high beam on fog lights off
06-01-2001, 10:26 PM
#3
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DOT spec...interesting. Did not know that.
I assumed it was because the wiring or something couldn't handle the current - but they're all on their own circuits so silly me.
You CAN get the "fogs" AND the high beams on together if you switch on the fogs and pull the hi/low beam lever (momentary-on) and hold it. Great for temporarily lighting up street signs, etc.
BTW, are they really fogs or really driving lights?
[ 01-06-2001: Message edited by: Mike ]
I assumed it was because the wiring or something couldn't handle the current - but they're all on their own circuits so silly me.
You CAN get the "fogs" AND the high beams on together if you switch on the fogs and pull the hi/low beam lever (momentary-on) and hold it. Great for temporarily lighting up street signs, etc.
BTW, are they really fogs or really driving lights?
[ 01-06-2001: Message edited by: Mike ]
06-02-2001, 03:37 AM
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They are fog lights. Fog lights are suplamental low beams that are meant to be used in times of impaired visibility (fog, smoke, dust, heavy rain).
Driving lights are suplamental hight beams. Meant to be used ??? I don't know, probably when you want to see a long way.
Driving lights are suplamental hight beams. Meant to be used ??? I don't know, probably when you want to see a long way.
06-02-2001, 04:06 PM
#5
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Yup, in the USA it is a federal regulation that fog lights cannot be wired to operate when high beams are on. Same thing in most ( all?) of Europe. So, if your state has a saftey inspection and they check lights you will fail if the fogs will work w/h high beam.
Outside of being designed for different conditions, I was told one of the theories is fogs light up the pavement right in front of you and the backscatter of light degrades your night vision which in turn makes the high beams of less use to the driver for seeing far down the road.
I think Australia is one of the few places where both can legally work at the same time as they have very long dark roads, vehicles have tons of forward lighting, and the fogs can help seeing critters that are close and about ready to jump onto the road.
Outside of being designed for different conditions, I was told one of the theories is fogs light up the pavement right in front of you and the backscatter of light degrades your night vision which in turn makes the high beams of less use to the driver for seeing far down the road.
I think Australia is one of the few places where both can legally work at the same time as they have very long dark roads, vehicles have tons of forward lighting, and the fogs can help seeing critters that are close and about ready to jump onto the road.
06-04-2001, 11:01 AM
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AdditionallY, the fog lights are mounted on the front of the car as low to the ground as possible. The purpose of low-mounting is to get, literally, under the fog, and allow visibility below the fog "curtain" better than higher mounted lamps that difuse due to water particles suspended in the atmosphere (fog). Driving light are mounted high to illuminate further down the road, AND wider horizontally than stock lamps. They will effectively blind your vision in fog, since high-mounted bright light will diffuse so much. Next time it's foggy, experiment in your driveway with low-beam, high-beam and fog lamps. 
