Tell me about fog lights

[Sequoiasoon]

Thats why I dont use LED for fog lights or headlights....

Factory lights on most new vehicles are LED and until they adapt some method, that is what you get.

With the exception that I need to get some yellow Lamin-X the Pilot fogs have a good pattern for fog. I just need to make them parking lights only. Snow and ice well that's another story only solved with replacing the whole assembly with something that gets hot enough.

 

[barryh]

The worst are Audi drivers and the rear fog lights.

Not just Audi drivers. The basic problem with fog lights is the majority of drivers don't know how to use them and turn them on at the first hint of fog and dazzle everyone else with the ultra bright rear lights. In my opinion that creates a hazard rather than alleviates one as besides the dazzle it destroys the contrast with the brake lights. Using fog lights when not needed is actually illegal in the UK but it's an offence that goes largely unenforced. It's not rocket science, if you can see the normal rear lights of the car in front why would you need to turn your own fog lights on. In severe fog they have a useful purpose but by the time it gets that bad I'm thinking I don't want to be on the road at all especially motorways.

Perversely only one rear fog light is mandatory in the UK and front fog lights are not a requirement.

 

[camrydriver111]

They are only useful in extreme snowfall or extreme fog where visibility is severely limited. Where visibility is so bad that your low beams can't even light the road.

In regular conditions the increased brightness close to the car is distracting. It makes your eyes want to look closer to your car, instead of further down the road where you are supposed to look.

 

[Bill Judson]

Tell me about fog lights​

Well, fog lights are lights that you turn in... when there is fog.

Americans don't really know how to use fog lights.

Sure we do.... find the fog light switch, flip it to the ON position and the fog lights should come on.

 

[vavavroom]

Don't worry. Future vehicles will be equipped with fog/impaired visibility sensors that will take the responsibility of decision making off your twitchy fingers.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

@LavaRand - Just a thought in case they are mounted to the panel backwards.

As they are installed now are the wire connectors for the bulbs facing down? I have definitely seen that happen when assembled by the manufacturer. Some lights have it molded on the lens or on back that says "top". My Hella DE projectors could easily do that and then would have a great cutoff straight ahead, no light below for the road and illuminate the trees perfectly.

 

[barryh]

It occurs to me there is reason why rear fog lights on modern cars have become more a hazard when use inappropriately.

Rear fog lights in the UK were first introduced as a legal requirement in 1979. At the time the standard rear lights of a car were small and contained weedy little 5W bulbs with perhaps an order of magnitude less light output than modern LED lights. So they were really needed back then but so much today. No doubt todays fog lights are also brighter than they were in order keep ahead of the increased brightness of the modern rear lights. Brake lights have done the same and have become another source of dazzle.

 

[Ronsant]

These seem bright with a sharp cutoff https://denalielectronics.com/produ...th-datadim™-technology?variant=43286783393976

 

[LavaRand]

@LavaRand - Just a thought in case they are mounted to the panel backwards.

As they are installed now are the wire connectors for the bulbs facing down? I have definitely seen that happen when assembled by the manufacturer. Some lights have it molded on the lens or on back that says "top". My Hella DE projectors could easily do that and then would have a great cutoff straight ahead, no light below for the road and illuminate the trees perfectly.

I checked and the bulb connectors were facing up. But the molded "top" writing on the lens was down! I had put the L in the R and the R in the L. I took them out and swapped them and now the TOP is actually at the top. I'm sure the pattern is going to be much better now! The electrical connectors are facing down in this mode...which is a bit odd because it seems like the plug wants to fall off that way, but I have to trust the TOP lettering on the front. And also, the adjuster knob is facing down where you can reach it from the bottom this way.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I checked and the bulb connectors were facing up. But the molded "top" writing on the lens was down! I had put the L in the R and the R in the L. I took them out and swapped them and now the TOP is actually at the top. I'm sure the pattern is going to be much better now! The electrical connectors are facing down in this mode...which is a bit odd because it seems like the plug wants to fall off that way, but I have to trust the TOP lettering on the front. And also, the adjuster knob is facing down where you can reach it from the bottom this way.

Please do let us know how it is, preferably with pictures.

Please make sure you do the aiming procedure also as listed in other thread for you headlights. Works the same for fogs just lower. It will give you max coverage potential with reduced glare potential.

