A 4-Part Series to Clue you In before you Buy
Week 1 – An Introduction
Light bars and driving lights – possibly the most confusing and time-consuming thing to research when rigging out your 4WD. Surely this should be an easy choice, I hear you say. Not likely!
There are just so many options and variations, it’s impossible to know where to start. Then there’s the terminology and jargon. It can feel like you need do hours of background research before you can even start to look into what you might want to buy!
As we know, this stuff doesn’t come cheap, so you really want to know that you’ve made the best decision and not missed something that you’ll regret later. Manufacturers seem to purposely baffle you with science, to the point where you don’t know who to trust or what will actually work for your needs. This means that many people just give up and revert to a brand they trust, even if there are far better choices out there.
Unfortunately, this confusion can extend to the companies that actually install vehicle lighting. Much too often they simply stick to one setup, or go with whichever lighting company is giving them the best kick back.
To us, this makes no sense. We believe that you should be fully clued in before making your decision. This will ensure that you make the best choice and get your set-up right first time round.
That’s why we’ve put together this series of articles—to help you learn and understand all the specifications and terminology that you’ll need to know to make the best choice for your lighting. By the end of it you’ll know your lux from your lumens, and be able to out-jargon the slickest salesman!
For the next three weeks we’ll break down the most important things to know, from what mountings will work best for you, to the best colour temperature for foggy conditions.
Next week we’re going to look at the most important terminology and vocabulary that you’re going to come across when deciding on your lighting set up.
In week three we’ll deal with the construction of the lights themselves and how best to attach them to your vehicle (we don’t want them falling off!).
In the fourth and final article we’ll round off the series with a detailed breakdown of what you’ll need to know when it comes to the electronics and optics of your vehicle lighting. (Warning – it gets pretty technical!)
Set Yourself up for a Brighter Future
The restriction of the power of headlights by ADR regulations means that standard headlights are becoming dimmer. Couple that with the fact that the variety and quantity of wildlife on our roads is steadily growing and you’ll clearly see why the need for auxiliary lighting is only going to increase. Road safety is the priority here, and good lighting is an integral part of your vehicle’s safety armory.
As demand for extra light bars and driving lights increases, the available choices are only going to multiply. New types of lights, mountings and wiring setups are coming out each week. That’s why being fully clued in is vital to cut through the marketing bunk and knowing exactly what you’re after, before you start spending.
Good news, though, is that you’re buying at a great time. This high demand is driving down prices and increasing innovation (as we’ll see later), meaning that you’ll get the best kit and the best value for money.
We’ve covered how to choose between a light bar and a driving light in a previous blog post, but suffice to say that with modern technology this is really a cosmetic choice for you to make. One may also fit better on your bars,or the type of bars you have may mean that one or the other is safer and more practical.
Either way, by the time you’ve read these four articles you’ll be able to confidently choose the right set up for your personal needs, and end up with a lighting rig that you’ll be de-light-ed(!) with for years to come.
Read the second installment of this series: Light Bars & Driving Lights: Making Sense of the Jargon