PIAA 1552 questions

Hi there,

I currently have the PIAA 9007's in the heads and stock fogs. I am considering getting 1552's for the fog slots on my 98EB. I would like to be able to have the driving lights on at all times without bothering oncoming traffic. If properly aimed can this be avoided? Please share your ideas and 1552 aiming experiences.

My thoughts are since the fog locations are so low and if the 1552 cannot be aimed well enough to not bother other drivers I might be forced to get fog lights instead of driving lights. Too bad PIAA doesn't make the clear fog 1500 anymore.

Also some of you have wired using all the PIAA supplied hardware and others have just spliced at the stock fog location. Is there a performance difference on how they are wired?

Thanks,
dchinn

 

[mattadams]

I'd think you wouldn't have any problems with that. I run through town with my 510 drivings turned on but there aimed low and no one has ever flashed me.
You would notice a performance difference depending on how you wired them, but it probably wouldn't be huge. I'd say your always safer using the PIAA-supplied harness and tapping in to your brights or your fogs or whatever and opening yourself up for possible larger problems down the road if you just spliced into something that wasn't designed to handle that kind of a light.

 

[Blue Steel]

as long as you aim the 1552's low. i have them on my truck and i aim them fairly low with no problems. when i go wheeling i angle them higher up when wheeling at night and they're nice and bright and light up where i'm going well. it all depends on what angle you put em at.

 

[Bill Kemp]

I felt there was a very noticiable difference in using the OEM wires for the fogs and using the aftermarket light harness.
Besides if you want the lights on any & /or all the time you cant use the factory system.
I have a set of CATZ MSX fog lights on my Cad. They have PIAA 85=130 watt superwhite bulbs in them to match the headlights. They are as good as PIAA 1500s which I have also used, and will not blind oncomming drivers.
Since you are not going to use the 1500s as driving lights you might as well make use of the wide spread of light the CATZ fogs give you.
You wont be disapointed.

 

[dchinn]

Thanks for your replies. Bill you raise good point about the fog lights. That is one of the things I have been considering, fogs or driving lights. To clarify my original post my intended use of these auxillary lights would to just be on with the headlights, but it would be nice if they were on with the highbeams if need be too.

Fogs from my understanding produce a beam pattern much wider than that of a driving light but at a shorter overall distance. A driving light will have a narrower beam width but throws the light at a much greater distance.

My objective is to obviously get more light on the road. I like the features of both the fogs and the driving lights. I am just not sure which to get. I am aware of the PIAA dual beam 980's but thats a little over my budget. I also like what RytM1 had done to his truck too. He had 1552 driving lights in the stock fog location and 1450 fogs beside the license plate.

I just remember driving through a mountain pass last year in the snow and the headlights with 9007's and the stock fogs didn't cut it. I need more light.

Thanks for hearing me ramble,
dchinn

 

[RytM1]

Thanks dchinn. I tapped into the stock wiring harness and haven't had any problems yet (knock on wood). I also don't see much of a performance difference with them wired up that way compared to the 1450's that are wired up on their own. My 1552's are probably aimed out a little farther than recommended to get more light on the road, but I haven't had any complaints yet. The combination of the 1552's and 1450's does a very nice job lighting my path.

 

[dchinn]

Anybody using the Ion Crystal Fog?

Is anybody using the PIAA 1551 Ion Crystal Fog lamps? Any comments on how you like them?

Thanks,
Dchinn

 

[mattadams]

I have the ion crystal fog 1500's in my explorer, but I haven't had a chance to use them much. I like the ion crystal for fog and snow, seems to cut through better then clear.

 

[dchinn]

Ok, I finally just ordered the PIAA 1552's. I will post back when I get them and if I have any questions on installation.

I ordered them from www.carpartsonsale.com for about $163. I looked into Catz and PIAA at local dealers. Catz seems like a very reputable company with a good product. However I just could't pass up the deal I got on the PIAA's. My decision was also influenced by you guys since they also come highly recommended here.

Thanks a bunch,
dchinn