options for non-morimoto aftermarket fog lights
12-31-2018, 01:50 PM
#1
options for non-morimoto aftermarket fog lights
So the oem 2013 6MT Sedan fog lights are a waste of photons. This is a sedan with the sport bumper BTW. Folks recommend the morimoto XBs, with good reason. But... I prefer amber or yellow or dichroic fog lights.
So what is out there that has a sharp cut off, and either comes in yellow or that I can put an incandescent bulb in?
I usually get bulbs from rallylights.com. I've used optiluxe yellow bulbs in my Mazda 3, CX5, RX-8 (same assembly), RX7s and a Mini Cooper with really solid results. Looking for something like that - appearance matters much less than function.
I've done my due diligence googling, and what I see are LED based assemblies with zero pictures of beam pattern, or oem replacements. The Morimotos look great but are blue white and they just recommend a gel overlay to turn them yellow - that filters out a lot of the light output of a white LED bulb. I don't *need* LED fogs, so that isn't a priority.
So what is out there that has a sharp cut off, and either comes in yellow or that I can put an incandescent bulb in?
I usually get bulbs from rallylights.com. I've used optiluxe yellow bulbs in my Mazda 3, CX5, RX-8 (same assembly), RX7s and a Mini Cooper with really solid results. Looking for something like that - appearance matters much less than function.
I've done my due diligence googling, and what I see are LED based assemblies with zero pictures of beam pattern, or oem replacements. The Morimotos look great but are blue white and they just recommend a gel overlay to turn them yellow - that filters out a lot of the light output of a white LED bulb. I don't *need* LED fogs, so that isn't a priority.
12-31-2018, 10:45 PM
#2
I have the Morimotos on my coupe. Eh, not impressed, beam pattern is good, but they aren't very bright , no matter how much people say they are. I bench tested mine at only 5 watts a side! I believe Morimoto claimed they are 9 or 10 watts. nope. Wattage mattters on LED lights because GOOD LEDs are about 100 lumens a watt, so I'm at 500 lumens a side? When my HIDs are around 3000 lumens each.
Yellow overlays on LED fogs creates a slightly greenish yellow color.
It'd be nice if these "Morimoto" OEM style LED fogs a) were full power per advertising, b) had an actual yellow LED chips to produce actual yellow light, heck even better let us have dual-color select-ability.
The stock fog housing are rubbish. But, in the past I have used 3000K HIDs in stock fog housings with some success, they will be glary but because they are yellow and low to the ground the glare isn't bad. Just remember to get GOOD 3000K HIDs, because the HID bulbs needs to be a warm white color (4200-4300K) before the yellow coating is applied, otherwise some brands of yellow HID are greenish because a 5000K or 6000K bulb was coated yellow (dichroic yellow).
A really good option is the mini projectors with a 3000K HID retrofitted into stock housings. BUT, I think some G's have washer fluid reservoir issues on the passenger side, and projector retrofits require a little more depth.
I have been looking at the OEM Q60 LED fogs, they seem to have a nearly identical housing and connector to our OEM fogs, looks like a direct swap with a simple flat metal adapter bracket for one side. I wonder if these can be opened? You could take out the white LEDs and either find good yellow LEDs or install warm-white LEDs and a yellow coating to get bright yellow light.
Food for thought
Yellow overlays on LED fogs creates a slightly greenish yellow color.
It'd be nice if these "Morimoto" OEM style LED fogs a) were full power per advertising, b) had an actual yellow LED chips to produce actual yellow light, heck even better let us have dual-color select-ability.
The stock fog housing are rubbish. But, in the past I have used 3000K HIDs in stock fog housings with some success, they will be glary but because they are yellow and low to the ground the glare isn't bad. Just remember to get GOOD 3000K HIDs, because the HID bulbs needs to be a warm white color (4200-4300K) before the yellow coating is applied, otherwise some brands of yellow HID are greenish because a 5000K or 6000K bulb was coated yellow (dichroic yellow).
A really good option is the mini projectors with a 3000K HID retrofitted into stock housings. BUT, I think some G's have washer fluid reservoir issues on the passenger side, and projector retrofits require a little more depth.
