Light bars

[Tonz]

whats good & Bad, whats the difference between ones from Ebay to Autobarn or similar shops, how can one know the difference?

I am looking at about 600-800mm across

[Trevor 57]

look for the amount of lux

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Big Trev

look for the amount of lux

Mum used to use that........

[Tonz]

Originally Posted by Big Trev

look for the amount of lux

its just their word (sellers) how can that be guaranteed?

[EBSXR6]

Originally Posted by Tonz

its just their word (sellers) how can that be guaranteed?

It cannot unless you have a reference for the product, someone you know has the same product or you have seen it in a retail shop.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Big Trev

look for the amount of lux

At distance too - nothing beats HID spotlights for the amount of light down range.

[prydey]

99% of ebay stuff will be ordinary.

I did a lot of research when I bought my light bar and most of the big name stuff (rigid industries, baja, lightforce etc) are superior in most tests, but you pay substantially more for it.

I bought my latest one from Stedi. They performed well in independent testing and are substantially cheaper.

My reasons for this is the amount of time I will actually need to use it. If I was needing it every day or regularly enough, I probably would have stumped up the extra for a big name brand, but I will use it a handful of times a year, and it will do the job while still being very well built.
The other reason is, you don't need to be seeing 1km down the road. as long as you can see beyond your braking distance + reaction time at the max speed limit, then that is fine. mine has a fairly narrow spot beam (5degree) with 40deg ( I think) flood beam. It suits my needs.


if you need a lot of light, and have the ability to mount spot lights rather than a light bar, I would still stick with spot lights.

[Blue Dog]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

At distance too - nothing beats HID spotlights for the amount of light down range.

Not too sure about that, for example here's a hand held torch..............

The LedLenser X21R, the figures alone are impressive:
5,000 lumens light output with a beam range of up to 800 metres & maximum run time of 40 hours.
The unbelievable beam range of this flashlight will completely amaze its user - its light beam can cross the length of eight soccer fields, which makes it the perfect searchlight!

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Blue Dog

Not too sure about that, for example here's a hand held torch..............

The LedLenser X21R, the figures alone are impressive:
5,000 lumens light output with a beam range of up to 800 metres & maximum run time of 40 hours.
The unbelievable beam range of this flashlight will completely amaze its user - its light beam can cross the length of eight soccer fields, which makes it the perfect searchlight!

How many lumens are there at 800m though? That's where the secret lies.

Sure it has 5000 lumens at the reflector but the real test is at the 800M mark and that's where the difference lies between LED and HID.

The latter as a general rule has more light at the opposite end of the beam.

[prydey]

The old saying 'you get what you pay for' is pretty accurate for most things in life, and in this case, esp driving lights.

Also, poor man pays twice, or

Buy nice or buy twice

[.:4:.]

Beam angle is also something important to consider. You can have all the light output you like, but if the beam isnt where you want it to be then its no good. A narrow beam tends to project further but not pick up periferal, a wide beam wont project as far but will pick up more periferal. Just another thing to consider.

[Franco Cozzo]

LED bars are awesome for a real wide flood up to 150M or so, they're not real good at useful light at further distances but at the end of the day I find I'd rather see wider up to 150M in front of me than 500M+ down the road.

Come across this bloody furry gypsy and 5 of his mates on my way home from Heathcote on Friday night after the test and tune.

In this situation more lights are useless as it's just curvy windy roads where it's road then trees and that's probably the most likely encounter you'll have with the furry gypsies.



For one of these vegan flogs he's pretty muscly 💪

Shares the same diet as women with bright blue hair and tattoos in Melbourne's inner suburbs

[yakcam]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Shares the same diet as women with bright blue hair and tattoos in Melbourne's inner suburbs

Same razor too by the looks of it

[hayseed]

I've got a couple of Slimline ones (20" & a 30") from 4WD supercentre. they seem fine...

