Quote:
Originally Posted by prelude2k
Anyone know how deep the fog light area is below the front turn signals. The Xenarcs fit into an area 6in wide x 3in tall x 5 inches deep. Seems like this would be a tight fit, might have to install them adjacent to the front turn signals instead, if I decide to get them.
I found this info for anyone interested in the California Vehicle Code. I have seen vehicles in California with both HID headlights and HID auxillaries and they looked OEM to me. I hope these Xenarcs would pass for fog lights, because apparently auxillary lighting is to be used with high beams -- which is not what I want.
24402. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches. Driving lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the UPPER beam from headlamps and may not
be lighted with the lower beam. I SEE AUXILLARIES ALL THE TIME WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON?!
(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less
than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches. Passing lamps are lamps
designed for supplementing the lower beam from headlamps and may also
be lighted with the upper beam. WAIT, NOW I CAN HAVE THEM ON WITH LOW BEAMS AS LONG AS THEY ARE 24 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND?
24403. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two
foglamps which may be used with, but shall not be used in
substitution of, headlamps. Foglamps shall be mounted on the front
at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches and so
aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity
portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall
at a distance of 25 feet ahead project higher than a level of four
inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes.
Passing lamps, driving lamps, fog this, fog that. Fricken law, I hate reading this stuff. Why do I have to be such a goodie two shoes and worry about this? I just want real, quality HIDs, not one these duct tape and glue-on pieces of crap. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...
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I know this is an old, old, OLD post... but I was searching for info on my HID lights and came across it... seemed that it was never really completed concerning the definitions of some of the laws and whether or not it is allowed to supplement your low beams. I figure that someone might find it useful. If not, the mods can go ahead and erase it.
First you must know the difference between what most states consider an "auxillary driving light," an "Off Road Light," an "auxillary PASSING lamp" and a "fog light."
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Fog Lights: Most states define these lights as found UNDER or in the bumper... closer to the ground (as installing the light any higher will not do you much good when actually in fog). Hence the 12-30 inch height requirement. They are also generally 55W or less. These can be yellow or clear in most cases.
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Auxillary Driving Lights: Most states define these lights as found ABOVE the bumper and are used to help illuminate at a brightness HIGHER than what is legal for LOW BEAMS, therefore only allowed for use in conjunction with high beams. As long as they are within the 16-42 inch height they can be considered AUXILLARY lights. These lights are generally 100 watt bulbs or less.
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Auxillary PASSING Lamps: These lamps are used in conjunction with your highbeams and come on while your low beams are still lit using a momentary switch, usually part of your directional/highbeam wand. I think it is the stupidest LEGAL lighting setup allowed. Most newer vehicle's highbeam switches allow you to quickly "flash" your beams in one direction of the switch and switch to highbeams only in the other direction. (My chevy truck has this, as well as my wife's Toyota Solara, but my Prelude does not.) It is meant to aide a passing vehicle in warning the driver of the vehicle that they are passing that they are doing so, or to warn an oncoming vehicle that may be passing another vehicle that you are there. What they end up doing in reality is causing MORE danger when you blind the guy you are trying to pass, or of course now-a-days, cause them to develop a case of road rage against you.
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Off Road Lights: The height of these lights vary from state to state, but generally, any light that is used ABOVE the vehicles OEM headlights will fall into this category. In your state, anything over 42 inches will be considered Off Road. They can vary in brightness from 55W to 100W and higher. These lights are generally required to be covered and cannot be used when driving on public roads.
What you are seeing on many vehicles complained of having "Auxillary Driving Lights" are most likely considered "fog lights" by the CA law's height and adjustment requirements. Alot of vehicles come from the factory with these installed.
ANSWER: If you install a set of "fog lights" on your car at 12inches, back it away 25 feet from a wall, and adjust them so the concentrated beams are no higher than than 8 inches on the wall, then you are all set legally according to your state law. (no more than 4 inches below the height of install at 25 feet away) Install and adjust them correctly and you are legal all day long.
And as a rule-or-thumb... the more "stock" or "OEM" it looks, the less likely you are to have any problems with anyone carrying a badge.
I fought the law here in NH on this one and won after I proved in court that I followed every law concerning the matter and that the "fog light" setup I had was completely legal.
__________________
-1992 Honda Accord DX... sold
-1993 Honda Accord EX 5spd...Sold
-1991 Honda Prelude SI... Sold
-1989 Honda Prelude AWS... Sold
-2002 Honda Civic EX... Sold
-Now-1997 Honda Prelude 5spd Base model with SH engine and Tranny... In the process of restoration.
-oh yeah... I'm also a chevy guy.
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