Auxiliary Lighting

[ccrider]

I need input on a wiring harness for my IPF lights so I can activate them with the OEM switch in the dash of my 2006 Tacoma. I would like to be able to use the existing fog light wiring that I disconnected when I installed my Bullbar.

Thanks
Chris

[asteffes]

Just use the factory wiring to activate the relay in your IPF's harness.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Since this is an already started Aux Lighting thread......I thought I would start here.

I desperatly need more/better lighting for Foggy conditions! Coming down from Lake Arrowhead on Sunday, I could hardly see my hand in front of my face! My truck is higher than stock which means my headlights are high off the ground. This creates a terrible white out glare in heavy fog!

Also......I want to have a pair of Off Road lights. But I don't want my truck to look silly with huge lights all over the place!

I like Hella products........

Has anyone used these "Optilux" dual driving/fog lights (http://www.classicgarage.com/dualfogmod20.html)? Do you like them and do they really work? Can I put brighter bulbs in them. (I found a closeout set at wally world for only $30 bucks!)

I thought about putting these Optilux down low on my front Valance.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/wcsstore/jcwhitney/images/imagecache/G_13770G_SW_1.gif;pvcab7d7c6a9a93d8f


Then on my front Bumper..........maybe a set of Hella 500 .....or smaller size if they have it. I need the lights to be very THIN like these 500's....because my bumper is very close to my grill. I've read how some guys wire up these 500's to their High Beam Switch. Is this OK to do? Is it better to wire them to a seperate switch? What are the pro's and con's.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0002M9TQW.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V62243876_.jpg

What would you do/use?


So to recap...........

The Optilux way down low would be for Fog/Driving ON the hwy.

The Hella 500....on the top of bumper.... would be used for off road or back country hwy.





................

By the way...........We had a really fun afternoon at the Lake Arrowhead Oktoberfest! Here is an example of the Fog along the lake at 2PM. After dark it was impossible to drive!

I wanted to take my 911 up for the Porsche Parade....but I'm so glad I didn't! Fog!....Rock Slides!....YIKES!

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i156/ScenicWonderRunner/2006_1014OktoberfestLakeArrow0031.jpg

[Brian894x4]

I use yellow lights for fog. Yellow doesn't reflect against fog like white does, so it actually allows you see through the fog, at least a short distance. They don't work very well in clear weather, because the light doesn't cast very far, but they work wonders in fog for sure.

I have a pair of lights similier style to the Opilux ones you pointed out, but with a yellow tinted reflector. I've put 100 watt bulbs in them. They throw down a very low, very wide pattern that lights up the road directly in front of you easier.

I wanted more fog light, but couldn't find a round style with the yellow reflector at a reasonable cost, so I found some Hella H3? bulbs with yellow lens and stuck them in a couple 5" smaller procomp lights and mounted them at headlight level.

I figured the next time I'm driving that windy shelf road where I can't see the front of my hood, I'll turn off my head lights and just drive off the fog lights. Of course, I wouldn't recommend this on a public highway, although sometimes you may not have a choice if it gets that bad.

I decided to do the fog light thing last year when I was coming down this hairy road out of the mountains and literally would have had to have someone walk out in front of me to see the road...except that I didn't have anybody available. It was a shelf road and when I suddenly felt my right front tire slip off the road, I stopped, backed up and got out and realized I was at a hairpin turn and was literally driving off the side of a cliff. Luckily I was only going about 2 mph. The guy behind me had it easy. He just had to follow my flashing amber strobe. I was reminded of a bunch of forest fire fighters that were killed because they drove off a logging road in thick smoke a few years ago and how that was almost me, because I had nothing but white lights. Fog can be extremely serious and deadly, no doubt.

All my off road lights are wired with the white spotlights on a seperate switch from the fog lights. Both sets of lights are wired to a 3 position switch, with one position turning the lights on with the high beams and another turning them on or off manually. Since my Toyota doesn't have a seperate fuse for the high beams and the high beam circuit is buried in the headlight switch, I tapped into one of the headlight high beam plugs as the source for my switch.

[njtaco]

I have the same optilux lights you posted...(top pic)

They leak water in...in rain, washing the truck, etc. - I have not submerged them yet. I have them installed in the lower bumper in my Tacoma. The leaks seem to be around the gasket between the lens and the light body. Probably could be stopped with some RTV, but I have not bothered yet.

