36 replies to this topic

[craig333]

I find most "modern" cars don't let you turn off enough of the other lights to make them super useful.  If you can, wire up your lights so that when the fogs are on, ALL of your other front facing lights are off... otherwise the glare from DRL or low-beams make the fogs less useful.

 

/rant on

The stock "fog lights" on most vehicles aren't really fog lights... more like extra annoying un-focused scattershot lights... 

/rant off

Not legal to run like that here.

[Adventurer]

There is a common misconception that fog lights are for seeing better in fog.  They are not.  Fog lights are so other people see you.

 

I have run Hella 500 and 700, and others, for decades.  I have both 500 and 700 on the front of my Ford F250.  I also have the stock fog lights still hooked up.  If you have upfitter switches you can wire them to those switches, as did I.

 

There is nothing special about the Ford connector, nor the wiring.  Twere me, I'd wire them separately and use a little nicer wire and use a heat shrink splice connector.

Edited by Adventurer, 29 November 2019 - 03:49 AM.

[kimosawboy]

Are you serious about this??  ''There is a common misconception that fog lights are for seeing better in fog.  They are not.  Fog lights are so other people see you.''

[Vic Harder]

Are you serious about this??  ''There is a common misconception that fog lights are for seeing better in fog.  They are not.  Fog lights are so other people see you.''

I'm not buying it.  I had fogs on my 240z back when I lived on the west coast and the fog was super thick.  I could see fine with the fog lights, as they didn't scatter light back into my eyes.  

https://www.quora.co...fog-lights-work

[smlobx]

Unless things have changed on the 2020 model the lights on most Ford trucks are horrible. I ended up buying a Baja Design light bar to help when driving at night without oncoming traffic.

 

In your application perhaps this model would fit your needs. BD is really one of the best lighting manufacturers out there..

 

https://www.bajadesi...e-cornering.asp

[LosAngeles]

yes, indeed, the stock regular headlights on SuperDuty are terrible.

 

I coughed up the $$$ for the LED headlights that are supposedly much much better. 

 

many people suggested i do so. :-)

[pvstoy]

Hey Craig... my 2012 Dodge can have the running lights on and push the fog light button on and off to have the fogs without the headlights.

Vic... maybe the 240z lights were closer to the road surface instead of trucks where the light is higher from the road surface and have a higher light
refracting back is greater . Your eyes sitting lower at road level can see better than at a higher elevation.

[craig333]

You can run without headlights, and its more effective that way, less light scatter, but at in CA you can't legally run without your headlights on. 

[klahanie]

Re terrible stock lights

 

I don't find my 2010 headlights all that great but I would expect that to have improved as I believe all mfrs generally have been improving lighting for many years. Those old enough will well remember the yellow hue of earlier lighting. Gentler, times those.

 

If I really need them I can use my aftermarket driving lights if conditions allow. Not sure how well fogs would help as I don't have them

 

There was some chatter about the SD headlights when LEDs became more available on them (2017?). Most loved the output tho some reported being flashed by oncoming vehicles. Turns out now there is a recall. because the DRLs may not be configured to dim  when the headlights are turned on. (This by the BCM not PCM as I suggested earlier). In part, the illumination can be too bright for compliance. This could explain the flashing by other drivers. But here's the kicker, some owners have stated online they are not going to have the correction made - the all too familiar tough teats for other drivers !

[ntsqd]

I find most "modern" cars don't let you turn off enough of the other lights to make them super useful.  If you can, wire up your lights so that when the fogs are on, ALL of your other front facing lights are off... otherwise the glare from DRL or low-beams make the fogs less useful.

 

/rant on

The stock "fog lights" on most vehicles aren't really fog lights... more like extra annoying un-focused scattershot lights... 

/rant off

 

 

 

Not legal to run like that here.

 

 

Yep, didn't care the night that I was on I-5 between Stockton and Santa Nella. H4 Low beams on a lowered '67 Ranchero were too high and their light was reflecting all over. The Bosch auxiliary lights on the front bumper were just the right height. No scattered light once I figured out that I needed to turn off the headlights. Was still a scary night to be driving the 493 miles home from school.

 

Last time that I read the KA V.C., and that was a while ago, "Fog Lights" are only legal with low beams, cannot be on with high beams. "Driving Lights" are only legal with high beams, cannot be on with low beams. "Auxiliary lights" have no such limitations, can be on with either beam. Thus ALL of my added lights are Auxiliary Lights. 

BTW, running a fog lens'd auxiliary light with the highs is a great way to 'fill-in' behind the highs & fully illuminate the road.

 

Concur, factory "fog lights" are simply glare producers with little illumination value.