Another Light Thread.. Sorry

Weekender41

Ready to Learn
Hello fellow ExPo members,
`
I just added a hoop to my front bumper and am looking to put a pair of lights on the hoop. I like the simplicity and functionality of 'Aussie Style' lighting. A spot beam on the driver side and a driving light on the passenger side.
I would prefer them to be 6" diameter and preferably the same color but nothing a little paint cant fix. As far as Halogen vs. HID vs. LED goes, I am really into whatever gives me the best bang for my buck. That being said, I'm
not even going to consider a $900 single light because that is just insane haha. I have been reading through this pdf. file for quite some-time (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...wr4B6BS-IcPK9p78E6vHWZQ&bvm=bv.70138588,d.cGU)
but all those prices are pretty high. I think my max budget would be $400 for the pair. IPF makes a pretty good sounding kit with (http://store.arbusa.com/IPF-900xs-Extreme-Combo-H9-Kit-900XSDSCS-P3640.aspx) but those
are quite large.
`
Any input for good budget friendly lighting is much appreciated. Please keep the comments professional and on topic and without arguing. I know everyone has their own personal preferances and that is what I want to hear, but
please don't bash on someone else's opinions or input.
`
Thank you all.
 

Raul B

Explorer
do they have to be round? how much light are you trying to get out of them? you could just go with like a squre dually style LED light. they put out about 1500-2k lumens...
 

Weekender41

Ready to Learn
IMG_0470 (1).jpg
I think round would look best? Haha, no they do not have to be round I suppose I just figured that would look the best. I have a pair of the D2 in flood pattern for my storm lights (the yellow covers make them cut through blizzards the best it seems). They are good lights for that but I don't know how far the driving pattern or spot pattern throw is on them. Plus those would be very small on that hoop (not that looks are a top priority).
 

Tigglebitties

Adventurer
It All depends on what you use your rig for.
Incandescent (halogen)
Is the best possible light color for driving fast at night. Gives your eyes the closest thing to daylight so colors look natural and depth is easy to see, fatigue is low and that combo will let you fly with ease.
They're very cheap now as well as they're old technology.
Downfall- they suck up HUGE amounts of power- remember to divide out your watts to get amps and you'll run into problems where you could wind up needing 8 gauge wire and a relay bank to safely wire them- not to mention a jump start after 10 minutes of run time with the engine off.

LED is far more efficient and manufacturers love to slap you with LOOK HOW MANY LOOOMMEENNSSS
In reality, yes. They're extremely bright and compact. But the white light fatigues your eyes and destroys color and thus makes everything literally black & white- and unless you spring for rigid's lights which range in price from Kidneys to firstborn son,
You're gonna get Chinese lights which work extremely well at ranges under 50 feet or so. Divide that out by 50-70 MPH and you have all of a split second to see that ravine or rock pile. But, for rock crawling or cruising the occasional trail, they're awesome. No need to see a half mile out for that stuff.

HID is the best performing in my opinion- you can get warm colors close to halogen with close to the low power draw that LEDS have plus you get ridiculously bright output.
If you shop around, you can find the full size red ring china made ones close to 100$
They're knockoffs but everyone's got em - I've got 5-
And they're VERY much worth your money and let you see clearly out to a quarter mile.
Real HID's will spike in price to the thousands and go up to true 100 watt ballasts which will put out light like a thousand angry suns.

So there's my three cents backed up with some experience.
Think about the up & downs of all of them - they're best for completely different situations.


The goal here is to build your rig stronger than you are stupid.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
... LOOK HOW MANY LOOOMMEENNSSS ...


The goal here is to build your rig stronger than you are stupid.
LOL!

I agree on the HID merits. I just don't like them for driving lights due to start-up lag.
And there are better LED driving lights these days --- and they're improving. The only LEDs I'd recommend for driving lights would be the JW Speaker or Hella right now. There are probably others but none that I've seen in action... But, my money would still go to halogen for real driving lights...
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
It All depends on what you use your rig for.
Incandescent (halogen)
Is the best possible light color for driving fast at night. Gives your eyes the closest thing to daylight so colors look natural and depth is easy to see, fatigue is low and that combo will let you fly with ease.
They're very cheap now as well as they're old technology.
Downfall- they suck up HUGE amounts of power- remember to divide out your watts to get amps and you'll run into problems where you could wind up needing 8 gauge wire and a relay bank to safely wire them- not to mention a jump start after 10 minutes of run time with the engine off.

