New Fog Lights in new Backwoods bumper...

Just put a new Backwoods Adventure Mods front bumper on, and have new LED fog lights. Weighing pros & cons of wiring into the factory fog light harness and switch, or running new harness and new switch.

It'd be nice to have them switched and useable, without the headlights on, but just don't know if I'd use it that much.

What's the consensus?

 

Running same bumper, bought baja designs and their harness adapter so it’s plug and play. Can’t think of anytime I would need it on a separate switch. I run them all the time.

 

Are they the Baja SAE lights? Because any other Baja light should very strictly be run off road only.

 

You should consider starting a thread or two on SAE lighting.

 

I see what you did there

@maxus

Like crash said. If they are the SAE Fog light version, sure. If they are NOT SAE Fog, maybe if you use common sense. I get keeping it looking OEM. But the BD Fog lights have abysmal output. In crash's testing at 18' (see link below)
- BD SAE Fog White = 121 lux
- BD SAE Fog Yellow = 101 lux
- OEM H11 fog lights with the stock long life H11 was 203 lux.

That's horrible! But on the flip side you could get a different lens for the BD, use it elsewhere and upgrade the fog lights to something else. Also note that the OEM H11 Tacoma is probably one of the best OEM fog lights out there regardless of the light source.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...fog-light-review.554813/page-49#post-21044065

If they are ANYTHING OTHER THAN SAE FOG lights you could do the "Fog Light Anytime" mod so the fog light switch operates independently regardless of the headlight switch's position. This would allow the lights to be on with or without the headlights on and they would stay on when the high beams are on as well. The functional purpose of fog lights are counter-intuitive when the high beams are on though, IE you want minimal foreground (near field) when your high beams are on to increase your distance vision. But that's up to you and your personal choice.

I will again advise CAUTION when using NON SAE FOG LIGHTS should NOT be used ON ROAD unless it is for aux high beam use and used wisely. Again, you are free to do whatever you want. But nobody likes "that guy" thats blinding everyone on the road. Sorry if I come off as a prick, I don't mean it that way and I don't assume you are stupid. I am just very particular about lighting and try to inform/educate when possible.

 

All credibility was lost with the "maybe if you use common sense" line. Any further justification to the point of my question would be "counter intuitive"

 

Again, I did not mean for it to come off as disrespectful or incriminating you specifically as doing anything wrong. Many people use the term "Fog Light" very loosely just because of the location of the light. Some people think Auxbeam flood light LED pods or many other LED pod lights are fog lights, thats just an incorrect assumption in so many ways. We do not know the product you are referring to as a "Fog Light" so it's hard to give advice on what our "consensus" is. If you got either of the fog light options that Backwoods offers in the purchase of the bumper, those would be bad to run as a fog light since they are spot lights. If you have something else that is an SAE rated fog light, then it is street friendly. The "Fog Light Anytime" mod would allow the ability to use the factory wiring and switch with no affect on your headlight switch position if you do not want to run extra wiring or an additional switch. Of course you can run extra wiring and place an additional switch where ever you'd like and it would operate independently.

I was referring to using "common sense" in a way that if they are anything other than SAE fog lights (wide cornering, driving, spot, flood, ect) then they should not be used on the street when there is other traffic. As an auxiliary high beam, go for it.

As for the use using your high beams with fog lights being counter intuitive. It's proven science that nearfield light will affect your distance vision. Your eyes naturally focus on near field light or the strongest light source as your pupils react to whatever light source is strongest (generally nearfield as it is closest) which reduces your distance vision. http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/fog_lamps/fog_lamps.html

You can question my credibility, doesn't hurt my feelings any. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm not claiming to be an expert or a definitive source of information on anything, though lighting is one of the areas I have a good amount of experience with. I am simply sharing info I have learned and you can do what you will with that information. But you can't deny how annoying it is when your being blinded by someone using improper lighting.

EDIT: It was my bad assuming you have the BD fog lights. But either way, the BD fog lights are a poor choice if you have not bought any and you are shopping for a set.

 

Don’t think the question was what lights to run sae or not….but thanks you for your input