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Nighttime driving can be challenging, even for those with clear vision. Luckily, few options rival the brilliance and efficiency of LED spot lights for enhancing visibility when travelling on SA’s roads.
These powerful illuminators have transformed the way we navigate dark roads (think loadshedding) and off-road terrains, making them essential for everyday drivers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. However, with a wide range of options available and each designed for specific needs, selecting the right LED spot lights can be overwhelming.
Whether you're scanning long rural roads for livestock with a focused beam or illuminating dense veld with a wide floodlight, understanding the different types, features (such as output power, thermal management, and waterproof ratings) and specs is key to finding the perfect spotlights for your adventures.
In this ultimate buyerʼs guide, we break down everything you need to know about LED spot lights, from the key features and performance metrics to installation considerations and safety regulations.
LED spot lights are becoming increasingly popular compared to traditional incandescent and halogen bulbs. Factors like lower energy use, reduced heat, and increasing adoption in various sectors, from homes and businesses to industrial applications, are driving this impressive market growth. But how do they work? LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) produce light by passing an electrical current through a semiconductor material. This process is far more efficient than the way traditional bulbs generate light through heat, which is why LEDs use less energy and produce less heat. In a spot light, this light is then focused by a reflector and lens to create a concentrated beam, ideal for seeing further down the road.
Choosing the right LED spotlight depends heavily on understanding the different types available. LED spotlights fall into three main categories: spot lights, flood lights, and combination lights. Each type serves a unique purpose and excels in different driving scenarios. Consider how each type aligns with your needs to enhance your driving experience.
View our full range here.
Spot lights are designed to produce a narrow and concentrated beam of light, which allows them to reach an extended range. They’re ideal for long-distance illumination, highlighting objects or obstacles (like potholes) far ahead on the road. Spot lights are perfect for driving in rural or off-road areas where seeing further distances is essential for safety.
However, due to their focused beam, they might not provide enough peripheral lighting for wider visibility.
Flood lights, on the other hand, offer a broad beam of light that spreads over a wide area, making them suitable for illuminating large spaces directly in front and to the sides of the vehicle. Flood lights are beneficial in urban environments or when driving on roads with numerous curves, as they provide a panoramic view of the surroundings.
So what’s the trade-off? Flood lights generally have a shorter range spot lights.
As the name suggests, combination lights integrate the benefits of both spot and flood lights, providing both long-range and wide-area coverage. This makes them an excellent choice for drivers who frequently encounter varying driving conditions, from open highways to winding trails. While they offer the best of both worlds, they may come at a higher price point due to their dual functionality.
Ultimately, the type of LED spotlight you choose should align with your specific driving needs, whether that's long-distance visibility, wide-area coverage, or a mix of both. Proper selection ensures you have the right lighting solution for safety and efficiency on the road.
Consider These Features When Buying LED Spot Lights
Need less light in some situations? Dimmable LED spot lights have you covered! This
feature allows you to adjust the light output depending on the situation, reducing glare when necessary and conserving energy. LED drivers compatible with dimming functions can seamlessly adjust the brightness without flickering, ensuring a stable light source. This is particularly beneficial in settings where different driving conditions necessitate varying light intensity.
The output power of LED spotlights is a crucial factor that affects performance. It relates not only to the brightness but also to the driver circuit overhead voltage and maximum output voltages. Tools such as a simple formula can compute effective light output, aiding in comparing different models. When selecting LED lights, prioritise those with high output power for optimal visibility without compromising energy efficiency.
Effective thermal management in LED spotlights is essential for their durability and performance. LEDs emit heat when they’re on, which must be efficiently dissipated to maintain your desired light output and prevent damage. A sophisticated thermal design involving heat sinks or advanced cooling technology ensures LED lights function optimally even in tough conditions, reducing the risk of overheating and extending their life span.
Considering these features will help you select LED spotlights that enhance visibility, efficiency, and safety on the road.
Performance metrics give insights into the lighting’s efficiency and effectiveness, helping you select the best LED spot lights for your needs. Let's explore some crucial metrics that are often overlooked but play a vital role:
When evaluating LED spotlights, distinguish between lumens and lux:
Understanding these terms helps you assess whether you need wider white light coverage or a concentrated beam of light for specific visibility requirements. This distinction is especially important in commercial lighting and outdoor applications where quality light is crucial.
The beam pattern of LED spot lights significantly impacts their functionality. This attribute determines the shape and distribution of the light emitted, affecting how well you can see in various conditions. Common beam patterns include spot, flood, and combo.
