Terms and Symbols You Should Pay Attention to When Shopping for LED Light Bars

Sure, LED light bars may be relatively expensive than halogen lamps and standard driving lights. But when it comes to light output, versatility, energy efficiency, and durability, nothing can beat these lighting devices. According to 4WD touring experts, lighting is the most important accessory you can add to your vehicle. It significantly helps improve your safety and make navigating tough and unforgiving terrain a walk in the park. As such, spending extra money on LEDs is definitely worth it, especially it if means that you'll get to enjoy added safety and convenience when touring and driving at night.

Important light bar terminologies you need to understand

When shopping for these lighting devices, you have probably encountered certain terminologies that you don't usually come across to in your daily life. Having a keen understanding of these symbols and terminologies can help you identify the best lighting device for your vehicle and ensure that you're making the right choice. Below are some of the usual terms you'll see in the packaging of CREE LED light bars and what they mean.

1. Lumen (lm). When you read the product description or specs of a light bar, one of the things you'll commonly notice is the word "lumen" and its symbol lm. Well, what does it mean? In a nutshell, lumen is basically the measure of the total amount of light emitted by a light source. It basically tells you how bright and intense the light output of the light bar is. So if you're choosing between two lighting devices with their light output measuring 10,000lm and 15,000lm, the latter is obviously the better choice because its light output is much brighter.

2. Operating voltage (v). Operating voltage is the amount of electricity you need to power up the light bar. It also indicates what type of power source the lighting device is compatible with. For instance, if the lighting device has an operating voltage of 10-36 volts, it basically means that it can be fitted to a vehicle that utilises either a 12v or 24v power source/battery.

3.  Colour temperature (K). As the name implies, colour temperature indicates the colour produced by the light bars when they are switched on. Colour temperature is expressed in Kelvin (K). Typical colour temperatures produced by most LEDs are white (4300K), light blue (6000K), deep blue (8000K), bright violet (10000K), and bright purple (12000K).

4. IP rating (IPxx). IP rating is a very important factor to consider when buying a light bar. It indicates the lighting device's capacity to be immersed and/or exposed to water and dust for a certain period of time. The light bar's ability to guard against water and dust intrusion is written as "IP" followed by two numerical digits (i.e. IP69). The first digit in the IP rating indicates the level of dust resistance while second digit is for water resistance.

Knowing what these symbols and terminologies mean can go a long way towards helping you find Elinz LED light bars 4x4 that match your need and requirements. Meanwhile, if you're looking for top quality yet affordable LED light bars, visit Elinz Electronics.

4 Interesting Facts and Info You Need to Know about LED Light Bars

Driving at night, especially on uneven terrain or during a downpour, can be hazardous if you're vehicle doesn't have the right lighting equipment. Sure, cars have headlights that help you see in the dark. However, their light output sometimes isn't enough. To ensure maximum safety on the road, therefore, it is only logical that you equip your vehicle with LED light bars, which are proven to be more reliable than your car's factory headlights and other conventional lighting devices.

What are the things you need to know about LEDs?

If this is your first time installing an LED light bar in your vehicle, you might be wondering what makes it quite different from other lighting devices. To satisfy your curiosity, here are some interesting facts and info about LEDs.

1. LEDs are more high-tech than standard lighting devices. Instead of conventional lighting devices, these light bars have LED or light emitting diode chips in them. When an LED chip is switched on, electrons recombine with holes within the device and release energy in the form of photons, thus, producing what is called the "electroluminescence effect" to generate bright light. Because they are more "high-tech" than ordinary lighting devices, they are more energy-efficient and they don't need to "warm up" to come to full brightness.

2. LEDs help you avoid spiking issues. According to automotive experts, newer 4WDs have more fragile electrical systems as compared to older models. This is one of the reasons why car owners are being advised against installing high current halogen lighting systems in such vehicles because they are known for creating current spikes that can potentially damage the 4WD's ECU and other electrical components.

Good thing this is something you can easily avoid with LED work lights. LEDs draw little current from your vehicle's power source. As a result, it is very unlikely that they will cause spiking issues when you switch them on and off repeatedly.

3. LEDs are not as expensive as you think they are. While it is true that an LED light bar costs more upfront as compared to, let's say, a halogen lamp, owning one is generally more financially rewarding in the long run. They are more durable and they have longer operating hours. As a matter of fact, LED light bars have a life span of up to 50,000 hours. Because of this, you can get bigger savings since you don't have to purchase replacements as frequently as before.

4. LEDs are more "eye-friendly." These lighting devices are much safer to your eyes because they help reduce eye strain when driving at night. Unlike ordinary lighting equipment, they exhibit little to no flickering since they are usually powered by constant DC voltage.

If you want to ensure your safety when driving at night, now is the perfect time to switch to an LED vehicle light bar. Meanwhile, if you're looking for quality LED lighting devices, visit Elinz Electronics.