Cree Light bar

[Kaliboy]

Hey guys, 

I was wondering what everyones' opinions are on the Cree light bars vs several smaller Cree lights?

I currently have a standard light bar, consisting of 4 normal hella-esque lights, sitting above the windscreen. As usual, they are starting to get old and need replacing.

I have seen a lot of people are fitting the LED light bars, primarily the long single units. 

Would it be of any loss to just replace my current single lights for individual ones?

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[Chicken Drumstick]

Well there are several things to consider here. And tbh there probably is no wrong answer.

I haven't tried a LED light bar yet, but I know a bit about LED torches as they are hobby of mine. My biggest issue is most/all of the LED light bars are a high Kelvin rating, circa 6000-6500k, which gives a very cool white (often blue or purple tinted) light. On first appearance this appears to maybe be 'bright white' compared to halogen. But high Kelvin ratings tend to wash out colours, especially greens and browns. And all high Kelvin LEDs have a poor CRI rating. For reference, most OEM HID lights are 4300k.

 

That said, the amount of light these bars seem to put out is impressive. So worth considering. Generally the bigger the bar the more LEDs, the more current in total and the more output.

BTW - CREE make LEDs, they don't make light bars or torches.... the light bars will be made by other companies and there is high probability that the LEDs used are generic Chinese knock offs.

If a light bar appeals I'd advise looking for a "5D" one. There seems to be some nomenclature that has appeared around the optics of the light bars. The 5D ones use aspheric lenses, some tailored for flood and some for spot/throw. So you should get better light coverage than the earlier ones. There are some good YouTube vids showing comparisons.

 

When you say individual ones? What do you mean exactly? Are you still talking LED? There are large reflector (traditional spot light) looking LED lamps. But they are pricey. They won't have the same output, but often throw more.

There are smaller LED lamps. These usually use the same LEDs as the bars, but smaller. And you'll generally get less output as a result. Still good units, but will vary unit from unit depending on their exact spec.

There are premium multi led lamps, these will normally use modern high output LEDs and will generally out perform even the biggest of light bars in terms of throw and general illumination. But they cost a lot and you are unlikely to find them on ebay.

Of course a good halogen setup is still a good setup. And prices vary from really cheap to moderate. But halogen does suck the highest amp draw.

And lastly there are HID lamps. Either bought that have the ballast inbuilt or part of it. Or you could retrofit a HID to a halogen lamp.

[honitonhobbit]

Also worth asking yourself why you are fitting it. Unless you drive a forward control vehicle, roof lights do not comply to C&U regs so are illegal to use on road. Roof lights are a relatively pointless waste of time unless you are involved in high level off road competition at night (not rallying) or enjoy looking at your bonnet. Using big bright lights at night is generally frowned on world wide; and in some places can get you into serious trouble - any rural community in the UK for example.

Better to fit a light bar on your bumper...

[Chicken Drumstick]

Have to say I haven't seen the appeal of roof mounted. I've used a 90 with regular square halogens mounted on the roll cage round the screen. They are ok in a field but on the road they tend to light up the bonnet and wings and cause more destraction to your focus than helpful illumination of the road. I much prefer the lights 'in front' of the vehicle as it were. 

[honitonhobbit]

Decent headlights work well - sort of 'in the right place'

[Kaliboy]

Thanks for the replies, both make sense.

 

These are the ones I was thinking of getting to replace the old spots/work lamps on the rear, that assist the reversing lights. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261995762497?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I also thought they might be better than the current ones on the light bar, which came already fitted, and are controlled by a separate switch to the main headlamps.

Yes, I agree they can be distracting when glaring off the bonnet, so repositioning would be a better option, but it was just a thought when I saw them online :-)

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

[honitonhobbit]

That's how on-line marketing works (-;

I like the ide of using them on the rear as a work light - but once again that whole bright light/shadow thing comes into play. I got rid of my rear high level work lights as the spare created a huge pool of shadow. So I fitted them into the rear bumper, because it made sense. Except it doesn't work - even more shadows... SO now I just use brighter bulbs in the reversing lights and cheap magnetic torches...

