Who is running 55w HIDs in facelift stock fog housings?

[robspeed325i]

I was almost killed last night by some DEER running across the road right in front of me, and I want to upgrade my side-of-the-road lighting as much as possible. I was following about 100yards behind another car so I wasnt running my highbeams, not that they would have helped anyway since the G-D deer (giant satanrats imo) ran from way to the side onto the road.

A long time ago I remember drivin my 87 GLI with 100w H3s on at dusk, and seeing the glowing eyes of these HATErats just WAITING on the side of the road so i had time to slow down and lay on the horn. This time they seemed to come out of nowhere...

Anyway, I want to go extreme on the side lighting, just wondering if 55w HIDs will cook the housings. DDM says the following:

55w Kits are not recommended for smaller fog light housings because they tend to concentrate a large amount of heat in a small area.

yet they fail to say what a "smaller fog light housing" is or means... Obviously from my sig i have a facelift (91) car with stock fogs...

[PiercedE30]

As with any HID bulb, they produce VERY small amounts of heat. At the most, it would be like having a normal bulb in there. The reason is that the HID bulb (the inner area where the gas and tungsten electrodes are) are surrounded by a vacuum in the outer bulb section. And from basic physics, you can't have any form of heat transfer in a vacuum.

[robspeed325i]

As with any HID bulb, they produce VERY small amounts of heat. At the most, it would be like having a normal bulb in there. The reason is that the HID bulb (the inner area where the gas and tungsten electrodes are) are surrounded by a vacuum in the outer bulb section. And from basic physics, you can't have any form of heat transfer in a vacuum.

hmm maybe they mean those little pendant projector housings... i emailed them, will report back...

[PiercedE30]

I know on the E46's, some of them came with LITTLE plastic housings with plastic lenses, that may be what they are referring to.

[robspeed325i]

so you think id be good in facelift glass-lens fog housings? Im also concerned about cooking the reflectors...

[Van Westervelt]

My 35w HIDs havent had any issues in the fogs. Would be less heat than a 100w halogen bulb.

[robspeed325i]

My 35w HIDs havent had any issues in the fogs. Would be less heat than a 100w halogen bulb.

k but im askng about 55w HIDs, not 35w.

What is the difference between 55w and 35w kits?
Our 55w HID kits are 40% brighter than the standard 35w kits.The 55W system ballasts are about 1 cm longer than the 35W ballasts. 55w kits tend to wash out some of the color of the HID bulb due to the light output( for example, a 55w 8000k will look similar in color to a 35w 6000k kit).55w Kits are not recommended for smaller fog light housings because they tend to concentrate a large amount of heat in a small area.

[smonkbmw]

OP: are you running stock sealed beams? or have a elipsoid of some sort? only reason im asking is fogs (especially late model elipsoid fogs) produce low and wide light. the light doesnt really project out that far, its not designed to. i would think by the time the light coming out of the fogs were able to illuminate something on the road side i.e. deer, it would be too late to see.

[robspeed325i]

OP: are you running stock sealed beams? or have a elipsoid of some sort? only reason im asking is fogs (especially late model elipsoid fogs) produce low and wide light. the light doesnt really project out that far, its not designed to. i would think by the time the light coming out of the fogs were able to illuminate something on the road side i.e. deer, it would be too late to see.

wow,,, hence the desire to boost output. I believe I can aim them up/out slightly to fire the light into the weeds a bit better, without blinding oncoming drivers or attracting tickets. One problem with HIDs on lowbeams, imo, is they are so bright right in front of the car that they blind you to everything else. I'll probably get 3k 55w HIDs for the fogs to help with this issue (yellow light is easier on the eyes)...

p.s. yes they are late elipsoid (stock) fogs...

[Van Westervelt]

k but im askng about 55w HIDs, not 35w.

Nice attitude noob. :down:

I made that statement because I dont think you need 55w HID bulbs in your fogs. You will do fine with 35w, and no heat issues. Fogs arent designed to be run in all weather and at night, merely in adverse weather. Even with the ellipsoidal fogs in our cars, you will blind others with HIDs in the fogs. Ask me I know. That is also why most states have a law against running foglights during the day or in traffic.

[smonkbmw]

wow,,, hence the desire to boost output. I believe I can aim them up/out slightly to fire the light into the weeds a bit better, without blinding oncoming drivers or attracting tickets. One problem with HIDs on lowbeams, imo, is they are so bright right in front of the car that they blind you to everything else. I'll probably get 3k 55w HIDs for the fogs to help with this issue (yellow light is easier on the eyes)...

p.s. yes they are late elipsoid (stock) fogs...

sounds like your low beams are not aimed properly.

the useable light from a fog light lens even with a 35watt hid behind it is about 50ft. if you are traveling anywhere past 30mph that 50ft of vision isnt crap. doesnt sound like hid fogs will do what youre looking for except give you good lighting as the deer ends up on your hood.

[robspeed325i]

Nice attitude noob. :down:

I made that statement because I dont think you need 55w HID bulbs in your fogs. You will do fine with 35w, and no heat issues. Fogs arent designed to be run in all weather and at night, merely in adverse weather. Even with the ellipsoidal fogs in our cars, you will blind others with HIDs in the fogs. Ask me I know. That is also why most states have a law against running foglights during the day or in traffic.

what can I say, i ask one question and get answers to other questions i never asked. sorry for what you percieve to be a bad attitude.

im fine with only running the fogs on rural roads/ at night. I disagree with you on that. I use them as cornering lights and to help spot asshole animals who might want to commit suicide by car. Contrary to the other poster's opinion I believe I can aim the HID fogs out to the side with sufficient reach (4000 lumens over stock, what, 800?) to help me with my deer problem, without bothering oncoming peeps. or at least bothering them less than if i ran with highbeams on.... anyway we shall see once i hear back from ddm about running 55s in stock facelift housings.