Commission Regulation (EU) No 672/2010Show full title

2. TEST PROCEDURE

2.1. Windscreen defrosting

2.1.1. The test shall be carried out at a temperature of – 8 ± 2 °C or – 18 ± 3 °C, as selected by the manufacturer.

2.1.2. The test shall be carried out in a cold chamber large enough to contain the complete vehicle and equipped to maintain one of the temperatures mentioned in paragraph 2.1.1 in the chamber throughout the test and to circulate cold air. The cold chamber shall be maintained at or below the specified test temperature for not less than 24 hours before the start of the period during which the vehicle is exposed to cold.

2.1.3. Before the test, the inner and outer surfaces of the windscreen shall be thoroughly degreased by means of methylated spirit or an equivalent degreasing agent. After drying, a solution of ammonia of not less than 3 % and not more than 10 % shall be applied. The surface shall be allowed to dry again and then be wiped with a dry cotton cloth.

2.1.4. The vehicle shall be switched off and shall be kept at the test temperature for not less than 10 hours prior to commencement of the test.

2.1.4.1. If it is possible to check whether the vehicle’s engine coolant and lubricant are stabilized at the test temperature, this period may be shortened.

2.1.5. Following the exposure period prescribed in paragraph 2.1.4, an even layer of ice of 0,044 g/cm² shall be applied over the entire outside surface of the windscreen by means of a water spray gun working at 3,5 ± 0,2 bar operating pressure.

2.1.5.1. The spray nozzle, adjusted to full fan pattern and maximum flow, shall be held perpendicular to and at a distance of between 200 and 250 mm from the glazed surface, and so directed as to form an even layer of ice right across the windscreen from one side to the other.

2.1.5.1.1. A spray gun having a nozzle of 1,7 mm diameter and a liquid flow rate of 0,395 l/min, and capable of producing a fan pattern of 300 mm diameter on the glazed surface at a distance 200 mm from that surface, may be used to satisfy the requirements of paragraph 2.1.5. Any other device by which the requirements can be satisfied shall also be permitted.

2.1.6. After the ice has been formed on the windscreen, the vehicle shall be kept in the cold chamber for an additional period of not less than 30 minutes and not more than 40 minutes.

2.1.7. After the period prescribed in paragraph 2.1.6 has elapsed, one or two observers shall enter the vehicle, subsequently the vehicle master operation control may be switched to the on position and any engine can be started, if necessary by some external means. The test period shall commence as soon as the vehicle master control switch has been activated.

2.1.7.1. If the vehicle is fitted with an engine, the engine speeds may be adjusted according to manufacturer’s specification recommended for warming up when starting in cold weather, during the first five minutes of the test period.

2.1.7.2. During the final 35 minutes of the test period (or during the entire test period if the five-minute warming-up procedure is not followed):

2.1.7.2.1. The engine, if fitted, shall run at a speed not exceeding 50 % of the speed corresponding to its maximum power output. However, if this is proven not to be practicable due to specific engine control strategies, for instance in the case of electric hybrid vehicles, a realistic worst case scenario shall be determined. The scenario shall take into account the engine speeds, periodical absence or complete absence of a running engine during normal driving conditions at an ambient temperature of – 8 °C or – 18 °C, whichever has been selected by the manufacturer as the designated test temperature. If the system can meet the defrosting requirements without a running engine, the engine does not have to run at all.

2.1.7.3. All batteries shall be fully charged at the start of the test.

2.1.7.4. During the test, the voltage at the terminals of the defrosting device may be not more than 20 % above the nominal rating of the system.

2.1.7.5. The temperature in the test chamber shall be measured at the level of the centre of the windscreen, at a point not significantly affected by heat from the vehicle under test.

2.1.7.6. The horizontal component of the speed of the air cooling the chamber, measured immediately prior to the test, in the median plane of the vehicle at a point 300 mm forward of the base of the windscreen and at a level half-way between the base and the top of the windscreen, shall be as low as possible and in any event less than 8 km/h.

2.1.7.7. If fitted, the engine bonnet, roof, all doors, windows and vents, except the intakes and outlets of the heating and ventilating system, shall be closed; one or two windows may be opened for a total vertical distance of 25 mm if the vehicle manufacturer so requests.

