spotlights and foglights

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 2:00pm #1

Could someone explain difference between spotlights and foglights on front of car.

Fogs are the ones under the bumper or built into it?

It is illegal to have the fogs on in day/night unless fog?

Are spotlights linked to the main beam or is there a seperate switch? Sometimes people on dipped headlamps flash me and other lights come on for the flash.Is that an extra headlight or a spotlight?

In some cars when you flash the flash is only from the same lamp and is not as easy to see as when it is a seperate lamp. Some have a seperate lamp for the flash - much easier to see in night town driving when everyone is on dipped but flash to let you go.

Thanks

Anan1 · 22-01-2009 2:11pm

I think there's a legal minimum height above the road for headlights. Any lights under that height (ie bumper-mounted foglights) are therefore illegal to use as headlights.

L-M · 22-01-2009 2:17pm

Spotlights

Foglights

You wouldn't drive around with your rear foglight on, so no driving around with the front on either.

robtri · 22-01-2009 2:18pm

I actually got pulled for having my fog lights on in the north once( it was foggy in the south when i turned them on and forgot to turn them off when fog dispersed), and fined

anyway the police up there was telling me the differecne between spots and fogs is the intensity of the light, they can be mounted the same way, but you can tell which is which by looking at the lens there is a code on the lens which tells you if its a spot of a fog light.... but I can't remember what the codes are... hopefully someone else can help with that

You shouldnt drive with your fog lights on if its not foggy, its fecking irrating to other drivers and illegal.

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 2:30pm

Limerick man wrote: »

Spotlights

Foglights

You wouldn't drive around with your rear foglight on, so no driving around with the front on either.

Are spots linked to the high beam or a seperate switch

Drummerboy08 · 22-01-2009 2:34pm

Seperate switch i would imagine, but i have seen some 4x4's with their high beams and spots linked together so i presume it can be done.

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 2:35pm

the differecne between spots and fogs is the intensity of the light, they can be mounted the same way, but you can tell which is which by looking at the lens there is a code on the lens which tells you if its a spot of a fog light.... but I can't remember what the codes are... hopefully someone else can help with that

I read on another forum that any light less than 24 inches from ground is a fog, higher spot. UK site not sure if applies here. Disclaimer That may be wrong

You shouldnt drive with your fog lights on if its not foggy, its fecking irrating to other drivers and illegal.

+1:D

L-M · 22-01-2009 2:41pm

Sophia Long Marathon wrote: »

Are spots linked to the high beam or a seperate switch

Spots? I'd imagine they are linked to the full beam, as you wouldn't use them for any other reason than why you would use your full beam.

Drummerboy08 · 22-01-2009 2:43pm

Limerick man wrote: »

Spots? I'd imagine they are linked to the full beam, as you wouldn't use them for any other reason than why you would use your full beam.

You reckon? Ive never really seen a need for them, and i've only either seen them on

A 4x4

or

A rally car.

Which led me to presume they were handy off road, but would be connected to a switch to turn them on and off?

L-M · 22-01-2009 2:45pm

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

You reckon? Ive never really seen a need for them, and i've only either seen them on

A 4x4

or

A rally car.

Which led me to presume they were handy off road, but would be connected to a switch to turn them on and off?

But sure when do you use your full beam?

Drummerboy08 · 22-01-2009 2:46pm

On the road, when there are no oncoming cars in a dark area. Why do you ask?!

L-M · 22-01-2009 2:48pm

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

On the road, when there are no oncoming cars in a dark area. Why do you ask?!

It was essentially a rhetorical, but why wouldn't having the spots, linked to your full beam, make a difference? The ould lad has spots on his vintage car so i must ask him.

milltown · 22-01-2009 2:54pm

Limerick man wrote: »

Spotlights

Foglights

You wouldn't drive around with your rear foglight on, so no driving around with the front on either.

Did you have to discard many other pics before you found the BMW with the front fogs on?

Twin-go · 22-01-2009 2:55pm

robtri wrote: »

You shouldnt drive with your fog lights on if its not foggy, its fecking irrating to other drivers and illegal.

