HID visibility 2500k/3000k for winter?

[toy4x]

I'm thinking of switching out my 6k fogs for 3k for the winter. In the winter I will be driving through heavy fog(do this now), some rain, and sometimes snow.

I've noticed that the 6k really bounces off fog and rain. It tends to be hard to see the road. Sometimes coming up the Cajon Pass, you have to drive at 35mph because the fog is sooo thick(normal is 75-80). And sometimes, even that speed feels too fast for the conditions. I know 6k is not good for driving in bad conditions, but looks really good in normal driving conditions. 3k, or actually yellow light is the best for wet/foggy conditions. Remember in the late 90's with all those ricers with their yellow PIAA fog lights...hahahaha....(oh wait I had some too)...BUT I do remember seeing really well when I ran them in the rain.

So I'm asking if you've had experience with 2500k - 3000k bulbs in snow/fog/rain and can tell me the difference is visibility from the 6k. I'm wondering if they are too bright to actually work well in wet conditions. Also, when driving for long periods of time, do you get eye strain even on normal conditions?

This is only going to be a winter setup. I really like my 6k setup I have now. I dont care if you think it looks ricey...I want the best visibility for my wife and I for that couple of months.

 

[KNFX]

I've never had 6k fogs, so I can't comment about those, but I really liked the 3k that I have. Never had a problem driving them through heavy rain, and they lit up the road really nicely. They weren't too bright, imo.

Don't remember how they did in fog, and the only time it snowed here, it was still daylight.

If I had to do it over, I think I would do 2500. The 3k I have is called "Ice white" so its not a dark yellow when looking at it straight on.

 

[Roishe Cheng]

Put yellow Lamin-X film if you really want a deeper yellow color. I've run 3000ks and the visibility is definitely better than 6000ks that I've had on my other cars. The beam pattern from our fogs especially with HIDs in them don't really qualify as a great foglamp since there is a lot of scatter and it's not really a low, flat wide beam (compare to a halogen Hella FF55 for example).

 

[Dukes23]

3000k

 

[Chedman13]

I'm thinking of switching out my 6k fogs for 3k for the winter. In the winter I will be driving through heavy fog(do this now), some rain, and sometimes snow.

I've noticed that the 6k really bounces off fog and rain. It tends to be hard to see the road. Sometimes coming up the Cajon Pass, you have to drive at 35mph because the fog is sooo thick(normal is 75-80). And sometimes, even that speed feels too fast for the conditions. I know 6k is not good for driving in bad conditions, but looks really good in normal driving conditions. 3k, or actually yellow light is the best for wet/foggy conditions. Remember in the late 90's with all those ricers with their yellow PIAA fog lights...hahahaha....(oh wait I had some too)...BUT I do remember seeing really well when I ran them in the rain.

So I'm asking if you've had experience with 2500k - 3000k bulbs in snow/fog/rain and can tell me the difference is visibility from the 6k. I'm wondering if they are too bright to actually work well in wet conditions. Also, when driving for long periods of time, do you get eye strain even on normal conditions?

This is only going to be a winter setup. I really like my 6k setup I have now. I dont care if you think it looks ricey...I want the best visibility for my wife and I for that couple of months.

To spare you the scientific research, it has more to do with light output and how the light is dispersed than color. As color temperature has a correlation to output, it is still all connected. You can google it and find crazy studies on wavelengths, dispersion, etc... if you want to. Actual controlled studies on it.

Anyways, I use 3000K fogs and OEM philips for winter.

6000K is known to produce eye strain (but not prevalent unless it is pitch black, e.g. country road driving). I had 6000K house bulbs that drove me crazy...

3000K will help with visibility, mainly due to the higher light output. But the REAL benefit is that it is that you are much more visible to oncoming traffic, as yellow really stands out from the crowd.

6000K is not optimal for winter due to the light being bounced off the snow, and I think the blue/white is more blinding than a warm white the OEM (I think 4,300K) produces.

This makes it much easier for me to see with just OEM bulbs for headlights.

Throw in the extra lumens of 3,000K vs 6000K fogs, and the added color (it's just more noticeable where the light output actually goes), it's a winning combination.

But if you are afraid of rice, you are find with OEM headlights and 4,200/4,300K fogs.

Yellow won't "cut" through better than "white/blue" light, but when it reflects, yellow is easier on the eyes and not as blinding.

I was rambling, but hope that helps.

so my setup:
Summer = 6,000K headlight/6,000K fogs
Winter = 4,300K headlight/3,000K yellow fogs

 

[toy4x]

Chedman,

Exact set-up I was planning on. i still have my stock hid bulbs and have the 3000k on order.

3/4 of the year= 6000K/6000K
Winter 4300K/ 3000K


Thanks for the responses

These are the ones I wish we could put into our fog lights:
Philips Ultinon 3000K.... Approx $350/pr:



Philips Ultinon 3000K vs Philips Ultinon 5800K