What Every Shoppers Should Know about Buying LED Light Bars

LED light bars make an excellent addition to campervans, trucks, and off road vehicles. They provide additional light, thus, making it much easier for you to navigate unforgiving terrain and roads with insufficient illumination. They can also come in handy when you need to work around the campsite after the sun goes down or if you require a reliable source of illumination during an emergency situation.

Key Facts and Info about LEDs You Should Know

Before you shop for an LED light bar, here are some common questions you should know the answer to so you can be sure that you'll purchase the right product.

1. Which is more important: lumens or watts?

Most of us are used to looking at watts when buying lighting equipment. But when it comes to shopping for an LED light bar in Australia, lumens is what you should be looking at. In a nutshell, lumen is the SI unit for intensity of light and it measures the brightness of a light bar. This will help you determine how bright a particular lighting device is compared to other lighting equipment.

2. What is amp draw?

Amp draw is basically the measurement of how much electricity the light bar draws from the battery when it is in use. When the vehicle is not running and the light bar is switched on, it will continue to discharge the battery. Amp draw is an important factor to consider, especially if you want to mount multiple light bars on your vehicle. If you have excessive amp draw, your car's alternator might not be able to handle the light bars.

3. How important is the IP rating?

The IP rating tells you how resistant your chosen 4WD LED bar light to dust and moisture intrusion is. A typical light bar has an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating. This means that the unit is protected against solid particles and can be submerged in one metre of water for up to 30 minutes.

4. Should I use a relay with my LED light bar?

You should because the relay helps reduce the current load on the switch. It the current rating is more than the current draw of your light bar, it can be directly wired to the switch. To avoid a short circuit and other accidents, it would be wise to use a switch with an amp rating that is 50% higher than the light bar's amp rating.

Make sure to remember these key facts and information when shopping for a LED light 4x4. This way, you can get a light bar that will meet your needs and expectations.

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.

4 Surprising Benefits of LED Light Bars in Australia

While you may think that your vehicle already has an excellent pair of factory headlights, it is still best to consider investing in LEDlight bars in Australia, especially if you use your vehicle to make a living or for sports. Thanks to their exceptional light output, LED light bars successfully supplement the light generated by your headlights to help you see better when driving at night. Here are the reasons why LEDs make an outstanding addition to your vehicle.

Why Install an LED Light Bar in Your Car

1. Visibility

The most practical reason why you should get an LED light bar is to improve your ability to see when driving at night and during bad weather conditions, especially if you're suffering from night blindness. Even if your vehicle has high quality headlamps, it will be still difficult for you to see well at night or in bad weather because these lights do not create enough light for people with this condition. Also, installing a light bar provides a better alternative to driving around with the high beams on all the time.

2. Utility

Picture this scenario: you're doing field work late into the night so you've decided to switch on your car's headlights to provide additional light. However, you've realised that the light is still not enough. What should you do? In this situation, having a LED bar light 4WD can help. It can be used as a spot light so you can enjoy ultra bright light either for doing field work or when helping another car change tyres in the dark. You can also install it in your boat to aid you in fishing.

3. Style

Any vehicle owner wants their ride to look good and stand out from the crowd. If you want to give your vehicle that extra swagger and improve its appearance, installing LED light bars can do exactly that. Aside from improve the overall lighting performance of your car, these auxiliary lighting devices also make your vehicle look more unique. It also allows you to effectively express your own style and individuality through your car.

4. Value

Sure, upgrading your car's lighting may initially cost you money, but it can also bring you monetary benefits later on. Adding LEDs to your car helps increase its value, which is quite useful if you have plans to sell or trade your car in the future.

Whether it's for practical or fun reasons, adding a cheap LED light bar to your car can really make a huge difference. So what are you waiting for? Check out these outstanding auxiliary lighting devices now.

