Jim

Is anyone using 100W H7 bulbs in the high beam position ? If so, any problems encountered ?
Also, same with the fogs, any adverse effects with 100W H1 bulbs seen ?

Thanks

DMoore

Help me out here, I'm confused. Why would you want brighter bulbs in your fog lights? All that will accomplish is to make them unusable in fog from the additional glare.

Really, the fog lights would work best if you could decouple them from the low beams, and just run the fog lights by themselves. But they certainly don't need to be any brighter.

What am I missing?

DMoore
'00 S4

Jim

Please explain why you would think that higher wattage fogs would cause more glare. The fogs depend on their beam pattern to avoid glare. PIAA pro 90 auxilliary lights have 80w fogs that are excellent.
By your argument, would one fit lower wattage bulbs to reduce the glare ?

Jim

Ben Broder

There seem to be three factions on this board when it comes to fog lights:

1. Faction 1 believes that fog lights are for use in bad weather, and keeps them off when driving in good weather.

2. Faction 2 claims that they wouldn't want to blind other drivers, but either (a) thinks that fog lights are aimed too low to annoy others, or (b) drives on largely deserted roads where they rarely encounter other drivers.

3. Faction 3 is aware that fog lights can annoy and blind other drivers, and thinks that blinding them is a good thing, because it makes slower drivers get out of their way.

Those in faction 2 might want brighter lights, and those in faction 3 definitely want brighter lights.

I'm a happy member of faction 1.

Jim

I did, and I am in faction 1 also.
But, would the increased wattage coupled with the fog lamps original beam pattern make it more effective ?

Jim

Ben Broder

Glad to hear your in faction 1.

Have to agree with Dmoore that the best way to improve vision in really bad weather would be to kill the Xenons. Yellow light scatters a lot less than blue/white, plus the pattern on low beams is not great for the fog. Haven't had my S4 long enough to encounter bad fog, but I was a passenger in a late model Lincoln with HID headlamps in some really thick stuff and the glare was unbelievable.

If I were going to risk the wrath of the DOT, I'd rather modify fogs to run without low beams than to increase wattage of the fogs.

DMoore

Beam pattern reduces glare, but it sure doesn't eliminate it. And yes, there have been some heavy fogs when I wished the fog lights were on a rheostat so I could reduce their brightness.

DMoore
'00 S4
(charter member of faction 1)

daphne

I spoke with someone who claims that the wiring and relays can handle 100W bulbs. Sorry, I'm not a first mover, but if you try this, PLEASE tell me how it turns out.