Fog Lights Revisited

[JMSinMD]

My 2008 Toyota Sequoia has stock 9145/H10 bulbs. Through searching this forum and the internet I've gathered that there is no quality 'yellow' bulb to replace the stock fog light bulbs. I'm not bold enough to start taking them apart to paint the inside with Duplicolor Metalcast yellow paint so I'm left with going with a laminate if I want a yellow 'look.' Waste of money?

Is there any acceptable upgrades going from an H10 to a _____ that will increase the lumen output? My fog lights are ring-type so whatever bulb I go with needs to have a 'painted tip' to not create additional glare. http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mwIg_cNu9YtG_ngzM1ZLnsw.jpg

For those that are considering Rigid Industries, don't waste your time. They make a quality product for off road use (i.e. no oncoming traffic) and their customer service is second to none, but none of their Dually or D2 lights (even in amber, which I got to try all of them) make anything close to an acceptable fog light. My OEM fog light works better.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

My 2008 Toyota Sequoia has stock 9145/H10 bulbs. Through searching this forum and the internet I've gathered that there is no quality 'yellow' bulb to replace the stock fog light bulbs. I'm not bold enough to start taking them apart to paint the inside with Duplicolor Metalcast yellow paint so I'm left with going with a laminate if I want a yellow 'look.' Waste of money?

There really isn't a good yellow bulb for such applications. Doing the Dupli-Color MetalCast trick is the best bet to getting the yellow you want. You don't have to take them apart, just do it on the exterior of the lens (although it is then subject to wear from grit in the air and such).

Fog lamps are pretty much toys, anyway. A decent modern headlamp pretty much obviates the need for fog lamps, and if you did *need* them the factory ones aren't going to be of extreme help.

Could be worse-- they could be using the PSX24W.

 

[JMSinMD]

I was just doing some more searching, it looks like 9006 might be an acceptable upgrade to the 9145/H10?

I'm wondering if the laminate might do the same job as the Metalcast?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I was just doing some more searching, it looks like 9006 might be an acceptable upgrade to the 9145/H10?

You haven't been searching in the right places (such as this very forum).

No, only a 9145/H10 goes in a fixture designed for a 9145/H10.

I'm wondering if the laminate might do the same job as the Metalcast?

You indeed are wondering that, however, no-- the laminate will not do the same job. It will cost you lots of light (20% or so) from the start, even if applied perfectly without any bubbles (and can cause extra glare and disturb beam focus). It goes down from there.

I'm not sure why you are using the size tags like, it's not making your posts look any different but it sure messes with quoting your posts. For example:

[SIZE=2][SIZE=2]9006 m[/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

[opposite locker]

Why not just Duplicolor the outside of the lens? I've done the same with excellent results, though I've found that I need to strip & re-apply the paint every year or so due to chips from road debris. My work truck sees 40k+ miles per year, so maybe you wouldn't have to do it as often.

Btw, ran Hoen "endurance yellow" bulbs previously and they were absolute junk in terms of functionality & lifespan compared to Philips XP bulbs + Duplicolored outer lenses.

 

[JMSinMD]

What about something like this? http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...10001&storeId=10001&productId=23775&langId=-1

I know when I was researching LED lighting I ran across this company many times as a large supplier of lighting for the trucking world. Anyone have any experience with the above fog lights? They have additional kits here as well http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wc...0001&storeId=10001&categoryId=10329&langId=-1

Just looking for feedback/opinions. Thanks.

 

[-Virgil-]

Truck-Lite doesn't make fog lamps. They import/brand/sell cheap generics from "offshore". There would be no advantage to messing with any of it.

When deciding how much effort/money/time to put into this project, keep in mind your fog lamps, whether white or yellow, are of essentially no real use to you as a driver.

 

[JMSinMD]

Truck-Lite doesn't make fog lamps. They import/brand/sell cheap generics from "offshore". There would be no advantage to messing with any of it.

When deciding how much effort/money/time to put into this project, keep in mind your fog lamps, whether white or yellow, are of essentially no real use to you as a driver.

I appreciate the clarification, it's a shame that companies associate themselves with lesser quality products when they know the average consumer is going to buy the product based on their name being associated with it. Reading many of your posts it seems like it's quite common.

