How To Choose the Best Offroad LED Light Bars For Your Vehicle
Introduction
The very first modification made by any driver is in the LED off-road light bars. Whether you are an SUV/ 4×4 owner or truck driver, this would be your major concern.
The road ahead of a car is brightened up with the help of LED light bars. This is even essential if you are driving on any dark road where animals might come.
The designs of the LED light bars are very simple. The bar area really essential and comes in different sizes. The sizes vary from some inches to many feet in length.
The most common and available length sizes of 12V / 24V LED light bars are:
- 6 Inches
- 12 Inches
- 20 Inches
- 22 Inches
- 24 Inches
- 30 Inches
- 40 Inches
- 50 Inches
One can come up with different other dimensions as well.
In terms of intensity, the best LED light can come up with 30,000 lumens. The headlight produces lumens equal to around 1,500 lumens. At the same time, 3,500 lumens are produced by the HIDs.
One can enjoy better as well as brighter vision at night with these LED light bars. The life of an LED light bar is at least 50,000 hours or even more.
About the Local LED Light Bars
There are different laws pertaining to the use of LED light bars in all states. In case of wrong installation or adjustments, the LED can blind any car on the opposite side.
Therefore, before making a final purchase, read all local LED bar light rules.
In case otherwise, you would be asking for any accident. Or at least expect a ticket from the law enforcement agencies. Definitely, the fine also varies as per the state rulings.
The Commonly Used Light Bar Applications
About the Off-roading
This is enjoyable for probably all people with 4×4 vehicles. During night drive, you might not find any road light or indication as such. At the same time, wild animals can easily be found roaming around.
Thus, you only need a good LED light bar for your vehicle. In this case, light Bars for off-road is the preferred choice for you.
Driving at Night Time
In case you are habitual of driving at night time, you need an LED off road light bar. Also in the case of areas where wild animals are abundant, such lights are necessities.
Make sure to have effective use of these light bars without blinding the driver of the other cars.
In case of an emergency situation:
Different color lights are used for different purposes. Mainly police, firefighters, and ambulances use either red or blue lights. These different color LED light bars are used to alarm the rest of the traffic. For roadside assistance or tow trucks, the yellow color is the preferred choice.
For Boating & Marine
In case you are either on sea or even cruising in dark night, you need to have better lights. The Marine life professional mainly requires better-LED light bars to lighten up.
They either have to take out the boat after a fun time or help in docking. Sometimes such lights are also mounted on the back of their trucks as need be.
For Heavy-duty Equipment Or Construction
The vehicles being used for commercial use also require bright LED light bars. Such vehicles include snow trucks, roadside assistance trucks, and snowplow trucks.
During colder times, you can also make use of a better view from LED light for your vehicle/truck.
For Home/Garage or Backyard Use
Some work lights also come with the installation of mini LED lights. Such lights can be used for different purposes. Mainly working under a truck, parties or modeling homes, etc.
Types of Truck LED Light Bars
LED light Pods or Mini Light Bars
These have as many as 8 LED lights. The usage is mainly as fog lights, spotlight, sidelights, or work lights (portable). In case of emergent needs, these can be handy options to carry along.
Light Bars, i.e., Low Profile
These have a single row of LED lights and are 6 to 20 inches long in length. While late-night driving for good visibility, these are either installed on:
- On the underside of the bumper
- On a grill of the truck
Lightbars with Full Size
These mainly have either one or two or even four rows of LED light installed. The length is around 20 to 60 inches and is in a rectangular shape. The power used by these lights is high.
Light Bars for Off-Road
Off-road light bars are made of high quality. These can work well in any environment, be it harsh, cold, warm, or vibration.
LED light Colour
These days the market for LED light bars is huge. The accessories related to the automobile industry are much affordable these days. Your interest in LED lights for your vehicle could be owing to the following reasons:
- To avoid any natural hazards while driving during the nighttime
- In case you are driving on an off-road track or trail which requires better lights
- When working on heavy machinery or equipment.
The LED lights are very efficient, much better than the traditional lights. When energy is produced, these lights do not use that power. Thus, are 10 percent efficient than traditional lights.
Since the technology used for LED lights is very cheap, thus these are affordable.
Dual Row vs Single Row
Dual Row LED Light Bars
The dual row doesn’t take much charging of the vehicle system. It comes with a waterproof feature in the capacity of IP67. The color temperature of the light is 6000k and it gives white light under this temperature.
The reflector designs are more efficient and give better usability of light. The lens has polycarbonate material and is effective from scratch of any impact. It consists of a switch, wiring harness, and brackets.
