Yellow Fogs - the proper way to do it?

[goBlue]

They have lasted for over a year, and I expect them to last for a few more.

 

H3's are generally a solid bulb design, much better than the horrid H7. I wouldn't expect anyone to chime in here telling that he's changed out his failing fog light bulbs more than once.

 

pic example added. Really nice bulb, for the price.

 

Interesting! How much do they cost? How are they compared to the PIAA Ion Crystals? Got any pics?

[MilesA]

The color you want is called selective yellow. The effect is to filter out all blue light. The reasoning is that blue light, being the shortest visible wavelength tends to back-scatter more from snow, rain or fog. Your visual system will also perceive more glare from blue light which will cause your pupils to constrict. Not a good idea when driving at night in inclement weather.

 

My understanding is you will get closer to a true selective yellow with the yellow bulbs, rather than the films.

 

I can't see any possible advantage to HIDs, rather the opposite. HIDs tend to generate more blue light than a halogen bulb and are brighter. The foglights are just supposed to illuminate the area immediately in front of the car, so long range is not needed. The brighter, bluer light is going to get thrown back at the driver in back-scatter during inclement weather which is not an advantage.

[SuperhawkLGT]

You can get HID's in different color temperatures, 4500k to 10000k are white to purple, the higher you go the more blue to purple they get. HID's also come in 3200k which is a yellow light.

[VXCL]

So looks like PIAA Ion Crystals are the way to go! I'll get them from Amazon when I get my GCs in the mail. Thanks everyone your helpful inputs.

 

btw VXCL, those Ion Crystals look great with your HIDs! I see your original thread was created in 2005, so you've had them for 3 years? Absolutely no problems so far? How hard was the installation?

 

zero problems. they really do put out more light as you can see in the one pic on the ground. the hotspot is much bigger. i use them alot especially for trips in and out of nyc in heavy traffic. like to stay noticed in hopes someone will be less likely to crash into me.

 

easiest way to install is to pop the 6 or so clips under the bumper and then small one in each inner corner under the car. pull down liner, twist lamp covers open and install.

[Gire]

Interesting! How much do they cost? How are they compared to the PIAA Ion Crystals? Got any pics?

 

 

They aren't big dollars, probably $20 - 25 online in the States. Performance is nice, probably 90% of the overpriced PIAA's, if not the same.

 

HID's are the only other light source that would be noticably better (maybe by 50%) than halogen bulbs.

 

 

But remember, these are fog lights after all, they only light up about 20 feet in front of the car. They aren't driving lights, that are like an extra set of headlights.

[cino135]

got yellow overlays on fogs w upgraded white/stock bulbs, and have 5K HID heads. Very satisfied with both, inclement weather not too often here, I just like the yellow and the white mix on the back roads while watching out "fer them damn deer"........... Saved me a good many times!

[needforsleep]

I bought the nokya fogs off ebay because they were cheap. So far they've held up fine and I have had them installed for over four months now. I asked another member before buying mine and he said his have held up for an even longer time. So far I love them and have no complaints.

[easy19]

piaa ion crystal h3's are $20 each on central4wd.com, and i think that they are about the same at sesquahana motorsports(rallylights.com). in general i like the bulbs. they were great in my mk2 vw with non fluted fog lights. in the gt, i don't think that they are worth it. I don't think the fogs in the lgts are really any good at all. very short projection of light. I am going to be adding some driving lights for winter, and will be using something in yellow.

[OhBe1]

I seriously doubt there are any PIAA's available at rallylights....

I did get Hella yellows from them, although it turned out they were their Optilux brand. They work, although I would not have gotten them had I know they were the Optilux.

[TSiWRX]

Just do what you like - don't worry too much about "performance."

 

Our (and yes, this is a *huge* generalization) eyes seem to take a bit better to light that's slightly on the yellow side of the equation, when talking about things like depth-perception and edge-delineation, particularly under typical foul-weather conditions. [ To-note, this is also an area that's being explored by "tactical lighting" makers/tacticians - with respect to whether or not reverting to amber-tinged "fire-light" (in calling upon evolutionary biology) may help in these true life-and-death situations. ]

 

However, this can also lead you to be a bit too "comfortable" with your driving under such conditions - and essentially "over drive" the capabilities of the lighting that you've installed, in terms of actual roadway illumination/penetration.

