Interpretation ID: aiam0472
Director of Research and Engineering
Truck- Lite Company
P. O. Box 387
Jamestown
NY
14701;
Dear Mr. Sage: This is in reply to your letter of October 14, 1971, to Mr. Lewis Owe of this Office concerning an interpretation regarding your Truck-Lite No. 127 license plate light.; The requested interpretation concerns the 8 degree incident light angl specified in SAE J587, 'License Plate Lamps,' as follows:; >>>'When a single lamp is used to illuminate the plate, the lamp an license plate holder shall bear such relation to each other that at no point on the plate will the incident light make an angle of less than 8 deg to the plane of the plate.'<<<; Since the 8 degree incident light angle is also a requirement o Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, all license plate lamp designs must conform to it. It is our position that the angle be measured from the optical center of the lens, therefore, the Electrical Testing Laboratories' position is valid. That is, the incident light angle of your lamp, without the paint shield and when mounted as it will be installed on the vehicle, is below the 8 degree minimum requirement.; Sincerely, E. T. Driver, Director, Office of Operating Systems, Moto Vehicle Programs;