I'm not talking about the conversion kit in a halogen assembly because it't not street legal. I'm thinking about getting the whole HID assembly driving lights that mounted between and below the headlights, not the fog lights either. Do they make these? If so where can I get the best deal? Of course the brighter output the better.
Street legal auxiliary driving HID lights assembly?
- Thread starter TDKKP
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Hella and Bosch, among others, make some very good HID "driving" lamps — in quotes because the official/correct term is auxiliary high-beam lamps. Nobody calls them that, but it is an accurate description of the function of "driving" lamps, which can only safely and legally be used on empty roads (nobody in front of you in either direction) in conjunction with high beam headlamps. Never in traffic, never with low beams, never by themselves. Do you use your high beams often enough, and wish they were stronger often enough, to spend the $$$ for a good pair of HID driving lamps?
I don't recall I've used my high beams for driving or "flashing" in the last few years. I had a few times turning them on while driving on freeway at night to Las Vegas when noone was in front. Based on your description I can't use them for driving because of the high-beam, they don't make auxiliary low-beam lamps? It sounds like I have no choice to have street legal aftermarket HID lamps or if I buy them I have to use them at day time. Who needs to use HID lights to see more under the sun light?
Keep in mind that you might have legal issues if you turn on more than 2 pairs of front lights at any given time.
If you're going to use auxiliary HIDs, then make sure that either your halogen low beams or your fogs turn off when they turn on.
I not completely sure about this law, but you might want to check into that before hand.
If you're going to use auxiliary HIDs, then make sure that either your halogen low beams or your fogs turn off when they turn on.
I not completely sure about this law, but you might want to check into that before hand.
270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
in CA that is the case, 4 is the maximum number of lamps that can be on at any one time, be it Low+fog, or high+auxiliary lights. Aux+low is a no-no, so is fog+high I believe.
I use a set of Hella 550 Halogen driving light for when I need more light than my high beam, when the condition allows, and since it's Halogen there is no problem with turning them off frequently if there are other cars coming my way. They have saved me a few times from hitting deers and Coyotes already.
note that I have since replaced my fogs with better Hella Micro DE Fogs with excellent beam cut off.
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PCC
Flashlight Enthusiast
What about using fog lights as driving lights combined with the low beams? I know that fog lights are supposed to have a wide, low beam with a cut-off that may make them more suitable for this type of use.
On my previous car I could turn on the fog lights and turn off my headlights independently, which is not a legal configuration while driving on the highways, BTW. I used this once while leaving a friend's house after dark as his driveway is a 1 mile long dirt road full of potholes and ruts. The normal headlights would light up the potholes too well so I didn't know to slow down for them and I would bottom the car out because of the lowered suspension. I switched off the headlights and turned on the fog lights and the flatter, lower beam allowed me to see where the deeper potholes were.
On my previous car I could turn on the fog lights and turn off my headlights independently, which is not a legal configuration while driving on the highways, BTW. I used this once while leaving a friend's house after dark as his driveway is a 1 mile long dirt road full of potholes and ruts. The normal headlights would light up the potholes too well so I didn't know to slow down for them and I would bottom the car out because of the lowered suspension. I switched off the headlights and turned on the fog lights and the flatter, lower beam allowed me to see where the deeper potholes were.
Fog lights don't produce enough beam throw to be of any genuine help much above 30 mph (though they do create a greater feeling of security). There have been a few auxiliary low beams over the years. The only notable HID one was the Sylvania Xenarc X1010. It was massively overpriced for what it was when it was new, but it looks like SUVlights still has some in stock since Sylvania divested themself of that product line. Taiwanese-made, private branded for Sylvania, no longer manufactured. If you ignore how SUVlights calls them "fog/driving lights" (no, they're auxiliary low beams), ignore the dangerous advice to rip out the bulb shield (if that nonsense is still on the SUVlights site — make sure you insist on getting units with bulb shields), replace the "Exclusive D-HC light source" with a regular D1S (see if SUVlights will swap these out for you before sale; let someone else sacrifice 600 lumens for the pointless sake of a bluer light color), and aim the lamps carefully, you'll have a good street-legal set of auxiliary low beams. The beam pattern they produce is basically like that of a traditional SAE (US DOT) low beam: a central hot spot, offset slightly downward and rightward, with a spread of light to the left and right. When aimed and used correctly, they do give a very appreciable boost to your low-beam seeing without blinding other drivers.
Another good option, giving better performance than the X1010 Sylvania light, would be to mount a set of the self-contained Hella 90mm Xenon low beam projectors, which give a DOT-legal but European-type low beam pattern (sharp cutoff low on the left and high on the right with a "stair step" appearance). Ordinarily a completely ridiculous $600 apiece, but if you buy just the projector itself (no ballast, no bulb), the hardware kit and the mount bracket, you can do a lot better (pricewise) on the ballasts (any D2R/D2S ballast will work) and on the D2S bulbs. You could even put in Philips "3000K" yellow D2S bulbs if that's your thing. Shop carefully and you could probably make this option come in pretty close in overall price to the Sylvania X1010 option.
Another good option, giving better performance than the X1010 Sylvania light, would be to mount a set of the self-contained Hella 90mm Xenon low beam projectors, which give a DOT-legal but European-type low beam pattern (sharp cutoff low on the left and high on the right with a "stair step" appearance). Ordinarily a completely ridiculous $600 apiece, but if you buy just the projector itself (no ballast, no bulb), the hardware kit and the mount bracket, you can do a lot better (pricewise) on the ballasts (any D2R/D2S ballast will work) and on the D2S bulbs. You could even put in Philips "3000K" yellow D2S bulbs if that's your thing. Shop carefully and you could probably make this option come in pretty close in overall price to the Sylvania X1010 option.
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http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=183600
Relevant comments here.
Relevant comments here.
270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
good idea, but that means I have to mount the lights above the bumper if I want to use a set of "aux. passing lamps"(passing lamp is the legal term for the low beam I believe in practical terms) How does one go about mounting them on an existing vehicle? Is that something one has to improvise and make something?
Are there good auxiliary halogen passing lamps(non-fog) on the market? They are usually self-contained and easier to mount than HID projectors. I can't justify cutting up my car and shell out the cash for the HID low lamps when it's so old(but damn it it just doesn't want to die, knock on wood)
The Hella Micro DEs halogen fogs have vertical diffusion facets on he lens and that makes the beam very wide and even, one can only imagine how it will work if the diffuser isn't there.
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270winchester
Flashlight Enthusiast
thanks, I'll keep an eye out. There was a pair that sold for cheap a month ago but I wasn't aware of its reputation until you mentioned it.
on the other hand I just bought a harness kit with relay from suvlights since my wires are now 17 years old, so I'll go from there.
on the other hand I just bought a harness kit with relay from suvlights since my wires are now 17 years old, so I'll go from there.
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