4300k HID foglights fade to a 3000Kish/halogen color in stock foglight housings. Why?
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Salt Lake City, UT
2002 BMW M5, 1992 AWD DSM, 1988 Yamaha FZR1000
4300k HID foglights fade to a 3000Kish/halogen color in stock foglight housings. Why?
So I ordered a 4300k HID kit and installed it in the stock foglight housings. Relatively simple. I figure it should be a close enough match for the 5000K D2S bulbs I just got in the mail today.
Well, I popped them in, and the D2S bulbs look very similar to the 6000K bulbs I had before (but that's another story) rather than closer to 4300K. Anyway, lets see what the fogs look like.
When I first turn the fogs on, they're nice and crisply white! Woohoo, everything matches!
Wait a minute... why are they changing color? What on earth?
Well that's great. They went back to looking like stock! Or at least a 3500K-ish temperature.
Why did this happen? Is it always going to happen? I've left them on for 15 minutes or so and it doesn't look like the temp is going to change. Do I need to let them "burn-in" longer? The color is perfect right when I turn them on, before they've "warmed up" for a few seconds, but then they fade into this yellowy halogen-looking bulb.
Is it because of the reflector dish inside of the foglight housing? Doesn't seem like that should affect it....
Well, I popped them in, and the D2S bulbs look very similar to the 6000K bulbs I had before (but that's another story) rather than closer to 4300K. Anyway, lets see what the fogs look like.
When I first turn the fogs on, they're nice and crisply white! Woohoo, everything matches!
Wait a minute... why are they changing color? What on earth?
Well that's great. They went back to looking like stock! Or at least a 3500K-ish temperature.
Why did this happen? Is it always going to happen? I've left them on for 15 minutes or so and it doesn't look like the temp is going to change. Do I need to let them "burn-in" longer? The color is perfect right when I turn them on, before they've "warmed up" for a few seconds, but then they fade into this yellowy halogen-looking bulb.
Is it because of the reflector dish inside of the foglight housing? Doesn't seem like that should affect it....
Last edited by Nait Sirhc; Jun 17, 2009 at 10:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 336
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From: Salt Lake City, UT
2002 BMW M5, 1992 AWD DSM, 1988 Yamaha FZR1000
also, holy ****. I just noticed, if you look up where my dome light is, it looks like I have the "beast eyes" mod, except in the windshield, and in white!
I should change that light out for a red one.
I should change that light out for a red one.
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Why did this happen? Is it always going to happen? I've left them on for 15 minutes or so and it doesn't look like the temp is going to change. Do I need to let them "burn-in" longer? The color is perfect right when I turn them on, before they've "warmed up" for a few seconds, but then they fade into this yellowy halogen-looking bulb.
Is it because of the reflector dish inside of the foglight housing? Doesn't seem like that should affect it....
Is it because of the reflector dish inside of the foglight housing? Doesn't seem like that should affect it....
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, UT
2002 BMW M5, 1992 AWD DSM, 1988 Yamaha FZR1000
All I wanted to have was super-crisp white for the lows (I tried 6000K and they were too blue, made it hard to see at night, but my OEM bulbs had a very slight pinkish hue when you looked at the projector). I have LEDs for the city lights (not in the above pics) and they are completely white, no tinge of any color. So it's difficult to find bulbs that match.
4300K fogs (if thats what those really are) are really, really, really ****in' yellow. I'm going to put a 4300K OEM low bulb back in my low beam and take a picture comparing the two.
The company that sent me the kit had this to say in response:
Thank you for your pictures.
Our professional have checked the pictures and he said it's normal color for 4300k.
Here is the standard color from 4300K to 12000K
http://www.vvme.com/modern/pic_colortemps.jpg
Any questions, please feel free to let us know.
4300K fogs (if thats what those really are) are really, really, really ****in' yellow. I'm going to put a 4300K OEM low bulb back in my low beam and take a picture comparing the two.
The company that sent me the kit had this to say in response:
Thank you for your pictures.
Our professional have checked the pictures and he said it's normal color for 4300k.
Here is the standard color from 4300K to 12000K
http://www.vvme.com/modern/pic_colortemps.jpg
Any questions, please feel free to let us know.
Last edited by Nait Sirhc; Jun 18, 2009 at 11:35 AM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 336
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From: Salt Lake City, UT
2002 BMW M5, 1992 AWD DSM, 1988 Yamaha FZR1000
LMAO. I sent them a pic of what their "comparison" chart looks like, on my picture.
What do YOU guys think?
I'm wondering if I should just send these "4300K" bulbs back and get 3000Ks, and give up the idea of having fogs+lows+citylights all match. The resistors continually give me grief, whether one of the LED lights won't light up all the way, or I get a "driving lamp out" error message, etc.
What do YOU guys think?
I'm wondering if I should just send these "4300K" bulbs back and get 3000Ks, and give up the idea of having fogs+lows+citylights all match. The resistors continually give me grief, whether one of the LED lights won't light up all the way, or I get a "driving lamp out" error message, etc.
