Lights, lights, lights ... (long)

["Andrei Broder" <broder@pa.dec.com>]

1) A while ago there was some discussion about the merits of different
bulbs.  Here is some additional data (from an old Marshall catalog)
about their efficiency in lumens per watt:

H1 - 29 lm/w  
H2 - 33 lm/w  
H3 - 26 lm/w  
H4 - 28 lm/w

I don't know if this is for Marshall bulbs, all bulbs, or minimum
requirements. 

H2 is clearly the best for auxiliary lights, but has to be positioned
very precisely -- this makes the H2 lamps substantially more expensive.

2) PIAA - Their  phone number is 1-800-525-7422.  Their stuff is very
well made -- die cast housings and brackets, heat resistant plastic
tubing on the harness, beefy connectors, etc.  They also make nice
bulbs with ceramic bases and some "ion crystal" H3 bulbs which supposedly
give a yellowish tint light without any intensity loss as in regular
yellow bulbs.  Rather expensive at about $20 a pop but the tint is
very nice indeed -- don't know about the no loss claim.

I am toying with the idea of replacing the OEM fog lights on my '92 100
CSQ with PIAA's if not too much surgery is needed.

(BTW, the nonsense that goes in fog lights marketing is rather funny
-- my current favorite are the FET guys that advertise (inner back
cover of European Car) their lights with "bolocilicate" (sic) lens
presumably made of recycled bolo ties.  Of course, it should be
"borosilicate" of which plenty can be found in my kitchen as
Pyrex. Not so exciting as bolocilicate though.)

3) A question: the new A6 comes with projector lamps.  Could they be
retrofitted to a 92 100 ?   Assuming that the answer is yes, what
would be better: the projector lamps or the Euro lights?   The Euro
lights are about $470 from PAP and they claim they just bolt in.

4) Rear fog lights.  (One or two?, when?) Here is the relevant portion
from CVC (California Vehicle Code):

 24602.  (a) Any vehicle may be equipped with not more than two red
 fog taillamps mounted on the rear which may be lighted, in addition
 to the required taillamps, only when atmospheric conditions, such as
 fog, rain, snow, smoke, or dust, reduce the daytime or nighttime
 visibility of other vehicles to less than 500 feet.
    (b) Such lamps shall be installed as follows:
    (1) When two lamps are installed, one shall be mounted at the left
 side and one at the right side at the same level and as close as
 practical to the sides.  When one lamp is installed, it shall be as
 close as practical to the left side.
    (2) The lamps shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher
 than 60 inches.
    (3) The edge of the lens of the lamp shall be no closer than four
 inches from the edge of the lens of any stoplamp.
    (4) The lamps shall be wired so they can be turned on only when
 the headlamps are on and shall have a switch that allows them to be
 turned off when the headlamps are on.
    (5) A nonflashing amber pilot light which is lighted when the
 lamps are turned on shall be mounted in a location readily visible to
 the driver.
 
What's interesting is that rear fog lamps are supposed to be used only in
bad conditions.  No such restriction for front fog lamps except that no
more than four front lamps can be on at any one time.  

Why cops prefer to enforce 22349 (".. no person shall drive a vehicle
upon a highway at a speed greater than 65 miles per hour") rather than
24602 is a mystery, especially given all the Volvo infractors around
here ...

-- Andrei Broder <broder@pa.dec.com>

Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. --- Mark Twain