LED is far more efficient and manufacturers love to slap you with LOOK HOW MANY LOOOMMEENNSSS
In reality, yes. They're extremely bright and compact. But the white light fatigues your eyes and destroys color and thus makes everything literally black & white- and unless you spring for rigid's lights which range in price from Kidneys to firstborn son,
You're gonna get Chinese lights which work extremely well at ranges under 50 feet or so. Divide that out by 50-70 MPH and you have all of a split second to see that ravine or rock pile. But, for rock crawling or cruising the occasional trail, they're awesome. No need to see a half mile out for that stuff.

HID is the best performing in my opinion- you can get warm colors close to halogen with close to the low power draw that LEDS have plus you get ridiculously bright output.
If you shop around, you can find the full size red ring china made ones close to 100$
They're knockoffs but everyone's got em - I've got 5-
And they're VERY much worth your money and let you see clearly out to a quarter mile.
Real HID's will spike in price to the thousands and go up to true 100 watt ballasts which will put out light like a thousand angry suns.

So there's my three cents backed up with some experience.
Think about the up & downs of all of them - they're best for completely different situations.


The goal here is to build your rig stronger than you are stupid.


Rigid are crap too. The ONLY LED light I would consider is Vision X. and their big light cannon. but they are an arm and a leg. BTW, my HID have like a 2 second lag for the first initial fire up, after that they are fully warmed up for on off use on the highway...
 

Weekender41

Ready to Learn
Good info Tigglebitties! I have Ridgid Dually in a Flood pattern for when I am going slow on a trail. So yes, I am looking for supplemental high beam lights I guess you could say. Do you have a link for the red ring hid's? Or just check Ebay? Hella 4000 are in a great price range at just over 109 bucks a piece. Hilldweller, those Jw Speakers look fantastic but my vehicle is not even worth the price of those lights lol. Maybe you could say you cant put a price on your life and those lights may sabe it, but Ill have to wait until I get a better vehicle before I spring for those. An entire week of work for a single light seems a tad much right now. I do have them saved for furture referance though! I live in prarie land so the game I see consistantly are antelope. Now, Wyoming is known for big game further north so when I travel that might become an issue. I dont think power draw is TOO big of a worry due to the lights only being on while driving... However, the hid low power draw would be a nice peace of mind.
 

Weekender41

Ready to Learn
Rigid are crap too. The ONLY LED light I would consider is Vision X. and their big light cannon. but they are an arm and a leg. BTW, my HID have like a 2 second lag for the first initial fire up, after that they are fully warmed up for on off use on the highway...

Not sure how Ridgid are crap... My flood lights are quite bright and have a fantastic spread. Throw is not great but that is not the purpose of a flood pattern. Im curious, what makes them crap?
 

verdesardog

Explorer
Cheap halogens, stainless steel housings 100w bulbs two for side light two for down the road. Less than $200 for all of them. Cateyes or something or other:


DSC_04683.JPG


SAR_TRUCK1.jpg
 

jkosten

Observer
Ridgid makes a solid product but they are spendy. The only company that makes a better product is Baja Designs. Their Squadron lights would be a good option and are very bright and efficient.

sent from my pocket...
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
Not sure how Ridgid are crap... My flood lights are quite bright and have a fantastic spread. Throw is not great but that is not the purpose of a flood pattern. Im curious, what makes them crap?
Too much foreground lighting for street use.
I like Rigid alot for trail use though.
 

4x4junkie

Explorer
Not sure how Ridgid are crap... My flood lights are quite bright and have a fantastic spread. Throw is not great but that is not the purpose of a flood pattern. Im curious, what makes them crap?

It's the quality of the light they put out.
The color temperature of the LED chips virtually all light manufacturers seem bent on using have exceptionally poor output spectrums (very heavy in the blue region, which our eyes do not process well).

As Bill mentioned, this creates glare in the foreground and the light simply peters out at any distance, doesn't matter what the lens/reflector pattern is.

If you want any kind of distance, stick with incandescent (halogen) or HID lamps (<4500°K).
 

Weekender41

Ready to Learn
Too much foreground lighting for street use.
I like Rigid alot for trail use though.

Oh, yeah the flood lights are used on trails at night without a cover or during a blizzard with the yellow covers. I wouldn't use them on the streets, they are not for that.
 

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