How to Protect Your LED Light Bar from Extreme Heat

While an LED light bar doesn't produce as much heat as an ordinary automotive lighting device, it doesn't necessarily mean that it won't suffer from a potential overheating. LEDs do produce heat, but not in the form of infrared radiation that ordinary lighting devices generate. Instead, the heat they produce is within the light bars themselves because of the presence of semiconductors that are needed by LED devices to generate light.

What You Should Understand about Heat and LEDs

An LED light bar is expected to last at least 50,000 hours. Unlike ordinary lighting devices, it doesn't suddenly die or burn out. When it is almost at the end of its lifespan, you'll easily notice because the light it produces becomes dimmer and dimmer.

While LEDs last longer than most lighting devices, heat can significantly affect their life span. Elevated temperatures can lead to the rapid deterioration of the LEDs, which then results in the light that the LEDs produce to dim much faster than expected. If heat is not dispersed properly, it is very likely that you'll enjoy just half of the LEDs' expected 50,000 hour lifespan.

Protect Your LED Light Bar from Heat

To ensure that your LED light bars in Australia will be able to fulfil its duty up to its expected lifespan, here are some tips you should follow:

1. Ensure that the light bar has a reliable heat sink

Heat sinks provide LED light bars with efficient thermal management. What they do basically is to disperse the heat generated by the semiconductors to prevent the light bar from burning out from within. Therefore, before you settle for a particular light bar, ensure that it has a working heat sink. It doesn't matter whether the heat sink is made of metal, heat pipe, or other materials. What's important is that it can help disperse heat properly.

2. Don't obstruct the vents of the light bar

To ensure proper thermal management, see to it that you don't install the light bar in a location where its fins or "breath vents" are obstructed. This way, the hot air from the inside of the light bar can go out freely and won't be trapped within the device.

3. Clean your light bar

Dirt and dust that accumulate on your light bar can clog its vents. Therefore, make sure to wipe down your light bar from time to time. Pay special attention to the back of the lighting device, especially if you have recently driven your vehicle on a dusty road.

Heat is one of the biggest enemies of LED light bars. As such, be sure to keep yours cool at all times to make the most of its unique capabilities.