Replacing Fogs With LED's
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Are they actually a 50W LED, or is it something marketed as "50W equivalent"?
For LED bulbs in the home, they say "60W equivalent" but draw something much lower like 11W (printed in smaller text).
For LED bulbs in the home, they say "60W equivalent" but draw something much lower like 11W (printed in smaller text).
Aftermarket leds don't belong in exterior lighting designed for halogen bulbs. Couple that with almost all the bulbs being manufactured qualifying as dollar store children's toy quality and you have a recipe for disaster.
Also fog lights should only be used in low visibility conditions and moving at low speeds. When you use them at night or in the rain you're just blinding other drivers and over lighting your own foreground
Also fog lights should only be used in low visibility conditions and moving at low speeds. When you use them at night or in the rain you're just blinding other drivers and over lighting your own foreground
As Dparm said, 50W LED is actually 50W equivalent. Otherwise, the luminance of an actual 50W LED would be about 400W halogen.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
As Dparm said, 50W LED is actually 50W equivalent. Otherwise, the luminance of an actual 50W LED would be about 400W halogen.
I'd say this is the most likely scenario. However, if the LED does actually consume 50w of power, I'd run away. They'll be ungodly bright, but will also probably melt the back side of the bulb housing where the LED heat sink is. It's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but I once used 50w halogen bulbs in fog lamps intended for 35w. About a year later, I found that the plug had melted itself to the bulb housing. Light output was nice, though
The wiring itself didn't seem to be the issue, but rather, the housing itself couldn't take the extra heat. LEDs do run much cooler than filament-based bulbs, but the heat sinks get very hot. My 9w/120v Feit bulbs at home are untouchable on the heat sink after they've been on for only an hour.
Since most modern fog lamps are pretty useless anyhow (our Fusion is an outlier), what about using a lower-powered LED in the fog lamps and using them as DRLs?
As Dparm said, 50W LED is actually 50W equivalent. Otherwise, the luminance of an actual 50W LED would be about 400W halogen.
I'd say this is the most likely scenario. However, if the LED does actually consume 50w of power, I'd run away. They'll be ungodly bright, but will also probably melt the back side of the bulb housing where the LED heat sink is. It's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but I once used 50w halogen bulbs in fog lamps intended for 35w. About a year later, I found that the plug had melted itself to the bulb housing. Light output was nice, though
Since most modern fog lamps are pretty useless anyhow (our Fusion is an outlier), what about using a lower-powered LED in the fog lamps and using them as DRLs?
The day will come where LED fog lights will supplant halogen fog lights.
You will know this day has come when most passenger cars made that year come standard with LED fog lights, because the bean counters at Frod, GM and Kia calculated that it made better sense to warranty them.
We're getting closer, but this day has not come yet.
Until then you would be volunteering to be a guinea pigs by installing aftermarket LED fog lights.
You will know this day has come when most passenger cars made that year come standard with LED fog lights, because the bean counters at Frod, GM and Kia calculated that it made better sense to warranty them.
We're getting closer, but this day has not come yet.
Until then you would be volunteering to be a guinea pigs by installing aftermarket LED fog lights.
Kestas
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LED lights throw light differently than tungsten filament bulbs. The whole lamp would need to be redesigned to properly throw the light with LEDs.
50W equivalent more than likely. It would be fine. I'm going on almost a year with my LED fog lights and no issues at all.
It does not state on the packaging if they are 50 watt equivalant only that they are 50 watt. Being in Canada DRL are standard equipment so I could not use these for that purpose. I think I will assume that the LED lights are 50 watt equivalent. Many thanks
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My LED replacement bulbs in my OEM housings work just fine. Go buy them and be happy.
thats 50 chinese watts. they don't even make led headlights that are 50 watts, so its an outright lie. it would be in the 10-30 watt range. the best plug and play fog light bulb would be the phillips ultinon, its expensive but i have heard good things about them.
that being said, your beam pattern may suffer, you may end up putting that extra light from the led up in the eyes of drivers. or you might get lucky and have a usable light spread. check out hidplanet, there's a lot of good info there.
fog light info
that being said, your beam pattern may suffer, you may end up putting that extra light from the led up in the eyes of drivers. or you might get lucky and have a usable light spread. check out hidplanet, there's a lot of good info there.
fog light info
^if i recall correctly, some of the chinese bulbs are rated combined, so the 50 watts would be the two 25 watt bulbs added together.
