lights, bulbs and foglights

[mudyf0x]

Now that the nights are getting longer and Ive started to work 12hr shifts, getting up at 5 am I can really notice how crap my lights are, so Im wanting to upgrade my lights and am wondering what options are available to me....

... currently I have just the standard lamps with standard bulbs, obviously the cheapest thing to do is upgrade the bulbs, has anyone any idea of the type I should go for which are nice and bright and are legal?

I was also toying of the idea of fitting fogs as well, I was checking out ebay for these and are quite expensive, but found them on jorily, for £35 per pair, LINKY are these easy to fit? and I assume I will need to change the head light switch as well there is currently no position for the front fogs, anyone done this before or any how 2s for this?

any help or tips would be appreciated

Edited 23 September, 2010 by mudyf0x

[mudyf0x]

ok probably jumping the gun , but made a few purchases offa ebay,

first off, headlight switch with front fog position :linky

found that Jorily had an ebay store and got fog lamps of there for £31 for the pair inc postage, where as £35 on their site plus postage well pleased:

left hand fog

right hand fog

im assuming that i will be able to take a feed from the new fog switch to a relay that I will locate in the engine bay , I just hope the multi plug is the same from my original switch or else im gonna have to have a rethink .

[grr666]

Philips X-treme +80% are a good bright bulb.

I have these in my dipped headlamps. (H7)

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=81

In my full beam lamps I have a pair of Original Osram Nightbreakers, (H3)

Osram have recently released a Mark 2 version of this bulb, Brighter (+90%)

and with allegedly better lifespan which used to be their achilles heel.

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=115

It's worth remembering extra brightness can often mean

shorter lifespan even if you buy decent reputable bulbs.

As far as foglamps are concerned.

First thing to do would be to pop off the fog lamp recess covers and see if there is

wiring in place for them terminating in some sort of plug. You will need a new switch

too but if the lamp wiring is there then it ought to just plug and play so to speak.

In my foglamps I have Osram all season bulbs, (Also H3 in vRS Fogs )

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=89

These bulbs provide a golden/yellowish light which is said to be more effective

in foggy conditions.

But it could well be a different bulb type for your model if the foglamps are

different to a vRS. Mrs Grrs are different in her SDI so make sure you get the

right kit. I also bought replacement foglamp units from Jorily They were decent quality

pattern parts and I fitted them with no real drama.

All the above bulbs are E marked, 100% road legal and polycarbonate lens safe.

Cheaper products often aren't. You get what you pay for.

Can't go wrong with Powerbulbs either, You've joined freedom and you qualify for 15%

discount with this supplier. On this order you would save the cost of the membership

in just one transaction. Discount code is found in Freedom forum.

Total cost for all 3 pairs of bulbs suggested above. £79.28

Less 15% discount= £67.39 saving £11.89

+ free delivery and a pair of Phillips W5W upgrade sidelight bulbs to complete

the set.

Hope to help.

Garry

Edited 19 September, 2010 by grr666

[mudyf0x]

thanks Gary great reply

Ill have a look when the sun comes back up again for the connectors behind the fog lamp recesses , fingers crossed

the bulb sizes you have mentioned H7 and H3 are these the type I need for my standard Fabia or the type u use on your vRS or are they all the same.... thinking ill double check any way just incase...

didnt know about the discount at that supplier, will chase that up in the morning

cheers

[Jim H]

The only bulbs that are NOT legal are the high wattage (Rally) bulbs and very blue ones (Philips Diamond Vision). Of course retro fitting Xenon (HID) bulbs to ordenary headlights is ilegal too.

Having said all that.I'd go with Grr666 recommendations. I've got upgraded bulbs (Vision Plus & Nightbreakers) in my car and you CAN tell a difference. I have just noticed on Powerbulbs that both Osram and Philips have new bulbs coming out the next month. Nighbrakers with 50% more life and X-tremes with 100% light not 80%. However I wound not pay £47 for a par of dipped (H7) bulbs! :no: Old X-tremes are £28.

[mudyf0x]

cheers Jim

Am going to order them now.... dusts of the credit card

[ChrisRs]

MTEC bulbs are fantastic and look a little like HID bulbs.