They failed inspection...(New Jersey)...no DOT designation, or whatever they were looking for- I had to make and install covers for them to pass. Check with your home state, I guess.

As posted above, yellow would be better for fog...I think hella has these in yellow also, but quality is... well, you are getting what you pay for. Relays were "cheesy" (but worked) and wire guage is very thin (numerically high). Bullet connectors need to be cut out, and proper watertight connections made.

Other than that, they do make a noticeable difference compared to driving with my otherwise stock headlamps.

Hope this helps...:confused:

[jeff@work]

ccrider - I agree with asteffes, just use the existing fog light wires to activate the IPF relay.

Mark - You might want to consider upgrading to e-code headlights. They throw a much more focused beam and should really reduce the glare in fog or snow. I just installed these on my van and it looks like they're the same headlights as you have on the 4 runner. The lights produce a sharp cutoff and I really think they're going to make a huge difference in fog or snow, hopefully it'll snow tonight and i'll get to test them out. Mine are the 200 mm rectangular lenses and i got them for just under $40 on ebay...after looking around i noticed that summitracing also carries hella e-codes for $40. I'll let you know what i think once i get to drive them in some bad weather.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Thanks guys............!

This info has been great!

It might even save somebody's life one day!

Here is kind of the configuration I was talking about above. But here with the Huge fogs down low.....I dunno....kinda looks funny to me.....would take some getting used to.

...and Jeff....I was looking up E~Codes today trying to learn more about them...Thanks!

....and Brian.....you need to start writting some 4x4 books already Dude!....hehe Your info is Awesome! And Brian....kind of along the lines of your story. Sunday night it was so bad we were at about 3mph at one point and just looking straight down at the lines. At one point I was looking to the right shoulder at the white line and all of a sudden I felt the truck curving up and to the right following this same white line. I realized I had followed this white line from the main road which then curved up to the right, up a right hand turn off our main road! There should have been some kind of break in the white line or some way of telling where the main road is. I can see how one could very easily drive off a cliff!

Thanks Everyone!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/diablo007/Jeep/508f564e.jpg
(this is NOT my truck)

[asteffes]

Hella 500s are decent lights. One of their drawbacks is they are limited to 55 watt bulbs. Any higher and you risk melting the plastic housings. The IPF 968 offers at-least-as-good beam performance and slim form factor but also the option to use 100 watt bulbs without risk. I think this is a huge win.

After installing 80/100 watt H4 bulbs into my '06's headlamps, the 55 watt 500s do very little to provide better lighting. 100 watt Rallye 4000s are definitely helpful, and I would imagine 100 watt IPF 968s to be very good, too. Definitely consider them.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Thanks!

I'm reading every post in detail!


......another idea I had while blinded by the fog is this.

What about getting a Receiver Hitch Brake Light......sticking a much brighter bulb in it. Hook it up to a seperate switch.

Now you have a European Style High Intensity Rear Fog Marker Light!

So somebody does not come flying up your rear end! The one pictured is LED style......only pic I could find quick, but I'm talking about going as bright as you can using a single bulb style.

It was very hard to see the back of cars in the heavy fog.

What do you think?

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000AOMXW4.01-A2KS909NHKAGWY._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1124413232_.jpg

[asteffes]

Anything used as a brake light should be plenty bright for a rear fog light. Just wire it up to be on with its own switch. Should work fine.

[robert]

I had Hella 500s on my Land Cruiser- I wouldn't buy them again. I ran 100w bulbs in them but after several years the lenses fogged and the plastic housings weren't in very good shape (due to UV breaking them down, not the heat). I finally snapped one off with a branch one day and never bother to replace them.

My old Tacoma had Hella 4000s which I would recomend without reservation- they were very good lights. I like the newer smaller style even better.

In all honesty, if you replace your headlights with some decent 55/100s or 80/100s you should be good to go for most driving conditions. http://www.rallylights.com/hella/H4.asp

The tail lights on my VW bus aren't the brightest in the world so I added some reflective tape across the bumper; the bumper is white so it's not very noticable during the day, but makes a big difference at night when you come up behind it with headlights on. Also, make sure you have bright bulbs in your third brake light.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I did not realize the 500's were plastic!.....YUK!

I do like the 4000.....in the compact size and was looking at those.

I think I will start with amber fog lights down on the lower Valance.

Then replace my standard sealed beam headlights with the E~Code Replacements that can take the H4 bulbs.

OK.....

In looking up E~Codes I found the following..........


