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| Mash Member Since: 09 Feb 2015 Location: Guernsey Posts: 1674   
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I have a RI 10" and a pair of D2's fitted to my disco, they have been submerged multiple times, both when on and off and are excellent no problems with great light output.
If I was to buy any more led lighting it would be RI  |
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5th Apr 2015 12:48am |
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| Buccaneer Member Since: 11 May 2014 Location: London/Kabul Posts: 148  
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Appreciate the quality of Lazer and Rigid Industries products - the fact that they are twice the price and more in some of the cheaper cases makes it hard to justify the purchase. The Rules:-
1 Buccaneer comes back alive. 2 Chicks dig scars. GB260 |
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5th Apr 2015 4:40am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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Shall we go back to the start and ask some questions about what you are trying to achieve as a large LED light bar can be expensive, however is it needed.
Also some of the figures quoted by various suppliers do appear at odds within a single advert. Budget, important question to decide on. Where is light to be used, on road/off road decides if E Mark is required. Wide open spaces or densely wooded? Speed event or just driving at low speeds off road? Light output/ range required IP rating? 67 is bare minimum. 69K is best Looks? A big massive bar to say look I am a roughy/toughy off roader or just two small discrete units? Budget, personal decision. IP rating, try to get better then minimum of IP67 Light output/range? Raw lumens, effective lumens or measured lumens? Most will quote raw lumens as this is is the highest figure but does not always translate to best light output on the ground. Do you really need to see the poo coming out of a rabbits bottom at a distance of a mile? Range of a mile is impressive but do you actually need it? At 60 mph that will take a minute to cover, is that range needed? I would argue that most people would only need a maximum range of 200-300 yards. Light output? Do you need max possible? Big light output hitting a reflective sign can mean a driver partially blinded by own lights So consider carefully what you are trying to achieve, then buy the best to satisfy your needs within your budget. If need be to satisfy your needs it might be a case of saving for longer. Brendan |
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5th Apr 2015 8:49am |
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| zone30 Member Since: 07 Sep 2012 Location: Gent Posts: 669  
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I have fitted chinese ones and am very pleased with them. Can't beat the price either and if they ever break, cheap replacement.
My opinion is as follows: This is a technology that is still in its infancy. If you buy expensive, they'll be "old" in a few months time anyway. I saw it with PCs, TVs and now LEDs (especially headlights). If you buy cheap now, you wont have a problem exchanging them when the technology matures, money wise that is. About the "infancy" claim: we only just jumped from 3W LEDs to 10W LEDs. I doubt that's the the end of it, it's just the beginning. I.o.w. The Chinese ones have only to last maybe 5 years. Then what then will be Chinese will be better then what is now "top-quality" and I still won have spend the amount. I have 220W of LEDs fitted for about €150 (that's about £120). By the way, most look suspiciously the same as my chinese ones anyway. You can't use them that often anyway to justify some of the prices they ask, unless if you are an extreme competion rider, maybe... |
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5th Apr 2015 9:58am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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Sorry Zone you are behind the times already! 
Try a single 50 watt LED with an effective lumen output of 2240 lumens with a range of 800 metres. Have seen the single 25 watt LED in action with an effective lumen output of 1750 lumens and a range of 300 metres Brendan |
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5th Apr 2015 10:06am |
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| Devon-Rover Member Since: 22 Jan 2015 Location: South Devon Posts: 917 
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It isn't just the number of LED's and their individual wattage. You also have to take into account the quality of the reflector and the electronic management that drive them.
you get what you pay for. The same can be said of halogen lighting. You pay less of Pro comp lamps which are a good bargain lamp or you can have Lightforce 170's.... As leeds said above work out what you need then look around. I wouldn't compromise if your current budget is low. Because when you are out at night it will niggle all the time that the light isn't doing what you want. |
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5th Apr 2015 10:40am |
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| DuncanS Member Since: 06 Dec 2013 Location: Cumbria Posts: 299 
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This is a bit of a commercial post so any issues, send me a PM (Been trying to sort out a commercial account for ages but no reply to my PMs or emails!)
I work on technical sales with UTV Products. We sell LED lighting (lightbars, road lighting, spots etc) to various industries including the 4x4 Market. I would normally try and outline the basics but Leeds has done a pretty thorough job of covering it all. Our lighting is manufactured in China as is most, but comes with the highest possible build quality, warranty included and our lightbars are all IP68. Granted they may not have the catchy names like Lazer or Rigid but they don't have a price tag to match either. The main issues with the "china surprises" off ebay are the quality levels. Most use very similar housings but have very different internals. We have bought cheap options off ebay to inspect them and have found that they are running drivers at their limit on one per light. Ours are at most one per 3 LEDs or one per COB. The quality of soldering and optics is pretty evident too! We regularly visit nearly all of the 4x4 shows and with hundreds of people buying at each show I think we are worth a look haha! We have units out in Peru, Egypt and various other countries so we know that they are built to last. We have just launched our new website at ledlightsforsale.co.uk so pop over and take a look. Any questions just ping me a PM or an email. many thanks Duncan North Cumbria Search and Rescue - Team Leader |
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5th Apr 2015 11:56am |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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I know they're great for "the look" but I absolutely detest driving things with roof mounted lights in the rain.
If you haven't experienced it, I would rig up something temporary before spending any serious money just to check you're not equally annoyed by it! Driving our telehandlers in the rain and the dark is an exercise in swapping between all the sets of lights in order to find one that lights up something useful without reflecting off the rain or the back of the bucket. I would pay good money for someone to invent a drone that would fly around in front of me with decent floodlighting on it lighting up the things that I want to see. |
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5th Apr 2015 6:28pm |
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| DuncanS Member Since: 06 Dec 2013 Location: Cumbria Posts: 299
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Thats the main bugbear with any lighting, and particularly Xenon, HID and LED due to the brightness Cupboard. The main one for many people is the reflection off the bonnet with those that are running very wide beam angle stuff which is why putting bars on bumpers is quite a popular option.
Drones with lights? Hmm now that would be interesting haha. North Cumbria Search and Rescue - Team Leader |
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5th Apr 2015 6:35pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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Yes, that's where I'd put them!
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5th Apr 2015 7:54pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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You can get non reflective covers for bonnets. Not just good for stopping spillage of light from roof mounted lights, but also stops sunlight bouncing off bonnet and 'blinding' the driver.
Bumper mounted lights can be angled slightly outwards which gives a wider spread of light close to the vehicle. Stopping distance at 70mph is about 96 metres according to highway code. Allow a decent safety margin and that is why I suggest good lighting is needed up to about 200 metres rather then seeing a bunny rabbit having a poo over a mile away. Brendan |
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6th Apr 2015 10:10am |
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