LED light bars : My review

[overl4nder]

I recently started engaging with some better manufacturers in China for LED light bars.
I started off with a relatively low spec bar. 60W and only 4000 lumens(as opposed to 5400 from the bigger guys).

The aim was to find a pair which can do rally duty during Desert Storm rally.
Here is my short review of one such piece


Just completed one big order from Oledone.
I have seen, excluding customs and shipping, a very good quality 60W light bar can be had for around 160 USD if you order 10 of them.

Will update my experiences in the Rally with feedback from the drivers who will use them for high speed night stages.
Config used is
2*60W Spot aimed in front, and 2*20W flood aimed sideways for cornering help.

HIDs apparently can give 3200 lumens from 55W, but HIDs do not handle water and vibrations that well.

 

[kanga1]

Thanks very much for that thorough demonstration, well worth watching. Cheers.

 

[LR Max]

Nice.

I've added an LED light bar and converted my headlights. HUGE difference and overall better. That said my stock lights were pretty sorry.

The LED light bar is stupid bright.

 

[PCGuy]

LR Max -

If you don't mind my asking, what headlight conversion did you do. My low beams are weak to say the least...

Jon

 

[kojackJKU]

I have 55w hid in my hella 500 driving beam housings. Been on a vehicle since 2008. I have moved them 3 times and take everything I throw at them. And friggin bright

Sent from my SGH-T899M using Tapatalk

 

[kojackJKU]

Just to add, lumens ratings from these light bar companies are hugely exaggerated.

Sent from my A210 using Tapatalk

 

[1stDeuce]

I'm running a 20" LED bar that I got through a friend who ordered them in from China. It's from a more reputable manufacturer. It wasn't specified as spot or flood, but does a good job of filling in the area immediately in front of the truck. My high beams easily have more long distance capability, so I believe it is more of a flood. I think it would work fine for lower speed offroading, but I find that it is pretty much useless on the highway or back roads at speed. It gives the sensation of seeing better, but the area that it's really improving is close enough to the vehicle that it is really useless... I'll be running over anything that the LED bar lights up before I can do anything to avoid it. So in short, I'm happy with it as an offroad light for lower speed, but for high speed driving, I'm sticking with my 100w IPF's, which make my high beams seem like candles in comparison!

I do like the comparison pics though, which show what I'm talking about... The LED bar is really only filling in the foreground, while it's up to the vehicle high beams to provide long range light.
Chris

 

[overl4nder]

Just to add, lumens ratings from these light bar companies are hugely exaggerated.

Sent from my A210 using Tapatalk

Yes, but if you get Oledone or other reputed guys, they are fairly accurate. So it may not be 900 lumens/LED more like 820 or so. 5000 lumens instead of 5400.

I'm running a 20" LED bar that I got through a friend who ordered them in from China. It's from a more reputable manufacturer. It wasn't specified as spot or flood, but does a good job of filling in the area immediately in front of the truck. My high beams easily have more long distance capability, so I believe it is more of a flood. I think it would work fine for lower speed offroading, but I find that it is pretty much useless on the highway or back roads at speed. It gives the sensation of seeing better, but the area that it's really improving is close enough to the vehicle that it is really useless... I'll be running over anything that the LED bar lights up before I can do anything to avoid it. So in short, I'm happy with it as an offroad light for lower speed, but for high speed driving, I'm sticking with my 100w IPF's, which make my high beams seem like candles in comparison!

I do like the comparison pics though, which show what I'm talking about... The LED bar is really only filling in the foreground, while it's up to the vehicle high beams to provide long range light.
Chris

This is a ultra cheap bar from low end guys.
Our rally order came through. Once the rally vehicles are fitted, I will post another review.
I have also got some 15 degree beam 60W oval lamps from Oledone, and will be testing them out this weekend.

 

[overl4nder]

If the forum rules permit, I can facilitate a group buy to USA (10 pieces) Oledone.
Order will be directly shipped to you.
Just pay customs duty(I think its 5%, right?)

 

[kojackJKU]

I'm running a 20" LED bar that I got through a friend who ordered them in from China. It's from a more reputable manufacturer. It wasn't specified as spot or flood, but does a good job of filling in the area immediately in front of the truck. My high beams easily have more long distance capability, so I believe it is more of a flood. I think it would work fine for lower speed offroading, but I find that it is pretty much useless on the highway or back roads at speed. It gives the sensation of seeing better, but the area that it's really improving is close enough to the vehicle that it is really useless... I'll be running over anything that the LED bar lights up before I can do anything to avoid it. So in short, I'm happy with it as an offroad light for lower speed, but for high speed driving, I'm sticking with my 100w IPF's, which make my high beams seem like candles in comparison!

