Fog lights: xenon, halogen or LEDs?

The purpose of fog lights (PTF) is to indicate dimensions car, lighting of the edges of the road, markings in poor visibility or difficult weather conditions. However, additional light is not installed on all cars. For example, on some budget models, fog lights are initially absent.

Do you need fog lights

The question is debatable, especially when you consider that the head light on modern cars is quite effective. But still, PTFs do their bit to ensure safety and will not be superfluous, although many car owners install these devices solely for the desire to emphasize the “status” of their car. If we consider regular foglights in more detail, questions about their design involuntarily arise.

Why is PTF yellow

Recently, it is rare to meet a “civilian” car with additional light of this shade on the road. Basically PTF is white. However, if you look, for example, at the Le Mans race cars, you can make sure that the pilots use yellow fog lights. The reason is the warm spectrum of this hue, which the human eye perceives faster than the cold waves of white light. That is, the driver better distinguishes the road in yellow.

Why PTF is placed below the headlights

It's all about the physical properties of the fog, which does not sink to the very bottom. As a result, there will always be a “clearance” of at least a few centimeters in the milk “wall” closer to the road. There and "look" foglights. Try to turn on the high beam in such conditions: it will simply be reflected from the veil, and will never break through it.

Installation of halogen, xenon or LED lamps

Modern car owners are no longer satisfied with regular lamps (the headlights for them are labeled CR) with traditional filaments. Automakers are moving forward and installing a different type of light, and the market offers lamps that work according to other principles.

Halogen lamps

Their peculiarity lies in the evaporation of tungsten, which does not disappear, but returns back to the heating element. As a result, the walls of the glass bulb do not darken, and the spiral is partially restored. All this helps to increase the resource of the product. But "halogens" also have disadvantages. If you look at the spectral graph, it becomes clear that the energy of the lamp mostly goes into the red zone. This means that the product works more for “heating”, and not for light. Even halogen lamps do not "like" strong shaking and therefore fail after 4-5 months, or even earlier. Headlights for such lighting devices are marked HC / HR, HCR.

Xenon

You should immediately turn to the law. It clearly states that external lighting devices, which include PTF, must be appropriately marked. If xenon is permitted, the factory-fitted headlight designation must include a D, DC, or DCR marking. Just the majority of cars coming off the assembly line are not equipped with such PTFs. We can conclude: self-installation of xenon lamps in fog lights is against the law. Punishment - a fine, and even deprivation of rights for a year. There is an "addition" - in the case when xenon is not allowed, but installed in the PTF, the car will not be registered.

If such a light is placed in a conventional headlight that does not have the designation F3, it is possible to dazzle drivers of oncoming vehicles. Nevertheless, these lighting fixtures are a success. It's connected with:

• ✅ high brightness products
  
• ✅ economy
  
• ✅ resistance to changes in the on-board network
  
• ✅ “ignoring” vibration
  
• ✅ long resource
  

Installation of xenon lamps can be difficult, because the kit includes an ignition unit and a tilt corrector, sometimes a washer. There is one more nuance - installing xenon in a headlight that does not match it does not make sense, because special lenses are needed, otherwise the light will scatter in different directions and in heavy fog you will see a white wall in front of you.

LEDs (LED or in Russian LED)

The main feature of the lamps is very low power consumption. Lamps of this type are placed in headlights with the initial designation MD (UN Regulation No. 19, paragraph 3.5.2). If the LED is placed in a device that does not have the appropriate marking, if the inspector detects a violation, the license will be deprived of rights for up to a year and the LEDs will be confiscated.

What to buy

Manufacturers take into account the demand from car owners and offer lamps of all types. But to put them in accordance with the law or not is the business of every driver.

OSRAM Fog Breaker 62151FBR

Halogen lamps have an H3 base, they are distinguished by a pleasant, yellowish tint of light. Brightness - 1550 lm. This means that it is not necessary to install a corrector with such a device (according to the law, the limit starts from 2000 Lm). Power - 55 W. The manufacturer claims a minimum service life of 400 hours, and under favorable conditions - up to 650 hours. Motorists in the reviews note good visibility of the road in the fog.

KOITO Whitebeam III P0752W

Halogen lamps from a Japanese manufacturer, emit white light, flux 2600 lm (corrector required), power 55 watts. A refractory alloy was used to make the filament. Due to the special design, the products do not overheat, oncoming drivers are not blinded.

ClearLight LDL 00H 360-0LL

Xenon lighting fixtures with H3 base. The level of the light flux is 1500 lm, the power is 35 watts. The product consumes little energy, is resistant to shaking (there is no filament), and has a long service life. It has a relatively low cost.

Philips X-tremeVision gen2

Product from a well-known European manufacturer. The xenon lamp is made using Philips Xenon technology. Users note a wide beam of light that helps to see the road in fog and bad weather.

Vizant D20

LED lamps with a power of 24 W emit uniform, saturated white light. Provides good visibility, does not blind oncoming drivers. The advantage is trouble-free installation.

Narva Range Performance 180363000 FOG

Light source from a German manufacturer, offered with different socles: H8, H11, H16. Supply voltage - 12 or 24 volts, power - 24 watts. The brightness of the light flux is 1550 lm. The lamp is “cold”, the color temperature is 6500 K. The devices form an accurate beam that breaks through fog, snowfall or heavy rain. The stability of the product is ensured by double heat dissipation. If there is a need to replace the standard halogen lamp with this lamp, you will have to buy a "trick" to integrate the product into the car's on-board computer.



Conclusions

First, you should consider whether it makes sense to install or replace standard fog lamps. If so, it is advisable to immediately purchase a kit: a lamp (halogen, xenon or LED) and the corresponding PTF with or without a lens. Otherwise, the effect of using a "cool" lamp will be minimal.