I found these El Cheapos made in who knows where for $12.97 each.....plus bulbs and it has a little "city light" inside. (are these the kind you find on eBay)

http://www.sportcompactonly.com/product.aspx?p=101965&c=110&l=2

http://www.sportcompactonly.com/_lib/skins/_main/images/products/101965/101965-143993-l.jpg


Then I found these Hellas......which I know are the best.....but they are about $100 for the pair with bulbs!...YIKES!

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/200mm.asp


I bet the El Cheapo's front glass is just not cut and aimed properly. Does anyone have experience with these?

And Jeff............what Brand Name are your new lights from eBay and how do you like them?

[njtaco]

$100 doesn't sound too bad for what you get with the hella's, IMHO. They seem to offer the most versatility, too. (Different bulbs available anywhere.)

You would upgrade your wiring harness with relays, right?

[Scenic WonderRunner]

$100 doesn't sound too bad for what you get with the hella's, IMHO. They seem to offer the most versatility, too. (Different bulbs availble anywhere.)

You would upgrade your wiring harness with relays, right?


I have no idea about replays......or if my stock lighting wires could handle up to the 130 watt high beam bulbs.

Can my stock system handle the 100/80 watt ....or 130/90 watt bulbs?


Here is some good info I just found.............. (http://www.rallylights.com/useful_info/Vision_Plus.htm)

There are four basic differences between a Vision Plus (DOT Approved) and a Hella Euro Conversion.

First is in the lighting pattern. For us in the US the regulations date from the 50's. The US DOT mandates a dispersed pattern that puts a percentage of the light output UP and to both sides of the road so that overhead or roadside signs, which may not have other lighting or reflective characteristics, are lit for you.

The European standard allows all the light to go on the road - they have a law that any overhead or roadside sign has to have it's own, independent lighting or must be highly reflective. So not only is there more light on the road with your low-beams, the high-beams are more precise as well. There is also a triangle of light on the right side to light up roadside signs. Lamps sold in places where they drive on the left side of the road, like England and Japan, have that triangle on the left side.

The effect is that the Euro lights actually put more light on the road for you to drive with, and offend oncoming traffic MUCH LESS because of the sharp cutoff in the lighting pattern. And all of this with the same wattage lamps as in the US.

That's on low beam. Because of the low-beam requirements and the way that screws up the lens and reflector design, it's impossible to get a good high beam. Although the Vision Plus is substantially better than your typical off-the-shelf sealed beam, it's performance falls short of the Hella Euro Conversion.

The second difference is that DOT also required that the lamp have the three Aiming Lugs on the face of the lens. This requirement was dropped in the 2000 DOT Standard when visual aiming was approved. The Vision Plus lamps still have the Aiming Lugs, E-code lamps do not.

Third, the lamp must have DOT molded into the face to confirm that it meets DOT. E-code lamps have E1 molded into the lens.

Fourth, the lamp must not have more than 60 watts on high beam and 55 watts on low beam. The Vision Plus comes with a 60/55w H4/HB2 bulb in it in order to meet the DOT standard. The E-code lamps have no bulb because there are many variations in wattage and color available. It is not recommended to put a higher wattage bulb in a Vision Plus because the light pattern could dazzle oncoming traffic.

If you can upgrade to the Hella Euro conversions, then this is the least expensive, easiest and most beneficial upgrade you can make to your forward lighting.

[shawkins]

Finally something I can put good input on!

I had El Cheapo H4 housings on my '91 with 55/100W bulbs. Worked alot better then stock.

I then took a rock through one of the housings. So I decided to upgrade to the Hellas. What a difference! Wayyy better then the El Cheapos! I then found a new set of the ubber rare '90-'91 4Runner and pickup headlight guards and put those on to protect me $50ea. Hella housings. I have been running this setup for several months now and it is great!

I am still using the stock wiring too with the 55/100W bulbs and dont have a problem. Although for long term I know I should get and upgrade harness and plan to soon.

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Thanks shawkins!

Very helpful! We do get what we pay for!

Like you.....I also thought about putting some kind of protective cover over my new $100 E~Code Hella housings.

While poking around the Rallylights site some more.......

I found this Very helpful page!

Hella Bulb Help......Everything you ever wanted to know!!!!!!!!!!!....a hellavalotofinfo! (http://www.rallylights.com/hella/bulb_help.htm)




Do I Need to Upgrade My Wiring?

