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I was contemplating one of the LED light bar driving lamps (similar to these) and had a few questions. I was considering them due to their size/shape/profile, efficiency and (supposed) long life. I’ve also half a mind to use them (wide beam ones) as spot lights in my lab at work as they won’t throw heat like the incandescent spotlights do.

- Experiences with them?
- Are they road legal?
- What are they like to use- efficacy, beam throw, robustness, weatherproofing, etc?
- Compared to halogen units?
- Are they available in different beam patterns (eg narrow, wide) and can these be mix and matched on one unit? How adjustable are they? I had the idea that, if you had (say) 12 LEDs you could splay the beam and perhaps adjust 4 slightly left, 4 centre and 4 slightly right.
- What is the colour temp and are different ones available?
- Brand recommendations?
- Where else should I look?
- Any other comments?

Thanks!

LED light bars are amazing!
They are the next big thing on the 4wd world.
Tough and durable, led's last forever.
Don't think they are road legal though. Same as HID's.

Cheers Cam

The Great White brand has been advertising in 4WD off road mags for a while - the pics look more impressive in the mags than the web site. Saw an old Hilux with a bar on the bonnet just yesterday - just waiting to be dazzled by one before being impressed and then it will have to remain an impresssion due to price and no need - just desire

There legal in wa but have to be less then half the width oh the vehicle and are great but don't quite give the distance of good spotties


Tristan

90brumby wrote: and are great but don't quite give the distance of good spotties Tristan

+1 i would personally spend the same money and get a good set of spot light with one broad beam and one spot, although they dont look as good

Thanks all for the replies!

I agree a good set of spotties is probably a better/safer bet than LEDs, at least for the moment. Maybe the 'cool looks' are sucking me in!

I currently have Narva Ultima 160/115 Combo (Broad + Pencil) Beam set fitted. Do these classify as good? If so I might get a second set so I can mix 'n' match broads and pencils on my vehicles to test them out. Otherwise can you recommend other halogen brands/models without breaking the bank- perhaps Narva 225, Hella Rallye, ? I can't justify sooper-dooper top-range HIDs to my Household Expenditure Authority.

The light bars are no good at all when compared to spot/driving lights for touring. They do not penetrate at all. They are fantastic for lighting the area up in front of you for night time 4wding though. A combination of both is a perfect set up. A mate of mine is an importer for one of these brands of light bar and he has shown me what they are like. He has a 1500mm bar across his roof. They are extremely bright to look at from 20 metres. Get out to 30, 40 and 50m and you notice a huge drop off in light intensity.

I have Hella FF4000 compact lights on my car with 55W HID conversion. They are simply awesome. Price is around $430 for the light kit and then around $50-60 for the HID conversion. My son has Rallye 2000's on the front of his car with halogen bulbs. My lights make his seem like candles.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HELLA-RALLYE ... 415545338a

I got my HID's from this seller on ebay. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/1stop4x4/m.h ... ksid=p3686 He is excellent to deal with and has a no questions asked policy with warranty claims. I had one light that was slightly different in colour out of the 8 on the front of my car and he simply sent me another one to match.

Outback Bloke,

thanks for the experienced advice, it is much appreciated. By chance on Thursday I was looking at a rally car with 2 Hella Rallye 4000 (or 2000) plus 2 smaller Hellas (Comet 500s or similar), in Halogen wide+pencil beams.

The Rallye 4000 compacts look great and list a longer pattern than my Narvas, the 4000 full size and Narva 225s even longer still (units maybe a bit big though). I'll probably stick with Halogen globes as I tend to use the lights on/around roads and so switch them on/off repeatedly. I believe HIDs don't take well to this (reduces lifespan). Do the HIDs also take a little while to warm up?

LEDs are still in their developmental stage- lensing and legislation is not up to the job yet. They'll get there and I can wait. As you say, short, diffuse beams don't suit my on-road biased driving. The "Great Whites" brand now claim their lensing allows a long plus broad beam.

HID conversions aren't street legal due to glare, see RACQ website here which references ADRs/legislation. I'm already being naughty with 100W globes.

Only decision I may have to make is... chrome or black housing