There should be a normal locking tab on the bulb and connector to keep it in. Facing down as 99.9% of light bulb connectors do also helps keep water out of them if the seal doesn't work great.

 

[buck91]

Love my fog lights, but they are useful only in an extremely limited context. If you need them you need them but you’ll be running SLOWWW due to visibility.

For me they are great during heavy snow to help make out the lane lines (if possible) or the ruts if present.

 

[dbias]

The worst are Audi drivers and the rear fog lights.

They are very effective. I had a dolt tailgate me on the WV turnpike in bad weather with his high beams on and a quick on and off of my rear fog lights and he got the message.

 

[MrGraybeard]

I have Diode Dynamics Pro lights installed. To me their advantage is that they light up the shoulders of the rural roads I drive on, especially during the whitetail rut season. The beam cast is low but very broad.

 

[vavavroom]

All pictures ca 20 feet from the wall.

Halogen projector fog lights cut-off. Nice and low to pass through under fog which usually hovers above the ground without touching it.



HID low beams only


HID low beam and halogen fog lights. The fogs merely add a bit side illumination and contribut 0 useful light in front of the car with the low or high beams on. Didn't bother shooting with high beams on. Looks the same with the cutoff a bit higher.

 

[martinq]

All pictures ca 20 feet from the wall.

Halogen projector fog lights cut-off. Nice and low to pass through under fog which usually hovers above the ground without touching it.

Excellent demonstration, thank you! Can you tell us which fog lights these are?

 

[vavavroom]

Excellent demonstration, thank you! Can you tell us which fog lights these are?

OE

 

[martinq]

OE

Make / model?

 

[vavavroom]

Make / model?

Cheap Mini R59.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

All pictures ca 20 feet from the wall.

Halogen projector fog lights cut-off. Nice and low to pass through under fog which usually hovers above the ground without touching it.



HID low beams only


HID low beam and halogen fog lights. The fogs merely add a bit side illumination and contribut 0 useful light in front of the car with the low or high beams on. Didn't bother shooting with high beams on. Looks the same with the cutoff a bit higher.

From what I see they are also look like very good headlights with nice coverage unlike many manufacturers.

Wife's friend traded in her Acura TLX AWD lease (that had a low pre-covid buyout) for a Jeep Compass. One of the first things she discussed was how bad the lights are on the Jeep and she can't see at night. I think IIHS had the ratings of the lights and yes teh Jeep LED's were POOR. I told her we could add extra but she doesn't want to since its a lease.

The kicker and when she said what her plans were was because she wanted something with more clearance to be better in winter. I told her I'd get her some good all-weather or rims and winter tires to help her as it would be much cheaper. She didn't listen and the Jeep has the stock Conti TX and she slid everywhere last winter when we did get snow and she complained. Mind you she is a school teacher and they close the schools when snow/ice. She also asked a couple times why I have no issues in my Accord in winter and why my wife's Pilot doesn't have issues like her Jeep when she goes places with her.

 

[vavavroom]

From what I see they are also look like very good headlights with nice coverage unlike many manufacturers.

They are only 25 W vs 35 W for most HID lights. The 25 W restriction allows use of HIDs without headlight washers in Europe. Howver, I do have the washers. I haven't had a car without headlight washers since the late mid to late '90s. With HID light, as with all other lighting systems, it's less about how much light is output but where it goes. I do an awful amount of night driving and the quality of the lights raises or breaks my interest in any vehicle. I've Hella'ed and PIAA'ed out a few cars in the past, for example my grandpa's 1980 Rabbit.

Low beams with cut-off set to 75 meters, which is the allowable maximum.

Wife's friend traded in her Acura TLX AWD lease (that had a low pre-covid buyout) for a Jeep Compass. One of the first things she discussed was how bad the lights are on the Jeep and she can't see at night. I think IIHS had the ratings of the lights and yes teh Jeep LED's were POOR. I told her we could add extra but she doesn't want to since its a lease.

The kicker and when she said what her plans were was because she wanted something with more clearance to be better in winter. I told her I'd get her some good all-weather or rims and winter tires to help her as it would be much cheaper. She didn't listen and the Jeep has the stock Conti TX and she slid everywhere last winter when we did get snow and she complained. Mind you she is a school teacher and they close the schools when snow/ice. She also asked a couple times why I have no issues in my Accord in winter and why my wife's Pilot doesn't have issues like her Jeep when she goes places with her.