I can honistly say people who drive with their front fogs on do NOT irratate me at all.

More irratating are van/4x4 with higher headlights at eye level for car drivers.

Also badly focused headlights, One headlight working, and cars fitted with incorrectly adjusted HID lights (mostly in older cars, new car with xenons are in general ok).

Just to let people know I use my foglights not because I think they look cool but because they light up more of the road esp. during rain and on badly lit roads. I switch Fogs of in daylight but keep my headlights on esp. during the winter.

peasant · 22-01-2009 3:01pm

read the charter, folks

No foglight discussion. Stick with the topic (i.e the technical differences)

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 3:06pm

peasant wrote: »

read the charter, folks

No foglight discussion. Stick with the topic (i.e the technical differences)

Sorry if i contributed to that, I didn't know. My interest is in how they work and the difference and how they are wired

peasant · 22-01-2009 3:32pm

Sophia Long Marathon wrote: »

Sorry if i contributed to that, I didn't know. My interest is in how they work and the difference and how they are wired

Spotlights are basically a doubling up of the main beam in your headlights. They would be wired so that they come on when the main beam comes on (no separate switch). There are regulations as to where they can and can't be mounted (min/max distance from the road, min/max distance from the outside edges of the car, etc) but they can be mounted over or under the bumper.

The same applies for foglights, but they are wired so that they come on seperately and not when the main beams are on. Most cars have a two stage foglight switch. The first stage turns on the front lights (if fitted), the second stage the rear.

All auxiliary lights are subject to EU regulations for road use. They have to meet certain min/max parameters to be road legal and only then carry a EU approval number.

The light pattern on spots and fogs is vastly different. Spots are designed to light up as much of the road as far ahead as is possible within the parameters, whereas foglights throw a wide and short beam directly in front of the car. This beam is meant to creep in under the fog and light up the edges of the road and a few meters in front.

Foglights do very little for normal driving, as the beam is too short. They are meant to be used in heavy fog, where you would be driving slowly in the first place.

Spots on the other hand do not work in fog at all, as all they do is illuminate the tiny water droplets that make up the fog, which then reflect that light right back, giving the appearance of an opaque white wall.

It is illegal to use foglights in normal driving conditions.

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 3:54pm

peasant wrote: »

Spotlights are basically a doubling up of the main beam in your headlights. They would be wired so that they come on when the main beam comes on (no separate switch). There are regulations as to where they can and can't be mounted (min/max distance from the road, min/max distance from the outside edges of the car, etc) but they can be mounted over or under the bumper.

The same applies for foglights, but they are wired so that they come on seperately and not when the main beams are on. Most cars have a two stage foglight switch. The first stage turns on the front lights (if fitted), the second stage the rear.

All auxiliary lights are subject to EU regulations for road use. They have to meet certain min/max parameters to be road legal and only then carry a EU approval number.

The light pattern on spots and fogs is vastly different. Spots are designed to light up as much of the road as far ahead as is possible within the parameters, whereas foglights throw a wide and short beam directly in front of the car. This beam is meant to creep in under the fog and light up the edges of the road and a few meters in front.

Foglights do very little for normal driving, as the beam is too short. They are meant to be used in heavy fog, where you would be driving slowly in the first place.

Spots on the other hand do not work in fog at all, as all they do is illuminate the tiny water droplets that make up the fog, which then reflect that light right back, giving the appearance of an opaque white wall.

It is illegal to use foglights in normal driving conditions.

Thanks. And newer cars have two seperate bulbs for dipped and head?

Anan1 · 22-01-2009 3:59pm

Sophia Long Marathon wrote: »

Thanks. And newer cars have two seperate bulbs for dipped and head?

Cars with halogen bulbs do, cars with bi-xenons often use the same bulb but with a movable flap to provide cutoff for low beams.

