HID kit in Fog lights too bright?

[Chedman13]

I am catching up with the times and upgraded my magnetic ballasts to fully digital ballasts.

I never had this issue before, but now my fogs are way too bright. Granted my magnetic ballast kit and bulbs were about 2 years old, even from the start they never were as bright as these new fully digital ballasts and bulbs.

The glare is most likely not friendly to on coming traffic.

It's cold out, so haven't tried re-adjusting the aim, but not sure how much it will help. I knew this would be an issue in a halogen housing, but due to the proximity of fog lights being so low, it was never an issue -- until I got these "super" bright bulbs/kit.

Any thoughts out there? I have a 6000k DDM Tuning kit.

This might be interesting:
http://www.hidxenonlights.com/projector-hid-fog-lights-glass-p-528

Not sure what the dimensions are of the OEM Fog lights. I know the aftermarket projector fogs with angel eyes wasn't that great, even with a HID kit in it. It is a halogen projector so wasn't made for a HID either, just like OEM fogs.

 

[HumbertoCALI]

Ed the issue might not be on the illumination but the position and angle placement of your new Kit and the position of the cone that helps reflect the new kit for you within the hausing.

Question: with the new kit, is the cone that meets the new projector still there.. or did you have to delete it?

Apart from adjusting the angle of the Fog Lights you can also adjust, by putting your finger in the housing, the position of the cone to help you reduce the brightness and the position of your new kit.

 

[Chedman13]

Ed the issue might not be on the illumination but the position and angle placement of your new Kit and the position of the cone that helps reflect the new kit for you within the hausing.

Question: with the new kit, is the cone that meets the new projector still there.. or did you have to delete it?

Apart from adjusting the angle of the Fog Lights you can also adjust, my putting your finger in the housing, the position of the cone to help you reduce the brightness and the position of your new kit.

interesting, never even thought of that. Thanks for doing that drawing humberto, easier to visualize.

Hm.. this could be a pain, with lighting, even the slightest change can mean big difference in lighting output.

---------- Post added at 10:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:29 PM ----------

I wonder if I use some BlueBat overlays, that will help with decreasing the "Brightness"?
Infiniti FX Overlays pictures by BlueBatmobile2005 - Photobucket

 

[HumbertoCALI]

the overlays would only help if they are of a dark tint.

This will probably dim it just a tad.

 

[Chedman13]

the overlays would only help if they are of a dark tint.

This will probably dim it just a tad.

Hm..., maybe I'll go to 9006 yellow bulbs.

 

[HumbertoCALI]

Yellow... I always wanted to do Yellow HID..(Just like the Lexus Yellow)

Just never got around to it..

now I definitely can't do it...LOL

 

[Chedman13]

Yellow... I always wanted to do Yellow HID..(Just like the Lexus Yellow)

Just never got around to it..

now I definitely can't do it...LOL

Hm... 2,500K HID 9006 Bulbs = closest to Lexus Yellow. I've seen the 3,000K and not as close, brighter but not as yellow.

Good idea Humberto, maybe I'll try 2,500K bulbs. Maybe yellow color will have less glare than 6000K? Any resident lighting experts can chime in?

Haha, your LED's will do. Fogs just throw light ~30 feet in front of you anyways. You can switch it up for fun by buying yellow overlays and just cutting and fitting over your LED's. Probably cost you $20 in materials and simple soap/water to install and remove as you please...

 

[Dr.2K]

I just replaced my fog lights with a digital kit also, but I did not notice any real difference in light output from my previous set of mtec's. Both are 6k.

 

[Chedman13]

I just replaced my fog lights with a digital kit also, but I did not notice any real difference in light output from my previous set of mtec's. Both are 6k.

Going to try out lamin-x (they have 10% off and free shipping right now) yellow and 3000K hid bulbs. Lamin-x cost me $16.10 shipped, and bulbs were $30 or so at DDM Tuning.

I think I'll switch to Philips OEM 4,300K bulbs too for winter. Should make winter driving a lot better, not to mention the yellow will stick out so people can see me on the road which is very important!!!

Hm.... I'm get all ready for winter. Something you don't have to worry about Pierce!!!!!

 

[turbocad6]

3k's will be even brighter... do you know if they are d2r or d2s bulbs? I know a lot of times with these conversion bulbs they don't even specify, but d2r are for reflector housings while d2s is for projectors... hid's in the fogs are always too bright, adjusting them down could help a bit & like bert said, maybe playing with the shield...

 

[SexualChocolate]

I know this sounds assinine, but try turning the bulbs in the housing if it is possible. It worked on my Titan running the 5500K DDM kit. The glare produced seemed significantly less while driving my Z4 towards my Titan after fiddling with it.

 

[Chedman13]

3k's will be even brighter... do you know if they are d2r or d2s bulbs? I know a lot of times with these conversion bulbs they don't even specify, but d2r are for reflector housings while d2s is for projectors... hid's in the fogs are always too bright, adjusting them down could help a bit & like bert said, maybe playing with the shield...

