🎥 IP Protection Testing of Bicycle Headlamps – New Environmental Requirements in Force
How do you ensure that a bicycle headlamp remains fully functional in real-life rain conditions?
In this video, an IPX3 water ingress test is performed at our partner laboratory VOLKE Entwicklungsring SE. The headlamp is tested while switched on – a mandatory requirement under the updated German Technical Requirements (TA).
🔎 What has changed?
Since the end of 2024, extended environmental simulation tests have become mandatory for the type approval of bicycle headlamps and rear lamps in Germany.
Depending on the product type:
🔹 Battery-powered lamps
– IPX4 water spray test (IEC 60529) – lamp must operate during and after testing
🔹 Dynamo-powered lamps
– IPX3 water spray test (IEC 60529) – lamp must operate during and after testing
Additionally a 96h salt spray corrosion test (ISO 9227) is requried on lamps where corrosion risks exist.
These tests simulate real-world exposure to rain and environmental conditions. Functional integrity during and after testing is the decisive criterion.
💡 Division of expertise within our testing network
• PHOTOMETRIK GmbH performs the photometric testing (light intensity, beam pattern, light distribution and functional verification).
• VOLKE Entwicklungsring SE conducts the IP protection tests.
• imat-uve GmbH performs the salt spray corrosion testing according to ISO 9227.
This structured cooperation ensures that all technical and regulatory requirements are fully covered.
As a Technical Service designated by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, ALEE supports manufacturers throughout the complete approval process according to §22a StVZO – from testing and documentation to manufacturer initial assessment.
If you manufacture bicycle lighting systems and need support with new approvals or updating existing ones under the revised Technical Requirements, we are happy to assist.
#TypeApproval #BicycleLighting #IPTesting #Photometry #StVZO #Homologation #ALEE
