Ho-Hum Foglights, '95

[NC2Stay]

I have had my '95 for about 6 months, but don't do much night driving. I just replaced the old headlights with Sylvania Silverstars and was out tonight testing them.

The headlights are very nice. But I was playing around with the fog lights (yes, the ARE working) but didn't see very much at all. Perhaps its because the new headlights are so good.

Are the fog lights actually helpful and are mine perhaps not working or the right bulb?

Thanks, Bob

 

[6 Shooter]

It might be your new headlights.

The one's on my 96 worked quite well. Personally I think C4 foglights are better than C5 foglights.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[JEFNLSA]

I have had my '95 for about 6 months, but don't do much night driving. I just replaced the old headlights with Sylvania Silverstars and was out tonight testing them.

The headlights are very nice. But I was playing around with the fog lights (yes, the ARE working) but didn't see very much at all. Perhaps its because the new headlights are so good.

Are the fog lights actually helpful and are mine perhaps not working or the right bulb?

Thanks, Bob

I'm sure it is just that the Silverstars are that good. I've heard good things about the Siverstars (and will install on mine). Had you checked the fogs w/ the orig. headlights you may have thought differently.

Jeff

 

[74bigblock]

You have to remember that "Fog lights" are for "Fog". They really are not meant to help light things up under normal conditions. They are placed low so that they are below the level that fog resides at (above 2ft) to aid in lighting up the pavement infront of the car... not to light up all the road and area around the road like regular headlights. If you really want to see how bright they are, try driving without the headlights... and just run the fog lights.


Dave

 

[tlong]

Silverstars bring the illumination to brighter levels over stock. They are whiter. The fog light bulbs are halogen bulbs replaced through little trap doors underneath. Many replace them with the 55 watt version with corresponding fuse upgrade to 10 amps. It won't melt the lense, but it won't set the woods ablaze with light either. I could tell they were on at least. Re-wiring to operate with brights as well is a good idea.

Replacing the turn and reverse bulbs from 1156 to the halogen types made a big difference. They're expensive but worth it if you are a nocturnal cruiser. They really light up the 60 degrees of your turn, about twice as much.

The only alternative is to add some ricer fogs under the nose. Those damn bright things annoy me though on approach.

The main purpose I find in these fog lights is dawn and dusk and rain when you don't want to pull the mains up. A search will yield the proper numbers for brighter bulbs.

 

[6 Shooter]

. . . If you really want to see how bright they are, try driving without the headlights... and just run the fog lights.

Dave

That's the way I tested my C4 & C5, C4 foglights are much brighter.

 

[DanC]

I still have the stock bulbs in my 93. Not very impressive. I use them for daytime running lights .

 

[96corvetteLT4]

The Silverstars are that good. I noticed the same thing when I replaced my headlamps. With the old ones, it would light up the area between the car and the headlamp beams. With the new Silverstars installed, the fog lights became daytime running lights, or lights to use at dusk/dawn when I do not need full headlamps.

 

[JEFNLSA]

The Silverstars are that good. I noticed the same thing when I replaced my headlamps. With the old ones, it would light up the area between the car and the headlamp beams. With the new Silverstars installed, the fog lights became daytime running lights, or lights to use at dusk/dawn when I do not need full headlamps.

Heck, with an endorsement like that, I might have to switch to the Silverstars a little sooner than planned. The old saying, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" may not apply here.

 

[G Winter]

Heck, with an endorsement like that, I might have to switch to the Silverstars a little sooner than planned. The old saying, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" may not apply here.

If I am not mistaken Halogen lights dim with age. If that is the case yours are partway broken, so you need to fix them.

 

[NC2Stay]

Sylvania Silverstar Comments

Just FYI, I got an email back from Sylvania when I asked about the difference between the Silverstar (ST) and the XtraVision (XV) models.

"The SilverStar is the brightest and whitest product that we manufacture currently in a replacement halogen. The SilverStars, at 4000 degrees Kelvin, have the highest street legal color temperature available through Sylvania and are comparable to HID lighting. The SilverStar's higher color temperature provides a crisper white appearance and offers a redesigned coil to direct the light into more usable light in the foreground. This whiter light is better at picking up reflective materials such as animals' eyes, and road signs. And, this does not translate into a "hotter" bulb, it's the same heat temperature as all the halogens. The SilverStars are a performance, premium halogen that has a shorter life span than the standard version. The shorter life span is directly related to the performance nature of the lamps. The blue absorption coating on the glass contributes to the crisp white light emitted, but also traps heat inside the capsule, causing the filament to burn out more quickly, thus decreasing the life. As with most high performance products, there is a trade-off between the higher performance and the life hours, unfortunately. The SilverStar product works harder (not burns hotter, however) to give the whiter, brighter light and that impacts the life hours. The SilverStar product is quoted as "lasting up to a year" (from our FAQ on the website).

The XtraVision is going to provide a wider viewing pattern than the stock halogen providing better peripheral vision, but has the same yellowish tint as the standard halogen. The extra output that is received gives a wider viewing pattern on the road. The XtraVision has a color temperature rating (the way the eye perceives the light) of 3200K."

Bob

 

[wishuwerehere82]

I agree that the C5 Foglights don't really do much.

 

[G Winter]

The SilverStar product works harder (not burns hotter, however) to give the whiter, brighter light and that impacts the life hours. The SilverStar product is quoted as "lasting up to a year" (from our FAQ on the website).Bob

Does that mean a yr of actual use or a realtime yr ? Quite a price to pay for a headlight that only last a yr .

 

[NC2Stay]

I would think that they meant a year of "average use". Your mileage may vary...

From the explanation, they say that the life is reduced because the coating on the bulb keeps more heat inside the bulb itself, and hence lower life - its use related.

I run my Vette rarely if ever at night and I expect the lights will last a long time.

Bob

 

[G Winter]

I drive mine often at night and need to upgrade the headlights. I was thinking of going to the replacable bulb type. Extra initial cost but over the long haul think it might end up cheaper..... but then I own a vette and am worried about cheaper ?:L always trying to squeeze that axtra little bit out of the $

 

[NC2Stay]

Another factor is that it is probably a lot easier to replace the bulb in those darned rotating light assemblies than replacing the whole light.

On the other hand, I paid about $20 ea. for them - not too bad as Vette parts go!

Bob

 

[G Winter]

I haven't done a lot of research on the replacable blulb type. Wonder if they have plastic or glass lenses ? I don't think the plastic would hold up real well.

 

[NC2Stay]

I think you can get both. Some vendors say that the plastic are better for the Vette because they weigh less and so put less stress on those assemblies. On the other hand, I see a lot of old cars with plastic lenses that are so opaque that you couldn't possibly see anything at night, much less get the advantage of the higher halogen output.

So, I went with glass.

Bob

 

[Rich96c4ce]

The SilverStars and XtraVision have way shorter life than normal headlamps to achieve the higher performance. The Sylvania website has a comparison chart.