at the same time? I just can't see well with the factory bulbs. I will have to check the alignment of them, but they don't do much. And from what I've seen, there's no such thing as a better 9007 replacement bulb, regardless of cost. Can I operate a pair of 55w Hella driving lights at the same time as the headlights? Legally? I know it depends where you live (I'm in NC), but I'll go with some good guesses. It's not like I'm running 100w off road lamps, but I didn't know if I'd get hassled. They would be mounted on the upper bar of my WAAG grill guard on a 4x2 (which is low in the front anyway). Almost the same level as the headlights.
Thanks.

 

I believe if you keep them to 55 watts it is legal. But technically only legal when headlights are on as well.

 

It's hard to find a good amount of information about what is legal but when I put a set of Hella driving lights on my F-150 I came accross a federal mandate that had some guidelines about fog and driving lights and when they can and cannot be used.

The situation becomes confusing because they are only guidelines and it's up to each individual state, county, city and township to write and enforce their own laws and regulations.

It's not the wattage of the bulbs that constitutes driving or fog lights but the lense and the way it reflects light.

Some of the minimum standards are that fog lights must be between something like 12-36 inches above the ground and must also turn off automatically when the brights are on. They also cannot be mounted above the headlights on public roads unless they are covered. They also must only be activated by the lo beam headlight switch; meaning that you cannot legally run only fog lights and running lights without your headlights.

Driving lights are considered suplimentory brights and must only be activated by the hi beam switch and must also be mounted between 12-24 inches from the ground.

Another guideline is that you can only have a total of 4 lights operating at one time.

I think that in the end it does come down to common sense use, courtesy and the individual law enforcement officer.

I have driving lights mounted just below my headlights and I wired them so they would only receive power when the hi beams are on. I did this not only so I wouldn't have to use 2 switches to get an amazing amount of light in an instant, (turning on/off the hi beams automatically turns on/off my driving lights ) but also so that i can tell any jacka$$ cop to go **** himself if he bothers me about them.

I really do wish that people would be more concious about fog/driving light use. Some people use the low beams as well as 4 fog lights at once and it's confusing and distracting to drive into them, especially if they are different colors and heights. Another thing is that people don't take the time to aim their lights properly so that they are not blinding other driver's. I have no problem focusing all of my lights on these people whenever I see them.

In the simplest terms:Fog lights are used with lo beams and driving lights are used with hi beams.

 

I agree with AjRagno ....

Linetest, the best single thing you can do for your lights is install a heavy duty relay lighting system so your bulbs get the full amount of voltage to operate at optimum brilliance.

If you are using 65/55 watt headlights in conjunction with two 55 watt driving lights, that are all properly adjusted, you will never have anyone bother you. You're within the law if the driving lights can only come on when your bright lights are on.

I am using Hella 100/80 watt clear 9007 bulbs. They are only 30% brighter than the 65/55 watt bulbs. So, on a new rig, it would be impossible for a cop to tell. There isn't anything written on the bulb base. No way to tell the wattage.

The important thing is to have your lights adjusted properly. Your dims need to be pointed down and to the right. Specific instructions on adjustment can be found at: http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/how_to/aim/

At that same site, you will find everything you need to know about wiring a relay system, stats, DOT law and other valuable information.

I am using two 100 watt long range driving lights and they light up the road like daylight. But only when my brights are on. So, I never bother anyone with them. And even with the 80 watt dims, no one has ever flashed their brights at me. Oh, they're plenty bright....but they are also adjusted properly.

Hope I have helped you.

BillVoyles
RedLowRyder

 

AjRagno,

Very good post. You simplified a most complicated matter. As always a check with the local laws will both reduce any problems with law enforcement, but also prevent blinding other drivers. I don't think you have to worry about being hasseled by any If your legal and courteous, no one will be bothered.

 

I didn't wear glasses until just a couple of years before I passed the half-century mark.

With glasses, I see four distracting lights for every two bulbs that come at me at night -- and with the wide spacing of the added two bulbs on these F-150 4x4's I now have eight distracting lights.

If these are annoying to me -- a F-150 4-by owner and entheusiest, they are probably more than annoying -- even dangerous -- for someone even older and with poorer vision than I.

Confounding the problem is the fact that the added light from the factory fog lights is so miniscule as to be totally inneffective for anything beyond that provided by the normal low-beams.

Bottom line, the driver that comes at you may not see well because you simply want to look good with those extra two useless lights -- possibly to your detriment if (s)he crosses into your path due to being distracted by your wall of light.

Do us all a favor and don't use fog lights on two-lane roads.

 

Y2K Jim - Did you opt for the anti-reflective coating on your eyeglasses? I have found that this coating really helps during nightime driving, cutting down on most of the glare. If you are unsure about the coating, hold your eyeglasses towards you. You will see a light green tint if your lenses have the anti-reflective coating.

 

Unfortunately, no. I am familliar with that very effective coating -- but it scratched very easily on my last pair, so I opted for glass (hardest material available) so I can clean them often with the least chance of scratching.

I didn't want to turn this thread into a "poor jim" whine, and I wouldn't have offered anything except when I got my own set of fog lights and found out that they are purely cosmetic, it then torqued my nut -- so now I'm on a 'mission'.

I've whined enuff on this subject for a few months.

Merry Christmas,

Jim