Using fog lights?

Hello,

In the past (several) years, I have occasionally tried to drive in dense traffic with headlights and daytime running lights (NSW), but since I started driving VAG cars (from 1998: G3, Polo 9N, Ibiza 6L), the visibility has always been worse with headlights than with the main headlights.
The NSW investments in the G3 and 9N were, in my opinion, a waste of money.
In the polo, I amputated it quite early because one was located in the cooling air duct of the SMIC. The Ibiza comes with it from the factory, and I'm considering doing the same, in order to at least reduce the weight of the car by a few grams.

Before, I had three French cars: 2 x the R5 (the first body style), and then a Peugeot 205. Their side lights + (partially yellow) NSW were always more pleasant to drive with in dense fog (less glare, slightly better visibility) than the main headlights.
What's that? Is it because of my younger eyes at the time? Or are the small, round VAG-NSW lamps visually worse designed than the wide, angular French lamps?
I don't believe in the general superiority of H7 bulbs, even in fog. My G3 still had H4 headlights, and even then, the daytime running lights were subjective and didn't offer any real advantage compared to the French cars.

Maybe the French headlights were just that bad.

(at least you haven't considered this thesis yet)

m;

Hello Ulf,

Theoretically, your VAG models actually have quite good conditions for fog lights, as they are relatively low-mounted – ideal for "lowering" the fog. With the G IV, unfortunately, they are located within the main headlights, which increases their potential for blinding other drivers due to their mounting height.

Okay, that's enough theory. Recently, I had a really intense fog, and I actually had to use my headlights for the first time in about 8 years, because the H7 bulbs were causing extreme glare. It could definitely be due to the clear glass SW (headlights), which traditionally have a lot of stray light, which increases glare, especially in fog. In any case, it was definitely possible to see the road more clearly in this specific case. However, this matched the 2% incline of the fog lights with relatively short range, but at least I could still drive at 40-50 mph. Maybe it's also due to the design of the nebulizer (DE-projection lens), but you already had that in the G3 as standard.

Since most nebulizers today also come with clear glass (without a DE!), I can easily imagine that the high glare you experienced is related to that.

I would still always order them, just in case they weren't already part of the standard equipment. I often travel late at night on quiet roads, and I've had several faulty H7 bulbs. This backup light is therefore very welcome, so I can get home safely. In the G IV, you can't even "blindly" replace the H7 bulbs. One of my colleagues even had both headlights fail one after the other, according to Murphy, in the middle of the night during a cross-country trip. Far and wide, there was no gas station, and she didn't have a windshield .

Hi,
I recently used the NSW again (so now it's 2 a, not 1). I don't use them very often. The reason was Roger's: H7 to the right, because my right headlight, for whatever reason, vibrates more than the left one.
I also noticed that the NSW's automatic headlight adjustment, combined with the snow, spray, and fog, actually worsened visibility and that using the low beam headlights alone would have been better.
haithamina
P.S. I saw the NSW (presumably referring to a specific organization or group) actively involved in the SMIC (likely referring to a specific project or initiative) during the summer. However, I reinstalled them, as, as mentioned above, they occasionally help, and my a) LLT always remains in the dark green area, and b) the NSW significantly improve the aerodynamics (fewer holes in the front).

Regarding French-style headlights: The yellow reflectors of the fog lights have tangible advantages in poor visibility conditions! While every filtering of the bulb light effectively reduces brightness, yellow filters (whether as yellow reflectors or as yellow-tinted lamps) are relatively efficient in terms of the spectrum offered by the filament. The yellow light is subjectively more pleasant for many drivers in heavy rain, snowfall, or fog than the reflective snowflakes, raindrops, or fog produced by white light. Furthermore, wet roads always seem to be less well-lit to me, especially as the color temperature increases.

In my 206, the round clear fog lights are equipped with H1 bulbs. They are also equipped with a steel sheet reflector, just like the main beam headlights with H7 bulbs. Only the long-range headlights with H1 bulbs do not have a lens.

However, I am surprised by the wild mix of lamps! The dual headlights (Mj. 2003 to 2005) were equipped with H7 lamps for both low and high beams, which offered the advantage that one could simply borrow a replacement from the high beam in case of a defective low beam lamp on the way home. I also found the H7 auxiliary headlights to be significantly brighter than my H1 headlights (from 2006 onwards).

What kind of lights do I use in my 206 in the winter? Immediately after purchasing, I installed yellow H1 bulbs (with 55W) in the fog lights. In the low beam, I currently have completely yellowish H7 bulbs (with 55W). Their light is absolutely pleasant in the current muddy weather. However, I really only use the yellow lights in the fall and winter. The high beam, with two 100W-H1 bulbs, is now also how I wanted it. You can never have too much auxiliary lighting in our area, which is full of forests!!


Unfortunately, yellow halogen lamps are a dying breed. Most dealers no longer have them in stock. However, I still have a source for yellow halogen lamps in remaining stock: me! They are available in H1, H7, and H4 sizes. H1 and H7 lamps have a power rating of 55W. I also have a set of H7 lamps with a 100W rating. The H4 bulbs consistently have a 60/55W rating.

H1 and H7 are of good quality, bright, and have a good geometry. The H4 components are not quite as well assembled.

Please contact me by email if needed!

Hello Ulf

I've also given it some more thought, especially because I haven't yet had the opportunity to experience the lighting of the Golf 6 Plus with xenon, but I'd like to have one of those (not for myself).

3C with H7: Since the main headlights are essentially "more powerful auxiliary lights", fog lights are essential here. With their help, one can already get a better sense of where one is sailing.

3C with Xenon: Fog lights are purely aesthetic objects. The only possible, truly meaningful use, namely Coming/leaving Home, makes VW use the D1S burner - what a nonsense.

1K with H7: The illumination of the H7 is significantly better than 3C, so the fog lights cannot provide much help. Thanks to MJ08, I can code the turn signals as a switch - but the result is NULL.

5K/5M: These models are designed as turners from the factory, so it seems that the 5M (G6+) has had the turners in the main SW removed. Test is still pending, but it's better than the 3C/1K1.

m;

ulf wrote:

Hello, In the past (several) years, I have occasionally tried to drive in dense traffic with headlights and daytime running lights (NSW), but since I started driving VAG cars (from 1998: G3, Polo 9N, Ibiza 6L), the visibility has always been worse with headlights than with the main headlights. The NSW investments in the G3 and 9N were, in my opinion, a waste of money.

I haven't been able to see any advantages either. It's a part of the lighting that can break, and unfortunately, it doesn't really do anything for me.
But with my current ones, they were all part of a series.

Greetings, RD