Driving lights

[Gidgee]

I'm going around in circles trying to decide what I need and what's worth it. Please help

I avoid driving at night in the country, but having got caught out recently helping a mate with broken gear left me trying to spot roos in the dark with useless factory lights made me realise I need something for those odd occasions I can't control. I have a Ironman bullbar, so options I've thought of;

HID spotties - not sure they help as I don't need to see 500m+ down the road I don't think, and they seem very expensive with limited life.
LED spotties - these actually seem less directional than HID but not sure how wide the beam is. Some have covers that convert to "flood", but regardless I could angle them to the sides slightly.
LED light bar - lower profile in front of the grill but less LEDs and perhaps more directional down the centre of road.
Replace Ironman fog lamps with something to light road side maybe?
4" HID maybe, more pointed to side of road?

I'd like to keep the cost way down as I would rarely use them, but buying crap is a waste of money too. Any suggestions?

 

[G_ute]

LED light bar or LED spotties. Get whichever blocks any frontal cooling air the least.
Must not obstruct forward vision (like on top of a bullbar)
If putting a lightbar up high (roof rack) make sure its light is not bouncing off the bonnet.
There are some good lights out there which are pretty cheap, like Kings or Stedi. There are some ridiculously expensive ones too.
Why spend a fortune for occasional use.

I put lightbars on all our cars. They help see the wallabies on the side of the road, particularly in forested areas.
High-CRI is better (more yellow than blue), but they get expensive.

 

[cam04]

$160 LED spots from BCF, most probably the same as the kings/stedi mentioned above - tech has moved quick. I've thrown out the light bar and the HID's. These have a great alloy carrier and no hot spots like the HID/bar setup.

 

[dno67]

4wd Super centre are advertising new osram LED driving ights that look good for the money. I probably going to grab a set sooner or later myself.

 

[RBJET]

If you're after LED spots I'd go the new Supercentre one's for the money and Stedi for a light bar.
Check the specs before you buy as there are big differences across the board.

 

[Aaron Schubert]

If you don't want to spend a fortune, HID for long straight distance, or LED light bar for reasonable distance and lots of spread.

Stedi are a pretty good brand - imported but cheap and a good warranty. I have a 42 inch one on my roof, which is fantastic.

The more yellow the colour the better for long distance night driving, but most people can handle the whiter colour for shorter trips

Aaron

 

[Hoyks]

A reasonable light bar would probably be the best option for what you have described for occasional use.

I do a far bit of night driving, so went with some driving lights to throw the light down the road. They work well, but I also got a free 20" light bar (probably $200 worth) with a winch, so chucked it on.

The bar does a really good flood of light out the front and sides, driving lights fill the middle where my light bar runs out of puff.

So, for off road, or moderate speed on winding roads, then I'd go the light bar as it is probably better set up to light the sides of the road and a good pool to the front.
For high speed road where you want to see a long way ahead, then add some HID or LED spots with lenses formed to light straight ahead. Dip the lights and it seems to get awfully dark though.



Another option if you already have some good halogen housings lying around, Narva do LED conversion kits that you can drop into them for more, whiter light and less Amps.


https://www.narva.com.au/categories/lighting/globes_headlight/led_headlight

 

[Albynsw]

I have HID spotties and an LED bar and live in the country , I think the colour of the LED is better to spot the Roos with so would be choosing that form of light in your preferred shape/ brand.

 

[s calder]

I would be getting rid of the Ironman bull bar.
If it is anything like the piece of crap I was sold it will have widespread rust in under 12 months.
Ironman have admitted full liability and upped their offer to $600 as full satisfaction of the claim.
Adam Craze, a Director at Ironman has described it as "a minor paint imperfection".
They also had a court order out against me trying to keep me quiet.
So if you see a ute getting around with a sign "If you want a bull bar that will rust, try Ironman" have a look at the bar on the front that still has their logo attached.
See photos on my gumtree ad that keeps getting taken down because of someone whinging.
Maybe they shouldn't sell crap in the first place.

 

[MrPoopypants]

I'm going around in circles trying to decide what I need and what's worth it. Please help

I avoid driving at night in the country, but having got caught out recently helping a mate with broken gear left me trying to spot roos in the dark with useless factory lights made me realise I need something for those odd occasions I can't control. I have a Ironman bullbar, so options I've thought of;

HID spotties - not sure they help as I don't need to see 500m+ down the road I don't think, and they seem very expensive with limited life.
LED spotties - these actually seem less directional than HID but not sure how wide the beam is. Some have covers that convert to "flood", but regardless I could angle them to the sides slightly.
LED light bar - lower profile in front of the grill but less LEDs and perhaps more directional down the centre of road.
Replace Ironman fog lamps with something to light road side maybe?
4" HID maybe, more pointed to side of road?

I'd like to keep the cost way down as I would rarely use them, but buying crap is a waste of money too. Any suggestions?

Hey Gidgee

My Ranger has the most appalling headlights I've seen since my mate's old 6v Bug. I put the Stedi type X on it.
They are excellent, unbelievably bright and although a spot in the centre, they definitely give good spread to the fenceline. (Except on the Nullabor They are much brighter than the videos show. The new Type X pros would be much brighter again.

Only two problems:
1. When I dim to low the lights literally go out, so I'm thinking of converting the headlights to leds, but looking for a whole unit rather than just globes. I think I'm a bit more sensitive with this than most, perhaps more since I got glasses!

2. Like a lot of driving lights they have three holding bolts to fit in the 3 bolt pattern on most bars and don't have any outward or inward adjustment, just up and down. I keep meaning to take two bolts out to adjust them outward a bit more and see if they hold but I must be getting used to it, because I haven't bothered. I also took the tamper proof kit back off and put the old stainless bolts back on, to make adjusting easier if I need to do it on the run.

