LIGHTING SYSTEM

OBJECTIVES:
LEARNERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE
OF AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING SYSTEM;

* THE LAYOUT OF AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING SYSTEM.

* UNDERSTAND AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING SYSTEM SYMBOLS.
* CONSTRUCT AUTOMOBILE LIGHTING SYSTEM CIRCUIT.
* STATE COMMON LIGHTING SYSTEM FAULTS AND RECTIFICATION.

Vehicle Lighting System.

* Lights are needed on a vehicle to allow the driver to see, and be seen, in
conditions of darkness and poor visibility.
* Lamps are grouped in separate circuits; these include the following:

* Side and rear lamps including lamps for the number plate, glove compartment
and instrument panel illumination.

* Main driving lamps (headlamps) fitted with a dipping

facility to prevent

approaching drivers being dazzled.

* Rear Jog lamp(s) for 'guarding' the rear of the vehicle in conditions of poor
visibility.

* Auxiliary driving lamps including spot lamps for distance illumination and fog

lamps that are positioned suitably and designed to reduce the reflected glare
from fog.

* Reversing lamps to illuminate the road when the vehicle is moving backwards and
warn other drivers of the movement.

*Headlamp flash switch This switch enables the driver to signal to other drivers

during daylight and avoids the use of the main light switches. The spring-loaded
switch operates only when the lever is held in the 'on' position.
Ignition-controlled headlamps Regulations insist that the headlamps should not be
used when the engine and vehicle are stationary. This is achieved by using the igni
tion switch to control the feed to the headlamps. A relay is often used to reduce the
current load on the switch.
*Auxiliary driving lamps These long-range lamps (spot lamps) are used when the
headlamps are set to main beam, but they must be extinguished when other vehi
cles are approaching. This is achieved by connecting the auxiliary lamps to the
main beam branch of the circuit. As the power consumed by these lamps is
considerable, the load on the lighting switches is reduced by using a relay to
control these lamps.
*Fog lamps (front) In fog the main headlamps cause glare so by using low-mounted
fog lamps this problem
*is minimized. These twin lamps can be used instead of headlamps so the feed must
be taken from the side lamp branch of the circuit.
*Rear fog guard The high-intensity fog lamp(s) guard the rear of the vehicle; they
must be used only in conditions of poor visibility. To prevent the driver using the
lights illegally the feed is taken from either the dipped beam or the front fog
lamps. A warning light must be fitted to indicate when the rear fog guard lamp(s)
are In use.
*

* Brake lights to warn a following driver that the vehicle is slowing

down.
* Interior lights and courtesy lights on doors.
* Instrument panel lights for signalling either the correct
operation of a unit or the presence of a fault in a particular
system.
* In addition to these lights, directional indicators and hazard
warning lights are fitted.
Lamp Construction
* Fluorescent lamps have the advantage of a light source that is
spread over a large area, so passengers are not subjected to
glare and eyestrain.

Filament & Twin-Filament lamps

Tungsten filament (enclosed in a glass) that is secured to two
support 'wires; these are normally attached to contacts in a
brass cap.
Low wattage bulbs, such as those used for side lamps, are
normally of the vacuum type.
Removal of the air prevents oxidation and vaporization of the
filament, and reduces the heat loss. Oxygen in the air causes
tungsten deposits to blacken the glass above the filament;
also after a very short time, the filament burns away.
Filament temperature is about 2300C
*Headlamp bulbs may be filled with argon an inert gas for
increased illumination
*Note the approval mark.
Note: When in use, tungsten filaments evaporate and
blacken the glass bulb.

Tungsten-halogen or Quatz-halogen bulbs

* A solution to tungsten filament bulbs.
A much higher output is obtained from these types; efficiency is
also maintained for a longer time.
* Halogen, iodine and bromine. (Same family)
* When halogen is added to the gas in a bulb, a chemical action
takes place, which overcomes the evaporation problem.
Evaporation of the tungsten still occurs but as the tungsten moves
from the hot filament towards the envelope, it combines with the
halogen and forms a new compound (tungsten halide). This new
compound does not deposit itself on the glass envelope; instead,
the convection movement carries it back to the hot gas region
around the filament. Here the tungsten halide splits up and causes
the tungsten to redeposit itself back on the filament; the halogen
particles released are returned to the gas. This regeneration
process not only prevents discolouration of the bulb; it also keeps
the filament in a good condition for a much longer time.

