Front Fogs & DRLs

[PassatNoMore]

I could be mistaken but there seems to be a growing tendency for folk to drive around with their front fogs on even in good visibility. Some even use them along with side lights only. There also seems to be a lot of cars with their DRLs still on at the same time as their headlights. Seems like a lot of wasted energy

I suspect a lot of folk just like to operate these as toys but what's the legal position in the UK ?

Edited 26 February, 2013 by PassatNoMore

[silver1011]

You've opened a can of worms here

Ah, the good old fog light debate!

Fog lights should only be used when visibility is severely reduced, the problem is that reduce visibility is open to different interpretations such as spray etc.

The increasing use of front foglights is for the following reasons:

- wanting to look like you have DRL's

- wanting to look cool

- wanting to increase forward visibility

- not realising they are on

- knowing that with less Police about you are more likely to get away with it.

Some DRL's don't extinguish completely when your side/headlights are on, some (especially the LED ones) just dim instead. On the Fabia and Octavia vRS they also actually double up as sidelights.

Anyway, this thread will run and run and run. And run, so I'll sit back and enjoy!

[Llanigraham]

Please explain why it is wasted energy?

[Pete T]

I have pseudo-DRL's using my front fog lights alone, operating at reduced brightness. No doubt some people will disapprove of this but I think that it improves the visibility of my vehicle without the need for accompanying rear tail lights which tend to not be particularly obvious in broad daylight. I can't see the difference between having this type of setup and those of say the FL Octavia or Passat that use dedicated lights next to the fog lights.

*Puts asbestos suit on and prepares to be flamed.......

[@Lee]

ohhhhhhhh this old chest nut

I'll sit this one out and just watch the hilarity ensue

[KenONeill]

Well, there's an issue with using low mounted lights like the Octy2's as DRLS that you may not have considered; that near to the ground it's possible for those lights to be obscured from oncoming traffic by a small crest or rise in the terrain.

[Pete T]

KenONeill you're quite right but as I said they're OEM at that height on a number of vehicles.

[seboni121]

KenONeill you're quite right but as I said they're OEM at that height on a number of vehicles.

They look ok and oem , the fabia have them like this

[KenONeill]

They look ok and oem , the fabia have them like this

And somehow this makes putting them that low a good idea? (either that Skoda specifically, or a number of markers in general, have done so)

[seboni121]

And somehow this makes putting them that low a good idea? (either that Skoda specifically, or a number of markers in general, have done so)

NO! But they've done it on the cheap if their on the bottom, facelift s will have them in headlight or at a higher level, mine are in the headlight , but something is better than nowt IMO

[Coops]

ohhhhhhhh this old chest nut

I'll sit this one out and just watch the hilarity ensue

Not like you at all!

[@Lee]

Not like you at all!

I'm starting to mellow

[PassatNoMore]

Please explain why it is wasted energy?

Because if the lights are not needed to increase visibility or conspicuity then it's just wasting fuel

[PassatNoMore]

You've opened a can of worms here

Ah, the good old fog light debate!

Fog lights should only be used when visibility is severely reduced, the problem is that reduce visibility is open to different interpretations such as spray etc.

The increasing use of front foglights is for the following reasons:

- wanting to look like you have DRL's

- wanting to look cool

- wanting to increase forward visibility

- not realising they are on

- knowing that with less Police about you are more likely to get away with it.

Some DRL's don't extinguish completely when your side/headlights are on, some (especially the LED ones) just dim instead. On the Fabia and Octavia vRS they also actually double up as sidelights.

Anyway, this thread will run and run and run. And run, so I'll sit back and enjoy!

Thanks - as i suspected it's probably illegal. And it doesn't look cool ...

[Llanigraham]

Because if the lights are not needed to increase visibility or conspicuity then it's just wasting fuel

That must be the most stupid reason I have ever heard!!

The alternator will be working whatever is turned on, so 2 medium wattage lights are going to make no difference what-so-ever.

[slider]

I could be mistaken but there seems to be a growing tendency for folk to drive around with their front fogs on even in good visibility. Some even use them along with side lights only. There also seems to be a lot of cars with their DRLs still on at the same time as their headlights. Seems like a lot of wasted energy

I suspect a lot of folk just like to operate these as toys but what's the legal position in the UK ?

here we go again.........

[PassatNoMore]

That must be the most stupid reason I have ever heard!!

The alternator will be working whatever is turned on, so 2 medium wattage lights are going to make no difference what-so-ever.

So the heat and light energy just come out of thin air?! - Obviously science is beyond you

[Llanigraham]

The heat and light are produced by the electrical energy illuminating the element in the bulb. As the alternator is already producing that electricity energy there is NO appreciable waste of energy.

Therefore to quote you, "science is beyond you" obviously.

Good night!

[@Lee]

That must be the most stupid reason I have ever heard!!

The alternator will be working whatever is turned on, so 2 medium wattage lights are going to make no difference what-so-ever.

The heat and light are produced by the electrical energy illuminating the element in the bulb. As the alternator is already producing that electricity energy there is NO appreciable waste of energy.

Therefore to quote you, "science is beyond you" obviously.

Good night!

so, is it NO waste of energy or no appreciable waste of energy. Sorry to be pedantic

[grr666]

I'd be surprised if my dipped (When headlights are on) led drls consume

as much as even 5 watts. Even on full brightness I'd be surprised if they

used 10 watts both sides combined (about 12no leds in total).

You can waste more energy with inappropriate braking than you ever would

using led drls. More lights used appropriately and within the law make it

easier to see and be seen. Nowt wrong with that....

[PassatNoMore]

The heat and light are produced by the electrical energy illuminating the element in the bulb. As the alternator is already producing that electricity energy there is NO appreciable waste of energy.

Therefore to quote you, "science is beyond you" obviously.

Good night!

Just leave on all the electrical items in your house then and because the National Grid electrical generators are running anyway, it won't cost you any money. Fools like you and their money are soon parted..

Edited 26 February, 2013 by PassatNoMore

[PassatNoMore]

so, is it NO waste of energy or no appreciable waste of energy. Sorry to be pedantic

Sorry but I don't think Llanigraham will understand big words like pedantic

[Llanigraham]

O,FFS

We are not talking about lights in the house, we are talking about DRL's and FOG lights on cars.

Stop being fatuous!!

[TriggerFish]

The heat and light are produced by the electrical energy illuminating the element in the bulb. As the alternator is already producing that electricity energy there is NO appreciable waste of energy.

Therefore to quote you, "science is beyond you" obviously.

Good night!

(Serious question, not baiting) Don't cars (not sure if VAG have got this yet) have 'dynamic' alternators so they only generate the power that's needed now? So rather than outputing ** constantly, they can run at a percentage of ** to meet the cars needs and save fuel where possible?

As to the OP, my DRLs turn off when the headlights go on, and are placed in the headlight clusters anyway. I don't know the current draw, but they're only 2x ~6v (brightness is configurable, and I can't remember the setting), so doubt they consume much power.

Edited 27 February, 2013 by TriggerFish

[Rab-k]

Pete T...

Genuine question, if your modified front fogs are just that, is their use in the UK in anything other than conditions of reduced visibility (fog) legal?

Personally, I recon they look OK and are no doubt the standard on continental models of the same age. Did you use a VCDS setting for Denmark or something?