VanHowie

Is it true that with xenon HID ultra white headlight bulbs it is hard to see when you're driving in the rain?

99Maxima5sp

an ALL white light or ALL blue light it will be nearly impossible, so ive read, to see in the rain...all the white reflects off the rain, sometimes creating a glare...its essential to have some yellow mixed it (hence most manufacturers keeping yellowish foglights/running lights) in their HID setups...


Eric

ORBRIT

I've noticed that my stock headlamps with high wattage Cuzo Hyperwhites suck for visibility when it's raining - sometimes it seems like my lights aren't even on. I haven't experienced any glare issues.

I should probably switch my fogs to yellow.

Visibility when it's dry is great though.

96_vqmax

iTrader: (16)

Yeap,that's why fog light are yellow.

VanHowie

So do u think i should get hyperwhite headlights and keep the regular foglights?

sandman1098

Thats why some Mercedes Benz cars have those yellow lights near the Headlights. their headlights tend to be so bright that they need the yellow to help you see in the wet weather..... And thats why I wouldnt use bright white or blue headlights.....

96_vqmax

iTrader: (16)

Yeah,but depend on what brand you get.Ask around to see what brand are better,I had heard some said that the piaa,and silverstar are pretty good.But I had the Nokia purple on my 96,and it seen to be working pretty good so far.But I wouldn't change the fog to hyperwhite bulb though,it will kill your vision in the rain.

StygianMax

iTrader: (8)

The reason "yellowish" light is more effective during rain/fog is because its wavelength does not get (a) absorbed or (b) reflected by rain/fog particles. The similar reason applies to why sunsets/sunrises are reddish & not bluish. Light on the red end of the spectrum (long wavelength) can "penetrate" through better than light on the violet end (short wavelength).

I am also contemplating what kind of brighter bulbs I should get because the oems aren't that bright at night & lousy when the ground is also wet. I've decided against lights with a bluish tinge but still hunting for options that are yellowy & brighter than oems. Seems like a higher power harness might be worth investing in.

My $0.02

sandman1098

actually, I went with halogen headlights, and they work very well

96_vqmax

iTrader: (16)

Well the Noyka purple(any kind of violet) actually put out kinda yellowish on the road,but when you look at the headlight at night it's kinda white with yellowish.It put out better light then the blue bulb,just my $.02.