* To produce this action, the bulb must be made to operate at a

gas temperature higher than the 250C needed to vaporize the

halogen; this is achieved by using a small bulb of quartz. This
material can withstand the heat and is sufficiently strong to
allow the bulb to be gas filled to a pressure of several bars so as
to give a brighter filament for a given life.
Tungsten + halogen = tungsten halide
Advantage
* An added advantage is obtained from the smaller filament
needed with this type; it allows more precise focusing than is
achieved with the normal bulb.

Reflector
*The function of a headlamp reflector is to redirect the light rays.
An ideal reflector gives a beam of light that illuminates the road
from far ahead to the region immediately in front of the vehicle.
*Highly polished and then coated with a material such as aluminum
to give a good reflective surface.
*Poor filament positioning may dazzle the drivers of oncoming
vehicles.
Sealed beam
*Incorporates the lens, aluminized reflector and two tungsten
filaments for the main and dip beams, precisely positioned at the
correct points. The complete lamp is filled with an inert gas.
Disadvantages
*It is more costly to replace when the filament fails
*Sudden light failure occurs when the lens becomes cracked. In
some countries, a secondary glass screen is used to improve the
aerodynamic line and give extra protection to the lamp lens.

*This

parallel circuit has the lamps controlled by three switches:

Switch 1 operates the side and rear lamps. It also supplies:
Switch 2 which operates and headlamps, and supplies: Switch 3
to distribute the current to either the main beam or the dipbeam headlamp bulbs.

*Circuit

protection A single fuse, mounted in the main supply

cable, protects a circuit in the event of a severe short. This
simple protection system cannot be used in the external lighting
supply cable because all lights will go out when the fuse fails; a
dangerous situation when the vehicle is travelling at speed along
a dark road. To avoid this danger manufacturer either fit separate
fuses for each light system, or refrain from fusing the headlamp
circuit altogether (Figure 15.2). The circuit in Figure 15.2
incorporates the following extra features.

* Lamp

failure indicator Many manufacturers now fit a warning

system to inform the driver when a light is not functioning
correctly. Often the lamp signal indicator on the instrument
panel is a graphical map of the vehicle. On this display sections
are illuminated either when the lights are operating normally, or
as a signal to warn the driver that a light is 'out'.

* In

addition to the graphical display unit, a module (sometimes

called a 'bulb outage module') is fitted to sense when a specific
section of the circuit does not consume the appropriate current.
When an open-circuit condition exists, the module triggers a
light on the instrument panel to show the driver the actual lamp
that is 'out'.

*Dim-dip

lighting devices British vehicles registered after 1 April

1987 must be fitted with dim-dip lighting. This regulation makes it
impossible for the vehicle to be driven on side lights alone. The
side lights will operate only when the ignition is switched' off so
they may be regarded as parking lights.

*Headlamps

can be operated in two dip modes. A dim-dip light of

low power is intended for use, without dazzling other road users,
in conditions such as well-lit streets at night or dull weather at
twilight. The dip beam of standard intensity is for normal night
driving out-of-town areas. The regulation requires one pair of
headlamps to incorporate a dim-dip device. Compared with the
normal dipped beam, the dim-dip light intensity should be:

*Anti-theft lamp control Most alarm systems flash the headlamps when

the sensing system detects that somebody is tampering with the vehicle.
In this situation the headlamps are supplied from a separate multi
function unit which receives its feed direct from an alarm ECU.
*Interior lamp circuit In the past the interior lamp circuit consisted of a
roof lamp and perhaps two lamps for instrument panel illumination. Today
many lamps are used; these are controlled by manual and automatic
switches. Figure 15.3 shows an interior lamp circuit of a vehicle fitted
with a factory-installed alarm. Interior circuits can be further refined by
incorporating features such as a lamp-out delay device; this gives interior
illumination for a short time after the doors are closed. Normally the
delay module uses a capacitor to control a transistorized switch.

