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Fog Lights

70 messages,  Last post on Sep 16, 2012 at 1:12 AM

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Messages Page 4 of 7

#31 of 70 Re: are fog lamps useful or decoration [pod] by tidester

Sep 26, 2005 (6:44 pm)

Replying to: pod (Sep 26, 2005 3:37 pm)
Standard headlamps will be visible to others in a fog but I think the main motivation is to have a different color to indicate the source is a vehicle with fog lights as opposed to some other light source. Also, they are positioned low which is another cue that the source isn't, say, an amber traffic signal. Red (front or back) is out of the question because that's the color designated for brake lights. Also, as I mentioned before, the eye is somewhat less sensitive to red light than it is to yellow.
 
To aid the driver, fog lights do have a very sharp cutoff helping somewhat to minimize the problem of backscatter but also helping to avoid disorientation.
 
tidester, host

#32 of 70 Re: are fog lamps useful or decoration [pod] by sequoiasoon

Sep 30, 2005 (9:23 pm)

Replying to: pod (Sep 25, 2005 8:13 pm)
Fog lights are designed to help illuminate the road. Most of the "factory" versions I have seen do not do a very good job, especially domestic vehicles. Fog lights as tidester stated have a very sharp cutoff (direct line on top) to reduce the amount of glare reflected by particle droplets (snow, rain, fog, even dust). Most of the better quality fog lights too be used for that purpose also produce a yellow or amber light that reflects less than white. Many of the BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Jag utilize projector fog lights as they cast a more even amount of light. They also often have a single red rear facing one. You might notice on some of these at night when on that it appears to have 1 brake light on all the time, but then they step on the brakes and they all turn on normally. Check here for more info http://www.rallylights.com/hella/Beams.htm . Different manufacturers and DOT rules also make things difficult. DOT does not allow fog lights to be on with high beam so many manufacturers only allow them to come on with low beam and turn off when high beams are used. Unfortunately they often don't allow them to turn on with parking lights only as some do. When it's REALLY poor visibility I've found that even the regular headlights reflected too much. I normally add aftermarket fog lights (hella DE with an ion bulb too make them yellow) and allow them on with parking lights and high beam. The parking for reason as stated above and high beam as extra illumination when I can use high beams. The Hella DE's make a NOTICEABLE difference in lighting in front of vehicle and to the sides (they go almost straight out 180 degrees).
 
The BIGGEST things are good quality lights with excellent pattern control and a MUST is PROPER aiming. Directions are listed many places. Basically lights need to be lower to the ground than headlights. Park car facing a wall 25 ft away. Measure from ground to center of light on vehicle, go to wall and measure, the top of the cutoff line should be 4" less than what you measured at car. This way they are aimed slightly down, illuminate the road well, and don't blind oncoming traffic.
 
Many people that are adding them to their vehicles have no clue on this, don't care, they just want it to look good and "sporty". Unfortunately it's dangerous that way.

#33 of 70 Need instructions on how to mount pre-lux fog lights by adraka

Oct 20, 2005 (7:38 pm)

Hello, I bought some old pre-lux fog lights at a garage sale and have managed to get my hands on an instruction manual for some other lights that come with a kit to help guide me along, I think I have the wiring down and have bought all the necessary wiring components. Now for my problem, I have a heavy duty round bumper on my old toyota 4x4, I cannot figure out how the lights are "suppose" to be mounted, although I can figure out other less orthodox ways to mount the lights. I am searching for some basic instructions that might show me if I need to purchase some sort of harness, or perhaps something else that I haven't even thought of. Can someone help me figure out where to find instructions on the internet, or have a definitive answer of exactly what I need? I have been hunting on the web for some idea, but have found nothing that helps. The lights are round, say pre-lux 36A on them and are pretty heavy-duty, the wires come out of the bottom where there is a nut screwed into the light, and that is it! Thanks to anyone who can assist me.

#34 of 70 Factory Foglamps by bigfur

Oct 27, 2005 (3:10 pm)

Are a joke in my own opinion. Took them off of my 01 Silverado and installed PIAA P-400 four way fog/driving lights. One set of white lights is on when my day time running lamps are on (not bright). An amber set come on when i switch the headlights on once again, not really bright. Inside the truck i can manually switch on the bright fog/driving lights and they make a HUGE difference in visibility as far as what i can see. In rain or fog the bright amber allows me to see the road alot better i think. On any given dark back road the driving lights will light up more than you could ever need. I dont use the driving lights that are bright on the road with traffic very much as i think they are pretty brighter than my trucks high beams.

#35 of 70 HID Foglights on a 300M by scotian

Dec 09, 2005 (5:16 pm)

http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/lighting/projector_foglights/

#36 of 70 Fog lamp installation by duggb21

Dec 25, 2005 (10:11 am)

I have an '02 civic ex and just bought some PIAA after market fog lamps. I would like to get them installed and have never worked on any automotive electrical stuff before. Any ideas on places to get them installed or cost estimates? Thanks for the help. If you think its an easy do-it-yourself kinda job any suggestions on how to get throught the firewall? Thanks

#37 of 70 05 rav4 install fog lights by crazz

Jan 05, 2006 (8:10 am)

Hi i was wondering if anyone had information on installing foglights on a 05 rav4, like making them work off the headlights. they say the lights are controled through the ecm. if anyone has this info i greatly appreciate it. i really want to install the lights so they work off the low beam side of my headlights.
 
Thanks a million
- Rich

#38 of 70 Fog Lights by tever

Jan 14, 2006 (9:24 am)

I would like my Fog Lights to come on by the factory installed switch when I want. Not just in the normal drive mode. I also have the keyless entry. Manual schematic also. Need to find where to get R/T blue stripes for my 98 neon. Car is the Neon Pkg. (Stone Chips).

#39 of 70 Re: are fog lamps useful or decoration [tidester] by biscayne2

Feb 09, 2006 (6:18 pm)

Replying to: tidester (Sep 25, 2005 10:23 pm)
one of my toys is a 67 MG midget... Very,Very small car by todays standards. I dont think I could put enough lites on her. Its just that I like to be seen in all kinds of weather and night and day.. It has 1 road lite and 1 fog lite in front, the road lite is on just about all the time.... its kind of like running lite on todays monster cars. The rear fog lite I think gives people behind me a chance to slow down by seeing a brighter red lite than my brake lites are..

#40 of 70 Re: how come? [steve_] by silverbullet04

Mar 08, 2006 (3:25 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Aug 26, 2003 9:21 am)
I dont know about other states, but NJ it is illegal to run foglights with your high beams on, you will fail inspection. As for just your foglights...I dont think thats legal either. I notice on my new MC I can only use foglights with parking lots or lowbeams....Hope I helped

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