Whether navigating through dark highways or enhancing visibility on rugged off-road paths, selecting the appropriate beam pattern helps to achieve effective lumens from your lighting solution.
When purchasing electronic devices, especially those intended for outdoor purposes, understanding waterproof ratings(or IP rating) is crucial. These ratings are part of the ingress protection (IP) code, which indicates how well an item is safeguarded against solids and liquids. You can read more on this here.
The IP code consists of two numbers: The first number ranges from 0 to 6 and assesses protection against solid objects, like dust. The second number, ranging from 0 to 9, evaluates resistance to water.
| IP Code Example | Protection Against Solids | Protection Against Water |
| IP67 | Dust-tight | Submersion up to 1m |
| IP68 | Dust-tight | Submersion beyond 1m |
For effective outdoor use, consider LED lights, cameras and other equipment with at least an IP67 rating, ensuring they are dust-tight and can handle temporary water submersion. A device with a superior IP rating not only offers long-term durability but also reliable performance under various conditions, contributing to an effective investment.
The lights’ durability and functionality significantly depend on the materials used in their construction. High-quality materials ensure longevity and resilience against environmental factors, which is especially vital for outdoor applications.
Typically made from materials like aluminium or high-grade plastic, the housing construction shields the internal components from physical damage and environmental challenges. Aluminium housings are favoured for their lightweight and heat-dissipating properties, ensuring that the LED lights remain cool and perform optimally.
When inspecting housing construction, look for features like heat sinks, which can effectively manage the thermal output and prolong the lights’ lifespan.
Another critical component is the lens, which affects how the beam of light is projected. The lens should be constructed from durable materials like polycarbonate or tempered glass to withstand debris, UV exposure, and temperature variations. A high-quality lens contributes to the consistency of light output, ensuring that the LED lighting delivers brighter light without distortion.
Lens Durability Comparison Table
| Lens Material | Durability Level | Resistance to UV | Impact Resistance |
| Polycarbonate | High | Excellent | Good |
| Tempered Glass | Moderate | Good | Excellent |
Paying attention to these aspects of material quality ensures you are investing in LED driving lights that offer high performance and reliability in diverse conditions.
LED lights come in various forms and can significantly enhance driving visibility and safety. Hereʼs what you need to focus on:
The colour temperature of LED spot lights can significantly impact the light’s quality and functionality. Measured in Kelvin (K), it indicates the hue of the light produced.
Before installing LED spot lights, check their power consumption to ensure your vehicle's electrical system can support them.
| Feature | Specification |
| Wattage | Varies (typically 10-100 W) |
| Voltage Compatibility | 12V-24V usually |
| Energy Efficiency | High |
When upgrading to LED lights, check that they're compatible with your vehicle's current lighting system. Begin by checking your vehicle’s voltage to match the LED driver's range, as compatibility issues can arise if the driver circuit's input power doesn't align with your existing setup.
Different types of drivers, such as those accommodating varying AC input voltages, must be assessed to prevent overvoltage situations that could damage the lights. The headlight bulb socket type is another critical factor; ensure your new LED lights are compatible with your vehicleʼs fittings – be it designed for incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, or other light sources.
Next, verify that the LED lights meet the necessary ingress protection standards for water and dust resistance. Additionally, consider the colour temperatures and beam patterns of new lights in comparison to existing ones. A mismatch in light output and colour temperature can result in incompatible lighting environments, disrupting the natural light balance and overall visibility.
| Key Factors | Considerations |
| Voltage | Matches existing system |
| Socket Type | Fits vehicleʼs fittings |
| Protection | Suitable ingress protection for elements |
| Light Characteristics | Align light output and colour temperatures |
Purchasing LED lights from reputable brands like HELLA and Osram offers numerous advantages. Firstly, these brands are known for delivering quality light with consistent light output, ensuring you get maximum effective lumens, which translates to better visibility on the road.
Reputable brands invest significantly in research and development to produce LED lights with optimal colour temperature. This results in better white and natural light that closely mimics daylight, reducing eye strain. Such brands also offer a variety of LED driver options, including those with wider range and efficient voltage AC input power management.
Additionally, leading brands in the lighting industry focus on durability. They use high-quality materials to produce lights that not only withstand rigorous outdoor applications but also feature high ingress protection. This enhances their lifespan compared to typical incandescent or halogen bulbs.
