Interpretation ID: nht88-1.5
TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA
DATE: 01/01/88 EST
FROM: JERRY'S SERVICE
TO: LEGAL OFFICE NHTSA
TITLE: NONE
ATTACHMT: ATTACHED TO LETTER DATED 08/19/88 TO DOUGLAS H BOSCO, FROM ERIKA Z JONES, REDBOOK A32 (2) STANDARD 108; LETTER DATED 06/16/88, TO ERIKA Z. JONES, FROM DOUGLAS H. BOSCO; LETTER DATED 08/03/87 TO DOUGLAS H. BOSCO FROM ERIKA Z. JONES; LETTER DATED 06/09/88 TO JERRY K YOST FROM L. F ROLLIN; LETTER DATED 03/28/88 TO C-MORE-LITE JERRYS SERVICE FROM DON O. HORNING RE TEST REPORT NO 92606;
TEXT: NAME OF UNIT
C-More Light Headlight Relay.
DESCRIPTION OF UNIT
The unit is a replacement headlight relay. See technical drawings A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4.
The C-More Light Headlight Relay allows the driver to select either high or low beam headlights, as is presently the case. The difference with this relay is that as the driver chooses to add more light by changing from low to high beams, the highbeam is added to the low beam; rather than turning the low beam off and the highbeam on. The choice is no longer either low or high; it is low beam always, with or without highbeam added.
BENEFITS OF THE UNIT
It can be added to virtually every motor vehicle as an after market device.
It can easily replace all headlight relays now being used during manufacture of motor vehicles.
It increases motoring safety by adding more light to the roadway. See diagrams B-1, B-2, and B-3. 2000 candle power is added during highbeam operation.
It increases motoring safety by continuing to light the dark area immediately in front of the motor vehicle now being created as low beams are turned off and highbeams are turned on. This area is overshot by highbeams.
It increases motoring safety by continuing to provide low beam illumination if high beam is defective. Currently, if one high beam is burned out and high beams are selected by the driver, there is no light from that side of the vehicle. This unit allow s the low beam to continue to provide light.
It increases motoring safety by eliminating the delay between low and highbeam operation. In properly functioning systems this delay is minescule and is hardly noticed by the average driver. However, as vehicles become older this delay often becomes lo nger and may be critical at highway speeds. The delay is eliminated by the continuous operation of the lowbeams.
PERFORMANCE TESTING OF THE UNIT
The units have been in limited use since 1965.
Drivers of the equipped vehicles report greater awareness during hours of darkness. Use of the unit does not seem to affect oncoming drivers as the added light is between the front of the vehicle and the area covered by the highbeams, and the lights are required to be dimmed in any case.
The C-More unit has not adversely affected the balance of the motor vehicle electrical system. If an electrical short occurs, the dimming system continues to operate in the old, "either/or" mode.
There appears to be greater low beam life; most likely due to a lessening of the number of on/off changes.