CJhaughey · 22-01-2009 4:03pm

Some cars have seperate lenses and bulbs for high and low beam.
I know my wifes 00 Corolla the headlight has two seperate lenses, outside larger one is low beam, inside smaller one has high beam.
I wired spots before so that they came on on high beam but there was also another small switch so I could turn them off as well.I ran a relay and thick wiring so they carried plenty of current.

peasant · 22-01-2009 4:08pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Cars with halogen bulbs do,

Some do, some don't. Usually depends on the lamp design. Some designers prefer the double lamp look and have distinct housings and bulbs for dipped and full beam. Older lamps use one bulb with two different filaments for dipped and high beam (I think this is H4 only)

Anan1 · 22-01-2009 4:10pm

peasant wrote: »

Some do, some don't. Usually depends on the lamp design. Some designers prefer the double lamp look and have distinct housings and bulbs for dipped and full beam. Older lamps use one bulb with two different filaments for dipped and high beam (I think this is H4 only)

Quite true. Gonna have to start calling you pedant from now on.;)

by8auj6csd3ioq · 22-01-2009 10:34pm

great answers guys;)

Thanks

deadwood · 23-01-2009 12:15am

peasant wrote: »

Spotlights are basically a doubling up of the main beam in your headlights. They would be wired so that they come on when the main beam comes on (no separate switch). There are regulations as to where they can and can't be mounted (min/max distance from the road, min/max distance from the outside edges of the car, etc) but they can be mounted over or under the bumper.

The same applies for foglights, but they are wired so that they come on seperately and not when the main beams are on. Most cars have a two stage foglight switch. The first stage turns on the front lights (if fitted), the second stage the rear.

All auxiliary lights are subject to EU regulations for road use. They have to meet certain min/max parameters to be road legal and only then carry a EU approval number.

The light pattern on spots and fogs is vastly different. Spots are designed to light up as much of the road as far ahead as is possible within the parameters, whereas foglights throw a wide and short beam directly in front of the car. This beam is meant to creep in under the fog and light up the edges of the road and a few meters in front.

Foglights do very little for normal driving, as the beam is too short. They are meant to be used in heavy fog, where you would be driving slowly in the first place.

Spots on the other hand do not work in fog at all, as all they do is illuminate the tiny water droplets that make up the fog, which then reflect that light right back, giving the appearance of an opaque white wall.

It is illegal to use foglights in normal driving conditions.

Could this be posted as a sticky to settle the fog/spot light cool/illegal/annoying threads that spring up regularly?

Gumbo · 23-01-2009 12:20am

robtri wrote: »

I actually got pulled for having my fog lights on in the north once( it was foggy in the south when i turned them on and forgot to turn them off when fog dispersed), and fined
anyway the police up there was telling me the differecne between spots and fogs is the intensity of the light, they can be mounted the same way, but you can tell which is which by looking at the lens there is a code on the lens which tells you if its a spot of a fog light.... but I can't remember what the codes are... hopefully someone else can help with that

You shouldnt drive with your fog lights on if its not foggy, its fecking irrating to other drivers and illegal.

agree with this, the front spot lights on an Evo 5 are totally road legal, they are actually classed as driving lights. heres a pic of my 5.

NewApproach · 23-01-2009 12:28am

Twin-go wrote: »

Just to let people know I use my foglights not because I think they look cool but because they light up more of the road esp. during rain and on badly lit roads. I switch Fogs of in daylight but keep my headlights on esp. during the winter.

Thing is the extra light they give is only up to like 5 feet in front of the car or something like that, so again you see what bits they light up, its too late.

Anyway sorry I think I just broke the rules by saying that so I better be quiet!

NewApproach · 23-01-2009 12:33am

kceire wrote: »

agree with this, the front spot lights on an Evo 5 are totally road legal, they are actually classed as driving lights. heres a pic of my 5.

Thats like getting an auld granny to sign a waiver saying you can slap her in the face, and then going out into the street and slapping her.

To everyone else in the street, you just slapped an auld granny.

Gumbo · 23-01-2009 12:35am

NewApproach wrote: »

Thats like getting an auld granny to sign a waiver saying you can slap her in the face, and then going out into the street and slapping her.

To everyone else in the street, you just slapped an auld granny.

sorry i dont get it

edit - ohh wait, i do now! its late LOL

crosstownk · 23-01-2009 12:38am

peasant wrote: »

Spotlights are basically a doubling up of the main beam in your headlights. They would be wired so that they come on when the main beam comes on (no separate switch). There are regulations as to where they can and can't be mounted (min/max distance from the road, min/max distance from the outside edges of the car, etc) but they can be mounted over or under the bumper.