To help you decide, here's a comparison of what reputable brands typically offer:
| Feature | Reputable Brands | Non-Reputable Brands |
| Light Output | Consistent and Bright | Variable and Dull |
| Colour Temperature | Accurate and Soothing | Inconsistent and Harsh |
| Ingress Protection | High | Low |
| Durability | Long-lasting | Short-lived |
Opting for LED lights from renowned brands ensures you make a reliable and long-term investment.
When installing LED driving lights, consider several factors to ensure proper functionality, longevity, and safety of your vehicle's electrical system.
Choosing the correct mounting option will optimise your LED lights’ shine and functionality. The mounting location should allow for a broad volume of light coverage without obstructing the driver's view. Ensure that the mounts are made of durable materials to withstand different weather conditions and vibrations during driving. Some common mounting options include roof mounts, grille mounts, and bull bar mounts.
The mounted lights must also be aligned correctly to avoid blinding oncoming traffic and comply with local regulations. Assessing these options before installation can help you achieve the maximum output voltages and effective lumens from your new lights.
Proper wiring is integral for the efficient performance of LED lights. Always follow manufacturer specifications regarding wiring to prevent any electrical faults or hazards. Consider whether the installation requires a dedicated wiring loom, fuses, or relays to effectively manage the driver circuit overhead voltage and input driver compatibility. Using quality materials will help avoid voltage drops that can reduce light output.
Additionally, ensure that the wiring system is appropriately insulated and routed to prevent wear and exposure to potential damage from outdoor applications. Integrating a proper power management system will ensure the lights function optimally and safely. Remember to check the vehicle's voltage AC input power capability to accommodate the LED lighting requirements, ensuring a seamless integration with existing systems.
When dealing with safety regulations and compliance, it's crucial to ensure that both safety standards and legal requirements are thoroughly understood and adhered to. Compliance not only protects workers but also reduces the risk of legal liabilities.
Here are key points to consider:
Still have questions? Here are some of the most frequently asked ones to assist you in making an informed buying decision.
Selecting the right brightness for your LED lights is crucial for optimal visibility and safety. Here are some tips to guide you:
Using LED driving lights on public roads depends on local regulations and compliance with specific standards. Consider the following:
Remember, while LED spot lights can offer brighter light and improved visibility, it's essential to use them responsibly and in accordance with the law to ensure the safety of all road users.
Ready to upgrade your lighting? You can buy a range of quality LED spot lights and more from Autolume. Browse our online store, add to cart, and them get it shipped to your door.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact us for assistance.
LEDs have rapidly replaced their less efficient, incandescent counterparts. Whether they’re used for off-road adventures, camping, emergency repairs, agriculture or construction - a standard LED light will deliver a safe, clear and highly visible environment.
Modern LED lighting technology offers several advantages over traditional lights and have consequently erupted in popularity across vehicles and job sites the world over. Besides providing longer and stronger lighting, LEDs bulbs also reduce your carbon footprint.
If you’re here to find out which LED work light is right for your vehicle or job site (or both), you’ve come to the right place.
The benefits of LED work lights include:
LED lights can emit intense levels of lighting, which is why we no longer measure brightness in wattage. Now, we look directly at a bulb’s lumen output.
LEDs efficiently turn about 70% of their energy into light. This makes them materially more efficient than alternative bulbs. For comparison, it only takes a 9-watt LED bulb to match a 40-watt incandescent.
Since LEDs maintain a much lower temperature than their alternatives, they’re generally safer for both cars and the workplace.
LEDs generate light in a manner that drastically extends the lifespan of the bulbs, helping them last for up to 50 000 hours!
Modern LED work lights have strong casing and mounting brackets, as well as water and dust resistance. They’re perfect for long distance travels and long-term projects.
LEDs don’t need filters or gels to adjust their colours, the bulb itself changes colour and can hold it’s setting until the light itself dies!
The longer you work in the dark, the more important ideal light conditions are to ensure you stay awake and focused. LEDs offer high colour temperatures of around 6,500 Kelvin, thus guaranteeing illumination just like daylight. LED light increases concentration and enables more precise and productive work because the human eye perceives it as white daylight. This light is less tiring to the eyes and improves your colour vision.
LEDs perform magnificently in cold temperatures; can withstand intense vibrations and impacts because they don’t have filaments; and their extra stability makes them handle weather fluctuations brilliantly.
LED components simply cost more. Circuit boards, a rare earth compound, drivers, and occasionally yellow phosphor can’t be cheap.
Bear in mind that light quality varies greatly across LEDs, which will have a dramatic effect on pricing, and that while LEDs cost more off the bat, they’re actually cheaper in the long run.
Work light prices generally range from R465 to R3070.