Found the service at Stedi great and easy to speak to them about what I wanted. Would go the same way again.

Good luck
PP

PS Forgot to mention I put +130% globes in the headlights before adding the Stedis, I don't reckon it made much difference, lousy reflectors.

 

[Gidgee]

I would be getting rid of the Ironman bull bar.
If it is anything like the piece of crap I was sold

Sorry to hear it. Not defending them but mine has only very minor rust near one weld after a year - I am less than 1km from the coast. FWIW when researching a year ago I saw ARB bullbars with similar rust to yours, which is completely unacceptable, not sure why it happens sometimes but they should be keen to work out what went wrong. Clearly the majority don't rust like it or they'd be out of business, but bloody annoying when they won't support you.

I've gone with a Lightfox 23" bar, at $50 it's low risk, I liked that it had 5500K front/spot lights. The LLA and Stedi looked good but were considerably more expensive. Kings/4WDsupahypers don't list their colour temp. If I've made a poor decision I'll let you know

 

[MrPoopypants]

Can't argue with $50 Gidgee! A lot of this cheap stuff is actually turning out okay. Let us know how it goes, I reckon the trick is to just make sure you upgrade switches, relays and wiring if needed. Bargain. I bought the Stedis because I couldnt face ARB or Lightforce. You make me feel wasteful (decadent sounds sexier).
Cheers
PP

 

[Petunia]

5500K
As a comparison, one 5watt 2700K 12volt Led, will light to the gate approx 350meters, I bought new you beaut 6500K 5 Watters man o man are they bright, but only light about 200meters.

50$ is a low risk.
I ask, has anyone looked out between the A pillars at night, then consciously looked left to see how far you can't see behind it? and again looked right? I did the other night down Damnation alley, and again tonight up Tedy Bear alley, I run one 18 Led bar only of a reputable brand. After plugging one 9 foot high big red [poetic license] head on near Moree many years ago, no amount of light was going to do any good. One bound, one OH [hep me Jesus] on the second bound then BANG!

I have a 3rd gear, I have a right foot, I have a bull bar, I have insurance, I will hit them under power head on, not be looking out the sides which I concluded is more dangerous than it's worth, and go belly up in the table drain trying to avoid it.

I bet you you can't stop yourself swerving? I bet I can stop myself, I have told myself every time I drive for 20 years, we don't swerve do we?

 

[shaun0]

Ive got Fyrlyt Nemesis 9000 lights and they are the best Ive used. They are 250W halogens and the light output is way better than LED is more like daylight in colour. Had to drive from Canberra to Geelong last night with about 5 hours of night driving along the Murray Valley highway and then Hume and the light output of these is awesome. Only thing is they are so bright its some times hard to see other cars headlights coming in time to turn them off so I was tending to turn them off in anticiapation like at crests and around sharp bends.

 

[dno67]

Ive got Fyrlyt Nemesis 9000 lights and they are the best Ive used. They are 250W halogens and the light output is way better than LED is more like daylight in colour. Had to drive from Canberra to Geelong last night with about 5 hours of night driving along the Murray Valley highway and then Hume and the light output of these is awesome. Only thing is they are so bright its some times hard to see other cars headlights coming in time to turn them off so I was tending to turn them off in anticiapation like at crests and around sharp bends.

How do your eyes adjust to the headlights output after turning off the driving lights?
I've had it where lt felt like l only had the parkers on.

 

[shaun0]

How do your eyes adjust to the headlights output after turning off the driving lights?
I've had it where lt felt like l only had the parkers on.

Yeah I know it looks pretty dim but the other thing my standard 100 series lights are pretty crap. Ive changed globes over but wasnt much difference so not sure maybe need to upgrade them to HID.

 

[discomatt]

Yeah I know it looks pretty dim but the other thing my standard 100 series lights are pretty crap. Ive changed globes over but wasnt much difference so not sure maybe need to upgrade them to HID.

Don't upgrade, or as I put it down grade to HID, if you ever drive in fog, heavy rain or dust you can not see a thing.
I also run the Frylite, awesome bit of kit, better than any other light I have seen or used by a mile.
Upgrade the globe and the headlight wiring in the 80 and leave the halogen , its what I did in the Disco 1 and its headlights are now very good. Almost better than the Disco 4 standard lights which do not need upgrading but the LED white shark spotties which were on it when I bought it are OK but nowhere near the Frylite

 

[G_ute]

Another option if you already have some good halogen housings lying around, Narva do LED conversion kits that you can drop into them for more, whiter light and less Amps.


https://www.narva.com.au/categories/lighting/globes_headlight/led_headlight

These are illegal for on road use.
I hate getting blinded by them.
No reflector designed for halogon/xenon bulbs will work with LED bulbs. Hence no ADR compliance.

 

[shaun0]

One thing I will say I have the 40amp redarc dc charger to a lithium bat. Now when starting the car and driving off the charger was kicking in at 42 amps and when firing the lights up with a total of 500w not sure on amps one light was dimmer than the other. Once the lithium was charged which doesnt take long no issues with the lights. Havnt noticed this before as I usually start during daylight without the lights. Might be best for another thred.

 

[Petunia]

firing the lights up with a total of 500w not sure on amps

Amps = Watt/Volt .... hence 500W / 13.8V[nominal][less at start up] = 36.2 Amps ....... could be why your system is chucking a mental.

These are illegal for on road use.
I hate getting blinded by them.

As are HID, second that emotion both counts.

but who has ever been '' book him Danno ''?