The same applies for foglights, but they are wired so that they come on seperately and not when the main beams are on. Most cars have a two stage foglight switch. The first stage turns on the front lights (if fitted), the second stage the rear.

All auxiliary lights are subject to EU regulations for road use. They have to meet certain min/max parameters to be road legal and only then carry a EU approval number.

The light pattern on spots and fogs is vastly different. Spots are designed to light up as much of the road as far ahead as is possible within the parameters, whereas foglights throw a wide and short beam directly in front of the car. This beam is meant to creep in under the fog and light up the edges of the road and a few meters in front.

Foglights do very little for normal driving, as the beam is too short. They are meant to be used in heavy fog, where you would be driving slowly in the first place.

Spots on the other hand do not work in fog at all, as all they do is illuminate the tiny water droplets that make up the fog, which then reflect that light right back, giving the appearance of an opaque white wall.

It is illegal to use foglights in normal driving conditions.

Excellent, well presented post. Thanks peasant.

CJhaughey · 23-01-2009 12:38am

He is saying that although the Evo light are legal, people have been known to need retinal surgery after driving against them.

F-Stop · 23-01-2009 12:51am

deadwood wrote: »

Could this be posted as a sticky to settle the fog/spot light cool/illegal/annoying threads that spring up regularly?

Seconding the sticky.

EDIT: Perhaps with one slight edit - I think the very last sentence should be the very first.

Bluefoam · 23-01-2009 1:01am

Cars look cooler with their front fogs on

Gumbo · 23-01-2009 1:04am

CJhaughey wrote: »

He is saying that although the Evo light are legal, people have been known to need retinal surgery after driving against them.

well thats not true at all, the spots on the evo are the same brightness as your headlights, so people would never be blinded by them at all.

NewApproach · 23-01-2009 1:08am

kceire wrote: »

well thats not true at all, the spots on the evo are the same brightness as your headlights, so people would never be blinded by them at all.

Personally I dont see whats wrong with using just the headlights like most other cars on the road, spots or no spots

Gumbo · 23-01-2009 1:12am

NewApproach wrote: »

Personally I dont see whats wrong with using just the headlights like most other cars on the road, spots or no spots

i know, i was just pointing out that not all spots or fogs are illegal.

more of an effort to turn on spots, just turn the knob one more click and yurn your headlights on

L1011 · 23-01-2009 1:17am

Bluefoam wrote: »

Cars look cooler with their front fogs on

If you're 17, have a baseball cap permanently mounted to your head, and a 50 Cent or Basshunter CD taped in to your knock-off JVC sound system you bought off Deco or Anto down the pub; possibly they do.

HJL · 23-01-2009 2:07am

kceire wrote: »

well thats not true at all, the spots on the evo are the same brightness as your headlights, so people would never be blinded by them at all.

They are probably alot less likely to blind someone seen as they are lower down than the regular lights id imagine.

Can you get a lower watt bulb for fogs? So people who insist on putting them on wouldnt annoy the rest of us as much?

congo_90 · 23-01-2009 2:25am

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Seperate switch i would imagine, but i have seen some 4x4's with their high beams and spots linked together so i presume it can be done.

I believe most spots are hooked up to the main high beam as i've seen and worked on trucks. or even a truck flashing its lights, you'll notice the spots (if fitted) flashing too in perfect sequence.

Do people still regularly fit spots to cars? haven't seen any lately except on rally cars tbh

NewApproach · 23-01-2009 3:41am

HJL wrote: »

They are probably alot less likely to blind someone seen as they are lower down than the regular lights id imagine.

Can you get a lower watt bulb for fogs? So people who insist on putting them on wouldnt annoy the rest of us as much?

Is it not the angle of them as opposed to the wattage that makes the difference though?

SV · 23-01-2009 4:40am

106gti has spotlights on the front, look very like foglights but are linked directly to the high beams and only come on then.

