Led light bar recommendations?

[RioDeColumbia]

So I am needing to get a new led light bar about 20-22" and I am wondering what everyone recommends? I know probably a lot of people are going to say rigid, but I don't want to spend that much money, so I am looking for the next best thing.

 

[TJTJ]

Diode Dynamics is good.

The main issue with the cheap bars is that the REASON they are cheap is zero QA/QC. Poor solder, thin wires, no gasketing or poor gasketing, weak mounts, galvanic corrosion, water infiltration, etc, combined with zero engineering of the optics or LED, drivers, etc.

So they claim to have whatever lumens the combined number of lumens for the combined max output of the LED from the factory (Cree for example) would be, IE: Max out put of 1,200 lumens at maximum drive levels with optimal heat sinking, etc...per LED, times the number of LED, and then pretend that's what the light puts out.

But it might be closer to 200 L per LED than 1,200....because the thermal paths, drive levels, etc, are NOT optimized...or even present, as when the leave off a heat sink, etc.

The LED are in shallow reflectors, or use plastic clarco's, etc, so all the light is in a bright pool right in front of you, so it LOOKS "bright", but, hurts your actual ability to see at night.

The better LED bars use deeper reflectors, weather sealing, optics, heatsinking, drivers, etc...and throw the light farther, out where it can do some good, etc.

So, it mostly means buying a real LED light bar, or a toy that looks like one because the toys are cheaper.

 

[drbandkgb]

I've found some nice "cheap" light bars that have worked out well.. I've also used some that are junk.. You do get what you pay for but you need to balance out use vs cost..
I have some nice 40" bars that I've paid 100+ for.. They claim they have Cree LED in them but I'm not ripping them apart to find out.

 

[AZhiAZiAM]

sub'd in the market for one too and not looking to drop the money on rigid. awaiting suggestions.

 

[Malin_Rebate]

I have a 24inch pro comp single row that out shines my 40. The 40 is an eBay bar and my 12 on the hood is a promaxx flood bar. They both out shine my 40 inch


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GPD605X]

A good 40" bar is going to cost around $300+ or at least from what I've found. My 40" bar is a Totron and its very bright and is working very well. It still looks brand new and I've had it for about 2 years. Before you buy, just do some research and once you found a good one, check YouTube and see if there are any videos floating around on them. A lot of times you will find comparisons of LED bars and realize that how good or crappy a particular brand is. Obviously Rigid is one of the best but also the most expensive. But if you look around, you'll see quickly why they are so much and the difference between them and other light bars.

 

[RioDeColumbia]

Does anyone have any experience with extreme led light bars?

 

[Malin_Rebate]

I've got their flood lights under my car and they are bright as hell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RioDeColumbia]

Does anyone have any experience with the 22" light bar from extreme led? And is it worth the extra money to buy the pro series or no?

 

[J Everett]

From what I've read on TNX, the Extreme LED bars are pretty well received. I don't think you'll go wrong there, but I also have no personal experience. I do have a 22" OPT7, still in the box, but I should be able to give you my impression of it soon. I don't know how much of a rush you are in.

 

[RioDeColumbia]

I'm not in a huge rush. I just want to make a smart purchase this time.

 

[Alpine Spirit]

Spend the money on a good one. I put extreme LEDs on my fathers and buddy's trucks very bright! Now if my lights fail hands down I'm buying theirs.

 

[Trexterra]

I just installed a 20" bar and 4 pods from amazon for a whopping total of $80. They are plenty bright and are 99% aesthetic anyways. No idea how they'll hold up over time but they look great now.