Portable, or handheld work lights are similar to flashlights – they’re small, bright, and can easily accompany workers into tight spaces.
Handheld lights cast a wide beam of unconcentrated light to illuminate the entire work area, while flashlights tend to focus their beam onto one small area.
Holding a work light obviously isn’t always an option, so many come with hooks or magnets so you can hang them overhead. These lights can be really convenient for the trades.
Clamp-based LED work lights do exactly as the name suggests – clamp onto surfaces.
These LED lights are perfect for mounting onto vehicles or stands for farm work, large construction projects (renovations, excavations, etc), or just fun off-road adventures!
What do you need these LED work lights for?
Every project or adventure has its own lighting needs. Large projects featuring wide-open spaces need mounted LEDs to occasionally brighten entire floors. If this is what you need, these Hella’s might be a good choice.
If you’re looking for a light that’ll shine bright for 224m, then you would go for something like this.
Driving or working with an underly or overly bright light is difficult to say the least, and there are actually a few risks involved with brightness configuration.
A flick of the wrist with an overly bright handheld LED can temporarily blind someone, and a light that’s too dim simply can’t do its job as a light.
Powerful LED work lights offer the most flexibility between 3000 and 10 000 lumens.
Outdoor lighting 100% requires waterproof and dust resistant LEDs – you don’t want the elements to destroy vulnerable LED lights.
IP67 protection means the LED light is resistant to dust & can be submerged under one meter of water for up to half an hour. IP68 offers protection for up to 1.5 meters and the same amount of time.
If you’re in hot or cold conditions, then you need to be certain that your lighting can withstand the temperatures. Operating temperatures for these LED lights typically range between -40°C to 60°C.
For off-road driving, if you’re familiar with your chosen routes, you’ll know what the lighting requirements of the journey are. Super uneven paths covered in low visibility conditions will necessitate lights that can pierce through the weather conditions and provide enough vision to safely react to the environment.
For job sites, consider what the power situation of the area will be. Are there outlets? Will you need to use battery-powered lights? LEDs can work on both AC and DC power, so many lights are cordless and use a rechargeable battery.
Once you’ve got that cleared up, you can take a look at the efficiency and power-related specs of your desired work lights, match them to your job requirements, and calculate the logistics of running the site.
Incandescent lights need filters to create different colours and shades, but LEDs offer a range of colours and colour temperatures without the need for filters or gels that burn out over time.
A kelvin (K) rating describes the colour temperature of light on a scale of 1 000 – 10 000. The brighter the light, the higher its kelvin rating.
A commonly recommended colour temperature range for work environments is 5 500K – 6 500K.
For reference, daylight sits at around 5 500K.
High-quality LED lighting will usually come with a warranty of at least one year, and like most products - the higher the price, the better the warranty (usually).
Like we mentioned earlier, LED work lights are initially more expensive, but over the long-term they’re considerably more cost effective than their alternatives.
Here’s a quick conversion chart to help you calculate how many LED lights you’ll need (if you’re familiar with your incandescent usage):
| Incandescent | LED |
|---|---|
| 40-watt incandescent | LED watt range of 9-13 (450 lumen output) |
| 60-watt incandescent | LED watt range of 13-15 (800 lumen output) |
| 75-watt incandescent | LED watt range of 18-25 (1100 lumen output) |
| 100-watt incandescent | LED watt range of 23-30 (1600 lumen output) |
If you have any queries about choosing the perfect LED work lights for your job site or vehicle, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us or shop our range by clicking on the link below.
Reliable off-road vision is a cornerstone of vehicular safety - it goes without saying that being able to see where you’re going makes a world of difference. Modern LED technologies have made this safety accessible to everyone.
LED conversion kits have plug-and-play installation and produce between 4000 – 8000 lumens while using less wattage than stock halogen bulbs. They also last up to 10x longer than incandescent bulbs, with a massive difference in brightness.
Replacing your headlights with LEDs will make your off-road driving safer and easier.
Article Summary
Don’t know whether you’re shining halogens, HIDs, or LEDs? You can find out pretty quickly.
Just take your car into the garage or against a wall and shine your lights. If it’s a yellow light with a normal powerup time, you probably have a halogen bulb.
If your headlights are white and flash for a second and then improve performance over 7-10 seconds, you’re likely using HIDs.
If your headlights turn on instantaneously and are coloured white, then you’re already using LEDs!
Headlights will usually come with heat sinks and ballasts, so they’re already conversion kits. The main challenge or consideration when buying a headlight conversion kit is ensuring that the LED bulb will fit inside the housing.
