When do YOU use your fog lamps?

[jamal]

I have read that you can't just buy a blue bulb and put it into a standard halogen housing and expect to get the same lighting levels as that of an OEM Xenon setup. The aftermarket approach is suppose to actually decrease light while annoying oncoming cars.

 

Getting back to the fog-lights... I rarely use them since I rarely drive in fog/rain; I see no benefit in clear weather. I'm curious whether anyone has retrofitted the Hella 500's mentioned previously into stock fog-light openings on a new generation Subaru however and whether the original wiring/fusing is adequate.

 

 

Well, obviously not, and an HID is not just a blue bulb. The blueish headlights that are not hid are just bulbs with a tint. The problem with this is that the tint filters out non-blue light, and halogen bulb tend to not put out much blue light. Because of this, they're overdriven and will not last long, if they're legal at all. Phillips and PIAA make a couple of legal blue tinted bulbs. HIDs on the other hand, are a completely different type of bulb. The gas in the bulb and the filament are different, so the light output is in a different temperature range, and produces a different color. The pattern of light put out by the bulb is also different, requiring an HID-specific reflector. You can find "HID kits" on ebay which solely consist of the ballast and a bulb which fits into a standard halogen housing. These are illegal and will NOT help anyone see better.

 

 

There are a bunch of people on nasioc with 500s. Check out the "Ultimate Subaru lighting thread." I have a set of huge driving lights instead of fogs. They're wired to only come on with the high beams, as is required by law. I'm occasionally tempted to flash them at people who drive with annoying lights.

[rizzo]

I think almost all cars do that (fogs turn off when you turn on hi-beams). I know that hi-beams are worthless in the fog- even detrimental. what puzzles me is that instead of turning off the fogs when you turn on the hi-beams, it should be the other way around- the car should disable the hi-beams when you turn on the fog lights. right?

 

my 03 OBS does this...

 

as to your good thought... people drive with fog lights on when they shouldn't be on (any time there isn't fog or haze over the road). so this would totally prevent them from using their high beams, which are important to use when it's really dark as long as there's no one in front of you.

 

what i hate are people on the highway thinking that the people on the other side of the highway can't see your high beams... i think it's a general rule of thumb not to use your high beams on the highway anyways...

[AlpineRaven]

On mine I have GT Legacy's Foggies and I use them everyday because I go thru 6 kilometres tunnel under the Yarra River and you have to have the lights on (to see the dash) otherwise you'll get zapped by speed cameras and I always forget to turn them off and in early morning i like to see reflectors on the road - its from my foggies.

Cheers

AP

 

edit - Oh yeah, I drive approx 60,000kms a year (approx 38,000 miles) and the foggies blows twice a year.

[the_bard]

My wife tends to like using the fog lights on her '00 OBW, since she's got bad night vision, and it helps light up the area immediately in front of the vehicle, making it easier to see the lines.

 

I will admit that they make it easier when driving in wet weather, when the water on the road makes it hard to see the markings. Not crucial when I'm in familiar territory, but when I haven't already been there, it's a pain to try to figure out where the lanes are.

[cannonball]

I use mine all the time cause they look cool. As for the faux HID lamps, they're a rip off (Sylvania Silverstars). They are not brighter as advertised just whiter which I agree definitely wash out certain terrain. Even the true HID lights will wash out. I use a HID light for night riding on my MTB and although it is very bright at 12 watts it still washes certain rock surfaces.

[cookie]

Fog lights usually disperse more. I never run them in good weather unless I bump the switch while cleaning the dash. Then it might take me days to notice they are on because I can't see the little light that tell me they are on due to steering wheel location.

I try them in foggy conditions and if I can see better I leave them on, if I can't off they go.

Fog lights are usually rigged on low beam while driving lights are focused far ahead and on high beam.