The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

Nice! I like seeing the innovative mounting solutions.

 

Yea i wasnt sure how it was going to look, but i think it came out pretty decent. Function over form right? Ha

 

I like this! This is exactly what I want to do with 2 or 4 SSC2's without any grill trimming on the 2020+ OR.

 

Nicely done! I set my 4Runner up the same way, the 4000K color is fantastic.

 

Follow-up to my previous post. According to my emails with Daniel Stern, Cibie's high power/wide beam Super Oscar models (P/Ns 45312 through 45319) are not SAE compliant.

He brought up a factoid that might pique @crashnburn80's interest:

It would seem Cibie does not apply SAE markings to their high power models solely due to excessive peak intensity. I find this interesting because of the KC Gravity's rather impressive test results. I wonder if KC has exceeded the 75,000 cd maximum specified in SAE J581, making their SAE marking incorrect?

 

Hopefully DD comes out with a light bar with 4000k as an option. Id snag that if its a reasonable price like the rest of their stuff.

 

Based on my measurements the KC Pro6 is about 93,400cd and the Cibie Super Oscar about 64,200cd. KC lists the Pro6 Driving as SAE/ECE compliant, but with a 75,000cd max for SAE J581 compliance, it would appear the output intensity value is too high to be compliant for SAE.

 

@ardrummer292

Thanks for posting those response quotes feom Stern. Interesting to finally have a max intensity value per lamp.

Sad to hear that the higher output version is not considered compliant as a result.

@crashnburn80

Do you still want this thread and the dialogue here to focus on only lamps that are compliant/claimed compliant by their manufacturers, or do you see it as a place to discuss auxiliary lighting for use with highbeams in general, and caveat any discussion or reviews of other lighting as such?

 

My thought was more the later, to have a dedicated place for aux high beam discussion in general. It is something I saw as lacking as it doesn't really fit in the headlight threads or fog thread.

 

Maybe there could be a sidebar about the relative importance of SAE compliance for these lights? I know this varies by state, and the convoluted “legalese” used in the text of the relevant laws certainly doesn’t simplify matters. My state, for example:

CV 46.2-1020 states that I am allowed to have up to 4 lights turned on at the front of the vehicle at any given time. It says nothing about applicable SAE standards.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode... motor vehicle may be,lights of not more than

The VA state inspection regulations seem to be more specific. Driving lights (same as auxiliary high beams?) are required to conform to SAE-Y (same as SAE J581?) standards. See line item A on p. 64.

https://www.vsp.virginia.gov/downlo...ety Inspection Manual - (January 01 2018).pdf

 

And some states regulate total max intensity. PA for example limits total headlight and auxiliary lighting to 150,000 candlepower. Given that total candlepower of a vehicles factory headlamps isnt something thats generally published or referencable by a driver, that leaves limited room for (legal, compliant) improvement.

Idaho has funky codes, but doesnt seem to regulate total intensity. However, if your headlights, foglights or auxiliary highbeams illuminate [something] "higher than the lamp centers twenty-five (25) feet or more ahead of the vehicle and in no event shall the main bright portion of the beam be higher than forty-two (42) inches at a distance of seventy-five (75) feet ahead of the vehicle." Idaho 49-928(3)

So basically good luck passing that test without pointing your lights way down at the ground, eliminating any distance vision. Amazing that just on their face, they apply the same standard glare "test" to both fog lights and auxiliary driving lights.

 

Kind of renews one's faith in our lawmakers doesn't it?

 

Can't restore what you've never had.

Sorry for getting off topic Crash, lol.

 

Do you have any output pics?

 

I don’t intend to focus on all the varying state codes, as that patchwork is a mess. But the 4 lights max at a time is a good one to mention as is listing peak candela for SAE compliance. In a driving light, I don't view strict compliance as important (when used appropriately and if you don't have state inspections) as say an SAE Fog, because you are only going to use aux high beams when no one is ahead of you. What I am trying to have the focus be on is quality distance lighting, driving lights and even welcome discussion on spot. Too many companies sell a "driving light" that is just some combo optic and not at all a real driving pattern. I know that is a little more than the SAE scope, but without having some sort of pattern guideline to set the bar it seems difficult to have any reasonable themed product comparisons and discussions.

 

That's a fair point. I brought up Virginia state regulations in my most recent email to Daniel Stern. His reply is telling.

If you'd like to look up the referenced sections, link to the document is here:
https://www.vsp.virginia.gov/downloads/Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection Manual - (January 01 2018).pdf

All right, no more off-topic discussion from me. Back to the lights!

 

Enforcement is also a mess, I grew up in Delaware. The Motor Vehicle inspection team had more power than the state police (or so they thought) I remember vividly the inspection person using a wooden yard stick to measure headlights distance from the ground.
They failed my lowered S10 for being too close to the ground and my friends lifted K10 blazer for being to far from the ground.
But factory corvette and F350 was with in compliance.

 

If i remember ill take some pics in a few days when heading out to Arkansas. Its a little whiter than the philip H9, but not so different that its distracting.

 

I wonder if KC is claiming SAE compliance in accordance with SAE-O (spotlight) standards instead of SAE-Y (driving) standards? Just a wild thought - without evidence - that crossed my mind.

 

They are very explicate the Pro6 is SAE/ECE for Driving pattern only. Product page here.