Fog lamp help, melt down!

**toolguy** · 11-07-2009

I recently put 37 watt bulbs in my stock fog lamps, went a little higher since I had the bulbs and the 27 watt is too small. Well tonight I noticed the driver's side melted, right where it screws into the lamp. The bulb is now fused to the plastic!

I am stumped because I have put the 50 watt bulb in many GM fog lamps, that use the same style lamps, without any issues, many times before.

Did I screw up and you cannot go higher in wattage with these fog lamps?

Is anyone using the 50 watt bulb, without issues?

Finally, I know I can upgrade altogether but do not want to do that, so does anyone have a set of fog lamps to sell me?

PM me if you do, thanks!

**SuperSport** · 11-08-2009

Hmm I have 37 watt bulbs in mine (893's) and I don't have a problem. Someone else on here said their 37 watt bulbs melted the stock housing as well, but I read about a few people who had no problems with 37 watters in their stock housings, which prompted me to get mine.

Must be a random thing...

**toolguy** · 11-08-2009

Upon closer inspcetion, the 37w bulb in the one the melted, is fatter and not as long as the 27w or or other bulbs. I believe what happened is because it is fatter, it is closer to the metal shield/reflector, which is fastened to around the screw hole. When it heated, being closer, it transfered the heat to the bulb opening, since the metal from the reflector surrounds it, and melted it!

I believe that would explain it since all the other fogs I upgraded to 50w bulbs, do not have this reflector. I Vette for one of them, and I have never had issues like this.

Arrgggg, in search of new used fogs still!

**98gtp** · 11-08-2009

I put a set of blazer brand fog projectors in. My stock housing was partially melted from the 27 watt bulb at the base of the mount, so I would not try a higher wattage in stock housing. Also I may put HID in the blazer projector foglights if I want more output, but even with low wattage bulbs they are far superior in output to the stock reflectors.

**toolguy** · 11-08-2009

Innteresting 98gtp...

Funny thing is I have two sets of projectors, one from my Corvette and another set. Neither will fit in the GP brackets! I do not feel like messing with making something and winter is coming.

I did find a used set, sale pending and I will go back down to the 27W bulbs with the next set. I was able to salvage one of my current, it did not have as fat as a bulb as described above. The other one is toast!

Possibly I will break of that reflector, I strongly feel it is acting like a heat sink. If it were not there, you could use a 50W bulb and the heat would rise and dissapate just fine since the lamp is so large.

**98gtp** · 11-08-2009

I got a second set of brackets from the junkyard for cheap, without the lense to modify for fittong the projector foglamps in. Even though the projectors look tiny in the fog opening, I would not go back.

**SuperSport** · 11-08-2009

Originally Posted by toolguy

Upon closer inspcetion, the 37w bulb in the one the melted, is fatter and not as long as the 27w or or other bulbs. I believe what happened is because it is fatter, it is closer to the metal shield/reflector, which is fastened to around the screw hole. When it heated, being closer, it transfered the heat to the bulb opening, since the metal from the reflector surrounds it, and melted it!

They make a fog light lens and bracket on rock auto. They say its stock, and it is, except without the baffle inside. This is what ive heard...never bought them though.

My 37 watt bulbs were exact size and shape as the 27. Except the new one has 37W on it. Maybe you got a different brand of bulb? I got sylvania.

**toolguy** · 11-08-2009

Yes, it was not a GE or Sylvania bulb, not sure really what brand. I just had it in my spare parts...

**Iron Indian** · 11-08-2009

Originally Posted by toolguy

Well tonight I noticed the driver's side melted, right where it screws into the lamp. The bulb is not fused to the plastic!

Same thing happened to me when using 880 HID Fog light blubs in the stockers.

Time for you to upgrade to some nice metal/glass housings with H3 blubs. Autozone sells some real nice Pilot Driving Lights...

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