Upgraded fog lamps

[Morgan]

I would like to upgrade the fog lamps on my 07 Edge SEL. Any suggestions for a brighter lamp. Thanks

[SOMDTBSS]

I would like to upgrade the fog lamps on my 07 Edge SEL. Any suggestions for a brighter lamp. Thanks

Depends on what kinda upgrade...

Different color? Brighter? Re-aim them?

What are looking to do?

You might wnat to think about different color bulbs, or even HID's.

But, this, like most other forums, if you look around, i am sure you will find the answers your looking for!

[Jaak in TO]

Check out Daniel Stern Lighting web page for what you can upgrade. Here's and e-mail respones I got from him:

 

 

On Fri, 14 Mar 2008, Jaak Lepson wrote:

 

> Hello ... I have a brand spanking new Ford Edge Limited AWD with H11 as the low beams.

 

Ford have recently "gotten it" and have been installing decent optics on their cars (finally). H11 is an ultralong-life, rather low-output bulb producing 1350 lumens. You can easily and safely replace the H11 low beam bulbs with 2100-lumen H9 items: http://store.candlepower.com/h-9.html -- don't make this substitution in the fog lamps, however.

 

> I would like to order a pair of your finest. I am looking for a good distance beam pattern down the road as well as one that hopefully lasts longer than a year.

 

Can't have all of the above. Higher output = shorter life. Buy spares; they're not too costly.

 

Your high beams can also be significantly upgraded if you will Replace the existing 9005 bulbs with 9011. The new bulbs are not some tinted or overwattage version of 9005, but rather employ a relatively new technology called HIR, Halogen Infrared Reflection. The mechanical dimensions of the bulb are all virtually identical to the 9005, but the bulb glass is

spherical instead of tubular, with the sphere centered around the filament. There is a "Durable IR Reflective" coating on the spherical glass. Infrared = heat, so the coating causes heat to be reflected back to the filament at the center of the sphere. This causes the filament to become much hotter (producing more light) than it can by passing electricity through it, *without* the shorter life or greater heat production that comes with overwattage bulbs (to say nothing of overwattage bulbs' incompatibility with stock wiring.)

 

Here's the comparison:

 

stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hours

compare: 9005+50, 12.8V, 55W, 1830 lumens, 175 hours

new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours

 

These bulbs are costly as bulbs go - $23.95/ea - but their cost is worth

 

considering in context: Any number of companies will charge you more than this for a tarted-up 9005 with blue colored glass (PIAA and Sylvania Silverstar come to mind) that doesn't produce more light and has a very short lifespan.

 

The HIR bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic bulb base, this is to comply with the law requiring different bulbs to have different bases. The extra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to make the bulb fit your headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they go directly into the headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on. Please see http://dastern.torque.net/Mods/HIRmod.html for details.

 

The direct order link for these bulbs is http://store.candlepower.com/9011.html

 

You may also want to install the 30% brighter front turn signal bulbs to maintain the proper brightness ratio with the headlamps: http://store.candlepower.com/p3457akda.html

 

> For shipping purposes I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

 

No worries -- Canadian shipping options are provided on the checkout page of our secure Candlepower website linked above. .

[Kanatronic]

I just replaced my front low and hi beams with the Nightbreakers and some HIR1 from Toshiba, this upgrade left me a good taste in my mouth and I was wondering how hard are to replace the fog light bulbs as well. The fronts were a piece of cake, I asked Daniel Stern and he recomended me the Nightbreakers as well, but my only concern is how hard to replace they are, are they accesible as the low and high beams, any experience on those???

[NYEdge]

I just replaced my front low and hi beams with the Nightbreakers and some HIR1 from Toshiba, this upgrade left me a good taste in my mouth and I was wondering how hard are to replace the fog light bulbs as well. The fronts were a piece of cake, I asked Daniel Stern and he recomended me the Nightbreakers as well, but my only concern is how hard to replace they are, are they accesible as the low and high beams, any experience on those???

