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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
LED Light Bars - Electrical Load
Morning all from a rather sunny Kabul on this easter weekend.

I am considering going down the LED Light Bar Route (roll cage mounted).

Currently for lighting i have LED side lights, Trucklite LEDs for the main and two big arse normal spots on the front.

Looking at the various LED Light bars available from the likes of everyone from Flatdog, Halo, Rigid Industries to the cheap and cheerful from EBay. Obviously for 'off road use only' so does it need to be E Marked? I understand it will need to be wired into to come on at full beam only and have a separate cut off switch.

One thing that sticks out is they all have a different current draw - one i saw i think was 17A@12v one at 8A@12v and i can't find the third option but it was way above those two.

I have a 50th and wondering what Ampage is acceptable etc.

( I am a wiggly amp novice and frankly will get a sparky in to do the grunt work but would be nice to know what i need to look at first) The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413682 4th Apr 2015 7:08am
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bpman



Member Since: 21 May 2008
Location: Oslo
Posts: 8069

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SVX Station Wagon Santorini Black
You get what you pay for.

Lots of Chinese specials work a treat until you compare to a quality rigid industries bar. If it's only for occasional use Chinese will do fine. I've not seen any LEDs fail on the Chinese

These a massive debate on here about whether you need e marked lights, so have a read ...

I have rigid industries 40" bar, quality piece of kit, draws 19amps, all rigid lights come with a wiring harness complete with relays and fuses

Have a look at www.zenoverland.com they are rigid resellers
Post #413684 4th Apr 2015 7:17am
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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
The only thing that turns me off the Rigid Industries option is the price... i do understand you get what you pay for... but for occasional use the price is the one thing that puts me off them.

Re the E Marking from what i have read as they are non obligatory lights they do not require an E Marking. The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413685 4th Apr 2015 7:20am
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Macpaul



Member Since: 25 Mar 2013
Location: SW Surrey
Posts: 439

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Loire Blue
I've just had to dismantle the front of my 20" Chinese unit to dry it out after condensation got into most of the LED compartments.

Seals are very flimsy and there seems to be a built-in water trap between the bottom edge of the perspex screen and the aluminium casing.

I can hardly send it back so I've siliconed it all back in and so far, so good.

It's poor quality though. Cost £100 or so. I should have bought a better one.

Electrically, Amps = watts divided by volts so just make sure your circuit (wiring, fuse, relay etc) can handle the load.

The different figures you've found presumably relate to physically different size lightbars as I think they're usually combinations of 3w LED units - two rows of 10 LEDs = 60w. Divide by 12v = 5A. 2003 Td5 110 Hardtop
Now a 2013 110 USW too.


Last edited by Macpaul on 4th Apr 2015 7:45am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #413692 4th Apr 2015 7:36am
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
Location: staffs
Posts: 10383

United Kingdom 
Another vote for Rigid Industries, though I wired mine using the original OE auxiliary Land Rover loom, relay and switch.

I can't remember how much mine were.... The price soon gets forgotten.
Post #413696 4th Apr 2015 7:45am
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mikeh501



Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

United Kingdom 
Had my Chinese one for a few years and no issues. Most of them come from there anyhow! Try and make sure it has cree LEDs as these are a quality component. Then ensure its IP rated etc and you won't go far wrong. The expensive variants have better reflectors but for occasional use any will be fine
Post #413697 4th Apr 2015 7:45am
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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
I'll leave the sparky to sort out fuses/relays and independent switches.

Probably looking at this one from Flatdog as it appears to combine price and quality.

http://www.flatdoguk.com/42%22%2Dfd%2Dpred...bar%7E1425

The laundry list of toys i am going to be buying on my return to Bighty is just getting longer and longer... The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413698 4th Apr 2015 7:45am
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mikeh501



Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

United Kingdom 
I guarantee it comes from China. Flatdog has gone down in my estimation of late.
Post #413699 4th Apr 2015 7:49am
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

United Kingdom 
Off road use only then NO E Mark is required.

Just wire it up completely separate from main headlights

For legal road use must be E marked, must be wired through main headlight switch via separate switch and relay.



Brendan
Post #413700 4th Apr 2015 7:50am
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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
Brendan - thanks for that.

Mikeh501 - why do you feel Flatdog has one down hill? I thought i read somewhere that Flatdog produced the lights that Halo sell or am i getting confused? The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413702 4th Apr 2015 7:51am
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Macpaul



Member Since: 25 Mar 2013
Location: SW Surrey
Posts: 439

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Loire Blue
mikeh501 wrote:
Had my Chinese one for a few years and no issues. Most of them come from there anyhow! Try and make sure it has cree LEDs as these are a quality component. Then ensure its IP rated etc and you won't go far wrong. The expensive variants have better reflectors but for occasional use any will be fine


I think you're probably right but mine is 'IP rated' - 67 I think - and having taken it apart, I can see it was never going to be.

That's not dear for a 42" unit but you're dealing with a UK retailer so you should be fine.

And it'll be like turning on a moderate-sized sun! 2003 Td5 110 Hardtop
Now a 2013 110 USW too.
Post #413704 4th Apr 2015 7:54am
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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
Moderate Sized Sun is always useful. I spend a lot of my time at home driving down narrow high hedged Devon lanes where giving the locals as much warning of another vehicle coming towards them is always a bonus... The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413705 4th Apr 2015 7:56am
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ken



Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

United Kingdom 
Laser lamps simples

Click image to enlarge
Post #413706 4th Apr 2015 8:00am
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

United Kingdom 
Laser Lamps are good Thumbs Up

Made in the UK so should have no issues with back up.


Just because things are made in China does not necessarily mean low quality. Where are most smart phones and iPads made?

Problem is ensuring quality. Buy from Flatdog at least you are dealing with a reputable UK dealer who attends shows etc.

Buy from eBay then you could be dealing with anybody who has just bought a few items. We get inundated with emails from China trying to sell us light bars and yes they are cheap. Am concerned about quality and back up so have avoided dealing with them.


Brendan
Post #413707 4th Apr 2015 8:09am
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Buccaneer



Member Since: 11 May 2014
Location: London/Kabul
Posts: 148

United Kingdom 1998 Defender 90 V8 Petrol 50th Auto Atlantis Blue
Once again thanks Brendan. The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive.
2 Chicks dig scars.

GB260
Post #413709 4th Apr 2015 8:43am
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