*Light intensity
*The intensity of light or luminous intensity is the power to

radiate light and produce illumination at a distance. Luminous

energy refers to the source of light and its intensity is measured
in candelas (cd); in the past the unit 'candle power' (c.p.) was
used. For practical purposes:
*1 cd = 1 c.p.

* Headlamp range adjustment

* Vertical alignment of the headlamps is affected by the load

distribution; when passengers are carried in the rear seats the

vehicle is tilted upwards at the front. This causes the light
beams to be aimed higher than normal so that approaching
drivers are dazzled; also illumination of the road immediately in
front of the car is poor. On the Audi car this problem is
minimized by a headlamp range adjustment system. This
provides the driver with a thumbwheel control that enables the
light beam to be lowered below the normal position when the
rear seats are occupied. Each reflector is moved by an electric
servo-motor which is operated by an electronic control element.
This unit senses when the voltage delivered from the driver's
control differs from the voltage given by a variable resistor
positioned by the movement of the reflector. When the two
voltage signals differ, the servo-motor moves until a position is
reached where the signal voltages are equal. The control system
moves the lamps to the setting selected by the driver.

Fog lamps have a lens that gives a wide flat-topped beam with a sharp cut-off to
illuminate the road immediately in front of the vehicle without causing glare in
fog conditions (Figure 15.14). Fog lamps must not be used when the visibility is
in general more than 100 metres. Driving lamps incorporate a lens that projects
a narrow spot beam of high intensity light to illuminate the road well ahead of
the vehicle.

* Sidelamps UK regulations require a vehicle to carry two white

sidelamps each having wattage of less than 7 Watts be visible

from a reasonable distance. Since it is now illegal in the UK to
drive during the hours of darkness using only the sidelights,
the role fulfilled by the sidelamps is now limited to marking
the vehicle when it is parked.On many cars the 'parking' light is
incorporated in the headlamp; the bulb often used is a 5 W
capless type as shown in Figure 15.15.

* Rear lamps A car must carry two red 'E' marked rear lamps of a given

size and of wattage not less than 5 W. They must be positioned:

* Between 1500 mm and 350 mm from the ground
* spaced apart more than 500 mm
* Set so that the distance between the edges of the vehicle and the
illuminated area is not more than 400 mm.
* The red lens must diffuse the light and be 'E' marked to show that it
meets the specified standard. In addition to the rear lamps, a car must
be fitted with two red reflectors of approved design.
* Stop lamps Two stop lamps each of wattage between 15 and 36 must be
fitted. These lamps must illuminate a red diffused, and 'E' marked, lens
when the service (foot) brake is applied and be designed to be visible
through a given angle.
* The lamps must be positioned:
* Between 150 mm and 350 mm from the ground
* Symmetrically at least 400 mm apart.
* Often a single 6/21 W bulb with twin filaments is used to provide rear
lamp and stop lamp functions; the bright light given by the 21 W
filament is used for the stop lamp.

* Maintenance and fault diagnosis

* Other than the usual superficial checks for cable security and condition,

most items of work occur only when a fault develops. On modern vehicles
the graphical display on the instrument panel will warn the driver of a
lighting fault.
* Failure of a lamp circuit
* Initial warning to the driver of 'bulb outage' should be verified to ensure
that the monitoring system is not giving a false signal.Most lighting faults
are caused by the failure of a fuse or bulb.
* Fuse A 'blown' fuse should be replaced with a fuse of the correct rating. If
the new fuse blows immediately then the fault must be pin-pointed before
fitting another fuse.
* Bulb failure The suspected bulb should be removed and replaced with the
recommended type. Glass surfaces must not be touched with the fingers,
especially the quartz-halogen type, so a clean cloth should be used. Stains
on a bulb can be removed by washing in methylated spirit and drying with
a lint-free cloth.
* Wiring faults If the initial check shows that the bulb and fuse are
serviceable, and a visual check of the cables does not reveal the defect,
then the circuit should be tested with a voltmeter. Figure 15.16 shows the
principle as applied to a simple lighting circuit.

* Tests
* Test 1 A voltmeter (V2) is connected across the battery to measure the

voltage under lighting load.