Get them fom HID direct or eBay. You wont be sorry

[DRJ]

In 35 years of driving cars I've never driven ONE where front foglights were of any use - none gave any better light than just using dipped headlights. I think they're pointless... (Note you now legally HAVE to use dipped headlights in poor visibility - you can't just use foglights alone)

[grr666]

I always thought foglights were mainly for illuminating lane markings

or the edge of the road. And secondarily for making YOU more easy to see

to others in bad visibility.

[DRJ]

I always thought foglights were mainly for illuminating lane markings

or the edge of the road. And secondarily for making YOU more easy to see

to others in bad visibility.

But do you think they DO make your car any more visible than dipped headlights?

[grr666]

But do you think they DO make your car any more visible than dipped headlights?

Do I think 4 lights are easier to see than 2?

Er.... Yeah.

[DRJ]

There's no intrinsic reason why they should - foglights aren't designed for distance unlike dipped headlights...

[anewman]

I've only ever found one time I needed fog lights, this was on the M62 where I understand fog tends to be more of an issue, but I don't drive much and only had my license a couple of years. I can't say they did too much but it was better than not having them.

Looking at this topic with interest as I too am tempted to fit fogs to my fogless Fabia. I would guess the best place to pass the wires through is the grommet below the glovebox. I'm not entirely sure how the 2 fog light switch works and whether the switch negates the need for a relay or not. It is unlikely there is any wiring in the existing loom so you probably need to make your own loom up by fitting repair wires into the light switch plug.

Please report back on your progress In the mean time I'll probably nab myself some Jorily fogs and fit them without wiring them up

Edit: Having looked at the wiring diagram it seems the light switch feeds the fogs directly (without a relay) via a 15a fuse. At the 17 pin light switch connector, pin 8 feeds the +12v for the fogs. At the dash panel 32 pin connector, pin 19 feeds the front fog lamp on the dash panel, then predictably the wiring goes to the fogs and earth to earth.

Here's some part numbers for repair wires http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=245319 I'd hazard a guess that part number 000 979 227 is the correct type for the light switch, but I don't really have a clue.

Edited 20 September, 2010 by anewman

[mudyf0x]

update...

took of the fog light blanks off the front bumper, was suprised how easy they came out, just popped out, ...

started to look and see how to mount the fogs, looks the fog clips in at one side and two screws at the other... thinking this cos there are two holes but look like they need to be fitted with those folded metal clips that accept screws or bolts....

started to look for any existing wiring that could be used for the fog... ie wired for but not fitted, but could not find any, so looks like will have to start from scratch...

I have ordered a new head lamp light switch from ebay with the front fog switch built in, but I have just thought about the dash board indication.... I think its law that if you have fogs there mush be a light on the dash to tell you that they are on.. so further investigation will be needed in this department...

hopefully parts will all be here my wednesday, so ill updated then ...

[anewman]

I have ordered a new head lamp light switch from ebay with the front fog switch built in, but I have just thought about the dash board indication.... I think its law that if you have fogs there mush be a light on the dash to tell you that they are on.. so further investigation will be needed in this department...

See last bit of my previous post

Oh and the clips I think you refer to are called U clips, you can buy an assorted pack of them in Halfords.

Edited 20 September, 2010 by anewman

[mudyf0x]

See last bit of my previous post

Oh and the clips I think you refer to are called U clips, you can buy an assorted pack of them in Halfords.

cheers, didnt see that, did u get drawing from a haynes manual ?

[mudyf0x]

Update:

Fog lamps arrived from Jorilys and bulbs from powerbulbs, had a quick look and all seems ok... will try and fit new bulbs tonight and maybe that some pics with one light swapped out and the other left standard to see if there is any noticable difference color-wise etc...

[TriggerFish]

I think its law that if you have fogs there mush be a light on the dash to tell you that they are on.. so further investigation will be needed in this department...

My Polo, which came with front fogs from the factory (all models were wired up though I believe) doesn't have a light on the dash board. For the rear fogs the dash lights up, but for the front, the symbol on the switch changes from a red glow, to a green glow to tell you they're on. (Saves money with just one dash pod design I guess.) But I can't see it without moving into a position where I can't see the road clearly, so may not need one. If you do, just run a wire to an LED stuck by the switch somewhere, or get the switch from a Polo if it fits. . .

Hope that makes sense, can take a picture if you wish.