I do like the comparison pics though, which show what I'm talking about... The LED bar is really only filling in the foreground, while it's up to the vehicle high beams to provide long range light.
Chris

Chris,

its not just the lower priced led lights like that. I compared a set of stock 55w hellas to 3 different rigid lights at the local dealer, no comparison, the rigid would put a little light on the far wall of the showroom, pop on the hella 500s and you had a nice bright light on the wall. My 55w HID hella 500s flood out my truck lite headlights. You don't even know that the truck lites are on when I have the Hellas on. LED is fine for close range lighting like you said, but it does not have enough power to toss light far. I have said it before regarding LED lights compared to other forms, if your using direct LED lighting, then you do not have enough power to throw the light far, it does not matter how many LEDs you have, they will only toss light so far, you will get wider and brighter, but not further. Its physics.

Using LED in a reflector style light is better, truck lites, piaa driving/fog led lights, and hellas. that style is better. However, HID is the only way to fly if you want long range bright lighting. My hellas were equipped with 130 w bulbs before I swapped them to HID, the difference even then is night and day.

Chris, you have the IPF 968s? if so, get a 4300K 55w HID system for them and enjoy! its cheap, easy and very very good. I get over 1000 meters of useable light with my setup of only 2 Hella 500s.

 

[LR Max]

LR Max -

If you don't mind my asking, what headlight conversion did you do. My low beams are weak to say the least...

Jon

Peterson 701c. Local guy had them new in the box and wanted to get rid of them. So I went for it. The nice thing is that these headlights are setup for older english vehicles so it was a direct swap for my 109 (other than the crappy wiring I've got, but that isn't the headlights fault). If I didn't get a deal, I would've gotten truck lites. BTW I required the 7" sealed beam version. If I was just doing a bulb replacement, I would call up southeast overland as they have LED bulb replacements.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

 

[kojackJKU]

Yes, but if you get Oledone or other reputed guys, they are fairly accurate. So it may not be 900 lumens/LED more like 820 or so. 5000 lumens instead of 5400.


This is a ultra cheap bar from low end guys.
Our rally order came through. Once the rally vehicles are fitted, I will post another review.
I have also got some 15 degree beam 60W oval lamps from Oledone, and will be testing them out this weekend.

I still think 5000 is way high for a 20" light bar. the claims the 50" are 19-20000 lumens is ridiculous. My HID setup is 5000 lumens give or take 100. and they shine way farther and brighter than any led bar I have seen. 1500 lumens for those little 4 led cubes. Don't think so.

 

[iluv83vettes]

I still think 5000 is way high for a 20" light bar. the claims the 50" are 19-20000 lumens is ridiculous. My HID setup is 5000 lumens give or take 100. and they shine way farther and brighter than any led bar I have seen. 1500 lumens for those little 4 led cubes. Don't think so.

The way I understand it, lumens is the brightness of the bulb, but if the light isn't directed efficiently, then a lot of it is wasted. So you could have a light with less lumen rating but the lights would seem brighter because the housing is using them more efficiently. Kind of like a water hose. You could have a lot of volume coming out of the hose but without a good nozzle the water wouldn't go very far and would be wasted overflowing the area close to you, but you could put a good nozzle on the end of the hose and use less water to spray farther.

 

[java]

The way I understand it, lumens is the brightness of the bulb, but if the light isn't directed efficiently, then a lot of it is wasted. So you could have a light with less lumen rating but the lights would seem brighter because the housing is using them more efficiently. Kind of like a water hose. You could have a lot of volume coming out of the hose but without a good nozzle the water wouldn't go very far and would be wasted overflowing the area close to you, but you could put a good nozzle on the end of the hose and use less water to spray farther.

yes exactly.

FWIW I have a chinese light bar that im pretty happy with, its a "combo" beam. the outside 3 or 4 chips have a flood reflector, the middle ones are a spot. Works quite well. Throws further than my high beams, and seems to be about on par with the HID's on my other truck.

 

[kojackJKU]

HId in your headlights? Again, I have not seen any LED bar, from china, rigid or Baja designs out perform my HIDs at distance lighting.