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Tonz

whats good & Bad, whats the difference between ones from Ebay to Autobarn or similar shops, how can one know the difference?

I am looking at about 600-800mm across

Stay away from the cheap Ebay ones if you want decent performance, I would suggest you visit the 4WD stores for advise but be prepared to pay big $$$$.
I've seen some led bars and lights that are just as good or even better than HID's.

[GTLEGEND]

Lumen do a good bar that's plug and play with a Ranger/Everest and sold as a Ford accessory..click on link below and scroll down the page if it does not come up automatically.

https://www.ford.com.au/commercial/ranger/accessories/double-cab-pick-up/4x4-xlt-double-cab-pick-up-3-2l/#overlay/content/ford/au/en_au/ranger-content-2019/image-overlays/ranger-accessory/ranger-accessory-overlays.html?wcmmode=disabled&param=%257B%2522ima ge%2522%253A%2522%252Fcontent%252Fdam%252FFord%252 Fwebsite-assets%252Fap%252Fau%252Fbuildprice%252Faccessory% 252Fexterior%252FVGB3Z13B218A.jpg%2522%252C%2522fe atureName%2522%253A%2522LED%2520Light%2520Bar%2520-%2520Lumen%2522%252C%2522featureDescription%2522%2 53A%2522%253Cul%253E%253Cli%253ECompliment%2520you r%2520Everest%25E2%2580%2599s%2520Nudge%2520or%252 0Bull%2520bar%2520with%2520the%2520Lumen%2520perfo rmance%252020.5%25E2%2580%259D%2520slimline%2520LE D%2520light%2520bar%2520that%2520provides%2520supe rior%2520illumination%2520when%2520driving%2520at% 2520night.%255Cn%253Cli%253EThe%2520Lumen%2520ligh t%2520bar%2520provides%2520a%2520combination%2520b eam%2520that%2520is%2520great%2520for%2520wide%252 0angle%2520short%2520range%2520illumination%252C%2 520but%2520maintains%2520its%2520performance%2520o ver%2520long%2520distances.%253C%252Fli%253E%255Cn %253Cli%253EHave%2520the%2520peace%2520of%2520mind %2520knowing%2520that%2520the%2520light%2520bar%25 20has%2520passed%2520extensive%2520product%2520tes ting.%253C%252Fli%253E%255Cn%253Cli%253ESpecificat ions%253D%2520LED%2520power%2520(15x3W)%252C%2520L ux%252F10m%25201885%252C%2520Waterproof%2520rating %2520IP67%252C%2520Colour%2520temperature%25206000 k%252C%2520Dimensions%252020.5%255C%2522%252C%2520 LED%2520life%2520span%252050%252C000%2520hours%252 C%2520Dimensions%2520524x59x52mm%253C%252Fli%253E% 253C%252Ful%253E%255Cn%253Cp%253EThis%2520accessor y%2520%2520is%2520a%2520Supplier%2520Branded%2520A ccessory%2520and%2520is%2520not%2520manufactured%2 520or%2520warranted%2520by%2520Ford.%2520The%2520w arranty%2520is%2520provided%2520by%2520the%2520man ufacturer%2520of%2520the%2520accessory.%2520The%25 20information%2520in%2520this%2520document%2520rel ating%2520to%2520this%2520accessory%2520%2520is%25 20based%2520on%2520information%2520provided%2520by %2520the%2520manufacturer%2520of%2520the%2520acces sory.%253C%252Fp%253E%2522%252C%2522disclaimer%252 2%253A%2522%25253Cp%25253E*Fitted%252520RRP%252520 (including%252520GST)%252520for%252520Dealer%25252 0fitted%252520accessory%252520at%252520%25253Cu%25 253Eparticipating%252520Dealers%25253C%252Fu%25253 E.%252520Based%252520on%252520RRP%252520for%252520 accessory%252C%252520standard%252520labour%252520t ime%252520%2526%252520recommended%252520hourly%252 520labour%252520rate.%252520%25253C%252Fp%25253E%2 522%252C%2522partNumber%2522%253A%2522VGB3Z13B218A %2522%252C%2522cost%2522%253A%2522%2524637%2522%25 2C%2522partNumberTitle%2522%253A%2522Part%2520Numb er%2522%252C%2522partPricePrefix%2522%253A%2522%25 22%252C%2522costTitle%2522%253A%2522Price%2522%252 C%2522isHideFeatureDescription%2522%253Afalse%252C %2522isHideDisclaimer%2522%253Afalse%252C%2522isHi dePartNumber%2522%253Afalse%252C%2522accPartPriceS uffix%2522%253A%2522*%2522%257D