2.1.7.8. The vehicle’s defrosting system controls shall be set as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer for the test temperature.

2.1.7.9. The windscreen wipers may be used during the test, but this shall be done without any manual assistance apart from the operation of any controls in the interior of the vehicle.

2.1.8. The observer(s) shall outline the defrosted area on the inside surface of the windscreen, at five-minute intervals from the start of the test period.

2.1.9. On completion of the test, the pattern of the defrosted area outlined on the inner face of the windscreen as required by paragraph 2.1.8 shall be noted and marked to identify windscreen vision areas A and B.

2.2. Windscreen demisting

2.2.1. Before the test, the inside surface of the windscreen shall be thoroughly degreased by means of methylated spirit, or an equivalent degreasing agent. After drying, a solution of ammonia of not less than 3 % and not more than 10 % shall be applied. The surface shall be allowed to dry again and then be wiped with a dry cotton cloth.

2.2.2. The test shall be carried out in an environmental chamber large enough to take the complete vehicle and capable of producing and maintaining a test temperature of – 3 ± 1 °C throughout the test period.

2.2.2.1. The temperature in the test chamber shall be measured at the level of the centre of the windscreen, at a point not significantly affected by heat from the vehicle under test.

2.2.2.2. The horizontal component of the speed of the air cooling the chamber, measured immediately prior to the test, in the median plane of the vehicle at a point 300 mm forward of the base of the windscreen and at a level half-way between the base and the top of the windscreen, shall be as low as possible and in any event less than 8 km/h.

2.2.2.3. If fitted, the engine bonnet, roof, all doors, windows and vents, except the intakes and outlets of the heating and ventilation system, shall be closed; one or two windows may be opened from the beginning of the demisting test for a total vertical distance of 25 mm if the vehicle manufacturer so requests.

2.2.3. The mist shall be produced by means of the steam generator described in Appendix 4 of Annex II. The generator shall contain enough water to generate at least 70 ± 5 g/h of steam for each seating position designated by the manufacturer, in an ambient temperature of – 3 °C.

2.2.4. The inside surface of the windscreen shall be cleaned as prescribed in paragraph 2.2.1 after the vehicle is placed in the environmental chamber. The ambient air temperature shall be lowered and stabilized at – 3 ± 1 °C. The vehicle shall be switched off and shall be kept at the test temperature for not less than 10 hours prior to commencement of the test. If it is possible to check whether the vehicle’s engine coolant and lubricant are stabilized at the test temperature, this period may be shortened.

2.2.5. The steam generator shall be placed with its outlets in the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle at a height of 580 ± 80 mm above the R-point or seating reference point of the driver’s seat. It shall normally be placed immediately behind the front seat backrests, with the seats in the manufacturer’s declared design positions and the seat-backs set in accordance with design torso angles. Where the design of the vehicle precludes this, the generator shall be placed in front of the backrests, in the nearest convenient position to that mentioned above.

2.2.6. After the generator has been operating for five minutes inside the vehicle, one or two observers shall quickly enter the vehicle, opening any access doors for a total duration not exceeding 8 seconds, and be seated on the front seating position(s), the output of the generator being then reduced by 70 ± 5 g/h for each observer.

2.2.7. One minute after the observer(s) have entered the vehicle, the vehicle master operation control may be switched to the on position and any engine can be started, if necessary by some external means. The test period shall commence as soon as the vehicle master control switch has been activated.

2.2.7.1. If the vehicle is fitted with an engine, it shall run at a speed not exceeding 50 % of the speed corresponding to its maximum power output. However, if this is proven not to be practicable due to specific engine control strategies, for instance in the case of electric hybrid vehicles, a realistic worst case scenario shall be determined. The scenario shall take into account the engine speeds, periodical absence or complete absence of a running engine during normal driving conditions at an ambient temperature of – 1 °C. If the system can meet the demisting requirements without a running engine, the engine does not have to run at all.

2.2.7.2. The vehicle’s demisting system controls shall be set as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer for the test temperature.

2.2.7.3. All batteries shall be fully charged at the start of the test.

2.2.7.4. The voltage at the terminals of the demisting device may be not more than 20 % above the nominal rating of the system.

2.2.8. At the end of the test, the demist pattern shall be recorded, noted and marked to identify windscreen vision areas A and B.