I have been looking at the OEM Q60 LED fogs, they seem to have a nearly identical housing and connector to our OEM fogs, looks like a direct swap with a simple flat metal adapter bracket for one side. I wonder if these can be opened? You could take out the white LEDs and either find good yellow LEDs or install warm-white LEDs and a yellow coating to get bright yellow light.
Food for thought
01-07-2019, 09:00 AM
#3
What about these? Mini HID Bi-Xenon Retrofit Projector OEM Replacement Fog Lamps
Projectors that retrofit into the stock location. Not too expensive, and you can use incandescent, LED or HID bulbs. I'd be leaning towards yellow HID as above or the rallylights bulbs I've used for years.
Projectors that retrofit into the stock location. Not too expensive, and you can use incandescent, LED or HID bulbs. I'd be leaning towards yellow HID as above or the rallylights bulbs I've used for years.
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Diode Dynamics (01-09-2019)
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01-13-2019, 10:47 AM
#9
I thought the 2013 sport fogs were the same as the IPLs? Or is my google-fu letting me down this chilly sunday morning?
I'm intending to try the projectors I linked above. Once I see what the cutoff shield looks like, might go HID. I originally put HIDs in my RX8 without converting the cutoff and reflectors and it was a glare-y nightmare... eventually found broken headlights to take the HID projectors from.
I'm intending to try the projectors I linked above. Once I see what the cutoff shield looks like, might go HID. I originally put HIDs in my RX8 without converting the cutoff and reflectors and it was a glare-y nightmare... eventually found broken headlights to take the HID projectors from.
01-13-2019, 05:53 PM
#10
Yeah don't bother with HIDs in OEM fog housings, doesn't matter what model G they are from, all Nissan OEM fog housings are weak sauce. May look good against a wall with 3000K HIDs, but I've done this before and the actual light output is probably far too low for what you are hoping for.
I will say though, 3000K HIDs in OEM Nissan/Infinit fogs aren't too "glary" for other drivers. And, they look good, but they don't put light on the road like I think you are going for.
I'll be watching to see if you go with those projector fogs. I have done a retrofit to my Nissan Titan, loving my projectors in that. They are far better than my Q60 projectors (could be my HIDs are getting old) and I have been considering upgrading the OEM Nissan fogs too.
I will say though, 3000K HIDs in OEM Nissan/Infinit fogs aren't too "glary" for other drivers. And, they look good, but they don't put light on the road like I think you are going for.
I'll be watching to see if you go with those projector fogs. I have done a retrofit to my Nissan Titan, loving my projectors in that. They are far better than my Q60 projectors (could be my HIDs are getting old) and I have been considering upgrading the OEM Nissan fogs too.
01-13-2019, 08:46 PM
#12
I bought the 3k Led foglight bulbs, I was worried about too much glare with the HID but maybe I should have there is no doubt the foglights are a let down in performance, this has to be the lest output I have had with foglights, not that any factory ones are steller. I guess we will see how the leds look and perform I will post pictures when I get it all together, I am going 5k vled switchbacks, the 5k 194 park light, I also have coming upgrades for my HID phillips xtreme 2nd gen 4800k bulbs, and of course the 3k led foglight bulbs.
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jpowersjr2 (01-14-2019)
01-14-2019, 01:36 PM
#15
LEDs in a properly designed housing is pretty stellar. See the new Mazda headlights (miata and CX9) that are very thin but have nice sharp cutoffs and plenty of usable light. I think the new Cadillacs are using those too.
LEDS retrofitted into anything else are a compromise. Same with HIDs retrofitted into an incandescent housing - the light source is differently shaped and the light dispersion between LED and the other two are different.
My primary goal is low-height flat wide light with a super sharp cutoff. Basically, I want to see below the fog and into the ditches on either side of the road. Here in Charleston it is almost tropical and usually 80%+ humidity. Fog obscuring wildlife on the sides of the road is a very real cause of accidents here.
LEDS retrofitted into anything else are a compromise. Same with HIDs retrofitted into an incandescent housing - the light source is differently shaped and the light dispersion between LED and the other two are different.
My primary goal is low-height flat wide light with a super sharp cutoff. Basically, I want to see below the fog and into the ditches on either side of the road. Here in Charleston it is almost tropical and usually 80%+ humidity. Fog obscuring wildlife on the sides of the road is a very real cause of accidents here.