Optilux 1450 Fog Lamps -- Thoughts, and general ?s on fog installation

[dbsoundman]

Hi all, I wanted to get your opinion on these fog lamps if you have them/use them:

Optilux 1450 12-Volt/55-Watt Rectangular Clear Halogen Fog Lamp Kit : Amazon.com : Automotive

The reviews seem to be good, but I wondered if anyone here had actually installed them on their 4Runner.

Also, I've got an ARB bumper, which has mounting holes in the top-middle section (so the lights would be in front of the grill), and it also has holes below the bumper in the middle section as well. Should lights like these be mounted in the high position or the lower one? I know the larger round ones are typically in front of the grill, but I wasn't sure about these smaller ones. I was hoping to reserve the grill position for some future driving lights.

Finally, can I just tap these in to any existing wiring for fog lamps on the vehicle? I saw a relay in the fuse box for fogs, and I know the hole for the switch is there, so I didn't know if most of the wiring was already present and I could just tap in somewhere. I'd appreciate any tips, thanks!

 

[HOJeepster]

They look like $35 fog lights...I'd say pass.

 

[dbsoundman]

They look like $35 fog lights...I'd say pass.

OK, well I'm looking for something that will work as a good fog lamp but not cost hundreds of dollars, so what do you recommend?

 

[HOJeepster]

I'm eyeing these myself, paired with an HID kit. You can run the halogen bulbs as well.

Blazer Fog Light Projectors 880 Fogs Upgraded Running Daytime Running lights NEW on eBay!

Or, if you have space, I was pleased with the PIAA 520 Ion Fogs, but those are more expensive, but good performance:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PIAA-520-6-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item27c7eb4b27&vxp=mtr

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I have the optilux 1450's. They are a clear fog, meaning not yellow at all, so not sure if you want them for dedicated "fog" use. I got a set as fill lighting for everything my stock headlights lacked at closer range. After I do my projector retrofit in the next month or two, these guys are going on the rear bumper as reverse lights. They actually have a nice cutoff near walls, but their effective range is really only about 15ft or so, but have a nice wide pattern. They also have metal housings, which most lights in that price range didn't if I remember correctly.

If you want true fog lights, save up for some Piaa or Lightforces or something.

 

[dbsoundman]

I have the optilux 1450's. They are a clear fog, meaning not yellow at all, so not sure if you want them for dedicated "fog" use. I got a set as fill lighting for everything my stock headlights lacked at closer range. After I do my projector retrofit in the next month or two, these guys are going on the rear bumper as reverse lights. They actually have a nice cutoff near walls, but their effective range is really only about 15ft or so, but have a nice wide pattern. They also have metal housings, which most lights in that price range didn't if I remember correctly.

If you want true fog lights, save up for some Piaa or Lightforces or something.

Did you remove the black reflector from the front of the lamps? I heard that makes them significantly brighter.

I'm not overall sure what I want...I mostly just want more ground-coverage lighting, but I'm not sure what a "true fog" would be like. I don't like the yellow ones, and I also don't want to blind other drivers (I want them for on-road as well as off-road use).

 

[Dezert4Runner]

I haven't removed the black piece from them, but I remember reading the reviews on Amazon about people doing that and that they were brighter afterwards. I doubt they would still have a good cutoff and would start blinding oncoming traffic at that point. People also said they get hotter, which mine are already pretty warm after they've been on a few minutes. I have mine wired to my running lights, and they help out with foreground lighting a lot. A true fog light is yellow so that it doesn't cause glare when using them in the fog. These don't have the range IMO to use that way, even of you put yellow bulbs in there...

 

[dbsoundman]

I haven't removed the black piece from them, but I remember reading the reviews on Amazon about people doing that and that they were brighter afterwards. I doubt they would still have a good cutoff and would start blinding oncoming traffic at that point. People also said they get hotter, which mine are already pretty warm after they've been on a few minutes. I have mine wired to my running lights, and they help out with foreground lighting a lot. A true fog light is yellow so that it doesn't cause glare when using them in the fog. These don't have the range IMO to use that way, even of you put yellow bulbs in there...

Good points. I really don't need true fog lights out here anyway, not much fog in Colorado most of the time...

 

[TheDurk]

Just a comment on the yellows. I know this from driving in fog in Europe. One rarely mentioned plus of the yellow bulbs is it allows oncoming traffic to know there is a car coming even around corners. The yellow color projects into the fog and is clearly different from the light coming off of streetlights. So I run yellows not because I see better, although I believe I do, but because other folks will see ME better.

Given a choice, fogs should be mounted in the lower position and driving lights in the higher position. Low mounting reduces the amount of light reflected back as haze to the driver in fog. It is not as important in the absence of fog.