 

I replaced my fog bubs last year with MTEC's racing halogen H11 12v 55W. The color I choose was yellow (they call it golden style MT-494) so that I can see better in the fog, and to be a little different from the other Edge's.

 

All you have to do is get on your back and slide under the front valance to do the swap.

[killermaze]

I replaced my fog bubs last year with MTEC's racing halogen H11 12v 55W. The color I choose was yellow (they call it golden style MT-494) so that I can see better in the fog, and to be a little different from the other Edge's.

 

All you have to do is get on your back and slide under the front valance to do the swap.

 

NY,

I know you live in new york..but your edge would look sweet with some 20% tint or limo's all around. I know the cops going to be harassing you..but I think it would be worth it..lol.

 

Sweet ride

[Kanatronic]

I replaced my fog bubs last year with MTEC's racing halogen H11 12v 55W. The color I choose was yellow (they call it golden style MT-494) so that I can see better in the fog, and to be a little different from the other Edge's.

 

All you have to do is get on your back and slide under the front valance to do the swap.

 

I looked under the vehicle and not sure if yours is like mine, but mine has a black plastic splash guard in the way all across the front side, and only leave you an small hole on each corner, to inser the hand in there, of course I just took a quick peak but I do not think that there is room enough to do that, unless you remove the black thing (at least partially)....

Edited November 20, 2008 by Kanatronic

[NYEdge]

NY,

I know you live in new york..but your edge would look sweet with some 20% tint or limo's all around. I know the cops going to be harassing you..but I think it would be worth it..lol.

 

Sweet ride

 

Killermaze: I actually do have 20% on the front driver / passenger, but with the angle of the photo and the light coming through the windshield, it looks lighter in the photo. I have been stopped once since tinting last year and I was able to get out of the ticket. :happy feet:

 

Thanks for your comments.

[NYEdge]

I looked under the vehicle and not sure if yours is like mine, but mine has a black plastic splash guard in the way all across the front side, and only leave you an small hole on each corner, to inser the hand in there, of course I just took a quick peak but I do not think that there is room enough to do that, unless you remove the black thing (at least partially)....

 

As mentioned by other members in the other thread you have about the fogs; the splash guard should be moved out of the way. It is a very simple process and you shouldn't have any trouble. I think the hole process took around 15-20 minutes for both sides.

[Kanatronic]

As mentioned by other members in the other thread you have about the fogs; the splash guard should be moved out of the way. It is a very simple process and you shouldn't have any trouble. I think the hole process took around 15-20 minutes for both sides.

 

Well finally I decided to take it to the dealer, weather conditions here are not good at all, to work outside and on top i was not able to find a so easy way of accesign them. They replace them for me, the only drawback is that they consider those bulbs as "aftermarket", so they do not offer any warranty in the bulbs or wiring, no big deal I know that those will not be a problem as they are rated to the same wattage (Not sure but I think that the bulbs are never covered anyway, not even theirs) and as per the wires, no big dela neither as they are exactly the same wattage and type fo bulbs. They charged me 32.00 bux plus tax, honestly for 34.00 bux I will not even bother to go under the car myself...

[Kanatronic]

For the ones interested on the aftermarket lighting, as you probably know, I have in mine the Nightbreakers, even while very nice color, and output light, the Nightbreakers seems to be a very low life bulb, half of the stnadard life, of the regular H11's. I replaced my first one today after about 6 months of very gently use, not even driving at night, they lasted half life or less in comparison to the standard H11, not sure if it was a defective bulb, or a bummer, but just in case, I pulled the trigger for a set of the Narva H9's 2100 lummen, that will last as long as the standard ones, color will be different though. I spoke with Kenny at Candlepower, as usual very nice customer support, and he will send a replacement my way, as it was supposed to last longer, but even though, lasting one year, is not enough for me to justify a 35.00 a shot bulb. I will place the H9's now and I will report back my experience with them, other aspect to consider is that they are half a price fo the Nightbreakers...will keep my remaining one for the fog lights and the new one as well... :stats:

Edited May 30, 2009 by Kanatronic