Really incredible fog light comparison/review

[tehschkott]

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

This guy did a really incredible breakdown and head to head comparison of fog lights, and also explains the various other types of lights. I realize it's a Tacoma forum post, I'm not trying to catfish anyone. But ho man, if you wanted the shake down on this, read on. The data there is universal.

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[landiscarrier]

Very nice write up. I have the SS3 Max and they are insanely bright! The way the light up the sides of the road is incredible. Makes seeing deer here in eastern Pa much easier!

 

[OFC Ranger]

I can see the news headlines now.

"Companies hate this man! Click here to find out why!"

I wonder how many companies secretly get super pissed when a consumer with commercial grade testing equipment spills the beans. That is pretty funny some bigger name companies are pulling the same power rating shenanigans as the Amazon chi-com bars/pods.

Whatever happened to people standing behind their products with honest numbers. Now almost everyone tries to find a technicality to bloat their performance.

With some exceptions I knew for a while some brand name light makers were just repacking chi-com manufactured stuff at a higher price. I bought a 43" dual white/amber light that I found on Caliraised - except I didn't - I shopped and snooped around and found the same thing on Amazon for about $150 cheaper. Its still the same product, from overseas, but at least I'm not being double fleeced.

I still have plans for some Diode Dynamics in the future.

 

[tehschkott]

Very nice write up. I have the SS3 Max and they are insanely bright! The way the light up the sides of the road is incredible. Makes seeing deer here in eastern Pa much easier!

Apparently the OP of the above thing, agreed with you. What configuration do you have them set up? Where and what kind of beam pattern?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...og-light-review.554813/page-137#post-22622437

 

[landiscarrier]

Apparently the OP of the above thing, agreed with you. What configuration do you have them set up? Where and what kind of beam pattern?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...og-light-review.554813/page-137#post-22622437

I replaced my stock fogs with the SS3 Max White. A pain in the butt to do! Very tight area to work in but worth it!

 

[NickTheEnforcer]

I just purchased led drop-in replacements for lisc plate, cargo and third brake light from Diode Dynamics. I will post some before/after's when they arrive. If I'm happy I might upgrade to their amber replacement bulbs..

 

[port43]

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

This guy did a really incredible breakdown and head to head comparison of fog lights, and also explains the various other types of lights. I realize it's a Tacoma forum post, I'm not trying to catfish anyone. But ho man, if you wanted the shake down on this, read on. The data there is universal.

Great. One more thing I didn't realize I needed to replace until this very thread.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Wow...very thorough to say the least. Who makes the fog lights for my 2019 Ranger Lariat? Wondering if they're in there and how they stack up.

 

[pull string get cookies]

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/

This guy did a really incredible breakdown and head to head comparison of fog lights, and also explains the various other types of lights. I realize it's a Tacoma forum post, I'm not trying to catfish anyone. But ho man, if you wanted the shake down on this, read on. The data there is universal.

Thanks for sharing! Living in the winter wonderland that is the upper Midwest... I now can justify safety as the reason the Ranger needs these: PERFORMANCE OFF ROAD FOG LIGHT KIT PART NUMBER: M-15200-RFOG. Wouldn’t want the lights to ice up!

 

[r1ch999999]

I'd love to see a before/after of the stock Lariet fog lamps along with the SS3 Max. My big lighting complaint with the Ranger was lack of ability to see what was in the ditch at night. Made for some tough drives in the backwoods.

 

[DrewKD88]

That was an "Intense" read. Lots of good info. I wish he threw in the Baja Designs SAE fogs for comparison. I understand that they didn't exist when he wrote this but a follow up would be nice.

 

[r1ch999999]

That was an "Intense" read. Lots of good info. I wish he threw in the Baja Designs SAE fogs for comparison. I understand that they didn't exist when he wrote this but a follow up would be nice.

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

 

[DrewKD88]

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

Nice! I didn't do my due diligence. Didn't feel like filtering through pages and pages. I have the BD SAE fogs in amber and love them. They are great lights. I'm not too concerned over blinding others. I am more concerned about my own safety and what I can see. As long as they are SAE certified then I am happy and in compliance. These lights blend really well with the stock lights. There are no harsh cut offs and the color is great and easy on the eyes after hours of driving. The work great in fog and dirt

 

[D Fresh]

Nice! I didn't do my due diligence. Didn't feel like filtering through pages and pages. I have the BD SAE fogs in amber and love them. They are great lights. I'm not too concerned over blinding others. I am more concerned about my own safety and what I can see. As long as they are SAE certified then I am happy and in compliance. These lights blend really well with the stock lights. There are no harsh cut offs and the color is great and easy on the eyes after hours of driving. The work great in fog and dirt

I think he overemphasized the importance of vertical cutoff some. A little bleed into the headlight pattern is often a good thing. As long as you're not overshooting your lowbeam cutoff, no problem.

Dude is spot on about their white color though, Baja Designs has the most perfect white.

Also all BD pods can be reconfigured with a roughly $15 lense change. Have spot whites but want combo Amber's? $15 and 15 minutes.

 

[tehschkott]

I think he overemphasized the importance of vertical cutoff some.

I mean, the man is a light scientist. He pointed out that they're out of compliance and they're response was "yeah man that's like, by design. We wanted a light that broke the mold..." like it's a Monster drink ad or something.

(Quote1 - crashnburn80)

These lights emit more glare than any other SAE LED fog light on the market that I am aware of. SAE compliance allows a glare gradient threshold in the pattern, it is as if these were designed to pin to that maximum glare threshold. I'll come back to this later but feel the understanding is necessary before reviewing the output photos.

(Quote 1 Response - Baja Designs)
Hi, that’s exactly what we were intending to do with this light. We wanted a light that would essentially break the mold of traditional J583 lights that leave a lot to be desired. With our convex lens, we have a main beam intensity similar to those displayed previously, while projecting a less intense beam spilling upwards – yet still within the safe range of SAE guidelines. This gives the end user a light that blends nicely with headlights, and projects well onto street signs, hazards, or other obstacles.

SMH
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-led-sae-j583-fog-pod-fog-light-review.554813/page-50

BD goes on to defend their decisions but it comes down to them trying to explain away what was demonstrated as obviously out of spec by a professional who didn't have an axe to grind or a horse in the race. He just likes doing it.

In Germany they have the StVZO which is a massive set of laws that govern the use of lights on - of all things - bicycles. They too have very stringent rules about lights and cutoffs. Any bicycle over 22 lbs has to have a generator-driven front facing light that does not exceed 3w, is white or yellow, a rear facing light that is red, and the front facing lights have to have a cutoff so it doesn't blind oncoming cyclists.

On the surface this sounds absurd because bicycles, who cares? But in Germany and the Netherlands something like 38% of the population commute by bicycle. In the US you may get 3% in densely populated cities. We're talking MILLIONS of people daily commuting by bicycle. The light deal is actually a pretty serious affair to manage.

Which brings me back to why cutoffs are important. Unless you're in the outback or the woods, none of us are alone out here. We all must interact vehicles of varying capabilities. I dunno. I like the idea of bright lights like anyone, but lights that make me less safe because oncoming traffic is blinded is less interesting to me. Lights that might get me ticketed are also less interesting to me. There are fog lights that do this job well and still have good cutoffs, I'll probably source one of them instead. The KC lights were awesome. Maybe I'll try to get into that.

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