How to decipher the marking of car lamps
Car device,  Vehicle electrical equipment

How to decipher the marking of car lamps

From the very beginning of the creation of the first cars, engineers thought about lighting at night. Since then, many types of autolamps have appeared for various purposes. In order not to get confused and better understand their characteristics, special designations or markings of automobile lamps began to be used. In this article, we will analyze in detail these designations so that the car owner does not make a mistake with the choice.

What is the marking of automotive lamps

From the markings on the lamp (not only car), the driver can find out:

  • base type;
  • rated power;
  • type of lamp (spotlight, pin, glass, LED, etc.);
  • number of contacts;
  • geometric shape.

All this information is encrypted in alphabetic or numerical value. Marking is applied directly to the metal base, but sometimes also to the glass bulb.

There is also a marking on the headlight of the car so that the driver can understand which type of lamp is suitable for the reflector and base.

Decoding of marking of autolamps

As mentioned, the marking shows different parameters. The position of letters or numbers in the string (at the beginning or at the end) also matters. Let's figure out the values ​​by category.

By type of base

  • P - flanged (at the beginning of the marking). The flange firmly fixes the bulb in the headlight, so this type of cap is the most common in the automotive industry. The luminous flux does not go astray. There are different types of flange connections depending on the manufacturer.
  • B - bayonet or pin. Smooth cylindrical base, on the sides of which two metal pins protrude for connection to the chuck. The position of the pins is shown by additional symbols:
    • BA - the pins are located symmetrically;
    • BAZ - displacement of the pins along the radius and height;
    • BAY - the pins are at the same height, but radially displaced.

After the letters, the diameter of the base size is usually indicated in millimeters.

  • G - a lamp with a pin base. Contacts in the form of pins come out of the base or from the bulb itself.
  • W - baseless lamp.

If the designation is at the beginning of the marking, then these are low-voltage light bulbs with a glass base. They are used in the dimensions and illumination of rooms.

  • R - a simple autolamp with a base diameter of 15 mm, a bulb - 19 mm.
  • S or SV - soffit autolamp with two socles on the sides. These are small bulbs with two contacts at the ends. Used for backlighting.
  • T - a miniature car lamp.

By type of lighting (place of installation)

According to this parameter, different types of light sources can be divided into several groups according to their application. Consider in the table.

Place of application on the carType of car lampBase type
Head light and fog lightsR2P45t
H1P14,5s
H3PK22s
H4 (near / far)P43t
H7PX26d
H8PGJ19-1
H9PGJ19-5
H11PGJ19-2
H16PGJ19-3
H27W / 1PG13
H27W / 2PGJ13
HB3P20d
HB4P22d
HB5PX29t
Xenon head lightD1RPK32d-3
D1SPK32d-2
D2RP32d-3
D2SP32d-2
D3SPK32d-5
D4RP32d-6
D4SP32d-5
Turn signals, brake lights, taillightsP21/5W (P21/4W)BAY15d
P21WBA15s
PY21WBAU15s / 19
Parking lights, side direction indicators, license plate lightsW5WW2.1 × 9.5d
T4WBA9s / 14
R5WBA15s / 19
H6WPX26d
Interior and trunk lighting10wSV8,5 T11x37
C5WSV8,5 / 8
R5WBA15s / 19
W5WW2.1 × 9.5d

By the number of contacts

At the end of the marking or in the middle, you can see lowercase letters after indicating the voltage For example: BA15s. In decoding, it means that this is an autolamp with a symmetrical pin base, a rated voltage of 15 W and one contact. The letter "s" in this case indicates one isolated contact from the base. There is also:

  • s is one;
  • d - two;
  • t - three;
  • q - four;
  • p is five.

This designation is always indicated by an uppercase letter.

By lamp type

Halogen

Halogen bulbs are the most common in a car. They are installed mainly in headlights. This type of autolamps is marked with the letter "H". There are various options for "halogen" for different bases and with different power.

Xenon

For xenon corresponds to the designation D... There are options for DR (long range only), DC (short range only) and DCR (two modes). The high glow temperature and heating requires special equipment for the installation of such headlights, as well as lenses. Xenon light is initially out of focus.

LED Light

For diodes, the abbreviation is used LED ... These are economical yet powerful light sources for any type of lighting. Recently they have gained great popularity.

Filament

An incandescent or Edison lamp is indicated by the letter "E”, But due to its unreliability is no longer used for automotive lighting. There is a vacuum and a tungsten filament inside the flask. It is widely used in everyday life.

How to find the required bulb by the markings on the headlamp

There are markings not only on the lamp, but also on the headlight. From it you can find out what type of light bulb can be installed. Let's take a look at some of the notation:

  1. HR - can be fitted with a halogen lamp for high beam only, HC - only for neighbor, combination HCR combines near / far.
  2. Headlamp symbols DCR indicate the installation of xenon autolamps for low and high beam, also DR - only distant, DS - only the neighbor.
  3. Other designations for the types of light emitted. May be: L - rear license plate, A - a pair of headlights (dimensions or side), S1, S2, S3 - brake lights, B - fog lights, RL - designation for fluorescent lamps and others.

Understanding the labeling is not as difficult as it seems. It is enough to know the designation of symbols or use the table for comparison. Knowledge of the designations will facilitate the search for the desired element and help to establish the appropriate type of autolamp.

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