[mudyf0x]

Update:

Switch arrived today,

part number 6Y2 941 531 A

started to remove old switch to check wiring... not that simples.. thought it would just prise out from the front but that just prised of the facia to switch, had to remove lower dash section to disengage the springy mounting thigs holding the switch

with help from fellow briskodian Anewman, I was able to trace and id some of the wiring

so all i now need to do is run a wire from there to an inline 15A fuse, then from that to each of the lamps , and then from each lamp to earth, I will sort the dash fog lamp illumination at later date...

Decided then to fit fog lights :

remove fog light blanking plate, by just tugging it swiftly, then the grill beside it.... pull from the top, you will now need to fit "UCLIPS" to the plastic where the blanking plates where to accept the screws ( got from Halfords)

Offer up lamp and screw onto uclips

then refix grill beside lamp, just pops in ... bottom first

Until I get push in connector from the mulit plug at rear of switch and for rear of fog lamp this is as far as im going,

need plug to fit this ( 2 off)

decided to put in the new bulbs I got for my head lamps ( recommended by grr666 )

I swapped over the drivers side and kept passenger side standard, but could not see and difference in the day light lol... ive been had

Ill go out tonight and have a test run with both upgraded....

bonnet down and time for lunch ...... maybe give her a wash after wards...

Please no slabbering about the vRS badge on the front lol... Im not pretending to be one I just happen to think it looks nice lol

So what i need to do now is :

Get pushin crip that I can attach to a wire and push into the multiplug at light switch,

Run cable from switch to fogs

Get connector for back of fog lamps.... ( any ideas)

Edited 23 September, 2010 by mudyf0x

[grr666]

Nice work...

You're getting there

Have a look in the car parts for sale on here.

There's usualluy someone breaking a fabia.

May be able to get them to cut off their foglamp plugs

and send them to you... for a few beer tokens.

Give this one a go for starters...

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/172872-breaking-fabia-sport-14/

[mudyf0x]

Nice work...

You're getting there

Have a look in the car parts for sale on here.

There's usualluy someone breaking a fabia.

May be able to get them to cut off their foglamp plugs

and send them to you... for a few beer tokens.

Give this one a go for starters...

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/172872-breaking-fabia-sport-14/

Cheers bud, I`ll PM him now

[anewman]

The light switch is quite difficult to remove. You push the switch in firmly and while holding it pushed in turn it to the sidelight position, then it takes some wiggling to get it to pull out from the top. The supply wire looks sufficient to pass current for front and rear. It looks like male spade connectors should push into the receptacles inside the fog sockets, but that may make the connectors more susceptible to corrosion than using the proper connectors.

I think the crimp connectors have a minimum order requirement, whereas the repair wires (gets you a yellow bit of wire with a crimp at each end) don't.

It's not too difficult to install a fuse into the fusebox itself, especially if you have one with loads of empty space.

[mudyf0x]

The light switch is quite difficult to remove. You push the switch in firmly and while holding it pushed in turn it to the sidelight position, then it takes some wiggling to get it to pull out from the top. The supply wire looks sufficient to pass current for front and rear. It looks like male spade connectors should push into the receptacles inside the fog sockets, but that may make the connectors more susceptible to corrosion than using the proper connectors.

I think the crimp connectors have a minimum order requirement, whereas the repair wires (gets you a yellow bit of wire with a crimp at each end) don't.

It's not too difficult to install a fuse into the fusebox itself, especially if you have one with loads of empty space.

I checked the wiring diagrams and the supply wire is common to both front and rear fogs, i proved this also using my multimeter so no probs there

the connections inside the fog sockets will accept spades but wanted the proper ones thinking it will stop corrosion..... well i suppose I could use spades and the fill void with silicone nice one lol

I know a guy who works in a local SEAT dealers parts desk, I think ill call and see him tomorrow with my old light switch and see if he has any crimp connectors lying about, hes bound to have something

Edited 23 September, 2010 by mudyf0x

[anewman]

Did you get any further? Only just ordered and got my fog lamps from Jorily, fitting them to the car without wiring up. Worth it as a fashion accessory for the car alone I think need to look into wiring and a switch later.

Edited 10 November, 2010 by anewman

[mudyf0x]

Did you get any further? Only just ordered and got my fog lamps from Jorily, fitting them to the car without wiring up. Worth it as a fashion accessory for the car alone I think need to look into wiring and a switch later.

just saw your pic on other thread .... no mate no further yet, bought soldering iron from maplins yesterday so will tackle wiring on saturday hopefully... weather permitting

defo changes the look of the car for the better