationary (ie. parked) on a dark street or such.

Have you guys tried looking at your cars to see if you have this parking light feature?

Tomas · #10 06-16-2003, 01:19 AM

I've had many strange cars*, hotfoot, but none had that particular feature on their ignition switch. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

* Simca Aronde, MG 1100's, Porsche Spyder, Toyota Land Cruisers, Honda Z600, various Civics and Accords, various Chevrolets, various Fords, Plymouth, Renault, Jeeps, Volvos, International, Dodge, etc., in the USA, plus a rental MiniMog and an old Citroen in the South Pacific. Heh. I just remembered, the Citroen had just a toggle switch on the dash for ignition ... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

B@rt · #11 06-16-2003, 01:50 AM

I'm not into cars, but the VW's here used to have the parking light feature when you put your blinker on while the contact is off. I'm not sure if this is still the case. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif[/img]

Saaby · #12 06-16-2003, 11:21 AM

I also thought Parking Lights were for use when, well, parking on the side of the road or what not. Used less than 1% of the time by 99% of the drivers...They're also handy to flash when you use your remote to unlock your doors [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I admit to being one of the people driving around with just my parking lights on. I was driving our van which had TERRIBLE headlights to begrin with. I dropped somebody off at their house and switched on the parking lights. Half way home the person riding with me said "Do you have your headlights on?" I said "Yeah but the headlights on this car stink. Here I'll turn them off for a second." Hit the headlight button and the road got just a bit brighter. Whoops. Live and learn.

DRLs vary from car to car. I think on my sisters Volvo it just uses the low beams but I haven't investigated it thoroughly. I do know there's a little screw-sized switch by the main headlight switch that lets you disable the DRLs.

Most newer GM cars have a separate bulb with a separate reflector and lens for the DRLs. Most newer GM cars also have at least one of these bulbs burnt out.

It really just varies from car to car. They drilled into me in Drivers Ed that I should always drive with my lights on, but 2 out of the 3 cars in this household don't have dedicated DRLs so, when I remember, I turn on the headlights and drive. Low beam headlights. Not parking lights.

EMPOWERTORCH · #13 06-18-2003, 03:02 PM

Most motorbikes have marker lights too! In the 70's. city bikes were fitted with an additional 21W "town" light, C90's in particular had these and were intended to act as a marker light for oncoming traffic. Whether this was because the Japanese had problems with headlight dazzle I don't know...
Modern bikes (my Lifan Prince included) have a small 5W bulb mounted in the bottom of the reflector. Turning the ignition key past the Operate position cuts the power to the engine and maintains the power to the back light's 5W filament and the front marker bulb. The key can be removed. This allows the stationary bike to be visible whilst maintaining minimal current drain.
Some cars are also fitted with a parking light facility, lighting one back light and one rear light (on the drivers side. This was at one time a legal requirement in England, and was originally fulfilled using a clip on lamp which plugged in somewhere inside the car, and clipped over the drivers side window!
Nowadays there are extremes in lighting used on our roads from the grey peril who drives in the fog with marker lights (sidelights only) to the other extreme...young lad with hot hatch with full beam headlights and front foglights blazing away just because he has them ... on a clear night!

Kristofg · #14 06-19-2003, 03:30 AM

They still have. The same goes for Audi as well. You turn your blinker to the side on which you want the lights to work. The power drain is very low and it's meant to stay on while you are away from your car in order to have it more visible to other drivers. I use it when parking on a dark street or near corners most of the time.

Willmore · #15 06-21-2003, 05:50 PM

Sorry for taking so long to get back to this.. been sorta busy.

highlandsun, very true. I think our high level of light pollution (saftey, don't you know) from our street lights have completely removed the use for parking lights and a lot of need for even headlights in some situations. Sabby seems to have noticed this. Fine young man, he. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Empowertorch, do motorcycles always have their headlights on in England like they do here in the US?

How 'parking' lights are turned on may vary, but I think we agree on what they are--one light on each corner of the vehicle, normally yellow/orange--intended to mark the boundry of the vehicle and its location. The usefullness of this function is still debatable. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Entropy · #16 06-23-2003, 11:46 AM

[ QUOTE ]
sunspot said:
When the DRL's first came to the US, they were too bright. The power has been decreased in recent years.

Here's another tid-bit for you. On the van I drive, if one pulls the stalk back, that is a momentary high beam. If I do it at night with the normal low beams on, both the low and high beams come on at the same time. Super bright IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]
Only to be upped again with the nightmare of the HID fad...

There's an increasing number of HID DRLs on the roads these days from Audis and BMWs, and they HURT even in daylight. They're sometimes even annoying when I'm wearing sunglasses...

I applaud Volvo for doing the sensible thing if they are indeed using 5W marker lights. All I know is that Volvos don't stand out in my memory as "cars with really annoying lights". 3-5W on each side was the target power I'm thinking of for the Luxeon DRL experiment I'm planning to do soon.