wiring fog lights

[Sgana]

I am planning on getting some aftermarket foglights and I would like
to wire them to be as bright as safely possible. I'd like to wire them
such that when I turn the car off the lights turn off even if i forget
to flip the switch.

Any direction on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BBB]

What year and model do you have? It could be that you're already pre-wired.

If not, the next question is how legal do you want to be? Legal means
wiring them so that they can only come on when low beams are on. Not
quite so legal means otherwise.

If legal: Connect the coil of a relay to low beam, and put a switch
somewhere in that same circuit. The order of what comes where doesn't
matter, just as long as the relay coil gets its electricity from low
beam, there's a switch somewhere in the circuit, and the other side of
the coil ultimately gets to ground. Relays are common items at the auto
part store, and quite inexpensive. Look for one with 4 pins and a
wiring diagrem that shows which pins go to the coil and which to the
contacts. (I am assuming that your car is of the variety that the
headlights go off when the ignition is off. If not, then you have to
take a more advanced approach, possibly involving two relays, or take
the chance that you'd leave all your lights on by mistake.)

If other than legal: Power the relay from some place that's on only
when the ignition is on, such as perhaps the lighter.

Then buy an in-line fuse holder which has the appropriate guage wire for
your lights. 10 gauge should be safe. Connect one side to the battery
positive, insert a fuse of the right amperage, connect the other side to
one contact of the relay, connect the other relay contact to your lights.

 

[woof]

What is the logic behind not allowing foglights and high beams to both be on
at same time?

Is this actually ilegal for an individual to do, or just a requirement for
automakers?

 

[JW]

What is the logic behind not allowing foglights and high beams to both
be on
at same time?

That one is because you would defeat the whole purpose of fog lights
otherwise! Your high beams just hit the fog and are reflected right back
in your face, low beams let you see more of the road under the
reflection. Good fog lights are set to help pierce the ground level fog
allowing you to see even more of the road from your position in the
cabin. That is also the reason for their normal mounting position like in
the Outback. Of course since I live in fog country where we have fog
every morning, fog lights are standard accessories on all cars around here!

 

[nfisherman]

I don't know if it's illegal or not, but it isn't useful to have the
bright lights on with the fog lights. When properly aimed, the fog
lights have a low and wide beam and don't add much to distance vision.
That's why they work well in fog. Brights on the other hand, are
aimed higher and actually decrease your vision when you're driving in
fog or snow. It serves no purpose to have them on at the same time.
If you want to be as bright as possible, buy driving lights instead of
fog lights. These will have a more concentrated beam and will
acutally supplement your high beams.

 

[oothlagre]

Yeah, the brights just bounce right back in my eyes. No good at all.
Sometimes if it is bad I just run with parking lights to see better.

 

[Mike]

What is the logic behind not allowing foglights and high beams to both be on
at same time?

Is this actually ilegal for an individual to do, or just a requirement for
automakers?

Legality aside, I don't see a big problem with running foglights and high
beams at the same time. Just increases your viewing area. Driving lights
and low beams on the other hand, can put too much concentrated light into
the eyes of oncoming cars.

 

[Cam Penner]

Legality aside, I don't see a big problem with running foglights and high
beams at the same time. Just increases your viewing area. Driving lights
and low beams on the other hand, can put too much concentrated light into
the eyes of oncoming cars.

I've heard that running fogs can actually decrease your
distance vision. The "near to you" lighting is brighter,
causing your pupils to react, cutting down your long
distance vision.

 

[Mike]

I've heard that running fogs can actually decrease your
distance vision. The "near to you" lighting is brighter,
causing your pupils to react, cutting down your long
distance vision.

That makes sense too.

 

[TW-Ohio]

Sorry for the lack of NG etiquette(sp?) but in most states foglights must be
run simultaneously with lowbeams.
Terry - '02 Regatta-Red 5spd Legacy GT wagon, 33,000 miles,
Yakima / TandeMover / Rockymount rack.
'03 Silver Legacy SE auto-sedan - 6150 miles.
'85 CH250 - 4060miles! To reply, get rid of the "nonsense"