Best fog lamps available

[Meister]

The best fog lamps available, for the price certainly, were originally not intended as fog lamps at all, but rather as high beam headlamps (Non-HID) for the LX bodies. The 100 Watt Xenon SuperWhite (bluish tint) 9005 non-HID headlamp bulb, priced at only $5 ea., from http://autolumination.com is the perfect low-cost upgrade to dress up your ride and brighten the road immediately ahead.

Totally displeased with both the look and the effectiveness of the weak pale yellow stock 42w bulbs, I, some months ago purchased these brilliant white, with a touch of blue, 100 watt flame throwers and installed them in lieu of the sickly stockers.

I've now been using these for over 9,000 miles and many months. 2 1/2 times brighter than the wimpy stockers, they draw frequent comments, all positive.

Update: For reasons unknown, after months of running cool in my 300C the 100W 9005 bulbs now generate noticeable heat at the wiring harness. Additionally, just today I read one member's comment where he stated his connectors had overheated when using the 100W bulbs.

Accordingly, my recommendation for the best low cost fog bulb is now the 65W 7000K XENON HID 9005 SuperWhite.

The 7000K 65W Color Temp bulbs from xenonlightshid.com are bright, beautiful, and cool. They appear to be essentially as bright as the 100W bulbs, are whiter (clearer), and they draw the same wattage as your OEM stock bulbs. These 7000K 65W 9005s are my new choice for fogs.

Order from xenonlightshid.com (shop by bulb number - 9005). Add more to your order for only $9.95 per additional pair. Shipping/Handling costs are reduced to $1.95 per additional pair.

$14.95 + $6.95 shipping, $21.90 (first set of 2); $9.95 + $1.95 shipping, $11.90 (each subsequent set).

To find these on eBay, simply search for 7000K XENON HID 9005 HB3 9055 9145 SUPERWHITE

For convenience, here is a list of alternate bulbs, most of them LEDs, which can greatly enhance the appearance of your ride:

2005 CHRYSLER 300 (directly applicable to Magnum & Charger where ever locations are common):

Low beam headlamp 9006 (Non-HID only)
High beam headlamp 9005 (Non-HID only)
Parking light 3757ALL = 3157
Front turn signal 3757ALL = 3157
Rear turn signal 3057 = 3157
Tail light 3057 = 3157
Stop light 3057 = 3157
Fog/Driving light 9145 (I *strongly* suggest using the 65W 7000K XENON HID 9005 SuperWhite bulb from xenonlightshid.com [shop by bulb number - 9005]. Add more to your order for only $9.95 per additional pair. Shipping/Handling costs are $1.95 per additional pair.)
Map light: from http://autolumination.com/festoon.htm, the 9 LED Festoon Bulb, Color: SuperWhite, Size: 39mm, $6.99 ea.
Front under-door courtesy lights are # 562, 44mm rigid loop festoon.
Rear over-door, near the grab handles: # 194 bulb. located here: http://autolumination.com/194.htm
There are many choices for the 194 bulb. I use the multi-led one that has lights going in many directions.

Notes:

1. There are higher powered variations within given bulb numbers, the 3157 turn signal bulbs being one good example. And the new Switchback bulb (currently out of stock) will show white as a park lamp (for a beautiful, monochromatic, look) but amber as turn signal (to be legal, apparently). Even the 9005 headlight bulb comes in wattages less than 100w, so be sure to go with highest wattage/# of LEDs/power in each category for max. visibility/safety.

2. LED Load Equalizers are required in LX bodies when replacing stock turn signal bulbs with LED bulbs. When replacing all four turn signal lamps with LED lamps you need 2 3-ohm equalizers, one on each side, mounted either front or rear. Front seems preferred due to mounting location options. For more info see http://superlumination.com/equalizers.htm

3. Suggest you do not use the stock heat shield/reflector in the map light well when going to the 9-LED Festoon bulb. Heat is a non-issue, and illumination of perfect without them.
*See my install pics here: http://photobucket.com/albums/a243/computermeister/

Not tried by me, but listed as correct by Chris Bacon (Note: His numbers for map light and others were not in agreement with what I have found to be perfect, so verification with other users is suggested):
License plate 168 = 194
Back up light 3057 = 3157
Front sidemarker 2825 = 194
Glove box: 194
Trunk/Cargo area 579 = 921 = 906

New Add: HIR replacements for non-HID headlamps (with thanks to Rockadile):

Another bulb to consider for the headlamp high and low beams are the HIR bulbs that many here are running. The require very minor modification but are supposed to be the best non-HID bulbs available. If interested search the forums for HIR.