* Test 2 When the voltmeter 012) is placed across the lamp the voltage
should be similar to the voltage at Test 1. If a resistance in the circuit
causes the reading to differ by more than 10% of the battery voltage, the
cause should be investigated by using Tests 3 and 4.
* Test 3 Voltmeter V3 shows the voltage drop on the insulated line. If an
excessive drop is shown, the location of the fault can be detected by
moving one voltmeter lead along the connection points in the circuit path
until a stage is reached where the change in voltage is considerable.
* Test 4 With the meter arranged as in V4, the drop in the earth line is
shown. By using a similar technique to Test 3, a high resistance can be
located. The total voltage drop rom Tests 3 and 4 should be less than
10% of the battery voltage, e.g. less than 1.2 V for a 12 V system. A quick
check for an open-circuit can be made by using a 12 V test lamp (Figure
15.17). A circuit break between points 1 and 4 is easily found. With one
side of the lamp connected to a good earth, the break can be located.

* Headlamp earth faults If an earth wire from one headlamp is

broken, the first impression is that the lamp with the defective
earth will not operate. This is not so, because the lamp will
earth through the other headlamp via the lamp filaments. Since
the three filaments are in series, each filament will glow. For
example, when the supply is to the main beam, the filament of
the defective lamp's main beam will be in series with the two
dipped-beam filaments.
* Headlamp alignment
* The alignment of headlamps must be correct to meet the
requirements of the Law in respect to dazzle and also to provide
good illumination for the driver. Headlamp alignment, as well as
lamp condition, forms a part of the annual MOT Test. Although
the lamps may be checked by observing the illumination pattern
on a vertical screen, most garages use special aligning equipment
to achieve a greater accuracy.

* Special equipment Figure 15.18 shows one type of optical beam

setter. This equipment checks horizontal and vertical aim and
enables the lamps to be set accurately. Adjusters are provided
at each lamp to alter the setting. Initially the aligner is set level
and positioned parallel with the front of the car. When the
lamps are switched on, light rays from the lamp pass through a
condenser lens and are reflected by a mirror on to a small
screen.
* Most lamps, other than the British-American type having a
symmetrical beam and identified by the number '1' or 'la'
moulded on the lens, are set to dip beam when aligning the
lamps.

* Without special equipment This method requires the vehicle to be

positioned on level ground at a given distance in front of a vertical
screen set parallel with the headlamps (Figure 15.19(a)). One
method recommended for the Ford Escort is as follows:
* (1) Position car 10 metres (33 ft) from aiming board. (2) Ensure
that tyre pressures are correct.
* (3) Bounce car to settle suspension.
* (4) Mark out aiming board as shown in Fig. 15.19(b).
* The distance x depends on the vehicle, e.g. Escort saloon, 130 mm.
* (5) Mark centres of front windscreen and rear window with wax
crayon and position car so that it is aligned with the centre line
of the aiming board.
* (6) Switch on dipped beam and cover one lamp.
(7) Adjust horizontal and vertical alignment to give light pattern as
shown in Figure 15.19(a) Auxiliary driving lamps can also be aligned
by using this method. The beams are deflected downwards a small
amount, e.g. the distance x is about 180 mm when measured at 10
metres from the lamp.

* Flowchart
* This type of chart shows a logical sequence in which some task, such as fault
finding, should be carried out. The system is similar to that used for
computer programming; it uses the following three symbols:
* rectangle: gives an instruction
* diamond: asks a question that normally has either a
yes or no answer.
*
* ellipse: indicates that the task can be taken no further
or that the job is complete
*
* (In flowcharts the term ellipse is loosely used to describe a rectangle with
rounded ends.) Figure 15.20 shows a flowchart for fault-finding a lamp
defect.

Open Approxi Hydrom Electrol

Circuit
mate
eter
yte
Voltage State- Average Freeze
ofCell
Point
Charge Specific
at 80F Gravity
(26.7C
)
-77F(12.65
100%
1.265
67C)
-35F(12.45
75%
1.225
37C)
-10F(12.24
50%
1.190
23C)
15F(12.06
25%
1.155
9C)
11.89 or DISCHAR 1.120 or 20F(less
GED
less
7C)