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[amba]

Noticed a picture on site the other day with what looked like a HID upgrade in a set of front fog/driving lights.Are the length of all xenon bulbs the same as thought they would be to big to fit into fog lights and beam pattern would be wrong.Any body done this upgrade?

[Martin_1962]

A Carlton on ABS had this done - they use Halogen lamps normally and a HID conversion would fit.

[VXL V6]

Foglights are aimed only a short distance infront of the vehicle so I don't think beam pattern would matter greatly.

[amba]

So if beam pattern is not an issue it is only down to the lenght of the Xenon HID bulb then.I was curious so I took out the front fog light and compared the length of the standard halogen H1 bulb with a HID type and the HID is noticeably longer.
Is it possible to then buy shorter bulbs as can,t see how you could get that size bulb in the lamp and get a cover on the back.
Has anybody done this type of light upgrade as would welcome advise .

[ngrainqey]

...could burn through the lense cover though

[amba]

Lens cover is glass and has a metal reflector so doubt heat is the issue,it is more getting a suitable length bulb to fit inside the lamp

[ngrainqey]

oh right, i think mines plastic *shrugs*
could try puttin hid foglight or something similar in google?

[VXL V6]

PM member cateramv6 on here, he modified the foglights on his Catera (American version of the Omega) with HID's.

[TheBoy]

If it is just the effect you are after, chavving 'xenon' bulbs?

Not sure HIDs would add to visibility on fog to be honest  :-/

[Andy B]

If it is just the effect you are after, chavving 'xenon' bulbs?

Not sure HIDs would add to visibility on fog to be honest  :-/

 .... it would be nice to have them showing a white light instead of a comparitive yellow. A bit like main beam . :-?

[TheBoy]

If it is just the effect you are after, chavving 'xenon' bulbs?

Not sure HIDs would add to visibility on fog to be honest  :-/

 .... it would be nice to have them showing a white light instead of a comparitive yellow. A bit like main beam . :-?

so chavvy corsa xenon bulbs would be enough?

[feeutfo]

found it, bit on fogs is at the bottom. looks far better than pikey yellow to me...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1219071177

[ngrainqey]

If it is just the effect you are after, chavving 'xenon' bulbs?

Not sure HIDs would add to visibility on fog to be honest  :-/

 .... it would be nice to have them showing a white light instead of a comparitive yellow. A bit like main beam . :-?

so chavvy corsa xenon bulbs would be enough?

they should be as the bulbs produce a "xenon effect" light rather than a yellowy colour, i have h1 xenon effect bulbs on my main beam and they look like xenons with the omegas ball shape refecting light about in the headlight lol - hope that made sense

[amba]

At my age I have no intention of looking like a "chav" it was when I saw a picture of  a omega with fog and low beams on and the colour was consistent I thought it would be worth exploring the option of fitting a HID kit in the fog lights.
When I looked at it closer it seemed that you could not get the xenon hid bulb to fit in the fog light housing as the rear light cap hit the bulb and the tip of the bulb was obstructed by the metal lens deffuser.

[ngrainqey]

lmao! "chav"
just because they are "xenon effect" it doesnt mean they're at all "chavvy"

the bulbs produce a whiter light and are quite a bit brighter than standard rubbishy normal halogen bulbs

[amba]

I did try a bulb upgrade some time ago but unsure what type they were and the effect was still along way from hid lights.Will have a look at trying to get a shorter bulb to fit in foglight housing then take it from there.
I think cateramv6 had less problems as his fog lights were facelift style with clear lenses and from the pictures they have a much simpler fitting for the bulb..maybe answer is to fit face lift clear type fog lights to a mini facelift..can that be done or are mounting brackets all in wrong place?

[ngrainqey]

I did try a bulb upgrade some time ago but unsure what type they were and the effect was still along way from hid lights.Will have a look at trying to get a shorter bulb to fit in foglight housing then take it from there.
I think cateramv6 had less problems as his fog lights were facelift style with clear lenses and from the pictures they have a much simpler fitting for the bulb..maybe answer is to fit face lift clear type fog lights to a mini facelift..can that be done or are mounting brackets all in wrong place?

tbh unless your swapping to proper hid then halogen bulbs will never be as bright/as good but they're alot easier to swap and foglights are foglights not proper driving lights so aslong as they're matching in colour then does it really matter if they're hid or not?

what about these? they're normal halogen bulbs and quite good-i'v got the mainbeam version on mine and really are alot better than the rather pants standard ones!

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=384193

[TheBoy]

At my age I have no intention of looking like a "chav" it was when I saw a picture of  a omega with fog and low beams on and the colour was consistent I thought it would be worth exploring the option of fitting a HID kit in the fog lights.
When I looked at it closer it seemed that you could not get the xenon hid bulb to fit in the fog light housing as the rear light cap hit the bulb and the tip of the bulb was obstructed by the metal lens deffuser.

Sorry, in no way was I calling you a chav

What I was trying to say, if its a cosmetic thing, try the fake xenon bulbs that chavs fit as dipped/full beam to their corsas.

[TheBoy]

I did try a bulb upgrade some time ago but unsure what type they were and the effect was still along way from hid lights.Will have a look at trying to get a shorter bulb to fit in foglight housing then take it from there.
I think cateramv6 had less problems as his fog lights were facelift style with clear lenses and from the pictures they have a much simpler fitting for the bulb..maybe answer is to fit face lift clear type fog lights to a mini facelift..can that be done or are mounting brackets all in wrong place?

tbh unless your swapping to proper hid then halogen bulbs will never be as bright/as good but they're alot easier to swap and foglights are foglights not proper driving lights so aslong as they're matching in colour then does it really matter if they're hid or not?

what about these? they're normal halogen bulbs and quite good-i'v got the mainbeam version on mine and really are alot better than the rather pants standard ones!