Vendors website: http://hirheadlights.com/

Instructions for trimming the bulbs: http://foohbar.com/light_bulb_saga.cfm

Email for questions: MaxLumens@FineMotoring.com

Low Beam (9006): HIR 9012
High Beam (9005): HIR 9011

More info about the bulbs from the vendor:
These Toshiba bulbs are a unique product, the only bulbs available known to use the research technology that General Electric patented in 2000 (patent number 6,087,775). It was GE's goal to create a bulb that produced 75% of the light output of HID headlights at 25% of the cost. GE sells HIR bulbs for commercial lighting and specialized applications, but decided to stay out of the automotive market and licensed this technology to a division of Toshiba. These are Toshiba bulbs, brand new, never used, factory direct. In fact, Toshiba and GE are among the few companies in the world with the expertise to engineer and build this product. These bulbs attain light levels 75% to 110% brighter than stock as a result of an engineering process that deposits multiple, yet almost invisible, layers of semi-reflective coating on the surface of a specially shaped and focused quartz bulb. This coating (a titania/silica, zinc oxide/silica, zirconia/silica, silicon nitride/silica, and titania/magnesium fluoride tantalam/silica multi-layer dielectric, according to the patent) reflects a portion of the infrared energy emitted by the filament back onto the filament, causing it to glow brighter and emit more light from the uncoated forward portion of the bulb. Although the filament gets hotter, the glass does not. IT GENERATES NO MORE HEAT THAN A REGULAR HALOGEN BULB, AND IT DRAWS THE SAME WATTAGE AND AMPERAGE AS THE STOCK 9005 or 9006 BULB IT CAN REPLACE.

My own informal testing showed the GE figures to be conservative. I hooked up a 9006 bulb to a fully charged battery on my bench. On my ancient light meter (a GE model from the 1950s, it's marked in foot-candles, but useful for showing relative light levels), I registered a light level of 20 at a distance of 18" from the bulb. The HIR 9012 bulb recorded a light intensity of 35! That's 75% brighter than stock at the same power draw of 55 watts. The comparison between a 9005 high beam and an HIR 9011 high beam was even more impressive, 30 versus 65 on the meter, for a 116% improvement over stock, and again with the same wattage as stock, 65. Recent tests with several aftermarket bulbs had similar results. Two 9005 blue bulbs, one from a major manufacturer and one a no-name 100 watt unit, both registered 32 on the light meter, less than half the light of the 9011. In fact, the HIR 9012 low beam bulbs were brighter than the aftermarket 9005 high beams!

These bulbs produce white light, rated at 3600 Kelvin color temperature, slightly whiter than the 3250K stock halogen bulbs. They do not attempt to imitate the bluish appearance of HID (High Intensity Discharge, or Xenon) bulbs. The blue halo of original-equipment HIDs comes from the high voltage arc of energy between electrodes, which emits a minor amount of long-wave UV light. Putting a blue coating on a regular bulb actually reduces light output.

They're completely DOT and EC-13 compliant and marked as such, cast into the base along with the wattage, 55W or 65W. Since they match OEM stock wattage, there is never a problem in cars that have computer monitors for the lighting circuits. You won't get false "headlight failure" messages, which can happen with other over-wattage bulbs or with HIDs.

If your headlights are maintained and aligned properly, there should be no glare issues with these lights. You get a lot more light, but it's still aimed where it should be. The position of the filament in the housing is identical to stock, so the reflectors or projectors work exactly as they were designed- JUST MUCH BETTER AND BRIGHTER.

He only sells the two bulbs (9011 & 9012), so I believe you can just specify High or low beams when ordering. He sells through ebay so do a search for HIR 9011 or HIR 9012.