Your next consideration should be whether you’ll need a CANbus control unit to act as a bridge between your vehicle’s wiring and the bulb. We’ll dig into CANbus adapters after the installation section of this article.
The majority of vehicles all have low and high beams. Dual-beam bulbs combine both beams into a single bulb. Dual beam bulbs simply have one bulb per headlight housing.
Single-beam headlights, like the name suggests, create either a low or high beam. You’ll need 2 bulbs to use both low and high beam lights. Remember that single and duel-beam headlights can’t be interchanged due to wiring differences!
Once you know what you’re going to be doing, it only takes around 20 – 30 minutes to install LED headlights. Older models may take a bit longer.
LED conversion kit bulbs have light beam patterns that are considerably better than standard halogen bulbs, which often contain dark spots or project a foggy light. The benefits of improved light output cannot be understated.
That’s quite the number, but it’s true. LEDs preserve your vehicle’s battery by reducing strain and generating the same or more light.
LED headlights can provide over 30 000 hours of light, whereas if you were using halogen bulbs, they would have been replaced 5 times in the same period of time.
While LED headlight bulbs are a higher initial investment, you save money in the long run by not replacing your bulbs so often. The value of the extra safety supplied by LED lighting should also be considered.
Part of the wiring includes a driver, which is a device that sits between the wiring and the bulb. The driver supplies the LED bulb with the correct amount of power. Many modern bulbs will have the driver built into the bulb to save space, but this comes with downsides due to heat distribution and a more compact unit.
Philips headlights feature matchbox sized drivers to make installation simple and ease space requirements.
Step one is to find headlight bulb types that are compatible with your car’s make and model. Most manufacturers provide guidelines for choosing conversion kits, but if you can’t find your vehicle, just message a relevant retailer and they’ll let you know what your best options are.
How bright and consistent is the headlight’s beam? This is measured in lumens.
Lights with 6000 – 6400 lumens and illuminate around 500m in a straight line, while lights with 8000 lumens illuminate around 650m. At 10 000 lumens, you’re shining a wall of light straight onto the road.
Most headlights use bright colours. As a power usage reference: a regular 100-watt bulb produces 1600 lumens, while the same size LED bulb outputs 8000.
Colour temperature is measure in kelvin (K).
The lower the number, the warmer the light. The higher the number, the cooler.
Basically, the cooler your colours are, the whiter the tone.
You should get cool, white LED headlights.
Like all products, pricing varies from product to product and brand to brand.
We’ve spent a long time curating our catalogue, you can take a look at the products and prices over here.
LED headlights have a high standard of production. They need to be made with materials that last under diverse conditions.
The heat sink and casing will typically be comprised of aluminium alloys, and the cooling fan will usually be made of stainless steel.
Steer clear of kits with non-metal components – they’re a ticking, overheating timebomb.
Cooling fans do exactly as the name suggests. They can be noisy, and certain fans can interfere with a vehicles instrument panel. These issues are usually only part and parcel of less expensive conversion kits. Reputable products and brands like Philips feature great, quiet cooling fans.
High-performance heat management lets your bulb constantly shine at full throttle, while subpar management results in a weaker beam when the bulb gets hot.
LED bulbs can get HOT. Distributing heat properly can make or break a headlight, and unfortunately, the market is filled with heat sinks that just don’t support the bulbs they’re attached to.
Reputable brands will usually use advanced heat sinks that ensure maximum heat dissipation.
Yes. LED headlights are illegal and potentially highly dangerous in traffic.
This is a case-by-case situation. LED headlights are NOT always compatible with halogen fittings. Checking your fittings and circuits is necessary to ensure that they’re compatible with low-wattage LEDs.
Do you need a single or dual beam bulb?
To find out, you can check your owner’s manual, contact the manufacturer, or remove the bulb and check directly.
Take a look at your options, figure out your price range, and perhaps receive some consultation. Sticking to reputable brands and models is usually recommended.
Awesome, your chosen kit has arrived. Your next step is to check that you received all of the necessary components. There should (at least) be 2 bulbs, wiring, and 2 ballasts.
Before installing your new headlights, take a few pictures of the current position of your stock lights.
Now, when you upgrade, you can make sure that the light is positioned correctly and won’t interfere with other drivers.
After making sure that your engine is off and your handbrake is up, open the hood of your car and locate your bulbs.
Then you can unplug the plastic wiring connector. Keep in mind that the plastic clip might need a gentle nudge with a flat screwdriver.
Sometimes, you’ll need to remove a metal clip first, then you simply twist counter clockwise and pull the bulb out. Easy peasy.