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=384193

They are plain and simple FOG lights, and thus must only be used when its FOGGY.

One of my pet hates.

[Andy B]

......They are plain and simple FOG lights, and thus must only be used when its FOGGY.
 ......

 ...... and falling snow!    

[TheBoy]

......They are plain and simple FOG lights, and thus must only be used when its FOGGY.
 ......

 ...... and falling snow!    

never had to myself  :-/, but then we don't get snow darn sarf...

[amba]

No offence taken.....just my curiosity when I saw a phot of a omega with the same colour fog lights and low beam and wondered how they did it,as mine has xenon headlights which give a very white light and on the few occasions when I need to legally use the fog lights they look like a differnt car is wearing them ...so I suppose it would be cosmetic,but like you I disslike those who drive around with every available light on in the middle of day.

[feeutfo]

dont have a problem with front fogs on , but rear fogs when not foggy just drives me nuts, if its raining they dazel the wind screen and blur real brake lights just enough to make you doubt for a second... but more than that, how can people drive round with a bloody great warning light on the dash and not notice   what else are they not noticeing, motor bikes, pedestrain crossings, cyclists,... flat tires, oil warning lights,buggered wipers, a sure sign of head up arse syndrome...muppets. ok done now  

[amba]

I thought it was illegal to drive with front fog lights on except when visibility was poor.If that is the case I must either live in a area of extremley poor visibility for 365 days a year or an area exempt from any form of road traffice law enforcement.
Cannot understand why it is necessary to have 2 x 55 watt headlights on and 2 x 55 watt front fog lights on in a town centre which has more street lighting than a football stadium..now I wear specs some of the time but that is taking the pi........z

[feeutfo]

I thought it was illegal to drive with front fog lights on except when visibility was poor.If that is the case I must either live in a area of extremley poor visibility for 365 days a year or an area exempt from any form of road traffice law enforcement.
Cannot understand why it is necessary to have 2 x 55 watt headlights on and 2 x 55 watt front fog lights on in a town centre which has more street lighting than a football stadium..now I wear specs some of the time but that is taking the pi........z

No excuse for not seeing you...usually by people with rear fogs on. Dont use front fogs on this car, has hids and fog light is poor. Old mig lights where so poor, needed all the help poss.

[RichardH]

I don't know if it was a picture of my car that you saw, but I wasnt happy with the yellow look of my front fogs so I bought a cheap set of bulbs from Ebay and whacked them in.  Looks a lot better I think.

Before



After

[Marks DTM Calib]

Yes, does look much better.

As for the fogs use....remember that they are an uncontroled light....and hence can be considered as similar to that of a high beam!

I always describe them as tosser lights.

As for using them in snow.....cant see them doing much more than adding extra light. They work in fog because they are low down and fog does not actually go totaly to the ground.....hence they cut under the fog

[TheBoy]

Tempted to change my fogs now...  ...so has anyone tried normal chavvy xenon bulbs?  I have to remove the bumper on MV6 soon anyway, so will be ideal opportunity to swap bulbs...

[ngrainqey]

Tempted to change my fogs now...  ...so has anyone tried normal chavvy xenon bulbs?  I have to remove the bumper on MV6 soon anyway, so will be ideal opportunity to swap bulbs...

for the fogs or main beam?

[RichardH]

My fogs are the "chavvy xenon bulbs" as you call them, and are not proper HID's.  Got them on Ebay for about a tenner.

I checked my Ebay account and the seller I bought them from is no longer listed.  Here was the description though for the ones I bought.

HB3 9005 12V 55W 6500K XENON GAS BULBS MAIN DIPPED FOG

[ngrainqey]

good news...
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk
they do a hid foglight upgrade kit on there

[Entwood]

I very much doubt its a HID foglight bulb .... XENON perhaps ...

HID = High Intensity Discharge .. requires some seriously heavy duty wiring to handle the voltage to "strike" the gas discharge.

XENON = an inert gas used to fill the bulb so that a higher temperature can be obtained at the filament to give a brighter light

Ordinary bulbs can be replaced with XENON bulbs ... but HIDs are a different species !!

Unless you go to this page and pay out £200 - while the offer lasts .. usually £400 + !!!! !!

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/foglight-hid-system-c-699.html

[ngrainqey]

ok then... use this link
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/foglight-hid-system-c-699.html

[amba]

Well after a bit of messing around I have now got a fully functioning set of HID foglights.The transformation from those old yellow things is truly amazing and the difference in appearance with low beam on is quite stunning..all I need now is to track down a set of decent side light bulbs (think I have done that courtesy of link provided by ngrainqey last night )and the old girl will look great.
The most confusing bit of all was that I had to reverse the wiring at the original plug end of the fog light loom as it seems that original lights are switcehd by an earth and you require a switched positive to get the ballast to fire up,but other than that not too hard a retro fit.
Anybody thinking of doing the same should be aware that on the mini facelift and assume pre 1998 you will need to extend the black housing on the back of the lamps as the HID bulbs are too long for the original unit..this I did with the aid of an aerosol can cap which fitted perfectly and keeps the water out,sealed on with some gaffer tape and then feed the new wires from the bulbs out the back.Bit tight getting the lamps back into their mountings but jobs all done and well pleased as total cost was less than £60=00 all in.

[ngrainqey]

lol well done matey
hmm..."aerosol can caps" interesting! lol

[amba]

The plastic aerosol caps were an exact fit onto the back of the lamp body and being plastic made a water proof seal.The tape was then used to secure them and further aid sealing.The result is good and the light improvement is dramatic..well worth the fairly small outlay..almost a cheap as upgrade bulbs.