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  #1  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:07 PM
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HID's and snow/fog driving?

For those of you that have HID's and have driven while it's snowing or in fog is it hard to see while it's snowing or in fog? Is there glare or reflection off of the falling snow?
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  #2  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:19 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

It depends mainly on the temperature of the HID lights. HID's are more effective in normal driving conditions because of their high secondary reflectivity off of objects in front of them. However this is a bad thing when driving in snow because it reflects off of the snow itself which is blocking visibility. The lower temp ones can throw out a yellower light which is better since it does not reflect back as much visible light.
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  #3  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:23 PM
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redlightningsvx redlightningsvx is offline
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

Mine were ok in the snow. I have the 6000k. I need to upgrade my fogs so I can cut through that stuff better.
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  #4  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:26 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I'm thinking of installing 4500k HID's.
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1997 Boudreaux LSi
1994 SVX LSi(SOLD)
Kool Blue air filter, 4500k HID's, airbox mod, Hella horns, WRX 6 disc stereo, Infinity Reference and Clarion Pro Audio speakers, Infinity basslink sub, ECUtune Stage 1v5, ECUtune TCU, Power mode mod, Mad muffler mod v1.3
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  #5  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:35 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I think if I put in pure yellow hid fogs it will cut the glare down a good bit.
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94' Barcelona Red w/ Tricoat black 2-tone AWD Ls -Sold
Mods:AWD conversion/4.44 swap by Budfreak, Custom red interior lights, Custom Satin black dash, Power mode switch, Cold air intake, Permecool tranny filter,Sony xplode 10" sub, Sony xplode 1000w amp, Blitz in-line driver, DDM Tuning 6000k HID's, New paint job/body work by me, 97' Grill, QC shift kit, 17'' MB Motoring rims, 15&20 min mod, front & rear urethane swaybar bushings, Custom fiberglass sub box, Custom red led a/c control unit, perrin lightweight crank pulley, Black wrinkle finish powdercoated intake manifold w/ clear hoses , 02' outback heated/power black leather seats
Soon to come:Fiberglass hood, upholster ALL suede to black leather
Past subies:

92' Pearl White/black top LS-L-SOLD
96' Legacy Outback-TOTALED
99' Legacy Outback Limited 30th anniversary edition-TOTALED
98' Forester L -Totaled
Other toys:
99' Forester S -WRX brake upgrade, soon an 04 wrx motor swap
06' B9 Tribeca-Stock
1982' Yamaha xj650 Maxim
Mods:
work in progress
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  #6  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:56 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I also have 6000K HID's and have no problem in blizzards. Not any more than I did with regular halogens anyway. There may be a bit more reflection and the colour is more blue, but it's nothing I can't deal with.
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  #7  
Old 01-12-2009, 09:20 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

Quote:
Originally Posted by svxash View Post
I'm thinking of installing 4500k HID's.
i have them and i like them a lot.
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  #8  
Old 01-12-2009, 10:36 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I have the 5000K HIDs in both my projector low beams AND my fog lights. I was wondering how they would be in bad weather, since they were not auto leveling and thought about being able to disable ONLY the headlight circuit at will

[COLOR="Red"]REASONING:[/COLOR]

I did not know how the new HID system would operate in snowy weather from a standpoint of reflected glare from the snow back into my eyes or those of oncoming traffic. Since I drive quite a bit slower during these times, my need to see very far down the road with the headlights is decreased.


Putting H-3 HIDs into the fog lights, I would be able to use them as auxiliary headlights to still shine on the road adequately and not bother other drivers. I would turn these on with only the parking lights, leaving the main headlights off. They should be bright enough to adequately see, while also being bright enough to be seen by oncoming traffic.



I did a test last winter when there was snow on the ground and light snow falling.

I parked my SVX on a straight, deserted road with only my low-beam headlights on and walked about 500 ft. from the car and looked back at my car. I also sat in my car and looked out at the road to see what kind of visibility I had.

I then repeated the same tests, by disconnecting my headlights and using ONLY my HID fog lights.


CONCLUSION: I had better visibility using only the fog lights than using the headlights.

Using only the fog lights, I had more useful illumination on the ground before me and a good distance and no glare from the falling snow. In fact, all I could see was the road ahead of me and hardly any falling snow. You tend to drive slower during snow, so I never out-drove the distance I was illuminating.

Looking back at the SVX from 500 feet away There was a lot more noticeable glare, (from both the scattering of the light pattern in the falling snow and from the reflection from the snow-covered road, when I used the headlights by themselves.

When I used ONLY the fog lights, I could still see them more clearly, but the glare was greatly reduced.


So when driving at night in bad winter weather, I use only my fogs. I can see more efficiently and be seen as well by oncoming drivers, without distracting glare to them, or me from reflected snowfall. They look like normal headlights from the front (only closer together) With the headlights disconnected, I also lose high-beam capabilities, which is something you do not need in this kind of weather anyway.

So I can see and be seen, without the threat of blinding glare. Once we get snow here this winter, I will take comparison photos to show you what I mean.