It's a shame that there are no decent products out there that can function as fog lights. Although my headlights are quite bright, I've had a chance to experience some inclement weather recently where the only way you could drive is to look for the reflectors in the road to help guide what lane you're in. Not the best feeling in the world. Money isn't an object, but I don't want to waste my time buying and returning products.

I mentioned in this thread but I thought when I was searching the forum in one thread you mentioned how a 9006 might be an acceptable upgrade for an H10 (I'll have to search to see if I could find it). I know in the appropriate housing an H9 is acceptable for an H11, there is nothing comparable for an 9145/H10?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Although my headlights are quite bright, I've had a chance to experience some inclement weather recently where the only way you could drive is to look for the reflectors in the road to help guide what lane you're in. Not the best feeling in the world. Money isn't an object, but I don't want to waste my time buying and returning products.

That's pretty much all fog lamps are for-- groping along slowly and trying to stay in your lane. They don't help you see farther, and don't "cut through" or "penetrate" fog.

You're better off with a rear fog lamp (which is red), so that the people who think their own fog lamps do "cut through" or "penetrate" fog, and drive like morons, don't end up rear-ending you.

I mentioned in this thread but I thought when I was searching the forum in one thread you mentioned how a 9006 might be an acceptable upgrade for an H10 (I'll have to search to see if I could find it). I know in the appropriate housing an H9 is acceptable for an H11, there is nothing comparable for an 9145/H10?

Putting a 9006 in a fog lamp designed for the 9145 is ill-advised, a potential upgrade is the 9155, but only if the fog lamp (or its wiring) can tolerate the additional heat and only if the fog lamp is aimed correctly.

 

[-Virgil-]

I appreciate the clarification, it's a shame that companies associate themselves with lesser quality products

I agree with you. I wish they'd knock it off, but they probably won't.

It's a shame that there are no decent products out there that can function as fog lights

That's not the case -- there are such lamps. You just have to be very, very picky and choosy and get knowledgeable answers (tough to weed out from the ill-informed advice very common on the internet at large...lower noise rate in a specialty forum such as this one). It would help to know what sizes, shapes, and lamp mount types you are/aren't willing/able to use.

Although my headlights are quite bright, I've had a chance to experience some inclement weather recently where the only way you could drive is to look for the reflectors in the road to help guide what lane you're in.

That's a harrowing condition, for sure. Good fog lamps can help show you the reflectors, but with or without them, in conditions like that you have to slow (way) down and pick your way along by the reflectors.

a 9006 might be an acceptable upgrade for an H10

The easier swap would be a 9155, which produces 37% more light than the 9145 and should be compatible with the wiring unless the wiring is extremely minimal. The filament geometry is compatible, but the plastic reflector itself may or may not tolerate prolonged operation with the hotter bulb. Many fog lamps are quite small and some of them are designed without much margin for increased thermal load. No way to predict. As far as the beam pattern is concerned, there shouldn't be a problem, but of course you will have to make sure the lamps are aimed correctly.

 

[-Virgil-]

You're better off with a rear fog lamp (which is red), so that the people who think their own fog lamps do "cut through" or "penetrate" fog, and drive like morons, don't end up rear-ending you.

+1 -- a red rear fog light (or two of them) is a much more important safety device than a pair of front fog lamps.

 

[hizzo3]

+1 -- a red rear fog light (or two of them) is a much more important safety device than a pair of front fog lamps.

I agree with the rear fog lamp. Even in the rain, you can loose a car in the mist that is kicked up. Forward fog lamps are worthless. I'd much rather have driving beam pattern if you drive outside the city.

Sent by my NSA monitored Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

 

[JMSinMD]

It would help to know what sizes, shapes, and lamp mount types you are/aren't willing/able to use.

The easier swap would be a 9155, which produces 37% more light than the 9145 and should be compatible with the wiring unless the wiring is extremely minimal. The filament geometry is compatible, but the plastic reflector itself may or may not tolerate prolonged operation with the hotter bulb. Many fog lamps are quite small and some of them are designed without much margin for increased thermal load. No way to predict. As far as the beam pattern is concerned, there shouldn't be a problem, but of course you will have to make sure the lamps are aimed correctly.

