[s-cars] Has anyone replaced fogs with HID pencil beams??

[LL - NY]

Jeff,

Glad that I can help.

What I find to be the biggest problem with the UrS DOT lights is the cutoff,
the US cutoff (lacking the kick up to the right of the E-codes) so that even
my HIR 9012's don't quite do it around here. And the factory fogs are simply
pathetic.

The high beams, running 9011's are...legendary.

IMHO, the best thing to do (since you're running TT projectors) is try to
find out a way to change the cutoff (by modifying the mask) to the Euro
pattern. The tough part is, getting the mask precisely back into place.
That'll help alot. Unless you're TT projectors are OEM euro.

As for fogs, I think the only possible solution is add on fogs, which, after
my experience with a number of different Hella fogs (all the way back to
their 171's) is that Hella just plain knows what they're doing with flat,
spread beam lamps, the Micro DE's so far being the pinnacle. (FWIW, other
than the full on rally fogs, Rallylights.com a.k.a. Susquehanna Motorsports
says the same, which is what got me to go for them). The biggest problem is
mounting, 'cuz the lamps aren't small, just the opening. To get the optical
characteristics desired, they have to be deep, which is the problem.

FWIW, the MicroDE's are really well made, and superior to the factory VAG
lamps. There is absolutely no color fringing near the cutoff, nor the edges
of the Micro DE's, which is more than I can say about any of the factory
projector lamps I've seen on cars.

LL - NY

On 10/28/08, Postupack, Jeff <Jeff.Postupack at analog.com> wrote:
>
>  Larry
>
> Great to hear from you this AM.. and now that I read your email,  helps a
> lot.
>
> and it was more important for me to see around corners than distance
> you are right on target with point of importance.. here in NH.
>
> After I posted, I did find the mechanical drawing to show Micro DE's
> are way too big to fit inside the lamp.
>
> Perhaps I can upgrade my fogs to a better bulb and get wider field of view
> to see Bambi first..
>
> My driving lights idea comes from the I89 route north for 60 miles which I
> drive weekly.
>
> There be the long stretches of new pavement, and in right conditions, with
> Lidatek "a Jammin'
> and V1 detectin' ...
>
> as Bob Seger writes"  Roll me away.. "
>
> Jeff
>
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* LL - NY [mailto:larrycleung at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, October 28, 2008 11:03 AM
> *To:* Postupack, Jeff
> *Cc:* s-car-list at audifans.com
> *Subject:* Re: [s-cars] Has anyone replaced fogs with HID pencil beams??
>
> Jeff,
>
> I have Micro DE fogs on my Saabaru (to replace the useless OEM ones) and
> from the size of the housing there is no way for them to fit in the same
> location as the OEM UrS fogs. They are much larger in not only housing size
> but lens aperature.
>
> Optically the performance of the lamps is quite impressive as fogs. They
> actually have a bit more reach (on the sides) than the pretty decent factory
> Saabaru headlamps with H1 High Eff + bulbs (~1800 lumens) so I'd imagine the
> easier to design (optically) pencil beams would be remarkably impressive. At
> about 200 yards, the spread of the beam is easily 300 yards +, very evenly
> spread. It's such that they are even effective when I trigger the high
> beams, the wide spread beam is still a visible enhancement of vision, and it
> has helped keep me from being surprised by the massive local Bambi
> population lurking around the unlit blind hills and curves where I live.
>
> FWIW, I opted for fogs vs. pencil or flood beams because I, like you, live
> in the middle of nowhere (East Bumf_ _ k for those of you not familiar with
> nowhere, sort of a northern version of Bob Myer's haunt) and it was more
> important for me to see around corners than distance. There really aren't
> enough straightish sections around here to utilize the ludicrous speed
> option of either car,
> you just don't know what's lurking over the next hilltop or corner....
>
> In any event, the Micro DE's are, IMHO, exceptional lamps. Just trying to
> figure out how to effectively mount a set to the //S6 without owning an
> FMIC, nor LLtek front valence.
>
> HTH, and my $0.02,
>
> LL - NY
> On 10/28/08, Postupack, Jeff <Jeff.Postupack at analog.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hey  How's Da list guys?
>>
>> So winter is the time of darkness in NH.. And I wanted to add driving
>> lights.
>> Drew (my son) and I were driving other night, I suggested these as an
>> ad-on photon source.
>>
>> http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/hella/micro_de_xenon.jsp
>>
>> Was going to bolt them inside the hood (behind grill) , where I found
>> some factory holes.
>> (may have to perforate the Kamei grill.)
>>
>> Drew suggested I replace the fogs, as my fog lights don't do enough to
>> call it substantial.
>>
>> So I'm curious this AM, on any lighting projects you guys may have done!
>>
>> Note: This S6 has retrofit OEM TT- Xenon lows, Euro hella lamps (entire
>> housing) and H1 highs.
>> I did change the bulbs using Daniel Stern's recommendation.. Still not
>> enough.
>>
>> I'm a sparky so I can figure out the electrical part easy enough.
>>
>> Then I would have a Low/Medium/High 'quasar' like front end.. Switched
>> by the column stalk.,
>> Jeff
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>