Light watt question...

My g/f just bought me IPF driving lights...not the 800's but the 868's or something like that...anyways, they are 55 watts and say "driving lights". I was looking at the 60 dollar increase to the ones that say "off road lights" dont list wattage though, i'm going to keep these as long as they are brighter than my stock fog lights on the jeep...its a 00. Anyone have any ideas how many watts the stock fog lights are?

They will be a ton brighter than your factory fogs a totally different pattern too. You probably won't be able to use them on the road with out blinding other drivers. They will be great for off road and back roads where no other drivers are around.

deff. sounds convincing...thanks...do you know anything about the plastic covers that comes w/ them...i heard through a very old grape vine that its illegal to drive w/ off road lites w/out the covers??

It depends on your state laws. I see more people with the covers off here in KY than with them on. I haven't had any problems with the covers off myself.

yea...thats what i thought, i'll have to look into that. Thanks

IIRC "55" watt is the legal limit for street use.
Above that (or if mounted too high etc) they need to
be "disabled" when on road -- either covered up or wired so you
couldn't flash them even if you wanted.

I believe the factory fogs are 55 watt, but they are "fogs". "Driving lights" have a very different beam pattern, a long thin pencil beam as compared with the fog pattern, which is wide, low, and very sharply cut off vertically. In Connecticut, fog lights MUST be wired so they go off when you activate the high beams, and driving lights MUST be wired so they can be operated ONLY when the high bems are on.

Which means you can't just mount them up and use your factory wiring.

"Off Road" lights are neither fogs nor driving lights. They have more of a floodlight pattern. Connecticut DMV regulations call for off-road lights to be covered or otherwise disabled when the vehicle is operated on public roads. This is why the Libery Rubicon Edition comes with covers on the rooftop lights. However, I don't know if the regulation kicks in based on the beam pattern of the lights, or the mounting height.

Actually I was looking at the local statues for minnesota lastnight on lights. They do not differentiate between the two, but state that fog lights have to be at a certian height not to exceed this and auxilary driving lights must also be at a certian height but no lower than this. It would probably be best to check your local statues. Best way to not get in trouble.

Also I don't believe there is a wattage limit to the lights, it is a candle power limit. You could have a 100watt incandescent, that isn't as bright as a 55watt Halogen.

HodgePodge said:

... lights have to be at a certian height not to exceed this ...
... it is a candle power limit...
... It would probably be best to check your local statues.

Click to expand...

Ditto the points Hodgepodge made. Indiana law reference mounting height and candlepower in their regulations IIRC.

Les