 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Anyone use a cheap led light bar or spots? |
 
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| Harryb450 Member Since: 11 Dec 2011 Location: over yonder Posts: 283   
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I had one on my old 90, it was a 20” one if I remember correctly. It was only cheap and cheerful led, but the light it gave was fantastic NO ROAD..........EXCEPT FOR LANDROVER
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17th Dec 2017 10:09pm |
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| Alex1976 Member Since: 23 Jan 2013 Location: Buckingham Posts: 596 
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I have used some cheap LED spot lights and also a light bar that I sourced from eBay. They performed very well and had light output that was as good as the premium brands. I did side by side comparisons with other lights on friends defenders and it was hard to tell the difference.
I think that mid level lights and cheap lights have little to differentiate between them. Possibly all made in the same factory to the same standards in China. The only difference is what brand they stick on them at the end of the production line. The real premium lights that are high end and not made in China I do think stand above the rest as they are genuinely a better quality both in terms of build and light quality. So I would say buy cheap or buy premium, but don’t bother with the mid range. Just my two pence worth..... |
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17th Dec 2017 10:10pm |
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| bpman Member Since: 21 May 2008 Location: Oslo Posts: 8069 
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I’ve just bought another rigid industries one, 20” about 16,000 lumens was about £600 - really pleased with the output
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17th Dec 2017 10:51pm |
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| Mash Member Since: 09 Feb 2015 Location: Guernsey Posts: 1674  
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Plus one for rigid Industries lights fantastic bits of kit but far from cheap
 90 wolf - Jasmin http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic39408.html
90 V8 - Maggie http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic42564.html 110 TD5 - Buggsy http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic59029.html 52HG25 lightweight https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic72342.html D3 Hse - Fiona Capri 2l S - Anna Think I might have a problem............ |
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17th Dec 2017 10:58pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763 
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I have a pair of cheapy ebay spots on my roof rack. Cost around £120 for the pair. The power rating is nonsense as usual (claimed 120W each, more like 65W each) however 65W of LED is still a hell of a lot. They produce an impressive wall of light, but the throw isn't amazing. I have HID spotlights on the front bumper for that! A lot of the videos I've seen for more expensive LED lighting look to have a similar problem with throw though.
 Click image to enlargeLand Rover at the Cider Farm by Mike Redgrave, on Flickr Dashcam footage but: Dipped by Mike Redgrave, on Flickr
HID by Mike Redgrave, on Flickr
Dipped+HID+LED by Mike Redgrave, on Flickr |
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18th Dec 2017 8:33am |
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| Eduardo Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: Región Metropolitana Posts: 2110  
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Hi there!
I have 2 cheap Nilight LED bars in my Defender (less than 25 GBP each) bougth in Amazon and installed 1 year ago and are working quite fine and without any trouble. Good output (probably less than they claim buts its OK) and the build looks strong enought to the use that I have. if somebody try to stollen it the loss will be minimal 
Cheers! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012CGFO...&psc=1 Eduardo MY 2007 110 SW PUMA 2.4: Big Fog of 64' MY 1994 Jayco 1207 Folding camper: "El Tremendo" Click image to enlarge |
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19th Dec 2017 2:57pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3748
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Thanks
At that price well worth a try  |
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19th Dec 2017 3:02pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8021  
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We run lazer lamps light bars on race truck and they are superb, great spread asked nice intensity.
On the other side of it I have won cheaper 12" asked 24" light bars and they work really well to for what they are. One of them is on the mower, does the job there! Like for like size wise and bulb pattern they don't have the distance compared to lazer lamps Cheers James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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19th Dec 2017 5:21pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20335
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I have a 16" and a 12" and they are brilliant so far, spot and flood combined.
If they don't last, they don't break the bank and I was actually really really impressed! The more very very pricey parts you fit, the more theft vulnerable it would be so I'm very happy. Very high IP rating and a 7D lense design. Most, what ever you buy with what ever fancy labelling it has are made in the same factories. I prefer mine on the front, I'm not a fan of roof lightbars. BUT, each to their own if they do. I think Halogen spots and HID are going a little out of date now, would I go back? No. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R Last edited by custom90 on 20th Dec 2017 8:43pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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19th Dec 2017 5:32pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763
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I still prefer the warmer output and better colour rendering of halogen and hid for driving by, LEDs are starting to catch on but have got a way to go for car applications!
Also not always a fan of the roof lights, I love the way mine look, and in the dry they're great, but if there's fog or rain they basically blind you. Great for working by though |
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20th Dec 2017 7:37pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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For an LED light bar (Optional Driving Light) it has to be wired to either go dip or switch off automatically when main headlights go from main beam to dip beam. It also has to have a valid APPROVAL mark on it. Below is an example of a genuine APPROVAL mark.
Click image to enlarge The idea that the cheap LED lights come out of the same factories as those making respected brands and using the same LEDs is to put it mildly wrong. We get emails on a regular basis offering us cheap and I mean dirt cheap headlights, however they are not from the same factories that make Nolden, Vision X, Truck-Lite, J. W. Speaker. Now some traders claim they use say Cree LEDs. Now are the cheap LED bars actually using genuine Cree LEDs? Now IF the cheap bars are actually using genuine Cree LEDs what BIN are they buying the LEDs out of? Each LED product line have several BINs of different qualities. Do you believe the cheap light bar manufacturers buy from the best i.e. most expensive BIN? Now what about the electronic driver, heat source, reflector etc? Brendan |
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20th Dec 2017 8:56pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20335
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I didn't mean headlights though Brendan, they are obligatory and wouldn't have them without the 'E' mark (currently) and very pleased with the Noldens I have.
They are also safety critical. My main reason for having your stereo typical eBay LED light bars is vast range, design, reflector design and variable sizes and outputs. The current 'E' marked range, is very limited and not going to suit everybody, and for me price is not the pure factor. I hope at some point this stupid 'E' Mark thing will be a thing of the past, after all no one is going to be killed by a light bar.... The rest of the world manages just fine, and we're not any better off for it. However, I doubt much will change on that and as someone else said here recently. The DFT, might come up with something else more daft instead. The vast magority of drivers have no idea what it means, or know anything about it and we are missing out on massive markets from around the world. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R |
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20th Dec 2017 9:08pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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For legal road use optional driving lights including LED light bars have to be APPROVED. This comes under the auspice of the World Forum for Vehicle Harmonisation Regulations which is set up by the UN. 62 countries are signed up as participating countries of the vehicle harmonisation regulations and most of the other countries accept the regulations. USA and Canada do not participate to the vehicle harmonisation regulations. So there is little or no chance of getting rid of the Vehicle Harmonisation Regulations and the requirement for APPROVAL marks on items fitted to road going vehicles in the foreseeable future. Equipment used off road? Then type approval regulations may well not apply. Brendan |
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20th Dec 2017 11:57pm |
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| bankz5152 Member Since: 02 Feb 2017 Location: South London/North Kent Posts: 2162 
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I buy almost all my light bars from a fella on ebay V-liteway. Stocks been a little hit n miss recently but the bars are good quality, waterproof and do last. Last ones I had 52" bar + 3 12" bars lasted around 4 years or so until I sold my 90. Also has a brilliant warranty, replaced 2 of the 12" no questions asked (turns out i hadnt wired them up right!)
WOW Factor on ebay are meant to be decent too, Ultra4 tested apparently... |
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21st Dec 2017 10:35am |
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