Why You Should Consider Yellow Fog Lights

When it comes to lighting upgrades, people tend to fall into two different camps. The first is those who are looking for the most aesthetically appealing look, something that will benefit the look of your vehicle. The second are those who are looking for the best possible performance when it comes to automotive lighting.

If you are in the latter group, you are probably going to want to have a yellow light for your fog light application. This is especially true if you live somewhere with harsh weather conditions that make driving in low light difficult. We’ll get into why choose yellow fog lights over white ones, and some bulb options that you can choose from.

DO I REALLY NEED YELLOW FOGS?

If you have ever flipped on your high beams while driving through snow or fog, you may have noticed how difficult it gets to see. The particles act like small mirrors that then refract the light and sends it through the other particles in the air. Not only does this make it difficult to see for you, but other drivers too.

This idea sources from a study conducted in France during the 1930s. It claimed that the use of yellow headlights, not just fog lights, reduced the amount of scattered light in particle-heavy atmospheres. Since then, this claim has been eliminated from serious consideration by our understanding of physics. However, there is still some truth to the practice.

The original study claims that the Rayleigh Scattering effect is applied to very small scattering particles that match the size of the wavelengths that travel through them. This is what gives the sky its blue color. For inclement weather, the particles in the air are much too large for that so the effect does not apply to the same degree.

Modern headlights offer clearer beams that lessen the glare and refraction of light in inclement conditions. Lights that best eliminate the glare caused by said conditions will typically come in yellow or orange-colored light.

In the past, we have discussed the role that color temperature plays in nighttime visibility. In short, the closer the color temperature of the light is to white the better visibility you receive. So, while orange light may help cut through the fog, your visibility will not be as strong as a yellow light, which is closer to white light.

To answer the question as to whether you really need yellow-colored fog lights, the answer really comes down to personal preference. Thankfully for you, we have prepared some non-yellow fog light options if that suits your driving needs. See the Ultra Series 2.0 or the 2Stroke 3.0 LED Bulb, for example. Both are great options and come from reputable brands like GTR Lighting and Morimoto.

WHICH YELLOW FOGS SHOULD I BUY?

Over the last few years, brands like Xenon Depot and S-V.4 have introduced yellow chipped lights to their popular bulb lineups. For Xenon Depot, it is the XTREME LED Pro which comes in several sizes to fit your application. The same applies to S-V.4 with their LED bulb product line.

If you are looking to spend a bit more money, we recommend the Ultra 2 Series from GTR Lighting and the 2 Stroke 3.0s from Morimoto. The Ultra 2 comes in both H11 and H10/9005 sizes to fit different fog light assemblies. The same can be said for the 2 Stroke 3.0, as it is sold in an H11 and H10/9005 sizes too. Morimoto did not originally offer a yellow chipped light prior to the 2 Stroke 3.0 Series, so this is the first of its kind from Morimoto.

 

If you are still on the fence about making the switch, ask yourself: How much inclement weather do I drive through in the year? If you are driving in foggy conditions daily or perhaps you live somewhere with heavy winters, yellow fog lights are a must-buy.

If you are more of a visual learner, be sure to check out our video on why you should consider yellow fog lights. While you are there, make sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest lighting upgrades for your vehicle.

Have any questions about one of the products we mentioned? Contact us today, and our customer service team would be happy to help.