Drving lamp = fog light?

[RavoHimself]

do you think that if i mount high powered driving lamps low enough, they would be good fog lights. i really want to go far and light up the sides of the roads but still be able to go through fog with out the glare

 

[nitrofan1]

The issue there is wide and long. Fog lights are designed for short distances plus wide beams. Driving lights project a pencil beam far out in front. Also the lenses are different. The fogs are a patterned glass for bad weather and the driving are either clear or patterned for distance.

Now you may put fog lenses on driving lights but I don't think it will do what you want.

Best bet to have both is buy both.

 

[Scotty J.]

HERE is a good write up on fog lamps. It's unbiased and will explain what you want and what you don't.

 

[RavoHimself]

The issue there is wide and long. Fog lights are designed for short distances plus wide beams. Driving lights project a pencil beam far out in front.

thats not entirely true. fog lights are short and wide but driving lamps are not the pencil beams. they are less wide than fogs but still wide and just go further.

but that link really helped. I think i'll just end up buying 6 lights. haha. 2 fogs. 2 pencils and 2 driving lamps.

 

[RavoHimself]

Also. what is the difference between the hella 500's and the hella 500ff's. i know the ff is free form but what does that mean. I think i read the the ff's go further than the 500's but are skinnier. is that right?

 

[02RangerXLT]

The regular 500's are driving lights, the FF's are fog lights...

 

[Crane]

Actually, the 500s come in both a driving and fog pattern, and used the lens to form the pattern

The 500FFs also come in both a driving and fog pattern, and use the reflector to form the pattern

Kinda like how the rangers up until 2000 used the lens to form the pattern, but in 2001 it was changed to a clear lens and the reflector forms the pattern

EDIT: heres some pictures to help
These are both 500FFs, with the Fog beam on the left and the Driving beam on the right
Note the clear lenses and the cover over the bulb on the fog model to prevent glare, and how different the reflectors on the fog and driving models are

I don't have any regular 500 models, but heres a picture of them
The fog models are the top two, and the driving is the bottom
Note how they have rippled lenses, and how different the fog and driving lenses are

 

[RavoHimself]

thanks crane. that helps. now my next question. how far will the 500ff fog lights go down the road if aimed higher. because i like how wide they are and would like to use them with the driving lamps to light everywhere up

 

[Crane]

thanks crane. that helps. now my next question. how far will the 500ff fog lights go down the road if aimed higher. because i like how wide they are and would like to use them with the driving lamps to light everywhere up

I can actually help you with that lol
The fog and driving lights can go in the same housing, and my driving light housings are aimed higher right now.
Do you want both fog lights aimed high, or one fog light and one driving light?

 

[Scotty J.]

I think i'll just end up buying 6 lights. haha. 2 fogs. 2 pencils and 2 driving lamps.

Thats kind of where I'm going with my lighting. I have the 2 fogs (KC 2x6 Amber), the Rally 800 Directionals up front, and I'm about to add 4 Rally 800 Driving to a Roll Bar. That should cover all boundaries so to speak LOL.

 

[RavoHimself]

well i actually think i'm going to do 6 lights. I'll do all ff's since they are brighter. but i'll put 2 fogs in the bumper( i'll cut holes in it if i have to) and aim them low and close, and then 2 driving and 2 fogs on top of the bumper aimed a good ways away. The lower fogs can have they're own switch but ill run the other 4 on top through the high beams so they go off when the low beams come on. does that sound good. cuz then if i have the top ones on i should be able to have long distance with the driving lamps but really wide with the fogs. sound like a good plan to you guys?

 

[RavoHimself]

How big of an alternator would i need to run my high beams with 4 100w hella's.

 

[EERNGER]

Also. what is the difference between the hella 500's and the hella 500ff's. i know the ff is free form but what does that mean. I think i read the the ff's go further than the 500's but are skinnier. is that right?

Hella 500's and 500 ff's are pretty similar. The FF stands for Free-Form which comes with a different style reflector and lens. Aside from that they are not a heck of a bunch different. I have both 500 and 500FF's on my truck and if one set is brighter than the other, its not by much.

How big of an alternator would i need to run my high beams with 4 100w hella's.

I have my 4 lights running on the stock alternator. I think if you run the relays you might be able to get away with running 100W on a stock alternator. I am going to mod mine out to 100W xenon bulbs here shortly. If you really want to go low draw, you could do the HID mod. i dont know if you have looked into that option yet?