Led Light Bars

[maverick01]

Im currently in the process of looking at a LED Light bar.

The light bar im looking at is this 1 in particular  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200881538420?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I currently have 2 hella spots on teh standard nissan bullbar. Im curious on everyones opinion on light bars.

Also can people please post up how theye have mounted there's on the standard nissna bull bar.

Thanks in advance

[D4D]

They're good for short distance low speed work. They're not going to burn bunny's eyes out at 500m.

[BigJules]

I love mine. Firstly, it's so damn white, which give great local illumination. The other thing I love is that it comes on instantly, whereas my HID hi beams and even my XGTs take a few moments to really crank.

That is not a bad price. I'm looking at bringing some in too, but they won't be much cheaper.

I got this one last year and it's a cracker.

[maverick01]

Thanks bigjules. Let me know when you start bringing them in as i would prefer to support myswaggers.

I was going to leave the hella spots on the bar as there bloody brilliant but i would like to get a bit more spread out of the lights without upgrading to hids.

The standard h4 headlight globes have already been upgraded by the previous owner to 130/90.

[evolution]

X2 jules, I'll grab a couple off of you. 
Good accessories on a tractor too 

In conjunction with a good set of spotties, you would have all the light you would ever need.

Cheers
Evo

[Jason B]

I was going to leave the hella spots on the bar as there bloody brilliant but i would like to get a bit more spread out of the lights without upgrading to hids.

The standard h4 headlight globes have already been upgraded by the previous owner to 130/90.

Mate upgrade your current lights with HID inserts. You won't look back. I modified my IPFs for less than $150 with an EBAY HID kit. This is by far the most awesome mod I have done to my vehicle $4$. I went with 75 watters but in reality 55s or 35s would be sufficient.

You won't regret it.

I also want a light bar like Jules however I only want it for track work. My HIDs were that bright that I changed the spot beams to spreads and have ample side lighting now. The issue is in close, closed track work they are just too dam bright.

Jas

[BigJules]

I agree with Jas, a cheap HID upgrade pays dividends.

[Bird]

I agree with Jas, a cheap HID upgrade pays dividends.

x3

[maverick01]

Thanks Jason,

On my previous trucks I ran hids on a set of xgts. And yes they were awesome but since these lights that I'm using are dads he won't allow me to butcher them so if I want hids then it's a new set of lights unfortunately.

[liney]

Jules - any chance that you might import some LED spotlights similar to the ARB type?

[Matto]

Jules,

What size is that bar? Would you recommend it, or something bigger? The smaller bars are now getting quite affordable, but I've always been holding out for a bigger bar. After all, bigger = better, right??? .

Interested to hear your thoughts, as someone who's actually used one.

Cheers,
Matto

[BigJules]

Jules - any chance that you might import some LED spotlights similar to the ARB type?

I don't think so. I would be reluctant to ever suggest I was completing against ARB, a company I respect immensely. Their LED driving lights are quite different from those available to me presently. ARB LED lights have 32 LEDs, and are rated at 8200LM.

I have access to some very attractive LED lights, for eg, 8x10W LEDs rated to 6880LM but I think they'll be wider, where the ARB units are circular and more compact.

There are wider bars too, from 380mm-1250mm, with LED and Cree LED.

For anyone considering LED light bars keep in mind the QLD regulations (possibly/likely mirrored in other states) that states that lights must be mounted in pairs. QLDs Govt has suggested that a piece of black tape or plastic applied down the centre of a ligth bar will create a pair.

I think there is a lot of sense in looking at two seperate ligths over a single longer light bar, especially for ease of mounting. I can't make a recommendation on which bars are best because I've only used mine. It is fantastic.

I took my lightbar off this morning to look at other mounting options. The width of the 24 LEDs is 300mm, and so is the minimum spacing between my XGTs. I can't simply flip the lightbar over as the mounting holes in my bracket won't allow the bar to fit far enough forward to clear the grill.

[BigJules]

Even more impressive for me is the LED worklight I have on the rear. Anyone who came to the Kelly Country trip will atest to the local area ligthing capacity of this single unit.

[Bird]

Even more impressive for me is the LED worklight I have on the rear. Anyone who came to the Kelly Country trip will atest to the local area ligthing capacity of this single unit.

I'd be more interested in that than front lights.

[BigJules]

I'd be more interested in that than front lights.

This could power the 50,000 solar panels you won.

[Matto]

Do you have a link for that rear light Jules? I've been thinking of a couple of these single 10w jobbies for rear lights:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261098412467?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I like them because they're small and compact. Interested to hear what wattage, etc, your light is and how it compares. I remember D4D suggesting at least 20w is really needed for good lighting, but someone else (and I can't remember who) fitting a little 8" light bar to the rear of their vehicle and thinking it was just too bright. I can sit here all day and look at specs on ebay, but to hear feedback from people who've actually used them in the field is so much more valuable.

As for the front light bars, I'm curious as to why more companies aren't producing bars based on the 10w Cree LEDs. There's a few, but they're still very expensive. I'm sure the heatsinking is more difficult with 10W leds, but it just seems a natural progression from the 3w LEDs that the current crop use.

Lastly - an idea for flipping the mounting of your bar - are you able to drill a pair of holes in the underside of the bulbar tube and insert a pair of nutserts/rivnuts and simply bolt the light bar directly to the tube? I don't know how heavy the light bar would be, but if you use a big enough nutsert it should be nice and strong. Just a thought I had (because I love my nutsert gun).

Cheers,
Matto

[BigJules]

I don't have any links for the lights I'm sorry. I want to find out the draw on it myself, have been combing my garage the find the meter I bought.

I had a similar thought about using rivnuts, but I can't drill the underside of the bar easily, certainly not without removing it from the vehicle. I was thinking there is a genuine business opportunity for someone to develop mounting kits for these lights.

[Matto]

No worries - thanks for replying.

re: the mounting - would a 90-degree drill bit adapter let you drill the bar on the vehicle? Another alternative might be the new brackets that BrightLightAutoParts are selling. You can see them down the bottom here : http://brightlightautoparts.com/4wdaction . You could probably modify one of them to bolt up to your light. Alternatively, take a photo into an engineering shop and have them cut up a new bracket to suit. Or drop jcclures a PM - he'd probably be able to machine you up something in about 3 seconds flat. That bloke never ceases to amaze me.

Cheers,
Matto

[Red Dog 4x4]

I have had a 22" dual row light bar for about 3 years now and love it. I will light up out to 400 meters ( have mesered it ) and at 400m will give me 100 meter spread. But I also now have 4 55w HID light force on the roof ( removed two from the bar ) and will be adding a 40" dual row light bar to the roof for when the HID's arn't bolted on.

I do find though round town i mainly use the LED bar, but as soon as you get out onto some long straights the HIDs kill the LED bars.

BTW matt- I have 6 of those 10w lights you were talking about ( bought from a fellow swager ) 4 of them are my sercurty/ Camp lights for setting up and give me a 50m radis around the car at night.

The other two are my revers lights

[Burnsy]

Even more impressive for me is the LED worklight I have on the rear. Anyone who came to the Kelly Country trip will atest to the local area ligthing capacity of this single unit.

Agree, I have an 18 watt round one on the back of my cruiser on the swing away tyre carrier and it produces more than enough light to setup camp.  It is switched at the light itself and the whole thing can be removed by unplugging an anderson.