5 Important Tools to Have When Installing an LED Light Bar

In a previous article, we've discussed what you should to do ensure a hassle-free installation of your LED light bar. Now, we're going to discuss what the tools you'll need are to help you mount and wire your lighting device to your vehicle. Not only are they important when installing your light bar, these tools can also be a great help if you need to troubleshoot or fix your lighting equipment. As such, if you're planning to take a "do it yourself" approach to installing your LED, make sure you have the following items in your toolbox.

Obtain these tools for a quick and hassle-free light bar installation

1. Drill

Regardless of whether you're mounting the light bar on the roof or in the bumper of your car, you'll need an electric drill to make it happen. As the name implies, the drill is needed for creating holes on your vehicle wherein you're going to place the lighting device and run its wiring.

2. Wire stripper

Wire strippers allow you to safely and quickly cut and strip the wires you'll need for the installation of your LED light bars in Australia. Without these tools, cutting the wires and cables precisely and accurately can be a huge challenge.

3. Screwdriver

Every piece of automotive lighting equipment has components that you need to screw in tightly to your vehicle. For this reason, the simple yet ever dependable screwdriver should be present in your toolbox. For maximum convenience, make sure to have both a mini flathead and philips screwdriver when installing or troubleshooting your LED light bar so you can deal with all kinds of screws.

4. Voltage metre

A voltage metre can be quite handy when testing your CREE LED light bars prior to mounting them in your vehicle. It can also be very helpful when troubleshooting any electrical device, light bars included. With a voltage metre, it will be much easier for you to determine the current status of electrical connections by determining their continuity, voltage, and possible voltage drops.

5. Wire connectors

Your must also obtain and use wire connectors to ensure that the wiring in your 4WD LED bar light is connected properly and won't easily come off when you drive your car. Since the lighting device will be exposed to the elements, make sure the wire connectors are waterproof. You may also invest in some high quality electrical tape and a soldering iron to ensure reliable connection for your LED lighting equipment.

How Do You Know if You Need a Cosmoblaze or Elinz LED Light Bar?

When it comes to shopping for an LED light bar, you'd certainly want to be sure that you'll get the biggest bang for your buck. Fortunately, there are two brands of light bars that can give you exactly what you're looking for. These brands are Cosmoblaze and Elinz. These two are known for providing everyday Australians with top quality LED lighting devices at very reasonable prices. But if you're going to choose between the two, which of them should you pick?

Questions to Ask to Determine if You Should Choose Cosmoblaze or Elinz Light Bars

Both brands are known for their quality and affordability. However, there are certain qualities that make them unique from each other. Here are the questions you should ask yourself to help you choose between the two.

1. How big is my budget?

Cosmoblaze LED light bars in Australia are relatively more expensive than the ones offered by Elinz. One reason or this is that Cosmoblaze products are marketed as "premium" lighting devices. This basically means that they are on the more "high end" side of the price spectrum. If you're willing to spend a few bucks more for your lighting device, then Cosmoblaze is for you. If you're on a tight budget, on the other hand, then Elinz makes a more suitable choice.

2. Where will I use my light bar?

Cosmoblaze and Elinz light bars have certain characteristics that make them more suitable for certain applications. This is why it would be wise to ask yourself where you are planning to use or install the light bar you'll buy to ensure that you'll make the right choice.

For instance, Cosmoblaze light bars are more suited for 4WD and off-road vehicles that often participate in competitions and touring events. Elinz CREE LED light bars, on the other hand, are perfect for general-purpose applications. Take note, however, that this doesn't necessarily mean that one brand is better than the other.

3. Will the light bar be often exposed to wet environments?

When it comes to durability and longevity, both Cosmoblaze and Elinz light bars are amongst the best. However, when it comes to waterproof and dustproof rating, Cosmoblaze products have an edge over Elinz light bars. Cosmoblaze usually have IP69 rating, while Elinz have IP67 or IP68. If the light bar will be exposed frequently to rain or sea water, Cosmoblaze makes a more suitable choice in this situation.

Before you purchase a particular 4WD LED light bar, you should determine your specific needs and requirements first. This is to ensure that you'll get the right lighting device suited for the application you have in mind.