What is E Approved?

E approved basically means that the product has been tested by an approved photometric laboratory and has successfully achieved the standards set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). It’s good to go!

For further information please read the extract below taken from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government vsb_01 building small trailers PDF file.

LIGHTING. The requirements specified in the ADRs for the performance and installation of lamps and reflectors are based on the regulations set by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE). The performance requirements usually involve tests done in a laboratory to show compliance. Trailer manufacturers must ensure that the lamps and reflectors fitted to their trailers comply with these performance requirements.

This may be done by: using lamps and reflectors where the lamp manufacturer provides a written assurance that the item (suitably identified) complies with the ADR applicable to its recommended use when fitted according to the instructions supplied. This is either through having either a Component Registration Number (CRN ) listed on the Road Vehicle Certification System (RVCS) at http://rvcs.dotars.gov.au/ . CRNs can be checked by entering the number given by the component manufacturer into the approval number field on the Vehicle / RVD search page or through an internationally based ECE approval (see below);

or by having the lamps and reflectors tested to the ADR requirements and obtaining from the laboratory conducting the tests, a test report including the conclusion that the item complies with the ADR applicable to its intended use when fitted according to the instructions supplied with the report;

and in either case, fitting the lamps and reflectors according to the instructions provided, making sure that no part of the trailer or its equipment obstructs the lamp output.

The trailer manufacturer must retain these documents in case verification of compliance is needed. Lamps and reflectors complying with certain international regulations, referred to as ECE Regulations, are acceptable as complying with some of the lighting ADRs. These ECE Regulations are identified in the table below.

Unlike lamps directly approved to an ADR, lamps certified to ECE requirements as the basis of compliance with the corresponding ADR requirements will provide an ECE approval mark on the lens or body of the lamp. This can be used for identification of the component against the written assurance provided with each item. Both ECE approved lamps and lamps with a CRN should be accompanied by fitting instructions, to ensure correct orientation and alignment.

A typical ECE approval mark found on a rear direction indicator is as follows: Unless specifically mentioned, lamps on a trailer must operate with the corresponding lamps on the towing vehicle, and where pairs of lamps or reflectors are fitted, they must be spaced equally on either side of the centre line of the trailer.

Lamps on a trailer must not show red light to the front or white light to the rear (except reverse lamp). A summary of the requirements for each type of lamp and reflector are given in the table below and in the diagrams in the sections that follow. The notation ADR 49/- (for example) refers to the latest version of ADR 49 and ECE R7/- refers to the latest version of ECE Regulation 7.

 

Lamp	Colour of Emitted Light	Component ADR	Acceptable ECE Markings
Front position lamp	White. May be amber if combined with a side-marker lamp	49/-	ECE R7/-
Rear position lamp	Red	49/-	ECE R7/-
Rear stop lamp	Red	49/-	ECE R7/-
Direction-indicator lamp	Amber	6/-	ECE R6/-
Rear registration plate lamp	White	48/-	ECE R4/-
Hazard warning signal	Amber	6/-	ECE R6/-
End-outline marker lamp	White or amber to the front, red to the rear	49/-	ECE R7/-
Side-marker lamp (Option 1)	Amber to the front, red to the rear	45/-	No ECE approval available
Side-marker lamp (Option 2)	Amber, except for the rearmost lamp which may emit red if it is grouped or combined or reciprocally incorporated with the rear position lamp, the rear end-outline marker lamp, stop lamp or is grouped or has part of the light emitting surface in common with the rear retro-reflector	74/-	ECE 91/- as well as SM1. See text for when SM2 may also be used
Front retro-reflector, non triangular	White or colourless	47/-	ECE R3/-
Rear retro-reflector	Red	47/-	ECE R3/-
Side retro-reflector, non triangular	Amber, except for the rearmost side retro-reflector can be red if it is grouped or has part of the light emitting surface in common with the rear position lamp, the rear end-outline marker lamp, the stop lamp or the red rearmost side-marker lamp.	47/-	ECE R3/-
Reversing lamps	White	1/-	ECE R23