Single Row LED Light Bars
The single row on the other hand is made with a single LED light that is more bright. It is easily available in the market and durable as well.
For both off-road and on-road, these lights are the preferred choice for all users. The lights are able to produce the flash of LED light for drivers with the help of single row light.
Though the single row of light is there, the amount of light it gives is enormous.
As far as affordability and durability are concerned, this is the right option for lights. Mainly marine LED lights, ATV LED lights and automotive LED lights are covered in a single row.
Most Popular Places to Mount Light Bars
It is always better to install all lights professionally. This way you never jeopardize the warranty element of the vehicle. The most popular places for the installation of LED light bar are:
- Near the windshield, on the top of the roof
- Near the rare window, on the top of the roof
- It could be hidden on the inner side of the grill
- It could be inserted or mounted on the front of the bumper
- On the backside of the tailgate
- On the mirror location
- Sometimes on the inner side of the fog lights
Measuring Truck LED Light Bars besides in Inches
Apart from the size and shape of the light bar, there are some other aspects as well. Some essential categorizations are as follow:
Keeping the Temperature Cold
The best color of the LED lights has to be perfect at night. For that matter, it has to have a conducive temperature. Thus, if the temperature remains at 5000k, the color of the light remains perfect.
If the temperature rises 6000k, it can cause damage to the eyes. Apart from being irritated with eyes, the color of the light also changes to blue.
The Brightness
The lumen determines the brightness of the light. There are some manufacturers who measure the brightness of lights in terms of the raw lumen. To get an accurate figure, you need to measure the raw lumen by 0.8.
About the Input Voltage
The quality LED lights to get to work within the specified voltage. The range of the voltage is from 9 to 30 VDC.
The Intrusion Protection
The resistance of the LED lights is measured with Intrusion protection. which is IP Rate. Resistance could be from, dirt particles, moisture, or any contact (accidental).
The common online rating of many LEDs is IP68. Whereas the most acceptable range in this regard is IP65 to IP69k. The high range of IP means better durability of LED.
The Light Efficiency
The efficiency of the light is measured in terms of lumens per watt. The quality of the LED light is measured in terms of its lumen number. A higher number means better quality. The best available and selling LED has 30,000 lumens.
The Beam Configurations
There is a total of four different configurations of the LED beam, these are:
- Combo beams
- Flood beams
- Diffuse beams
- Spot beams
Evaluating the LED Light Bar For Truck Before Making A Final Buying Decision
You need to check the configuration of LED lights before making the final purchase. So what you need to see:
Current Management & Heat
Too much heat is detrimental to the life of LED lights. It can decrease the life of these lights by 90%. You need to see if the LED lights you are planning to buy are bright. For that matter, ask yourself the following questions:
- Will the light be able to dissipate enough light with better airflow?
- If the circuit board is made with copper and can reduce the flow of heat?
- If the Aluminium is involved in the making fins for integration into the house
The Wiring System
There are no connectors and weak wiring for cheap LED lights. The good quality LED has a better wiring system along with a good gauge. . The connectors are also waterproof with a thick switch system.
The Brackets
Mainly in cheap LED lights, brackets are not mounted. This can break the wire and the LED bar.
The good LED comes with a bracket mounted in a better manner. It is made with stainless steel material, which is durable.
Warranty
You need to have a better warranty for your LED light if you intend to have better durability. Some companies offer a warranty of 10 years. You need to check again about the warranty from the company.
Examples- LED Light Bar of High Quality
At present, New Vision light bars are considered to be a better choice for LED light bar. Such designs have a long array of lights to choose from. The light is a single array and comes in various lengths sizes of 7.
In the industry at the moment, pulse width management is considered the best. It uses both a thermal management system and an electronic system for enhanced durability. The available width for these bands is 10 to 40 degrees. The penetration is pretty good for these.
Conclusion
The quality of the cheap LED is somehow similar to that of the top quality. However, cheapness can lead to pre-mature failure owing to probably cuts at every corner. This leads to pressure on other aspects of the light, causing intense pressure. It reduces the life of the LED lights.
It is believed that better quality means a higher price. At the same time, it doesn’t mean that it lacks the required value.
You can find the best-LED light from the market from the information mentioned above. In case you are riding on a smooth surface and only want ease, then go for the cheap light. But keep in mind, it won’t stay for long.
On the other hand, if you are adventurous, then go for the better-LED light. You probably have to spend a considerable amount of money, but you will get quality products. Also, it is going to be durable and you won’t be facing any hassle.
Thus, rather than saving money and getting short-term solutions, always go for long-term success. No matter, you plan an off-road or on-road trip, better LED lights can save you from any fatal accident.
Choose wisely.