2004 - 2008 F-150

The Govt. and the headlight/foglight law...

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Old 07-12-2007, 02:28 PM
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The Govt. and the headlight/foglight law...

Many of us here have done the headlight/foglight on together at the same time with high-beams activated modification, because government regulation states that the two cannot be on at the same time while the headlights are on high-beam.

HERE for anyone who's, interested and, yet to do it.

Well, if the purpose of the high-beams is to provide more light, or a greater/stronger beam of light than the headlights, then why does the government require manufacturers to deactivate the fogs when high-beams are activated? Wouldn't the two [four] of them provide a greater beam?

See the irony....
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 03:05 PM
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Yeah...but it follows a lot of our gov'ts other trends of having more brawn then brain.

I did the mod and love it. Only thing I have noticed is sometimes I get a 'hazy' view with the fogs on at times...doesnt matter what the light or weather situation is...
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 03:42 PM
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Thank you for reposting that thread, I have been wanting to do that mod forever but never had the time. I just went outside and had it done in about 10 minutes and it works!
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 04:31 PM
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I am sure that the government spent millions on a study that proved that having both on at the same time is a bad thing.
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 05:06 PM
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Old 07-12-2007, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by freekyFX4
I am sure that the government spent millions on a study that proved that having both on at the same time is a bad thing.
foliage radiation damage.
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 07:10 PM
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So its just because of the idiots who dont know how to turn off the fogs and dim the lights when a car is coming...

As long as your responsible and courtious (sp) about it, I dont see a problem with it.
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 08:20 PM
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How often can you even drive with your high beams on anymore? There seem to be so many cars on the road even at 2 & 3 in the morning that I don't even bother to use them.
 
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Old 07-12-2007, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by JeremyGSU
How often can you even drive with your high beams on anymore? There seem to be so many cars on the road even at 2 & 3 in the morning that I don't even bother to use them.

Good point for some of the people that live in the city...Im sure some people have never even used their brights because of the traffic.

I would love some more long range driving lights though. I live in the sticks and I RARELY meet a car coming home at night. 20 mile drive on all small town backroads. 100mph and bright lights the whole way home and I dont meet a sole on the road
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 03:18 AM
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Originally Posted by i.ride.suzuki
There's a lot on that page.

What am I looking at?
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 04:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Bartak1
Good point for some of the people that live in the city...Im sure some people have never even used their brights because of the traffic.

I would love some more long range driving lights though. I live in the sticks and I RARELY meet a car coming home at night. 20 mile drive on all small town backroads. 100mph and bright lights the whole way home and I dont meet a sole on the road
I knew we had something in common...
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 06:37 AM
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Its actually something called the Tyndall Effect.

The Tyndall effect is caused by reflection or refraction of light by very small particles (i.e. water droplets) in suspension in a transparent medium (i.e. air). When headlights shine through fog, some of the light is scattered back to the driver.

Because they are angled down toward the road, its best to use low beams when driving through heavy fog since the headlight beams strike the ground readily in front of the vehicle and less light is reflected back into the drivers eyes. This is the reason why fog lights (OEM) are mounted low in the bumper.

With high beams, on the other hand, the beams are aimed higher and travel much further. Not what you want in a foggy situation. The light will scatter off many more droplets making the total light reflected from water droplets much brighter. Essentially a white out.
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Oxlander
Its actually something called the Tyndall Effect.

The Tyndall effect is caused by reflection or refraction of light by very small particles (i.e. water droplets) in suspension in a transparent medium (i.e. air). When headlights shine through fog, some of the light is scattered back to the driver.

Because they are angled down toward the road, its best to use low beams when driving through heavy fog since the headlight beams strike the ground readily in front of the vehicle and less light is reflected back into the drivers eyes. This is the reason why fog lights (OEM) are mounted low in the bumper.

With high beams, on the other hand, the beams are aimed higher and travel much further. Not what you want in a foggy situation. The light will scatter off many more droplets making the total light reflected from water droplets much brighter. Essentially a white out.
Intersting and thanks for the post. Where did you gather this information?

My question was a generalization of lights' output/beam, as opposed to specifically in a foggy situation.
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Grubrunner
Intersting and thanks for the post. Where did you gather this information?

My question was a generalization of lights' output/beam, as opposed to specifically in a foggy situation.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasc...9/eng99319.htm

The output/beams of fog lights and driving lights are about the same. Say 55 watts. Its how the light is refracted by the lens that makes the difference in performance.

PIAA has info at the following site that illustrates how fog lights illuminate the ground. And how driving lights cast a far narrower but longer beam which would be counter productive in a foggy situation.

http://www.piaa.com/Lamps/LampSelectionGuide.html

FYI it is legal to operate fog lights with low beams and it is legal to operate driving lights with high beam. but not fog lights with high beams and driving lights with low beams. on public roadways of course.
 
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Old 07-13-2007, 11:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Bartak1
Good point for some of the people that live in the city...Im sure some people have never even used their brights because of the traffic.

I would love some more long range driving lights though. I live in the sticks and I RARELY meet a car coming home at night. 20 mile drive on all small town backroads. 100mph and bright lights the whole way home and I dont meet a sole on the road
That's like me out here in Kansas at midnight. I did install a high current foot switch that turns all my offroad lamps on at the same time.

on my brush gaurd:
PIAA Crystal ION fogs are switched seperate.
KC Daylighters 150ws
and on my shell's roof rack 2 sets of Hella Black Magic

I'm just getting the Hella's installed but the KC's alone have saved me from hitting a bunch of deer over the last year.
 


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