.
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In-Service Date: January 2, 1997



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HID lighting (5000K) for headlight and H3 fog lights, PIAA SuperExtreme 120W high beams, rebuilt EG33 longblock, Cometic head gaskets, Phase II flexplate, AMR aluminum radiator with custom silicone hoses, 160A high-output alternator in aluminum-ceramic coated case, new design alternator wiring upgrade v.4, rare factory headlight protectors, refinished JDM BBS mesh aluminum wheels and custom, polished billet aluminum new hex center caps, LED grille mod, R1 Concepts high-carbon cryo slotted rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, Goodridge S/S braided brake lines, Smallcar Stage 1 shift kit, ThermalTech aluminum/ceramic-coated valve covers, Energy Suspension urethane front & rear swaybar bushings, Bontrager22 rear swaybar with QS Components Chromoly Teflon/Kevlar endlinks, "$15.00/5 minute" suspension mod. Hella Supertone horns, Custom stainless steel exhaust system with 2" headpipes, Magnaflow cats, AeroTurbine AR25 resonator /AWD "Bullet" muffler.


R.I.P. 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 CVT...338,000 miles. Totaled by a 1,300 lb. COW March 4, 2016

2014 Hyundai Avante Limited ...178,000 miles. Actually quieter and smoother than the Outback

2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT...102,000 miles.
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Last edited by svxcess; 01-12-2009 at 10:55 PM.
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  #9  
Old 01-12-2009, 10:47 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

This is from another post I did concerning tests done on a very foggy day back in November, 2007. This was when I found out the fogs alone were the way to go in inclement weather.

It was a VERY foggy day here in Maryland and I did a lot of driving in the afternoon and into the evening.

I discovered there is a lot more reflected glare from the projector HIDs than the stock halogens. This doesn't limit my visibility during the day, but at night it is a little more difficult to see beyond the fog... just a little.

Time for a test. I went home and put strips of duct tape over my projector HIDs and just used the HID fog lights. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

The beam pattern was low and very wide and allowed me to see under the fog further than I ever have. More determined than ever to do this mod.

On a side note, from the view of oncoming traffic, the foglight-only HIDs are brighter at a distance than PIAA low beams. My son took his pearlie (with the PIAA 9005s I used to use prior to the changeover) and I took the polo to a long deserted dead-end street.

We parked them side-by-side, he with his low beams on and me with just the fogs. We walked down the road and kept looking back to see how far we could go before the lights disappeared.

At the point where I could not see his headlights at all in the fog, the Polo's fog lights were still very visible. The car seemed farther away than it actually was because of the fog lights being closer together.

.
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1996 Polo Green LSi #216..138,100 miles...SOLD

JFICX8659TH100216.....Date of Manufacture: November 16, 1995.....
Fuji Heavy Industries..Ōta North Plant....Ōta City,. Gunma Prefecture, Japan

In-Service Date: January 2, 1997



"The Pristine Green Polo Machine”
First Polo Green on the Network
First Clear front turn signals, JDM Alcyone hood emblem, rear panel, and BOXER engine cover on the Network (US) (2000)
First 5000K HID factory fog lights (2007)
First SVX JDM BBS wheels on a USDM SVX (2013)

HID lighting (5000K) for headlight and H3 fog lights, PIAA SuperExtreme 120W high beams, rebuilt EG33 longblock, Cometic head gaskets, Phase II flexplate, AMR aluminum radiator with custom silicone hoses, 160A high-output alternator in aluminum-ceramic coated case, new design alternator wiring upgrade v.4, rare factory headlight protectors, refinished JDM BBS mesh aluminum wheels and custom, polished billet aluminum new hex center caps, LED grille mod, R1 Concepts high-carbon cryo slotted rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, Goodridge S/S braided brake lines, Smallcar Stage 1 shift kit, ThermalTech aluminum/ceramic-coated valve covers, Energy Suspension urethane front & rear swaybar bushings, Bontrager22 rear swaybar with QS Components Chromoly Teflon/Kevlar endlinks, "$15.00/5 minute" suspension mod. Hella Supertone horns, Custom stainless steel exhaust system with 2" headpipes, Magnaflow cats, AeroTurbine AR25 resonator /AWD "Bullet" muffler.


R.I.P. 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 CVT...338,000 miles. Totaled by a 1,300 lb. COW March 4, 2016

2014 Hyundai Avante Limited ...178,000 miles. Actually quieter and smoother than the Outback

2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT...102,000 miles.
Plenty of parts, service and windshields.


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  #10  
Old 01-13-2009, 01:40 AM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

i was shown some after market kits for HID lights 2day. i was very impressed. even got told they draw very lil amps.
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  #11  
Old 01-13-2009, 10:20 AM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I have PIAA ION H-3 bulbs in my fog lights. It does help alot in snow/fog running the fogs with my HID lows.
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  #12  
Old 01-13-2009, 10:50 AM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I have 8000k HID's and the stock fog lights and both work very well together.. What it really comes down to is, how old are you? Can you still see without using bi-focals???
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  #13  
Old 01-13-2009, 01:51 PM
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Zandar Zandar is offline
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I have 4500k lows and 3000k fogs; no complaints so far. Way better than stock; I just wish I had an easy way to turn on the fogs only to see if it's better in the snow.
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  #14  
Old 01-13-2009, 05:55 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

Zander, you got any pics of the fog lights?
did you keep the "sheild" in the fog light? or did you take it out?
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1992 SVX LS-L Pearl White 102,000 miles (Gone)

2005 Evolution 8 SSL Tarmac Black (new daily)

1995 Eclipse GSX Durango Copper Pearl (teh beast)
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260awhp/260awtq @ 17psi (stock inj)
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  #15  
Old 01-13-2009, 06:51 PM
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Re: HID's and snow/fog driving?

I'll be sure to let you know AS SOON AS WE GET SOME DAMNED SNOW!!! And I get some HIDs...
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