Fog light operation, With or without? |
|
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way. Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. |
|
Fog light operation, With or without? |
boxsterfan |
Dec 6 2013, 06:24 PM
Post
#1
|
914's are kewl Group: Members Posts: 1,776 Joined: 6-June 03 From: San Ramon, CA Member No.: 791 Region Association: Northern California |
Are the fog lights supposed to work independent of the headlights?
Mine never come on unless the headlights are on. |
michael7810 |
Dec 6 2013, 06:31 PM
Post
#2
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,081 Joined: 6-June 11 From: Scottsdale, AZ Member No.: 13,164 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Mine come on with the parking lights or low beams.
|
Bob L. |
Dec 6 2013, 07:17 PM
Post
#3
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 848 Joined: 7-August 11 From: Austin TX Member No.: 13,411 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I don't have them in my car but I have seen "fog light switch"s for sale. I assume they work on their own.
But then: When you assume... |
rmdinmd |
Dec 6 2013, 07:26 PM
Post
#4
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 488 Joined: 30-October 13 From: Greeneville,Tn Member No.: 16,585 Region Association: South East States |
the tech manual I have says they work with the lights. the wiring wouldm have to be changed to get them to work without the headlights.
|
toolguy |
Dec 6 2013, 07:28 PM
Post
#5
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,270 Joined: 2-April 11 From: San Diego / El Cajon Member No.: 12,889 Region Association: Southern California |
As wired by the factory, they can only be energized when the low beams are one. . . I rewired mine to be operational anytime, rather than pick up power for the FL relay from the low beams
|
JawjaPorsche |
Dec 6 2013, 08:01 PM
Post
#6
|
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,463 Joined: 23-July 11 From: Clayton, Georgia Member No.: 13,351 Region Association: South East States |
J West Engineering has a unit to solve the problem
http://www.jwesteng.com/shop/index.php?id_...roller=product# |
Kirmizi |
Dec 6 2013, 08:05 PM
Post
#7
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 836 Joined: 12-February 06 From: Wyoming, US Member No.: 5,568 Region Association: None |
J West Engineering has a unit to solve the problem http://www.jwesteng.com/shop/index.php?id_...roller=product# (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Great product and easy to install |
Chris Pincetich |
Dec 6 2013, 08:13 PM
Post
#8
|
B-) Group: Members Posts: 2,082 Joined: 3-October 05 From: Point Reyes Station, CA Member No.: 4,907 Region Association: Northern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
W/o the aftermarket part or DIY wiring fix the fog lights only work w the headlights on. I've had the JWest kit w my Pilot "driving lights" for 4 years now and like to drive w these lights on! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) |
Mike Bellis |
Dec 6 2013, 08:53 PM
Post
#9
|
Resident Electrician Group: Members Posts: 8,345 Joined: 22-June 09 From: Midlothian TX Member No.: 10,496 Region Association: None |
The fog light relay gets it's power leg from the headlight switch and it's ground leg from the high beam fuse. When the low beams are on, the relay has power from the switch and the ground through the high beam filament. When the high beams are on, the ground turns positive and the fog relay shuts off.