Unfortunately D2S type bulb, with 9006 socket. They never specify from what I've seen, but I have a picture of the bulb and it definitely isn't a D2R with the shields in the bulb or whatever.

Come to think of it, I've never seen a D2R bulb, except the time a company accidentally sent me D2R bulbs for my headlights by accident.

I wonder why more don't make D2R for reflector housings for conversion kits -- that would make more sense since most don't do a true conversion.

Maybe you can make projector fogs for us I can't recall what you did with your fogs, but I remember they were very cool.

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 AM ----------

I know this sounds assinine, but try turning the bulbs in the housing if it is possible. It worked on my Titan running the 5500K DDM kit. The glare produced seemed significantly less while driving my Z4 towards my Titan after fiddling with it.

Interesting. I know the long metal with plastic cover (not the bulb), is up and the bulb is down. That's the way I got it to "lock" in.

When you turned the bulb, were you still able to lock the bulb in air tight?

 

[SexualChocolate]

Interesting. I know the long metal with plastic cover (not the bulb), is up and the bulb is down. That's the way I got it to "lock" in.

When you turned the bulb, were you still able to lock the bulb in air tight?

I was able to do it on the fogs. The headlights I couldn't do it. It might be worth a shot and see if it works. I think that the bulb was able to move around while the locakable mounting point remained stationary (or vice versa). It could have something to do with 800 series vs 9006s, not sure. Remember to keep things clean (use disposable gloves and wipe the bulb clean with alcohol or the like).

If it doesn't work then it was worth a shot at least.

 

[Chedman13]

Who here has done this and remembers which way goes up or down? I swear I've turn the screw forever and I don't really see a change -- and with HID's there is a clear center that I can mark. Maybe even 10 small turns with the socket, no visible change on the wall I marked in my garage.

Being 20 degrees outside, I admit I didn't take too long before I ran back inside I hate wearing gloves as I go by touch so I don't have to remove the front bumper.

Clockwise = up or down?
Counter clockwise = up or down adjustment???



Here is the 06-08 Fog lights folks without 9006 bulbs. The above was for 9006 bulb fogs:

 

[turbocad6]

I never finished my fogs or installed them cause I want to change my bumper up eventually, but they are a set of projectors from the headlights, bi xenon & they are also motorized, just like the headlights to raise up & down independant of the bi level... they'll go in this winter if/when I do the body kit... I'm also doing yellow but I used yellow lenses too...

far as the adjuster, I'm almost sure that clockwise is raising them, but unfotunatley not 100% sure

 

[Chedman13]

I never finished my fogs or installed them cause I want to change my bumper up eventually, but they are a set of projectors from the headlights, bi xenon & they are also motorized, just like the headlights to raise up & down independant of the bi level... they'll go in this winter if/when I do the body kit... I'm also doing yellow but I used yellow lenses too...

far as the adjuster, I'm almost sure that clockwise is raising them, but unfotunatley not 100% sure

wow, you have these mods posted on lighting forums? You'll for sure get a huge following -- four projector lenses headlights with 2 OEM D2S and 2 9006 hid kits. Headlights with good throw and cutoff stock, and daytime running lights with almost a fog/driving light effect as you mentioned the throw isn't far but good cutoff.

Then to throw in bi-xenons in the fogs... I can't imagine what it looks like when you throw your light son high-beam....

You should throw in night-vision from the Cadillac's and HID projector backup lights

 

[jbaker1121]

also if you just throw an HID kit in a foglight its just scattered light. technically HIDs need to be in a ballast to work correctly....

 

[Chedman13]

also if you just throw an HID kit in a foglight its just scattered light. technically HIDs need to be in a ballast to work correctly....

Yes, in a projector with a cutoff.

I read up that fog lights are made to scatter light and only a short throw as it helps visibility in rain/snow. Thought that was interesting. A pinpoint beam would result in more glare/poor visibility in snow/rain as the scatter light creates more reflection points -- or something technical that the article said...=)

 

[turbocad6]

I've done an escalade with 3 sets of HID's, at night with them all going all you see is intense light, can't even make out the vehicle... looks like a 747 landed on the street... crazy... mine with 3 bi level xenons should be pretty intense..

few shots of my fogs... I put up a few pictures, can't find the ones with them installed but they look hot in the bumper...


this is what I used from a headlight housing, enough to house all the hid stuff, balast mounts undernieth like the headlights too, motorization preserved from the headlight too..

 

[Chedman13]

Amazing John. If only you were in Chicago I could leave my car with you.

Good thing for those FX headlight projectors, I feel like they are a dime a dozen to an extent where they normally would be too expensive to play around with.

I threw in a DDM HID kit for my BMW and cutoff wasn't good, extra crap I had to throw in for the BMW warning error eliminator, etc... I just gave up. The OEM piece is like $1,000 per headlight, forget that.

Randomly, my Chevy Silverado, excellent cutoff in halogen housing! Was pretty amazed but it's 9006 so just tried out my Fog kit and ended up purchasing a 9006 kit for it.