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How Many Watts Does A Good LED Light Bar Have For Vehicles
Light bars have gained more attention in the last five years. They were aftermarket parts that were used in trucks and cars, but the tables have turned.
We see the hype in light bars that are used in modified vehicles. They are either attached to the grill or hood.
The brightest LED light bars are great for visibility during a night drive and ideal for off-road riders.
However, you have to understand that the type of light you select entirely depends on the kind of driving. There are different types, shapes, sizes, lumens, and watts in these light bars.
But if you are interested in purchasing these light bars, you should know how to find the right ones for you.
So talking about light bars and the type you have to select brings us to an important topic, watts. How many watts should light bars have? There are a few different things to consider in LED light bars.
A basic 22-inch light bar must have 120 watts at a minimum level. However, 240 watts might be best suited in many situations. If you want, you have the liberty to up to and beyond 800 watts.
What is the Type Of Light Bar You Prefer?
They come in different lengths, from 4-50 inches. When the bars are longer, you have to pay more because they have more bulbs.
So there’ll be a few exceptions while some might bulbs perform really well.
There are different shapes, and you might find curves and basic ones. These shapes are considered for aesthetic purposes.
Shapes don’t have a huge impact on the light’s brightness level. So the main factor in selecting a light bar is beam pattern.
Following are the 3 options available on the market:
- Flood- The best choice for on-road riding.
- Spot- The ideal fit for off-road riding.
- Combination- This is the combination of both flood and spot options.
Though the combination option is reasonable, it’s a versatile choice. Spot VS Flood VS Combo: What’s the Difference?
Lux Flood beam LED Light Bar
What Is The Ideal Amount of Watts Required?
It’s vital to have enough watts, but it’s also important to ensure that your battery can support it.
If you’re driving with the lights on, you should ensure that the battery will not drain. Or you should keep track of the time that the alternator recharges.
Watts are used to measuring the light bar’s power. Lumens are used to check the brightness.
So you should understand how important watts are when deciding the right light bars for you. If it’s for off-road and other purposes, you should have 120 watts and no less than that.
On the contrary, on-road travel requires lower wattage because, if not, oncoming traffic might be disturbed. There’s also a risk of causing an accident.
So if you’re looking for light bars with better visibility, this light bar with 240 watts might fit the purpose. It would offer enough lumens that would help you get through the dark.
Or, if you are planning on adventures, light bars like these with over 800 watts and over 780,000 lumens might be the right choice.
Standards Dual Row LED Light Bars – Current & Voltage
| Part# | Length | Watts | Raw Lumens | Amp(Current) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U146 | 7.5″ | 36 | 3,600 | 2.1A@12V, 1.05A@24V |
| U147 | 13.5″ | 72 | 7,200 | 4.2A@12V, 2.1A@24V |
| U148 | 20″ | 120 | 12,000 | 7A@12V, 3.5A@24V |
| U149 | 30″ | 180 | 18,000 | 10.5A@12V, 5.3A@24V |
| U150 | 40″ | 240 | 24,000 | 14A@12V, 7A@24V |
| U151 | 50″ | 288 | 28,800 | 16.8A@12V, 8.4A@24V |
| U152 | 52″ | 300 | 30,000 | 17.5A@12V, 8.8A@24V |
What Are The Light Bars Most Buyers Like?
Fortunately, you don’t have to break your bank to purchase light bars because they are affordable. Even if you’re purchasing decent ones, the prices are reasonable. We’ll mention some choices of LED light bars that fit the discussion we just had.
- Radiuses Style: Curved LED Lightbar
- Common Size: Dual Row LED Light Bars
- Quad Row: LED Light Bar
Conclusion
LED light bars are available in different options. There are high-quality light bars with fewer watts and more lumens.
So a standard light bar must have 120 watts (lowest amount), and a decent one should have the range of 240-300.
You can easily find suitable light bars if you stick to these factors. Once you find the right fit, you will be able to get through the darkness and enjoy your night rides without spending a lot on light bars.
I truly wish no disrespect upon the author of this post. Obviously this person has no formal electronics or electrical education or, worse yet, they chose to ignore it in favour of the BS marketing angle light bar manufacturers are pushing.
Aside from being misleading, and a little irresponsible, this is quite possibly one of the most flawed, and misinformed, explanations of LED light bars I’ve seen.
Knowledge is power so let’s just do some simple electrical math and review incandescent to LED ratios.
Here’s “The more you know ????” moment. ????
Let’s use a 420w light bar as an example. Manufacturer is claiming it puts out 42000 lumens but let’s run the numbers.
420W ÷ 12V = 35A so you KNOW that light bar isn’t putting out 420W. No way, no how.
Manufacturers somehow came up with the brilliant marketing idea that using the incandescent equivalent of 420W makes for a much better read than the honest 42W a light bar is actually producing. Led light wattage is roughly 10% of incandescent so that also aligns with the same 42W the math gives us.
This makes much more sense since 42W ÷ 12V = 3.5A.
Even 16AWG wire can handle 5A at a length of 11.5ft so this also aligns with most of the kit specs we see.
If we go at it from the lumens side we have to assume a few things. If the manufacturer is using a high efficiency LED it will provide 10lm/W.
That gives us 4200 lumens AT BEST (though more likely 8lm/W, with lesser LEDs, for 3360 lumens) based on the 42w calculation AND the 10% factor on incandescent to LED conversion.
Hope this helps others sort out the REAL output and current draw of any LED lights they are considering.
By the way, don’t get sucked in to getting that 10Ga or 12Ga wiring kit unless you need to do long wire runs or you have exceedingly high ACTUAL wattage that warrants it.