These are the OEM size fog lights for the 2008 Toyota Sequoia
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072L6VQM/?tag=cpf0b6-20

There are also Ebay "yellow" alternatives which I'm guessing (based on Ebay and 99% of Ebay lights, etc being based out of China) are worthless.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/07-12-TOYOT...ota|Model:Sequoia&hash=item43c3c02136&vxp=mtr

The base of the 9155 and 9145 seem to be the same (based on my quick internet search) is this correct? Should I even consider the Duplicolor Metalcast Yellow paint or just leave well enough alone and do the aforementioned swap?

What companies make good quality fog lights?

 

[Lightdoctor]

Bosch compact 100 white or yellow lens. Or Hella Micro DE projector (my favorite). The Hella uses an H3 lamp and if you search the net, you can still find Osram (#64151ALS) 55W +30, Allseason Super, goldish/yellowish bulbs that is far superior to white in inclement weather (this has been my method so far...didn't think painting the convexed lens of the Micro DE would work to well). I find when using the ALS in the Micro DE, the projector lens doesn't throw off as much blueish light off axis when compared to a reflector type of fog light. Your best bet is to paint the lens yellow...but I thought I'd throw out some other options.

 

[-Virgil-]

These are the OEM size fog lights for the 2008 Toyota Sequoia

Those will certainly be better than many of the fog lamps on the roads. Too bad no bulb shield. :-(

There are also Ebay "yellow" alternatives which I'm guessing (based on Ebay and 99% of Ebay lights, etc being based out of China) are worthless.

You're correct.

The base of the 9155 and 9145 seem to be the same (based on my quick internet search)

Yes.

Should I even consider the Duplicolor Metalcast Yellow paint or just leave well enough alone and do the aforementioned swap?

With your fog lamps' lack of a bulb shield, it would be easy to carefully pour some small amount of the yellow into the bulb hole (with the fog lamps removed and lens-down, swirl it around for even coverage, and wait for them to dry.

What companies make good quality fog lights?

Bosch Compact 100s and Hella Micro DEs, already mentioned, are both quite good. There's a new combination fog/DRL from Hella that takes an H15 bulb and is very good. The fog lamp function is done by the 55w filament, and the DRL function is done by the 15w unshielded filament. The clever part: the H15 bulb is positioned with the filament shield above the filament (not below as in an H4 bulb installed in its usual position). The fog beam cutoff is created with the optics, not with the filament shield, which serves as a very effective bulb shield.

 

[-Virgil-]

you can still find Osram (#64151ALS) 55W +30, Allseason Super, goldish/yellowish bulbs that is far superior to white in inclement weather

I don't agree -- these dichroic-filtered bulbs have never been really a good way to obtain yellow light. That said, the Osram bulbs are of good quality and you can certainly do a lot worse.

 

[JMSinMD]

With your fog lamps' lack of a bulb shield, it would be easy to carefully pour some small amount of the yellow into the bulb hole (with the fog lamps removed and lens-down, swirl it around for even coverage, and wait for them to dry.

Is there a liquid/pourable variation to Duplicolor Metalcast Yellow?

In addition when searching for 9155 it seems like the selection is pretty limited, am I looking in the wrong places or is this more of a European based bulb?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Is there a liquid/pourable variation to Duplicolor Metalcast Yellow?

There is if you spray a bunch into a super-clean container!

Seems like Tamiya agrees: http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/decanting-tamiya-spray-301?category_id=8&type=article

Rather than *pour*, perhaps a good (and again, extremely *clean*) eyedropper might work, so you can lower it down to the glass and control the "dose" and any splashing. Practice that technique on the bottom of cut-apart 2-litre bottles before you do it on the real lamp.

 

[-Virgil-]

when searching for 9155 it seems like the selection is pretty limited, am I looking in the wrong places or is this more of a European based bulb?

It is not a bulb used in Europe. NAFTA only. You should be able to find one made by a reputable maker (Philips, GE, Sylvania); it's used in a variety of Ford fog lamps.