This is an easy and free rewire without the purchase of an external device. If you pull the white/blue wire off the high beam fuse and ground it, the fogs will work if any headlamp is lit. If you take the black/blue wire from the fog switch and apply power, the fog lights will work anytime (if you did the previous mod) NOTE: there are 2 white blue wires on one terminal at the high beam fuse. one goes to the fog relay and one goes to the indicator lamp in the dash. Only disconnect the one to the fog relay and ground it. If you ground both the dash indicator for high beam will not work. Easy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) |
euro911 |
Dec 7 2013, 12:27 AM
Post
#10
|
Retired & living the dream. God help me if I wake up! Group: Members Posts: 8,851 Joined: 2-December 06 From: So.Cal. & No.AZ (USA) Member No.: 7,300 Region Association: Southern California |
NOTE: there are 2 white blue wires on one terminal at the high beam fuse. one goes to the fog relay and one goes to the indicator lamp in the dash. Only disconnect the one to the fog relay and ground it. If you ground both the dash indicator for high beam will not work. Huh? I haven't looked at the schematic, but wouldn't grounding a hot lead short the circuit? I'm not getting it, Mike (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)Easy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) |
Cap'n Krusty |
Dec 7 2013, 12:49 AM
Post
#11
|
Cap'n Krusty Group: Members Posts: 10,794 Joined: 24-June 04 From: Santa Maria, CA Member No.: 2,246 Region Association: Central California |
As wired by the factory, they can only be energized when the low beams are one. . . I rewired mine to be operational anytime, rather than pick up power for the FL relay from the low beams The low beam only operation is a DOT regulation ......................... Strange as it may seem, it's common sense, as well. Research has proven that driving with the fog lamps lit in other-than-foggy conditions actually impairs the operator's distance vision. Your eyes become less sensitive to low light levels. SUV, Honduh, and BMW owners where I live are blissfully ignorant of both that and life in general. The Cap'n |
Mike Bellis |
Dec 7 2013, 12:58 AM
Post
#12
|
Resident Electrician Group: Members Posts: 8,345 Joined: 22-June 09 From: Midlothian TX Member No.: 10,496 Region Association: None |
NOTE: there are 2 white blue wires on one terminal at the high beam fuse. one goes to the fog relay and one goes to the indicator lamp in the dash. Only disconnect the one to the fog relay and ground it. If you ground both the dash indicator for high beam will not work. Huh? I haven't looked at the schematic, but wouldn't grounding a hot lead short the circuit? I'm not getting it, Mike (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)Easy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's not a true ground. There is a lamp load in the middle. Without a hot on the light wire, the other half of the circuit is a grounded lamp. the relay is grounded through the lamp. When the high beams are on, both sides of the relay coil see 12V. Since this is the same source power, current does not flow, the relay will not function and nothing blows. This is how the factory wired it! If the lamp was not there, the high beam fuse would blow when the lights turn on -direct short. as long as the lamp can consume the load - no short. |
jcd914 |
Dec 7 2013, 01:01 AM
Post
#13
|
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,081 Joined: 7-February 08 From: Sacramento, CA Member No.: 8,684 Region Association: Northern California |
NOTE: there are 2 white blue wires on one terminal at the high beam fuse. one goes to the fog relay and one goes to the indicator lamp in the dash. Only disconnect the one to the fog relay and ground it. If you ground both the dash indicator for high beam will not work. Huh? I haven't looked at the schematic, but wouldn't grounding a hot lead short the circuit? I'm not getting it, Mike (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)Easy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Mike is describing disconnecting the ground wire for the fog light relay from the high beam fuse and then taking that the ground wire for the fog light relay connecting it to a ground. Of course the reason the factory wired the ground for the fog light relay to the high beam circuit was so you could not have the fog lights on when the high beams were on. Back then they thought people would only want to use fog lights in the fog and high beams and fog don't work together very well. The fog reflects so much light back at you that the high beams make it harder to see. By making the fog lights only work with low beam, in the fog people would use low beams and fog lights together and be able to see better that high beams and fog lights. Now days it seems every car that has fog lights have them on all the time, fog or no fog, high beams or low beams, day light or not. Does not seem to matter, if they have a light on the front of their car the have it turned on. How ever you chose to wire your fog lights use them responsibly, make sure the are aimed properly and not blinding on coming traffic. Jim |
euro911 |
Dec 7 2013, 01:43 AM
Post
#14
|
Retired & living the dream. God help me if I wake up! Group: Members Posts: 8,851 Joined: 2-December 06 From: So.Cal. & No.AZ (USA) Member No.: 7,300 Region Association: Southern California |