Simply screw the bulbs in by twisting clockwise. Remember to avoid touching the LED with your bare hands (maybe just wear gloves).
One end goes into the bulb, the other goes into the wiring harness.
Check your headlights against the pictures you previously took. If the beams are the same, you won’t be blinding other drivers.
To adjust the beam, fiddle with the alignment screws. You can take a look at your owner’s manual for guidance.
Ballasts can be secured with double-sided tape or plastic zip ties. Keep them away from heat, vibrations, and moisture.
The final, and often neglected aspect of converting your headlights to LED, is the CANbus adapter, also known as a control unit, canceller, or resistor. This adapter ensures a perfect electrical fit with your vehicle and eliminates false dashboard warnings.
It’s a small cable and adapter system that acts as a bridge between the wiring of your car and the LED bulb. Essentially, it’s a connective hub that mediates communication between multiple components or circuits.
CANbus adapters monitor more than just your headlights and can provide tyre pressure warnings as well, for example.
Installing a CANbus adapter is usually as simple as connecting the adapter’s wires to the 2 wires connecting the bulb to the vehicle.
Larger fittings are actually easier for installation – just plug one cable of the adapter into the bulb and the other straight into the bulb socket.
Bulbs match with certain CANBus adapters. For example, if you’re using the Philips H7 LED, then we’d recommend that you use the Philips LED Headlight CANBus Adapter H7.
If you have any questions or need a recommendation, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us.
Factory lights just don’t cut it for off-road adventuring, so how does one go about picking the best LED lightbarfor their 4x4? Here’s the short answer:
A combination beam LED light bar placed low on your 4x4 is your safest bet. Otherwise, you’ll either lack peripheral vision or you’ll lack power in your forward-facing spot beam. Be aware of the legislation surrounding the use of after-market LED light bars in South Africa. You’re much less likely to run into legal trouble if you make your light bar detachable and only use it when you need it.
Let’s quickly run through everything you need to know about choosing the best off-road lighting for your 4x4:
Price & Size
Step one is figuring out your budget. Not much more to say here - this is your call. You just need to be sure that what you’re buying will meet your off-road needs. Saving R1000 isn’t really saving if you’re going to redo your lighting in the near future.
Then you’ll need to measure the available space on your vehicle and decide where to place the light bar. They’re usually found on roofs, grills, bull bars, and bumpers in sizes ranging from 6 to 50+ inches.
A small LED light bar can throw a surprisingly strong punch. An 11-inch bar from the Hella ValueFit Pro Series can chuck 5400 lumens over 767 meters. You can also find 6-inch bars that shine over 322 meters.
Types of LED Light Bar Beam Patterns
Picking the right lighting for your off-road needs can be the difference between seriously damaging your metal baby and slowly but safely cruising through your obstacles. This ties back into your budget – if you get an LED light bar that isn’t good enough to keep you out of harm’s way, you’ll end up repairing damages that could have been avoided by using more appropriate lighting.
Spot Beams
Spot beams are designed for maximum range and intensity at the cost of beam width, making them great for high-speed conditions. Since spot beams only provide 10-30 degrees of vision, pairing them with flood beams can be highly beneficial. However, LED light bars do spill a decent amount of light for peripheral vision, so you could be good to go without needing to complicate your lighting setup.
Flood Beams
Flood beams sacrifice range and intensity to cover a significantly wider area. They provide up to 120 degrees of vision and are also great for work lights and reverse lights. Flood beams alone may not give you enough forward vision, so if you need to see far ahead, don’t forget to pair your flood beam with a spot beam.
Combination Beams
This is where LED light bars “shine”. Combination beams combine spot and flood beam patterns to create a more complete lighting setup. The versatility of using both optic types keeps your vehicle significantly safer while minimizing the need for wasteful upgrades. A combination beam LED light bar is more than enough for most off-road requirements – you’ll see a great distance ahead of your trail and have reliable peripheral vision.
Single Row vs Double Row LED Light Bars
Single row LED light bars feature strong spot beams at the expense of wider flood beams. If you need to see far ahead and aren’t concerned with your peripheral vision, a single row light bar would suffice.
Double row LED light bars can be programmed to function brilliantly as both spotlights and flood lights. Their wide and diverse lighting patterns make them a more one-and-done solution for both fast trails and slow crawls.
Having fewer bulbs doesn’t necessarily mean a single row light bar is weaker. The important factor is the wattage of the bulb. You could rig a single row light bar to be just as powerful as a double row bar, within reason.
