What spotties are the go???

[Boagie]

Hey guys,just curious to find out the best value for money spotties......What is the go with L.E.D??? thanks Boagie

[Winnie]

LEDs are no good for spotties, HIDs are definitely the go!

[megatexture]

im a fan of light force spotties and when i bought them led's were relatively new to the market and way overpriced but with the prices these days i would more than likely get a light bar but having said that it depends on your needs if you want long-range highway lights spots are definitely the way to go and if you can afford hid even better!

as far as light vs $ 4wd action did a comparison ( issue#161)a while ago:
best value for $ halogen spotlight was ipf 900 extreme sport series $448 back then
best value for $ hid britax x-ray vision 220 series hid $495 per light then
best value for $ light bar rigid industries 'e' series 20 inch bar $800 back then

there are a lot of new brands/ models on the market now specialy in lightbars but this may help

[Boagie]

Sorry but i am a bit daft ...what are H.I.D s ????

[megatexture]

high intensity discharge lights this vid gives a good idea of the light produced http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKlyO8bbGmU
and a good led light bar comparo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jyereRdZso&feature=related

[nissannewby]

High Intensity Discharge. A current is passed thorugh a gas to make the light pumps out heaps of light at less power. I would go lightforce mate all the way. Their halogen spotties are awesome and their HID's are top shelf and put out plenty of light. Halogens will put out plenty of light for the budget concious, HID's have awesome beam length and light colour, LED's throw heap and heaps of light but arent as good for distance as HID spotlights. If your budget allowed a pair of HID spotties with a decent size LED bar would certainly turn night into day.

[big_fletch]

Personally I had a set of Lightforce XGT with 75w HID kits in them, awesome light and great distance however I didn't like the spread at all..
I now run Hella Rallye 4000 with 55w HID and find them far better, great spread and the spot still shines further than I can see lol..

Led is good as a great flood/spread light but distance isn't that great, max about 350-400 meters..

[Clunk]

LEDs are no good for spotties, HIDs are definitely the go!

Sorry mate but i beg to differ, I've seen the new hella led spotties in action and they're superb. They may not have the distance of hids but i they have a better spread so your able to see the sides of the road better closer up.......... but they're sure aren't cheap

[big_fletch]

Sorry mate but i beg to differ, I've seen the new hella led spotties in action and they're superb. They may not have the distance of his but i they have a better spread so your able to see the sides of the road better closer up.......... but they're sure aren't cheap

I tested the new Hella luminator LED and thought it was crap (personal opinion) lol.. I thought the Great White 18LED was by far better (not to mention half the price).. Here is a link, worth looking at if your after LED
http://www.greatwhites.com.au/index.php/round-light/item/4-18-led-round-driving-light

[Clunk]

I tested the new Hella luminator LED and thought it was crap (personal opinion) lol.. I thought the Great White 18LED was by far better (not to mention half the price).. Here is a link, worth looking at if your after LED
http://www.greatwhites.com.au/index.php/round-light/item/4-18-led-round-driving-light

Hey Fletch, just out of interest, why did you think they were carp? Besides being bloody expensive and not throwing light a huge distance....... I know you're into lighting so would good to know before someone decides to part withe their hard earned - not me coz I may have a set of Rallye 4000's coming my way for zero bucks

Taps a lot!!!!!!

[big_fletch]

Hey Fletch, just out of interest, why did you think they were carp? Besides being bloody expensive and not throwing light a huge distance....... I know you're into lighting so would good to know before someone decides to part withe their hard earned - not me coz I may have a set of Rallye 4000's coming my way for zero bucks

Taps a lot!!!!!!

I have tested a lot of different lights, I found the Luminator put out a very rectangular light, which if aimed down the road didn't seem to light up the road front of you.. I also found I got a lot of black spots around the edges of the light as well.. I would rather put 2 Great White lights on, don't quite light up the sides as much as luminator but still a lot more than most spread beam driving lights

Getting 2 Hella 4000 for nothing? U lucky bugga lol

[Clunk]

I have tested a lot of different lights, I found the Luminator put out a very rectangular light, which if aimed down the road didn't seem to light up the road front of you.. I also found I got a lot of black spots around the edges of the light as well.. I would rather put 2 Great White lights on, don't quite light up the sides as much as luminator but still a lot more than most spread beam driving lights

Getting 2 Hella 4000 for nothing? U lucky bugga lolcheers for the input there Fletch, very much appreciated as always bud............i've been waiting for the 4000s for a while now and will no doubt have to wait for a while longer but they're free, so I must be patient hahaha

[big_fletch]

cheers for the input there Fletch, very much appreciated as always bud............i've been waiting for the 4000s for a while now and will no doubt have to wait for a while longer but they're free, so I must be patient hahaha

Nothing wrong with free 4x4 accessories lol.. As with everything including lights, its all personal opinion on what ya gonna like, but there is no harm in trying to help Haha.. Hopefully wateva lights Boagie picks will best suit what he is after, and make sure you get some pics up when they are fitted buddy LOL

[Silver]

big_fletch, were these the great whites you mention above? http://www.industrysearch.com.au/Products/Great-White-18-LED-Driving-Light-Bar--9-32VDC--FCGWB5181-97425

There was an interesting conversation on here fairly recently, about going for two spread beams rather than the usual one spot/pencil and one spread.