Like most 'great ideas' pushed by media, it's usually a crock of poo. Interestingly, the Roof light idea comes from the good old days of Camel. When they were building the first or what we think of as 'proper' Camel vehicles, the press guys wanted a more aggressive look to the vehicle. So spotlights were added to the roof to change the asthetics. Over the years the bonnets were painted matt black to try to avoid the glare issue. Speak to any Camel competitor and they will tell you that they only used the roof lights when stationary or when the press wanted 'special' pictures.

The best way to work out what you need to fit to a vehicle, is to work out what you want, right it down, then look to justify it

[Smego]

I am seriously wondering is anyone commenting on this thread has ever used roof mounted lights or LEDs?

My LED's are 5500 kelvin which is just about the most natural temperature to view all colours in so are fantastic at night.

I have a 72w bar mounted just above the grill on my 110 (Iknow not a disco) wired into the high beam so passes an MOT and as centrally fitted complies with road regs in the uk and it makes a HUGE positive differance mouted lower I can use it in rain too without being blinded.

On the roof bar I have 2 27w fliods on the outside these are great for laning as angled outwards so light either side of me to aid driving as light all around the frint and sides and do not blind those i front, also dam useful for spotting house numbers when trying to find a house in the dark. In the centre I have 2 27w spot pattern as these aid driving  lanes and on top a massive 180w which is a must have for open places like the plains.

On the rear I have a set of 12w floods that cone on when I reverse (at a lower voltage) with the reversing light and can be switched on at full power whrn needed. They work teally well!

Ignore the peeps saying "I don't have any so must be a waste of time"

[Smego]

Oh and although they do light the bonnet the angle is such I do not get glare issues at all, oh btw almost all serious overlanders have roof mounted lights a must for deep water use and driving though any overgrown lane at night.

[Smego]

The only other advice I would give is ignore the ip rating and SEAL any light you buy as even the expencive ones leak. 

[Chicken Drumstick]

4 hours ago, Smego said:

I am seriously wondering is anyone commenting on this thread has ever used roof mounted lights or LEDs?

Yes have used them thanks. And I did say they are fine in a field, but not on the road.

 

As work lights they are fine, as driving lights I personally don't rate them on the roof, not when you are wanting to be looking more than 20 feet in front of the car.

 

BTW - do you have a link for the 5500k light bars?

In the flashlight/torch world that would still be considered 'cool' white. And no cool white emitter has a very high CRI rating as a norm. But 5500k would be much better than 6500k you normally find.

Ideally 4000-4500k will give the nicest colour rendition out on the road, across the lanes or fields.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Chicken Drumstick

[honitonhobbit]

Yup - used them - nuff said

 

Now more importantly, tell me about the MB Trac

[Dave W]

I've used twin Laser LED "bars" mounted on top of the front bumper below the headlights. They work really well both on and off road, so much so that, on road, we sometimes turn them off because they are so bright on high beam that when you dip the lights (and the bars turn off) it's almost like being plunged into darkness. We have an off-on-on switch on the dash that has them off all the time, on with high beam (required for road use) and on all the time (for off road use).

On my competition motor I'm still using roof mounted lights. I don't get any bonnet or windscreen flare/reflection from them because they are mounted towards the back of the cab rather than near the front as many people seem to mount them. The roof blocks any direct line from the lights to the bonnet or windscreen, leaving both in shadow. The lights also fold down over the back of the cab so are folded down when not in use to avoid damage from trees.

[Chicken Drumstick]

2 hours ago, honitonhobbit said:

 

 

Now more importantly, tell me about the MB Trac

MB Trac 1000, had it since new on the farm. Brilliant tractor and sounds wonderful.

 

 

It even gets taken to a classic car show or two during the summer

[honitonhobbit]

I do like an MB...  I don't know the 1000, used the 1300 and 1500 at various times in forestry, so I know the 352; uses under piston oil spray to cool the pistons, same as the early 617. Also done a load of spraying with an old 900

[Mo Murphy]

I tried out high level spotlamps on a couple of occasions but they never survived the next laning trip. So I gave up. 

Mo

[muddy]

How silenced is that 1000? Looks tidy.

 

I'm not a fan of roof mounted driving lights either, led bar in the grill and or better headlights is more my thing, less to rip off.

 

will