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

There goes the server bandwidth of aff with that url

[GTLEGEND]

Did not realise it was that long until I posted...straight from the Ford website?

[naddis01]

Not a light bar but still LED.

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/kin...tres-ip68.html

Supposedly 1 lux at 1200m. $229.

[5.8]

Originally Posted by naddis01

Not a light bar but still LED.

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/kin...tres-ip68.html

Supposedly 1 lux at 1200m. $229.

image

I just bought a pair of these in 7” as that’s all I could fit on my bullbar. $79 for the lights and $40 for the plug in fitting kit. Brilliant light, I couldn’t imagine why you would need more light out there. Hopefully they have longevity given the price. We’ll see.

[Burnout]

I suppose you would need to use a lighting accessory you a happy with.
I have Lightforce spotties on ma Ute, been there forever, they are a focusable light and I flare them for local work (mostly wallabies/Deer) and on longer trips I focus them down the road to give me long range performance. Been very happy with them for years.

[prydey]

Another thing to look for is colour temperature. Anything decent will be around 5000k give or take a few hundred. Most of the cheap junk will be 6000k or higher. This is too far toward the blue end of the spectrum to be effective. Don't mistake brighter light as being better. It's way too reflective. Road side signs will blind you. Too white/blue will also be a lot less effective in rain. Yellower light will actually penetrate a lot better which is aghast you need.

As well as colour, there is also the beam pattern to take in to account. Anything that hasn't been photometrically tested I wouldn't waste my time with.

[Tonz]

with an FG the round lights look so strange and out of place, yes I would prefer them but for ascetically pleasing appeal light bars are the go.
I have one at present but thinking it could be better but also toying with mounting it on roof of the ute canopy as a reversing light

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Also wanted to just let people know to be wary of claims of lux levels (lumens) with some of the lesser known brands. I'm no expert on the subject matter, but I looked after a project at our work where we replaced traditional fluorescent light fittings with industrial LED fittings. The company I dealt with did all of their design work in Melbourne and their lights were extremely robust and were very efficient (and cost a bomb).

One of the designers was talking to me about the measurement of lux levels. He advised me that there are two ways of measuring the light output; one directly at the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the other off the board. In this case, IIRC, the same lux level measured off the board produces, generally, a higher output light. It is a way for a poorer performing light to be expressed in better terms.

Do a search, and there are numerous sites that talk about the difference between lux and lumens, and the (non)association with wattage. This one for example.

Hope that helps.

[MattSAU2XR8]

Probably worth looking at Gemtek as well

I just bought one of these - a 12 inch double row light bar with offset reflectors as per the Narva light bars. Only cost $129 with wiring kit. Still to fit it though.

Offset reflectors seem to be a good thing since if the LED is facing up or down rather than forward, and the reflector is at about 45 degrees, halfway between vertical and horizontal, most of the emitted light will actually hit the reflector and can be directed forward, rather then just spilling out as a flood beam. Food for thought...

[03 GHIA]

Have had a few light bars, but none of any big name brand.
From the ones I've had, bars with fewer higher wattage LED chips beat those than have many lower wattage chips.
To get a more accurate wattage, it's best to go off current draw rather than specified wattage.