Durability and weather resistance
Off-roading has more than its fair share of rocks, ditches, dust, and rain. Your LED light bar needs to be able to handle these conditions with relative ease. LED light bars from less reputable brands are known to have very little ingress protection and often fail within 6 months. A trusted product that features IP67 protection and uses stainless-steel mounting brackets should cover your off-road bases.
IP67 protection means that the light bar is resistant to dust and can be submerged under 1 meter of water for up to half an hour. If you suspect you’ll be going lower than 1 meter, IP68 offers protection for up to 1.5 meters (and the same amount of time).
LED Light Bar Legislation in South Africa
While factory-fitted LEDs are legal, after-market LED light bars are not, and should only be used off-road or on your farm.
Alta Swanepoel, a road traffic and transport expert, has stated that the reason for this is that all the lights on your vehicle need to be fitted equal distances apart from an imaginary vertical line that cuts through your car’s front logo.
LED light bars usually run right across this line, and even if you only use them off-road, it’s still illegal to have an after-market light bar on your vehicle. The best way to keep your 4x4 on the right side of the law is by using a detachable LED light bar setup.
Officers have the discretion to let you go if they’re happy with your reasoning and the appearance of your setup. If you’re clearly a farmer and your LED light bar is covered, they may decide against kicking up a fuss. However, I recommend not relying on goodwill - one day it might run out.
Where should you mount your LED light bar?
LED light bar placement boils down to the beam patterns you’re using, your lighting priorities, and where your vehicle has space.
Your safest bet is fixing your LED light bar onto your front bumper, grill, or bull bar. Low light bar placement avoids awkward glare from your bonnet or light spilling in through an open sunroof.
If you’re out in the bush, mounting your LED light bar higher will cast shorter shadows, so you’ll be able to tell the difference between a shadow and a massive hole in the ground. This obviously has huge benefits to you and your vehicle, and if you already have a roof rack that can accommodate an LED light bar, it’s worth considering placing it up high. Just remember not to place your light bar too far forward.
Spot beams can be placed nearly anywhere without causing excessive glare thanks to their incredibly narrow beam patterns. While flood beams can also be mounted up high, we recommended placing them down low for clearer vision and less glare. A combination beam LED light bar placed low on your 4x4 will meet most off-road requirements.
Remember to use the correct lights for on-road, high-traffic driving. The importance of being situationally aware of your surroundings cannot be stressed enough.
Other factors to consider before buying an LED light bar
Current and heat management
Overheating an LED can shorten its lifespan by up to 90% and creates damagingly excessive currents. A good light bar should have enough airflow within its housing to manage heat efficiently, use copper core circuit boards, and feature large aluminium heat sinks.
LED light colour temperature
Not all colours are born equal – some offer distinct advantages over others. White light is the brightest and most versatile, while amber lighting is the best for low visibility driving conditions like fog.
Colour temperature is measured in kelvin (K). Candlelight is 1900K, while daylight is around 5500K and a blue sky is 10 000K. Low kelvin lighting is great for piercing through bad weather conditions, but to see any reasonable off-road distance ahead without straining your eyes, you’ll need LED lights between 4500 and 6000K.
Warranty
No one plans to constantly cycle through light bars. Most reputable manufacturers will offer coverage for 1-10 years. Check the warranty before purchasing your LED light bar to manage your expectations accordingly.
According to Dewald Ranft, the Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), sub-par lighting is an all-too-common issue for modern vehicles. This is particularly dangerous in South Africa as we have plenty of unattended wildlife roaming along outer-city roads. These conditions have created a massive after-market LED lighting industry.
Choosing the right LED spotlights for your vehicle not only determines your late-night safety, but also the safety of your license disc. So, if taking your 4x4 off road with factory lights isn’t good enough, then what is?
You should use LED spotlights that are ECE and CISPR25 Class 3 certified and built with effective heat management in mind. Stainless-steel mounting brackets are the most reliable option and end up being more affordable in the long run. Add dust and water proofing and you’re all set for the great outdoors. The ideal kelvin rating for a spotlight is between 4,800K and 6,000K. Pencil beam spotlights are great for busy roads like national highways, while driving lights make off-road adventuring safer by providing more peripheral lighting to reveal wildlife or twists and turns.
Let’s expand on the paragraph above and run through the do’s and don’ts of choosing LED spotlights:
Why LED Spotlights?
LED spotlights are compact and durable, which makes them perfect for bumpy off-road adventures. An average LED spotlight lasts around 50,000 hours, which is 2,083 days or just short of 6 years. LEDs are known for being highly efficient and draw remarkably less power than halogens, making them an environmentally friendlier choice too.
