Getting a LED light system? Here's a checklist that you can follow when selecting a LED
light product:
First off, consider the purpose of the LED
light and the expected usage in the following contexts: environment, duration
and frequency.
- Will
these be installed on a vehicle that you use often? If so, how many hours
per week might they be needed?
- Will the terrain be mostly paved, rocky, muddy, wet, loose gravel, or sand?
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| Know the purpose |
Factors of the usage should be carefully
considered when deciding how much money to budget for your light purchase –
simple usage like on a golf cart or farm-use ATV means you might be fine with a
lower-quality model with a lower price tag. More demanding applications like
for off-road 4x4 racing, dirt bikes, and the likes will require a better
investment in quality and a longer warranty.
Secondly, consider the most common
specifications reported by sellers, such as:
- Reflector
design
– LED lighting comes in two types: 'spot' type lighting (30º spread) for
longer-but-narrow distance illumination or 'flood' type (60º spread) for
shorter-but-broad illumination. Decide which one suits your needs or go
with a combination of both.
- Ingress
Protection rating – The higher the rating, the better protection from
water, dust, and other elements the light is stated to have. Generally,
most manufacturers meet IP67 rating at minimum. An excellent reference
table describing the various grades can be found here.
- Lifespan rating –
Consider how long and often you expect to use the lights over a long
timeframe and get a LED light that suits your needs. LED lights, as long
as properly taken cared of, can last up to 50,000 hours of use and proves to be a more cost-effective choice
than traditional lighting equipment.
- Light
output and color temperature – How many lumens does each model report? What is the color
temperature (reported in Kelvin [K])? Lower lumens and/or lower color
temps means that the contrast between ambient lighting and the LEDs will
not be as prominent, making it harder to identify objects while the
vehicle is in motion. You need all the help you can get when driving 60
mph or more in low-light conditions. 5000K or lower color temperature gets into a bluish tint and your eyes will
not benefit greatly from this at night. A color temp of 6000K should be
the minimum rating for general night lighting use.
- LED
brand
– Check the LED manufacturer. Are the LEDs cheap Taiwan-made Epistar, CREE from the
USA, or is it from the German brand Osram
(Oslon)? Keep in mind that cheap lighting solutions can last several years
and may work just fine for your needs if you don't plan to do heavy off-roading.
Check for imitations since these are sold widely in the
market; it’s best to inspect the LED and ensure that you are getting your
money’s worth.
- Lens
material
– Do they use cheap lenses like low-grade glass or polycarbonate instead of GE Lexan lenses? If you will be driving on loose gravel or
even on a normal paved road, a piece of gravel that impacts the lens can
cause a fracture and subsequently lead to water intrusion, which could
short-circuit the lights and ruin the light bar entirely.
- Accessories – Is a wiring harness, relay, and/or fuse module included?
There are several options to choose from in
the market but make sure that you're comparing 'apples to apples' as best you
can when shopping online. In addition to the price, look for warranty and
construction specifications and compare amongst several brands in order to
achieve better odds of a value-based investment in your equipment.
