SURFACE J278

REV.
MAR2006
VEHICLE Issued 1971-12
RECOMMENDED Revised 2006-03

PRACTICE
Superseding J278 MAY1995

Snowmobile Stop Lamp

RATIONALE

The section reference numbers to the required SAE J575 tests have been renumbered to agree with the latest J575
numbers.

A correction has been made in conversion from inches to centimeters in paragraph 5 – Installation Requirements.

FOREWORD

This SAE Recommended Practice is intended as a guide toward standard practice, but may be subject to frequent
change to keep pace with experience and technical advances. Hence, its use where flexibility of revision is impractical is
not recommended.

1. SCOPE

This document provides test methods and requirements for the stop lamp on snowmobiles.

2. REFERENCES

2.1 Applicable Publications

The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein. The latest issue of SAE
publications shall apply.

2.1.1 SAE Publications

Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA and
Canada) or 724-776-4970 (outside USA), www.sae.org.

SAE J567 Lamp Bulb Retention System

SAE J575 Test Methods and Equipment for Lighting Devices and Components, for use on Vehicles Less than
2032 mm in Overall Width

SAE J576 Plastic Materials for Use in Optical Parts Such as Lenses and Reflectors of Motor Vehicle Lighting
Devices

SAE J578 Color Specifications

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SAE Technical Standards Board Rules provide that: “This report is published by SAE to advance the state of technical and engineering sciences. The use of this report is
entirely voluntary, and its applicability and suitability for any particular use, including any patent infringement arising therefrom, is the sole responsibility of the user.”
SAE reviews each technical report at least every five years at which time it may be reaffirmed, revised, or cancelled. SAE invites your written comments and suggestions.
Copyright © 2006 SAE International
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SAE.
TO PLACE A DOCUMENT ORDER: Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA and Canada)
Tel: 724-776-4970 (outside USA)
Fax: 724-776-0790
Email: [email protected]
SAE WEB ADDRESS: http://www.sae.org
SAE J278 Revised MAR2006 -2-

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1 Stop Lamp

Lamp giving a steady light to the rear of a vehicle to indicate the intent of the operator of a vehicle to stop or diminish
speed.

3.2 Multiple-Compartment Lamp

A device which gives its indication by two or more separately lighted areas which are joined by one or more common
parts such as a housing or lens.

3.3 Multiple Lamp Arrangement

An array of two or more separated lamps on each side of the snowmobile which operate together to give a signal.

4. LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS

4.1 A multiple compartment lamp or multiple lamps may be used.

4.2 The following sections from SAE J575 are a part of this document.

4.2.1 Section 3

Definitions.

4.2.2 Section 3.2

Bulbs.

4.2.3 Section 4.1

Vibration Test.

4.2.4 Section 4.2

Moisture Test.

4.2.5 Section 4.3

Dust Test.

4.2.6 Section 4.4

Corrosion Test.

4.2.7 Section 4.5

Photometry.

4.2.8 Section 4.6

Warpage Test on Devices with Plastic Components, except that the lamp is to be operated 5 min on and 5 min off until
the total time equals 1 h. If the tail lamp and/or side marker lamps are incorporated in the same device, they shall be
operated continuously during the test. (The test is to be conducted in a circulating air type oven.)
SAE J278 Revised MAR2006 -3-

4.3 Plastic Materials

Any plastic materials used in optical parts shall comply with the requirements set forth in SAE J576.

4.4 Color Test

The color of the light from a tail lamp shall be red. (See SAE J578.)

4.5 If the stop lamp is optically combined with the tail lamp and a two-filament bulb is used, the bulb shall have an
indexing base and the socket shall be designed so that bulbs with nonindexing bases cannot be used. As a matter
of information, attention is called to typical sockets shown in SAE J567.

4.6 Photometric Requirements

4.6.1 All beam candela measurements shall be made with the incandescent filament of the signal lamp at least 3.05 m
(10 ft) from the photometer screen. The H-V axis shall be taken as parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
When compartments or lamps are photometered together, the H-V axis shall intersect the midpoint between the
optical center (filament).

4.6.2 Beam candela measurements of multiple compartment lamp(s) or multiple lamp arrangements shall be made by
either of the following methods:

a. All compartments or lamps may be photometered together, provided that a line from the optical center (filament) of
each compartment or lamp to the center of the photometer sensing device does not make an angle of more than
0.6 degree with the photometer (H-V) axis.

b. Each compartment or lamp may be photometered separately by aligning its axis with the photometer and adding the
value at each test point.

4.6.3 Table 1 lists design candela requirements for a stop lamp.

SAE J278 Revised MAR2006 -4-

TABLE 1 - MINIMUM DESIGN CANDELA REQUIREMENTS

Test Test Lighted Lighted Lighted

Points, Points, Sections Sections Sections
degrees degrees 1 2 3
10U 10L 5 6 8
and V 13 15 18
10D
10R 5 6 8

20L 5 6 8
10L 15 18 20
5U 5L 25 30 35
and V 35 41 48
5D
5R 25 30 35
10R 15 18 20
20R 5 6 8

20L 8 9 10
10L 20 24 28
5L 40 48 55
H V 40 48 55
5R 40 48 55
10R 20 24 28
20R 8 9 10
NOTE 1: Specifications are based on laboratories using
accurate, rated bulbs during testing.
NOTE 2: Lamps designed to operate on the vehicle through a
resistor or equivalent shall be photometered with the
listed design voltage of the design source applied
across the combination of resistance and filament.
NOTE 3: A multiple device signaling unit gives its indication by
two or more separately lighted sections which may be
separate lamps or areas that are joined by common
parts. The photometric values are to apply when all
sections which provide the same signal are
considered as a unit.
NOTE 4: When a tail lamp is combined with the stop lamp, the
stop lamp shall not be less than three times the
candela of the tail lamp at any test point on or above
horizontal; except that at H-V, H-5L, H-5R, and 5U-V,
the stop lamp shall not be less than five times the
candela of the tail lamp.

5. INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements apply to the device as used on the snowmobile and are not part of the laboratory test
requirements and procedures.
SAE J278 Revised MAR2006 -5-

Visibility of the stop lamp shall not be obstructed by any part of the snowmobile throughout the photometric test angles for
the lamp, unless the lamp is designed to comply with all photometric and visibility requirements with these obstructions
considered. Signal from lamps on both sides of the snowmobile shall be visible through a horizontal angle from
45 degrees to the left to 45 degrees to the right. Where more than one lamp or optical area is lighted on each side of the
snowmobile, only one such area on each side need comply. To be considered visible, the lamp must provide an
unobstructed projected illuminated area of outer lens surface, excluding reflex, at least 13 cm2 (2 in2) in extent, measured
at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

6. NOTES

6.1 Marginal Indicia

The change bar (l) located in the left margin is for the convenience of the user in locating areas where technical revisions
have been made to the previous issue of the report. An (R) symbol to the left of the document title indicates a complete
revision of the report.

PREPARED BY THE SAE SNOWMOBILE COMMITTEE