Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

I hadn't thought about the compliance #'s. Good idea.

You asked earlier what other info I'm looking for. Basically I'd like to see these kind of parameters that let you easily compare one brand's product to another:

RIGID KC KC

SPECIFICATION GRAVITY RALLY DAYLIGHTER

Raw Lumens: 866 1,350 2,452

Lux @ 10 Meters: 150 392 1,962 (Spread pattern)

Candela: 15,000 39,240 196,200 (Spread pattern)

Beam Distance (Meters): 245 396 886 (Spread pattern)

Someone, probably the lighting industry, decided to use the lux at 10 meters to be a standard measurement, and they must have come up with a lux rating to test for on the "beam distance". So there are defined standards but Hella doesn't seem to be bothered with them.

I like the Hellas, but will also look at others. Maybe they report to the standards?

You would think they would publish just so people can compare...

Hella practically invented the automotive auxiliary lamp market.

While they have huge selection, their product line has to range as well.

'Ten metres' is analogous to '40 feet' over here and probably just a convenient number.

But better suited to fixed or stage lighting than a moving vehicle.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

You would think they would publish just so people can compare...

Hella practically invented the automotive auxiliary lamp market.

While they have huge selection, their product line has to range as well.

'Ten metres' is analogous to '40 feet' over here and probably just a convenient number.

But better suited to fixed or stage lighting than a moving vehicle.

When you were comparing prices are you sure you were comparing kits (two lamps and a relay harness)?

I would better understand an individual lamp costing a little more than half a package deal.

$58 seems dirt cheap for a pair of quality lighting instruments.

But it is definitely a new world now...

[Gary Lewis]

When you were comparing prices are you sure you were comparing kits (two lamps and a relay harness)?

I would better understand an individual lamp costing a little more than half a package deal.

$58 seems dirt cheap for a pair of quality lighting instruments.

But it is definitely a new world now...

Jegs, 4WP, and Desert Rat say "kit" and give the 005860601 part number, which is the kit # from the Hella catalog. Amazon says "450 KIT FOG CLR H3 12V SA" and gives FBA_1NB 005 860-601 as the part number. Plus they include the pic below.

So I'm confident that from Amazon either I'd get the kit or could easily return it. And, if I order in the next 3 hours and 33 minutes I'll have it tomorrow - when everyone else is out of stock.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jegs, 4WP, and Desert Rat say "kit" and give the 005860601 part number, which is the kit # from the Hella catalog. Amazon says "450 KIT FOG CLR H3 12V SA" and gives FBA_1NB 005 860-601 as the part number. Plus they include the pic below.

So I'm confident that from Amazon either I'd get the kit or could easily return it. And, if I order in the next 3 hours and 33 minutes I'll have it tomorrow - when everyone else is out of stock.

'Kit' it is then!

[Gary Lewis]

'Kit' it is then!

I ordered them. My logic was that since no one else has them it is likely that Amazon will soon run out as well. And having done a lot of searching, very few companies make ones quite like them. So, since they seem to fit the motif ....

Supposed to be here tomorrow. Not that they'll get installed soon as there are other things to do that are higher on the pecking order, but at least they'll be here when the time comes.

Thanks for the help, folks! It really was beneficial kicking things around with y'all.

[Gary Lewis]

I ordered them. My logic was that since no one else has them it is likely that Amazon will soon run out as well. And having done a lot of searching, very few companies make ones quite like them. So, since they seem to fit the motif ....

Supposed to be here tomorrow. Not that they'll get installed soon as there are other things to do that are higher on the pecking order, but at least they'll be here when the time comes.

Thanks for the help, folks! It really was beneficial kicking things around with y'all.

Another thought. I ordered a SPDT center off switch for the fog lights. I'd said that I may want them on in camp, but now that I'm going incandescent I doubt I'll want to do that very often, and when I do I could just pull the headlights on as well.

So, why not use the down "on" position to tie the fog lights to the low beams and the up "on" position to tie them to the highs? That way if I'm in fog and using low beams I can have them on, and if I'm on a dark road by myself I can put the highs on and have them as well.

Thoughts?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Another thought. I ordered a SPDT center off switch for the fog lights. I'd said that I may want them on in camp, but now that I'm going incandescent I doubt I'll want to do that very often, and when I do I could just pull the headlights on as well.

So, why not use the down "on" position to tie the fog lights to the low beams and the up "on" position to tie them to the highs? That way if I'm in fog and using low beams I can have them on, and if I'm on a dark road by myself I can put the highs on and have them as well.

Thoughts?

I see NO use for high beams in fog.

But if you're using them to see the shoulders I can see using "fog" lamps at speed (not that you'd have time to react)

Another reason I probably would have ordered (Aux Lights) or similar...

And in that case why have them rely on the headlamp circuit at all?

For camp get yourself some 8W 'work' lights or the tape I have under my hood and enjoy!

[kramttocs]

And in that case why have them rely on the headlamp circuit at all?

The only reason I know of would be so that if on High beams and meeting someone you don't have to fiddle with both hitting the foot dimmer and finding the rocker.

My driving lights are standalone and it's a real pain trying to do both at the same time. Future project to fix that.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

And in that case why have them rely on the headlamp circuit at all?

The only reason I know of would be so that if on High beams and meeting someone you don't have to fiddle with both hitting the foot dimmer and finding the rocker.

My driving lights are standalone and it's a real pain trying to do both at the same time. Future project to fix that.

That's very interesting.

I hadn't thought about it working that way because 'Low' is on the other leg of the switch.

But then my fogs don't blind oncoming drivers, and I can't activate them with high anyhow, because they get power from high 87A.

[Nothing Special]

Another thought. I ordered a SPDT center off switch for the fog lights. I'd said that I may want them on in camp, but now that I'm going incandescent I doubt I'll want to do that very often, and when I do I could just pull the headlights on as well.

So, why not use the down "on" position to tie the fog lights to the low beams and the up "on" position to tie them to the highs? That way if I'm in fog and using low beams I can have them on, and if I'm on a dark road by myself I can put the highs on and have them as well.

Thoughts?

I think I said before that I have my fog lights wired to be on if both the running lights and the fog light switch are on. I really like this setup and plan to stick with it, even if / as I add fog lights to other vehicles.

My rationale: (And again, I don't have fog lights for fog. I have them to light up the areas to the sides that the headlights don't get.)

I aim my fog lights low enough that I don't have to turn them off when meeting oncoming traffic. So I don't want them tied in with my high beams. (This would be different if they were "driving lights" that generally will blind oncoming traffic. But we're talking about "fog lights" here.)

I don't want them to go off when I do use my high beams. If I'm on a dark deserted country 2-lane and I can use my high beams, I definitely want the fog lights lighting up the ditches so I can see any deer that might be contemplating suicide by truck (plus the "deer in the headlights" effect can actually freeze them in the ditch). So I don't want them tied in with my low beams.

However I do want them to turn off when I turn my headlights off, just so I don't have to turn two switches off. So I could either use diodes and wire them so they would be on if either low or high are on, but off if both are off. Or, simpler than that, I can wire them so the come on and off with the running lights. This way they will be on if either low or high beams are on, and they will go off when I shut the lights off with the headlight switch.

So I don't see a need for a double-throw switch for fog lights. Since you're getting one I might suggest having one position be hot all the time and the other hot with the running lights. Because even though they are incandescent you still might want them on in camp at times. And BECAUSE they are incandescent you definitely won't want your headlights to also be drawing power while you have them on in camp (unless you really do want all the lights on, but there's nothing stopping you from doing that either).