LEDs come with a cheekier price tag than halogens, but when you consider the difference in power usage and longevity, they end up being the more affordable option in the long run for your 4x4.
Remember to use LED spotlights appropriately (or not at all) when you’re in normal traffic. Nobody wants to drive blind, and a lot of people already struggle to drive at night due to nyctalopia (night blindness).
LED Spotlights vs Driving Lights
The classifications of vehicular lights can be confusing. While spotlights and driving lights look similar and are usually found in the same product category, their beam patterns are slightly different. A spotlight has a long, thin “pencil” beam while a driving light spills into your peripherals more.
How do you know which beam pattern to use?
If you’re driving on paved roads and national highways, you’ll want a spot beam. If you’re using backroads and gravel tracks, use driving lights. If you’re a beast of the bush and the road – use both!
Driving lights help you keep track of wildlife around the road, while pencil beams maximise your forward vision.
Spotlight Mounting Brackets
LED spotlight mounting brackets are often the first point of failure, so choosing the right brackets for your off-road spotlights is important.
Stainless steel mounting brackets take the cake, and while they occasionally get a bad rap for having a higher initial cost, they usually ends up being the more affordable option over time.
Adding chromium to steel creates a tough, invisible, and corrosion-proof chromium oxide film on the surface of the steel. Whether you damage this film mechanically or chemically, it will self-heal if oxygen is present (even in small amounts).
The benefits of using stainless steel include:
Kelvin Rating and Colour Temperature
A kelvin rating is used to describe the colour temperature of light on a scale of 1,000 – 10,000. The brighter the light is, the higher its kelvin rating will be. Daylight sits at around 5,500 Kelvin.
Overly bright lighting makes it difficult to define objects that would otherwise be clear, while lights that are too dim force you to squint and struggle to focus. Both ends of the spectrum will tire your eyes out quickly. Avoid eye strain and fatigue by using lights that resemble natural daylight. The ideal kelvin rating for 4x4 spotlights is between 4800K and 6000K.
Here are the colour temperatures of the various kelvin ratings:
| Kelvins | Colour Description |
| 1,000 | Ultra-Warm |
| 2,400 | Very Warm |
| 3,000 | Warm White |
| 4,000 | Cool White |
| 5,000 | Daylight |
| 6,000 | Cool Daylight |
| 10,000 | Sky Blue |
Radio Interference
A bad LED spotlight can cause radio interference – a headache that’s really not worth having. To minimise radio interference, make sure that your LED spotlights are CISPR25 Class 3 certified. This means that they’re built using only quality automotive parts that won’t disrupt any electronics already present in your 4x4.
Weather-resistance
LED spotlights are expected to perform reliably in a wide variety of road conditions. Unfortunately, the after-market lighting industry has been flooded in recent years with subpar products. This isn’t to say that there aren’t good, cheap spotlights on the market, but you’re always taking a gamble.
We recommend using lights that are IP 6K7 and IP 6K9K certified. The “6” means that the spotlight is dustproof, the “7” provides protection against temporary water immersion, and “9K” means that the spotlight is fully waterproof and can be high-pressure cleaned.
Spot Light Regulations in South Africa
Make sure your LED spotlights are ECE complaint. This is the standard set by Europe that has been adopted internationally. Spotlights that are certified will feature an “E-mark” that signifies compliance. The approval process for E-certification is meticulous and means that a producer cannot self-certify these standards. The importance of 3rd party verification cannot be understated.
Dewald Ranft (MIWA Chairman) says that spotlights should always be wired in a way that allows them to be disabled entirely by their own switch, as well as by the vehicle’s high beam switch.
It’s unfortunate that road traffic regulations haven’t kept up with on-road lighting developments. All spotlights must comply with the Road Act:
The lower you place your LED spotlights on your 4x4, the safer you’ll be, and choosing an LED spotlight over a light bar may prevent a headache or three in the long run.
LED Spotlight Casing and Overheating
Efficient heat distribution is a vital component of a good spotlight. You could be using the best LED technology in the market, but if the heat isn’t being handled appropriately, it’ll perform like a run-of-the-mill spotlight. When an LED spotlight overheats, it pulls back power output and leaves you scratching your head.
A good LED spotlight will have a strong case that has a black, fin-like structure on the back to distribute and dissipate heat efficiently. Driving quickly also helps keep spotlights cool, but that obviously isn’t an ideal solution. An LED spotlight from a trusted brand will have great heat management regardless of speed or wind.