"Before you spend the money for upgraded bulbs, you might want to evaluate your wiring. First, with a good Voltmeter, measure the voltage output of your alternator. With the engine off, clip the leads of the Voltmeter to the alternator and tie them back so they don't get tangled in the belts or the fan. Start the engine and run it up to about 2000 rpm. Note the voltage and shut off the engine. Now move the Positive Voltmeter lead to the back of the bulb - you'll have to pierce the insulation to do this. Leave the ground lead where it was. Now start the engine again and turn on your lights. Note the voltage, shut off the engine, remove the test leads and seal the punctured insulation with Silicon RTV. If your voltage drop is over 1 volt, you have some repairs to make even before you upgrade your bulbs. Look for loose or corroded connections, loose or corroded fuses or relays. Repair any problems."

[njtaco]

A couple of good links there.

IMHO, do the described voltage test (above), and upgrade the wiring harness/add relays regardless of the results, if you go with "brighter" bulbs (loosely used terms, here.) Then do the same test, and post up results! Inquiring minds want to know! I have no doubt that you will see a significant difference in both voltage at the lamp, and in usable light.

If you do upgrade any wiring, be sure to do both sides of the circuit, both hot and ground. No sense upgrading one without the other.

Looking forward to more...

[njtaco]

(hijack)


I then found a new set of the ubber rare '90-'91 4Runner and pickup headlight guards and put those on to protect me $50ea.

I have not seen those! Do you have a pic?

(end hijack)

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I also looked at other options today because I could not figure out how bright the H4 Bulbs are on the color temp. scale.

I looked at some Silverstar 6054's ....sealed beam today. $19.99 each....and there may even be a little rebate going on right now.

With the H4's.....anything above legal wattage...is ...well.....illegal.

With the Silverstars.......I would be legal, but even though this is a 4000K bulb....would it be as bright as a 100 watt H4...?

Where do the higher watt H4's hit on the color temp. scale....and does this really matter? Are they actually brighter than the Silverstars?


Kelvin.....Color Temp Scale........... (http://www.sylvania.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=72&EXTRA_ARG=FILTERNAME%3D%2540URL%00%26FILTERVALUE%3 Dwww%252Esylvania%252Ecom&host_id=42&page_id=4130048&query=silverstar+ultra&hiword=ultra+silverstar+SILVERSTARS+)




.

[asteffes]

Color temperature does not equate to brightness. In fact, as color temp goes up, lumens usually go down. Silverstars may look brighter because the light is more white than standard bulbs, but having used them myself I cannot say they are any brighter or light up the night any better than a standard halogen bulb at the same wattage.

Now, I standard bulb at 80 or 100 watts is another story entirely...

[ducktapeguy]

Man I love lights. If only I could find a way to mount one of these :sunny: on the front of my car.

About the wiring, I'd suggest upgrading anytime you go to higher wattage. I know of at least two people who've melted their stock wiring going with higher wattage 85/100W bulbs. If you're lucky, it'll just be the easily accessible headlight plug that melts, but it could happen anywhere there's high resistance. It might work for a little while (my friends didn't melt until a year later) but you're taking a pretty big risk.

An aftermarket or homemade wiring harness will not only be safer, but you'll probably get a lot more light out of it too. The voltage/brightness curve isn't linear, so a 1.2 volt drop could cause a lot more than a 10% loss in brightness, I think it's more like 30%, but don't quote me on that. Either way, it's worth it to get every last bit of electricity to the bulbs by using relays and heavier gauge wire.

I've also used some of the cheap Pep Boys "rallye" lights before. I assumed light output would be similar to a Hella, just lower build quality. But there is a difference in the amount of light also, I dunno if it's due to the quality of the reflector or focusing. Even with upgraded 100w bulbs in them, they were pretty disappointing, not to mention the amount of glare everywhere.

This used to be the setup on my car (on the right). 2 35W HID's + 2 100W Lightforces on the front + 4 100W spotlights on the roof. So about 750W of lights (if you include the fogs). I think I added a couple extra batteries just to run the extra lights. This was only temporary though, most of the lights are back on my cruiser or jeep. I've kinda grown tired of the multiple light look, plus I didn't like the beam patterns I was getting, so now I just concentrate on trying to get maximum brightness from a minimum amount of lights. If I were to start over again, I'd recommend upgrading the headlight wiring and bulbs to 80W/100W to try and get the most out of the stock headlights, and have 2 250W lightforces on the front running on a separate circuit.