What is the best lamp to put in fog lights
Headlights are often insufficient in bad weather conditions. Their light is scattered and reduces contrast in bad weather. It prevents the driver from distinguishing objects until they get closer. Fog lights create a clear light and shade boundary and penetrate through the fog without dispersing.
Quality and durability of fog lights depends entirely on what lamp is in them.
What socket is used in a fog light
In PTFs install specialized bases resistant to moisture and vibration. They differ from each other in power and connectors.
If you install a different type of lamp, more powerful than the standard base, you may provoke a fuse blown.
The most common on the market are the following bases:
- H3 - designed for 55 watts;
- H8 - designed for 35W (H11 lamps fit into it, but they are designed for higher wattage);
- H11 - 65 W;
- H27 - 27 W.
Article on the subject: Types and markings of car bulb bases
Types of bulbs used
There are three types of bulbs for fog lights, differing from each other in characteristics. In order to understand whether this or that bulb fits to PTF, you need to look at the manufacturer's marking on the body or in the documents. If you install the wrong bulb, the headlight may not give the right beam of light.
Halogen
These bulbs are the most popular on the market due to their efficiency and ease of installation and replacement. It is them that manufacturers put, if they equip their car models with PTFs. Halogen bulbs have a warm light beam that perfectly penetrates through rain and fog. The brightness of their light does not diminish over time.
The main disadvantages of halogen lamps can be called: sensitivity to vibration and voltage fluctuations.
For brighter light, some manufacturers add xenon to halogen lamps, which affects the cost.
The service life of halogen lamps is rather shortIt fully depends on compliance with operating standards and the number of on/off cycles.
Halogen bulbs are marked with the letter "H". The headlights for these are marked with a "B" and are not designed for any other lamps.
Xenon
Halogen or xenon bulbs are the brightest and most expensive. The characteristics of the light spectrum, as well as the duration of operation of these lamps are better than those of halogen lamps. Xenon lamps are resistant to voltage fluctuations and require much less power than halogen lamps.
Installation of such bulbs is complicated by going in a set: ignition unit, angle corrector and washer. That is why it is forbidden by law to install xenon bulbs on the cars not equipped for this purpose by the manufacturer. Also a significant disadvantage is the drop over time the brightness of the light, which occurs unnoticed by the driver, so it is difficult to understand when it is necessary to replace the bulb.
Xenon bulbs have a fairly long service life. They very rarely burn out and fail due to extraneous problems such as vibration and too much voltage.
Xenon bulbs are marked "D" and are installed in those headlights that are equipped with special automatic correction - these are marked on the housing with "F3". If you install xenon bulbs in the wrong headlight, the light can blind oncoming drivers, so their use is strictly regulated by law.
LED
LED or LED bulbs have low power consumption and are resistant to vibration at a reasonable price. You can find light bulbs with different temperature shades to choose from in stores, and diodes with different colors of light can also be clustered together for dual-mode operation. With a cooling system in place, they do not overheat during long use, and the headlights do not burst from cold liquids hitting them, which sometimes happens with halogen bulbs.
Due to the fact that, in addition to the cooling system, LED lamps require a special lens for proper operation, they are not suitable for all PTFs. Incorrect installation of LED lamps, however, can lead to the dazzling of oncoming drivers.
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A significant disadvantage of LED lamps is the cooler in the active cooling systems. It can clog or break, which will cause overheating of the bulb. A passive cooling system solves this problem.
LED bulbs have the longest lifespanwhich, according to manufacturers, can exceed that of the car.
LED bulbs are labeled as "LED" or "LED" (Russian equivalent). F3" is stamped on the body of the fog lamps that fit them. Before installing it, you must check whether the cooling system will fit inside the headlight.
Is it legally allowed to put xenon and LED bulbs
As of October 2021, xenon bulbs may be installed in the fog lights only if the car headlights are provided for their use by the manufacturer - it is indicated by the letters: "D", "DC", "DCR" in the car documents. You must also always have with you the certificate of conformity or the instruction manual of the machine. Unauthorized installation of xenon is prohibited, and punishable by Russian law with a fine and possible deprivation of rights for a period of one year.
According to the law, it is forbidden to use in PTF lamps with light flux of any color except: white, yellow and orange. In addition to the fact that the light of other shades does not penetrate the fog, it can dazzle.
LED bulbs are also allowed to be used in fog lights if the rules are followed. The headlight must have the necessary markings and the bulb must meet the requirements. Headlights marked "B" are not designed for the installation of LED bulbs.
The law prohibits the use of lamps with luminous flux greater than 2000 lumens without autocorrector. It concerns both xenon and LED lamps.
What is the best to install in sidelights
Each type of bulb has its own advantages and disadvantages. Halogen bulbs are the easiest to use, but compared to others you have to change them too often. Xenon lights are bright and do not burn out for a long time, but not everyone can put them on the car due to legal restrictions and complexity of installation. LEDs are the best option in terms of quality and life, but also not available to everyone for installation.
The table below shows the main characteristics of the lamps for comparison.
| Average lifetime | Minimal price per 1 pc. | Maximum price per 1 pc. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halogen | 200 to 1000 hours | 100 rubles | 2300 rubles |
| Xenon | 2000 to 4000 hours | 500 rubles | 13000 rubles |
| LED | 3000 to 10000 hours | 200 rubles | 6500 rubles |
Popular models
| Lamp type | Model | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Halogen | Philips LongLife EcoVision H11 | Designed for long life (at least 2000 hours), has a bright yellowish light and is resistant to temperature fluctuations. |
| KOITO WHITEBEAM III H8 | Has a white-yellow tint of light and increased luminous flux, approximating to xenon light. | |
| Xenon | Optima Premium Ceramic H27 | Resistant to physical damage due to the addition of a ceramic ring, lights up in 0.3 seconds and has a very reasonable price. |
| MTF H11 6000K | It starts quickly when cold, is protected against on-board short circuits, and according to the manufacturer has a 7,000 hour life. | |
| LED | Xenite H8-18SMD. | One of the cheapest and highest quality models on the market, has a wide angle of illumination, consumes only 1.5 W and is able to operate at temperatures from -40 to +85 ° C. |
| SHO-ME 12V H27W/1 | Also inexpensive model, characterized by the consumption of 2.6 W, the color of the luminescence is similar to the daylight. |
Video tests of LED bulbs.
Tips for choosing
Choosing bulbs for fog lights should be guided primarily by what is supposed to install the car manufacturer, as the law on xenon and LED lamps in the headlights are constantly tightening.
If you don't look at the law, the next parameter is finances. Cheap lamps exist in all varieties, but when the halogen for a hundred rubles will be tolerable, the same cannot be said for xenon and LED. Also, read the tips on PTF adjustment.