 

There's something to be gained from actually having even MORE light-on-road, projected to the front, in terms of trying to "penetrate" the foul-weather, but how this is possible, while controlling both glare to oncoming vehicles, as well as glare back towards the driver....that's the tricky thing.....

 

And yes, this is actually from current automotive lighting research.

 

What's really interesting is that according to current research, it really doesn't matter too much, to your safety, what's going on in front of you - as long as you're driving safely (i.e. within both your capabilities, as well as within the vehicle's [lighting, brakes, handling, etc.], per conditions). Instead, what's problematic is that idiot who's charging up the highway behind you.

 

Rear fogs, FTW.

 

Search for our good LGT brother outahere as the post author, and you'll find some threads with really good stuff (i.e. the "HID for fogs" thread), with info. like this:

 

http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/transportation/vehicle.asp?section=13.1

 

Very cool, current, research.

 

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All that said....

 

I currently use Narva Golds. I'll probably switch to the PIAAs when the time comes.

 

I do prefer a bit of yellow, as it does aid me, tremendously, in several aspects of foul-weather driving (lane and curb delineation, particularly, both of which can be critical here in NE-Ohio's winter/wet months, particularly in early-darkness/twilight).

 

However, I also realize, significantly, that the amber may make me feel more confident, and thus I try to drive with extra caution, noting not to exceed my - or my vehicle's - limited capabilities under such conditions.

 

Oh, and as for rear fogs - http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31502&highlight=rear+fog+light

[kamusta1]

I want to get a pair of PIAA ion crystals, but I am confused about what bulb size to get. I see some posts that bulb size is H3 and in others it is 9006. I have an '08 if that makes an difference.

[Gire]

The manual in your glove box will tell you. 08 Legacies might have completely different bulbs than us old school 05 - 07 guys.

[mr_luv]

I love the rear fogs on the JDM legacy tails.

[TSiWRX]

^ I really need to get some pix of my setup! Sorry!

[outahere]

..........I currently use Narva Golds. I'll probably switch to the PIAAs when the time comes.

 

I do prefer a bit of yellow, as it does aid me, tremendously, in several aspects of foul-weather driving (lane and curb delineation, particularly, both of which can be critical here in NE-Ohio's winter/wet months, particularly in early-darkness/twilight). ...............

 

 

Are you using the 55W or 85W Narva Golds?

[mr_luv]

Or just 3K hid's.

[TSiWRX]

outahere - I'll check again, but IIRC, they are the 55 Watt'ers.

 

Honestly, the trade-off in absolute illumination was more than acceptable for me, as my specific use of these lights is really to compliment situations where my road-speed is significantly decreased.

 

The blackened snow piled up on the curbs, for my eyes, really takes very well to the added "yellow." Same with adding a bit of yellow to pick out roadway/lane markings when there's a patina of white - from winter road-treatments - on the ground.

 

But again, as I always say.....this is just for me and my eyes. Others may appreciate just "more light," even moreso if their driving habits are different than mine.

 

----

 

luv

 

I'm actually started to get interested, again, in either going with an up-rated, or just switching out to HID for this application.

 

I wonder how much difference in lighting there is, between the 85W and a typical 3K HID, when used in this application?

[outahere]

outahere - I'll check again, but IIRC, they are the 55 Watt'ers...........

 

Probably 55W if the package said Narva Gold. The 85W version is called Rally Gold, and manufactured by Philips (of which Narva is a subsidiary). The 85W lamp puts out around 1950 lumen, color is around 2500K, and they sell for about $18. But they are only good for about 100 hours. I may buy a pair to play with, as I am hankering for a fun, inexpensive (under $50!) lighting project. I have a pair of never used Hella Micro DE fogs to put them in. Will have to see if the Hellas can tolerate the extra heat.

[TSiWRX]

^ Confirmed that they're 55s.

 

I now wonder what things might be like, with those suckers brighter.

[Spec B]

I did Piaa bulbs and yellow film..I think it looks great.