I like seeing what is lurking in the table drains etc a few metres either side of the road- ie spread beams, and don't like being blinded by reflective signs (which can happen with powerful spots/pencil beams) so some of those more powerful spread beams mentioned above look pretty interesting to me - they should hopefully provide a bit more length than what I currently have, as well as spread.

[Robo]

Have 4500k 50w hid hi beam in my gtr and its defiantly a bit softer than the 5500k 50w hid spotties spreads I have on mav when it comes to street signs and the gtr has a much better focus long distance.
colour will play a part also in this game I think.
Cheers

[DX grunt]

I'm running standard troll headlights and IPF, 130w globes on my bullbar mounted spotties.
http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/DXgrunt/Mod-HFCodanNGT.jpg

I'm happy with the spotties and they are both pencil beam, not 1 spread, 1 pencil.

If you were going to mount spotties on the roof of the ute, what legal type/brand/strength would you use?

There are too many options and I'm confused.

Rossco

[big_fletch]

Yer silver, that's the bar version but you can also get them in a round model like in the link I posted. Not much difference in light between the 2..

Robo, colour is important in HID for sure.. I run 6000k and they are very white, like driving in the daylight but you do get alot of glare.. 4300k is more of a yellow light and does cut down on alot of the glare and reflections back.. More depends on what colour you like Haha

Rossco, light on the roof (here in vic anyways) must have covers on them on the road and must not be wired through high beam (ie. Separate switch).. Even though most people don't do that lol.. If you have 2 spot driving lights on the bullbar I would think maybe a couple of spreads on the roof would be good, light up the sides of the road abit.. You just have to decide what type of light you like.. Also LED lightbars have come down a lot in price recently, so if your wanting HID lights on the roof by the time you buy them, or normal lights and convert them to HID the price might be close to a 40" LED Lightbar..
Should confuse ya abit more mate Haha

Fletcha

[DX grunt]

Thanks Fletcha.

The BIG question. lol

Is it cheaper to go straight to HID or LED + conversion kit - considering I know SFA? lol

Rossco

Disregard this post. Should have read the last one...properly. lol

[Bad-Trol]

Just my two cents...
I'm currently running Rigid Industries 'e series' 40" LED light bar on my roof rack and Lightforce XGT xenon/halogen both in pencil on my bullbar.

First off, the light coming off the LED's are VERY impressive. I'll have them on, then switch on the XGT's and it's only JUST noticeable that I've turned on the spotties. I do get a little more distance, but not much. However a HID upgrade would definitely change that.
The spread from the LED's are unbelievable and I use them on secluded highways and in the bush. The view to the sides is fantastic. Unless you spent double the money and ran a quad HID setup on the roof with the lights pointing off to the sides, I don't think you will find something that will match it.

Having said all that, because the LED's are so 'white' I do get a lot of reflection off signs, so when I do eventually upgrade my spotties to HID, I'll be buying a 'warm' color so I can turn off the LED's on the hwy's when big signs come up.

Just my 2cents

[Robo]

I work night shift and drive a mixture Free-way and rural Main Rd home each morning.
This type of work is best suited to hid and softer would be the go for either rds. M2C
I find harsher lighting does not really help.
We have Roo's jumping out of the bush and the glare produced from signs stops you seeing Skippy ooppps .
I will be changing the hids in Mav when I get to it.
to about 4000k and up grading to 100w at same time.

I love Leds also have em on our work trucks.
but are spread beam work lights ,save on power and make alternator work less.
Recon if ya can afford it then a mixture of lights may be the answer.
Cheers

[Boagie]

Sorry mate but i beg to differ, I've seen the new hella led spotties in action and they're superb. They may not have the distance of hids but i they have a better spread so your able to see the sides of the road better closer up.......... but they're sure aren't cheap

Hey Clunk,does that mean you might have a spare pair to sell to a finacially embarrased fellow Patrol lover???

[Boagie]

Sorry Clunk,replied to wrong quote--does that mean you have a old spare set???

[Clunk]

Sorry Clunk,replied to wrong quote--does that mean you have a old spare set???

Unfortunately not Boagie, just running standard crappy headlights at the mo, no spotties. So just relying on my incredibly fantastic eyes lol

[TimGU]

I run the IPF 900XS combo spread and spot, they work well for me. What ever you get make sure you get some tamper proof nuts - lost my first pair of lights.

[Robo]

I run the IPF 900XS combo spread and spot, they work well for me. What ever you get make sure you get some tamper proof nuts - lost my first pair of lights.

makes you want to cut em off at the #@#@# knees