Drummerboy08 · 23-01-2009 11:35am

congo_90 wrote: »

I believe most spots are hooked up to the main high beam as i've seen and worked on trucks. or even a truck flashing its lights, you'll notice the spots (if fitted) flashing too in perfect sequence.

Do people still regularly fit spots to cars? haven't seen any lately except on rally cars tbh

Yep, i was asking a fella about it last night.

He said they would mainly be hooked up into the high beams, but there is an option for a switch for those who drive off road etc.

Cookie_Monster · 23-01-2009 12:16pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Cars look cooler with their front fogs on

MYOB wrote: »

If you're 17, have a baseball cap permanently mounted to your head, and a 50 Cent or Basshunter CD taped in to your knock-off JVC sound system you bought off Deco or Anto down the pub; possibly they do.

Lads, leave it out, Peasant has all ready warned about derailing the thread.

It been quite a usefull and informative thread so far with a lot of valid discussion on the subject. It would be a shame to see it descend into the usual fog light mess.

I also second the sticky-ing of this (after a bit of clearout;))

bbam · 23-01-2009 1:49pm

congo_90 wrote: »

I believe most spots are hooked up to the main high beam as i've seen and worked on trucks. or even a truck flashing its lights, you'll notice the spots (if fitted) flashing too in perfect sequence.

This is best done with the use of a relay switch and seperate fuse on the power supply. If you simply tap off the existing supply to the headlights there is serious risk of overloading the circuit and "poof" :eek:.
This also gives the option to have an isolation switch if you want to turn the spots off while still having main beams.
Cheers
bam

Hagar · 23-01-2009 2:02pm

congo_90 wrote: »

I believe most spots are hooked up to the main high beam as i've seen and worked on trucks. or even a truck flashing its lights, you'll notice the spots (if fitted) flashing too in perfect sequence.

The spots on my jeep have both an illuminated switch and a relay linked to the main beam.
If the switch is in the "off" position the spots don't light up regardless of what I do with my main beams. If the switch is in the "on" position the spots turn on and off with my main beams. The spots cannot be turned on unless the main beams are on. I believe this is the best way to have them fitted for normal road use.

Cookie_Monster · 23-01-2009 2:24pm

I'm sure it's not very common but what are the rules for "spot" lights on the back or a jeep etc.

I.e. For reversing up to horsebox in the dark/working in fields?

Rovi · 23-01-2009 2:42pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'm sure it's not very common but what are the rules for "spot" lights on the back or a jeep etc.

I.e. For reversing up to horsebox in the dark/working in fields?

You can have as many worklights as you like , pointing in any direction you like, but when on the public road, you can't have white light showing at the rear, and you can't dazzle other motorists with front/side mounted ones.
ie. switch them off when driving on the road.

Balfa · 23-01-2009 2:48pm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'm sure it's not very common but what are the rules for "spot" lights on the back or a jeep etc.

I.e. For reversing up to horsebox in the dark/working in fields?

First of all, I'd be surprised if your taillights plus reversing lights didn't give you enough light to reverse up to a horsebox.

Second, if you really needed extra light in such a situation, a swivel-mounted spotlight like on american police cars or safari jeeps would probably be ideal.

I'm sure it'd be illegal to use white reversing lights significantly brighter than you find on most cars on a public road... but then if you're in a private field somewhere, do what ye like

Balfa · 23-01-2009 2:52pm

Also thought I'd add: I don't recommend using the term spotlights as it's used in this thread. It's pretty ambiguous, given that any light with a focused beam could be called a spotlight.

I recommend the term "auxiliary high-beam lamp" instead. It also makes it evident exactly what it is and how it's used just by the name.

Bluefoam · 23-01-2009 3:20pm

Rovi wrote: »

you can't have white light showing at the rear

What about your reverse light?

Rovi · 23-01-2009 3:24pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

What about your reverse light?

Okay, while driving forwards on the public road, you can't have any white light showing at the rear.

Slig · 23-01-2009 3:25pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

What about your reverse light?

If your driving on the road and you see the car in front of you has its reversing lioghts on the last thing you should be worried about is being blinded

spotlights and foglights

Comments