[legmaker72]

What about bulbs for the overhead console lights by the sunglass holder? or did I miss it? I thought someone had changed them before to a whiter/bluish tint bulb that looked cool. Great write up...thanks for consolidating it.

[Meister]

What about bulbs for the overhead console lights by the sunglass holder? or did I miss it? I thought someone had changed them before to a whiter/bluish tint bulb that looked cool. Great write up...thanks for consolidating it.

That's the "Map light" (2 req'd), legmaker.

[urbanchemist]

i picked up a set for my C having them put in when my car is repainted and put back together at the body shop after getting it fixed from hurricane damage. i cant wait to see how they look. i originally saw your post on the 300c forum and bought them. good looking out

[ASU_Magnum]

k sorry but im a little confused.

Does Parking light 3757ALL =3157 mean to get the 3157 lamp or the 3757ALL lamp? just want to make sure i get the right ones. Slyvania.com says i can get the lamps at kragen/autozone/pep boys type store. think thats correct?

thanks

[Meister]

k sorry but im a little confused.

Does Parking light 3757ALL =3157 mean to get the 3157 lamp or the 3757ALL lamp? just want to make sure i get the right ones. Slyvania.com says i can get the lamps at kragen/autozone/pep boys type store. think thats correct?

thanks

If you simply wish to replace your stock incandescent bulb with another, essentially identical, incandescent bulb, drummer, you can buy the 3157s anywhere, including most grocery stores.

If, however, you wish to go with something much brighter (read visible), with both less heat and less power draw, you'll want to go with the new LEDs. The hot ticket for replacing the stock 3157 turn signal bulb is the new Switchback bulb (see note 1 in post 1).

LED Load Equalizers are required in LX bodies when replacing stock turn signal bulbs with LED bulbs (see note 2 in post 1).

Spend some time on autolumination.com. It will eventually all make sense.

If not call Chris Bacon at 480-279-4648. Tracy is the actual worker bee there. They're both great to work with.

[saluki450]

This should be in the knowledge base.

Dan

[ZMagnum]

I agree. KB this one please.

Also, I didn't realize the glovebox light is a 194. I have a spare 194 LED and now have the glovebox light installed. I'm going to switch that one out right away. Thanks!

This should be in the knowledge base.

Dan

[ZMagnum]

Ok, I replaced my glovebox light with a 194 LED. Works great. Thanks Jim.

I've noticed something new with my glovebox light. Now that's an LED it changes brightness based on the interior lighting. If the interior lights are off the glovebox light is slightly dim. If the interior lights are on the glovebox light is full brightness. I like this new "feature" because if it's really dark inside and you open your glovebox you won't get blasted with light. But if your interior lights are already on you get the full lighting. This is with the engine off. I've not tried it with the enging running yet.

[Meister]

Ok, I replaced my glovebox light with a 194 LED. Works great. Thanks Jim.

I've noticed something new with my glovebox light. Now that's an LED it changes brightness based on the interior lighting. If the interior lights are off the glovebox light is slightly dim. If the interior lights are on the glovebox light is full brightness. I like this new "feature" because if it's really dark inside and you open your glovebox you won't get blasted with light. But if your interior lights are already on you get the full lighting. This is with the engine off. I've not tried it with the enging running yet.

Good info, Mark. Thanks.

[zonian]

...The 100 Watt Xenon SuperWhite (bluish tint) 9005 non-HID headlamp bulb...

Meister...

I assume that these are a "plug & play" swap out?

Paul

[Meister]

Meister...

I assume that these are a "plug & play" swap out?

Paul

Totally, zonian. You simply must push a little harder in the seating process.

[Turf]

stock 9005's are 65 watt, you're saying installing a 100watt bulb in a socket meant for 42w wont be a problem?

[Meister]

stock 9005's are 65 watt, you're saying installing a 100watt bulb in a socket meant for 42w wont be a problem?

So you skipped post #1???

[Turf]

just wanted to be clear, so when the car burned down i can tell the adjuster that Meister said it was fine

thats 2 1/2 times the power draw, and a lot more heat, i would be nervous about this one. i thought about stock 65w 9005's and was wondering if the system could take it.