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True fog lights are a very different thing from driving lights. Sometimes people get them confused. Fog lights have a wide, flat throw and should generally be more on the yellow side of the light spectrum, but they can be other colors and still be effective. They are used in conjunction with your headlights and designed to reflect less in precipitation or dust (mist, rain, snow, fog, dust, etc.) They are also there to help illuminate the fog lines on the sides of the roads as well as other obstacles. Just something to consider when you consider changing out the bulbs; might be best to just stick with OEM bulbs so you are using the housings for what they were really designed for on the car you have. LED's white wavelength is pure white. Halogens are not and actually produce some in the yellow spectrum; halogens would probably be better in a "fog" light application. Sometimes it is more about color than brightness when it comes to visibility at night and what you are really trying to see.
The last 2 cars I had with fogs I replaced them with PIAA Hyper Yellow bulbs.
As stated previously, fogs are for infrequent use in adverse conditions. The reason yellow is preferred is the eye is most sensitive to yellow light. That's the reason a lot of warning signs in the US are yellow.
The '05 MINI I put them in was a wonderful beam pattern and really helped. My '14 Accord only has a 35W bulb and is mediocre. I will have take a look at the aiming since the right lens was replaced prior to my ownership.
Most factory fog lamps are more for appearance. It's the only reason you can have them on all the time. A proper fog like the MINI would always default off and had to be switched on every key cycle. The MINI also had the optional rear fogs that were a godsend in snowstorms, mainly.
As stated previously, fogs are for infrequent use in adverse conditions. The reason yellow is preferred is the eye is most sensitive to yellow light. That's the reason a lot of warning signs in the US are yellow.
The '05 MINI I put them in was a wonderful beam pattern and really helped. My '14 Accord only has a 35W bulb and is mediocre. I will have take a look at the aiming since the right lens was replaced prior to my ownership.
Most factory fog lamps are more for appearance. It's the only reason you can have them on all the time. A proper fog like the MINI would always default off and had to be switched on every key cycle. The MINI also had the optional rear fogs that were a godsend in snowstorms, mainly.
Doesn't PIAA claim some of their light bulbs generate 80W from 50W ?
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Doesn't PIAA claim some of their light bulbs generate 80W from 50W ?
I'm sure they do but the output should be listed in lumens not watts since watts are an input measurement
Doesn't PIAA claim some of their light bulbs generate 80W from 50W ?
I'm sure they do but the output should be listed in lumens not watts since watts are an input measurement
I just wanted to update those folks who were kind enough to reply. I purchased and installed the led 50 w equivalent bulbs. I am happy with the light pattern and intensity. They are not too bright for oncoming traffic and as I found out a few mornings ago, bright enough to help in the fog.
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Aftermarket leds don't belong in exterior lighting designed for halogen bulbs. Couple that with almost all the bulbs being manufactured qualifying as dollar store children's toy quality and you have a recipe for disaster.
Also fog lights should only be used in low visibility conditions and moving at low speeds. When you use them at night or in the rain you're just blinding other drivers and over lighting your own foreground
Unfortunatly too many drivers seem to always keep them on. The "cool" factor I'm guessing. And if the glare bouncing off the road wasn't distracting I wouldn't care. But some of them are as bad as someone having their brights on.
Aftermarket leds don't belong in exterior lighting designed for halogen bulbs. Couple that with almost all the bulbs being manufactured qualifying as dollar store children's toy quality and you have a recipe for disaster.
Also fog lights should only be used in low visibility conditions and moving at low speeds. When you use them at night or in the rain you're just blinding other drivers and over lighting your own foreground
Unfortunatly too many drivers seem to always keep them on. The "cool" factor I'm guessing. And if the glare bouncing off the road wasn't distracting I wouldn't care. But some of them are as bad as someone having their brights on.
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