(1) Mike is describing disconnecting the ground wire for the fog light relay from the high beam fuse and then taking that the ground wire for the fog light relay connecting it to a ground. (1) OK, makes sense now.... (2) How ever you chose to wire your fog lights use them responsibly, make sure the are aimed properly and not blinding on coming traffic. Jim (2) I agree. Seems like maybe eye doctors own stock in the companies that manufacture the new technology headlights ... do we really need to see 1500 ft in front of us at the sake of blinding everybody else coming the other way? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif) |
Porschef |
Dec 7 2013, 07:16 AM
Post
#15
|
How you doin' Group: Members Posts: 2,165 Joined: 7-September 10 From: LawnGuyland Member No.: 12,152 Region Association: North East States |
I added the Jwest kit (very easy to install btw) mainly to have the ability to signal other drivers via fogs by just using the turn signal stalk instead of waving thru the windshield (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) or pulling the headlight switch and rolling them up... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
Works great Yes I have a bmw with no fog lights (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) |
AndyB |
Dec 7 2013, 07:45 AM
Post
#16
|
The Governor is watching me Group: Members Posts: 1,115 Joined: 10-April 10 From: Philadelphia New York Member No.: 11,595 Region Association: North East States |
I added the Jwest kit (very easy to install btw) mainly to have the ability to signal other drivers via fogs by just using the turn signal stalk instead of waving thru the windshield (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) or pulling the headlight switch and rolling them up... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Works great Yes I have a bmw with no fog lights (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) Of course you do Joe. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) |
Cairo94507 |
Dec 7 2013, 08:40 AM
Post
#17
|
Michael Group: Members Posts: 9,808 Joined: 1-November 08 From: Auburn, CA Member No.: 9,712 Region Association: Northern California |
I think being able to use the fog lights as daytime running lights is great for improved visibility and safety. Not a lot of these cars left, let's do all we can to make sure the SUV's, teenagers on their phones, mom doing her makeup on the way to yoga see us and do not pull out in front of us.
|
old dog |
Dec 7 2013, 09:13 AM
Post
#18
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 63 Joined: 14-December 12 From: Oxnard,CA. Member No.: 15,257 Region Association: Central California |
As wired by the factory, they can only be energized when the low beams are one. . . I rewired mine to be operational anytime, rather than pick up power for the FL relay from the low beams The low beam only operation is a DOT regulation ......................... Strange as it may seem, it's common sense, as well. Research has proven that driving with the fog lamps lit in other-than-foggy conditions actually impairs the operator's distance vision. Your eyes become less sensitive to low light levels. SUV, Honduh, and BMW owners where I live are blissfully ignorant of both that and life in general. The Cap'n Is it my imagination , or is it only us old school mechanics ( not techs ) who know this and bother to find out why ? You are 100% correct Cap'n, my hat is off to you. |
1970 Neun vierzehn |
Dec 7 2013, 08:59 PM
Post
#19
|
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,199 Joined: 16-March 06 From: cincinnati, ohio Member No.: 5,727 |
The low beam only operation is a DOT regulation ......................... Strange as it may seem, it's common sense, as well. Research has proven that driving with the fog lamps lit in other-than-foggy conditions actually impairs the operator's distance vision. Your eyes become less sensitive to low light levels. SUV, Honduh, and BMW owners where I live are blissfully ignorant of both that and life in general. The Cap'n As we used to say back in the '60s........Right On (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Here around Cincinnati, it seems that if you have a fog light switch, it is ALWAYS friggin' ON (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) |
Ian Stott |
Dec 8 2013, 09:02 AM
Post
#20
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 907 Joined: 28-January 08 From: Moncton/Canada Member No.: 8,635 Region Association: Canada |
I did the J west upgrade a few years ago and swapped out the OEM foglights for the pilot lights, aimed them properly and use them as daytime running lights. I feel I am a bit safer safer than before and if I do turn my headlights on at night I can see better and no I am not blinding oncoming traffic as I have everything aimed properly, you do the same and I'm pretty sure you will be happy with the result.
IAn Stott Moncton Canada |
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 1st June 2024 - 03:57 AM |
All rights reserved 914World.com © since 2002 |
914World.com is the fastest growing online 914 community! We have it all, classifieds, events, forums, vendors, parts, autocross, racing, technical articles, events calendar, newsletter, restoration, gallery, archives, history and more for your Porsche 914 ... |