LED Light Bars: Spot or Flood?

LED light bars are known for providing extra illumination to give you better road visibility when driving at night. Because your factory headlights can only do so much, it is very important that you have an auxiliary lighting device, especially when driving off road and at rural areas with limited road illumination so you can avoid eye fatigue and eye strain.

Spot vs Flood

When you purchase an LED light bar, there are two types of illumination you can choose from: spot or flood. Each has their own unique qualities designed to fulfil your specific needs. Let's take a look at how they differ from each other.

Spot beam

1. Narrow beam of light

The most notable feature of an LED light bar in Australia featuring a spot beam is its narrow beam of light, which is usually no wider than 45 degrees. Because of this, it is much easier to control. This makes the spot light more suitable for illuminating a specific object down the road or searching a particular space like a body of water, for example, when the light bar is mounted on a boat.

2. Farther distances

With a spot beam, your illumination can reach much farther distances. Depending on the quality and wattage of the light bar you have bought, its spot light can reach distances of at least one kilometre or even farther. This feature is a huge help when you're in an off road competition as it allows you to see as far ahead as possible and avoid obstacles in the road.

3. Equipped with special reflector

All spot lights, including those in LED light bars, are equipped with a special reflector called the mirrored parabolic reflector. This is to make the light more concentrated and focused. If there is no reflector, the light will spread in all directions from the main lamp, thus, making it hard to control.

Flood beam

1. Wide coverage

A 4WD LED bar light with a flood beam produces a cone of light with a width of up to 120 degrees. Because of its much wider light, it can provide you with a wider coverage and allows you to see what's on the side of your vehicle.

2. Intense light

The light produced by flood lights is similar to daylight. This allows you to see and retrieve objects easily even after the sun has gone down. This is why flood lights are very useful when going on a camping trip or if you need to work in and around your vehicle.

Don't want to choose between the two? You'll be happy to know that most light bars today feature a combination of spot and flood style of illumination so you can enjoy the benefit of having two separate lighting devices in just one LED light 4x4. Be sure to share this article so your friends will know, too.