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Where should the lights go?
Roof
25%
 25%  [9]
Grille
74%
 74%  [26]
Total Votes: 35

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RickH



Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Central belt Scotland
Posts: 39

Scotland 
Extra lighting
Need some boosted lighting. Already getting some Wipac Crystal and uprated bulbs, but now I'm considering led light bars.

Question though; do I go for a smaller discrete grille mounted option, or go the whole hog for a wider roof mounted option.

back country lanes without any light whatsoever. Plenty of wildlife to avoid too.
Post #292005 20th Dec 2013 7:05pm
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Cheshire110



Member Since: 26 Jul 2013
Location: Cheshire/London
Posts: 2725

United Kingdom 
I trialled roof lights for a while, absolutely hated them. Just lot up the rain in front of the windscreen and the bonnet/aerial etc!

Honestly don't see the point.

I swapped for 2 bumper mounted 12-Led units mounted on the bumper and they are perfect for country lanes etc (live in rural Cheshire!) as they give a really wide spread.

Honestly wouldn't touch roof lights with a barge pole!
They're just for show mostly, looking around- you see quite a few not even wired up! They look far too hillbilly for me!

Maybe they have some specific use but I've not found it! It was horrible if it rained, just filled your view with illuminated raindrops! Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8.
Post #292010 20th Dec 2013 7:28pm
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epictrail



Member Since: 21 Sep 2013
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 395

United Kingdom 2004 Defender 110 Td5 HT Chawton White
David which 12 Bulb leds do you have?
Post #292011 20th Dec 2013 7:30pm
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Cheshire110



Member Since: 26 Jul 2013
Location: Cheshire/London
Posts: 2725

United Kingdom 
they're Ł30/35 each ebay jobbies Smile

didn't cost a lot so wasn't expecting much, but a year later they've coped well and I'm very happy with them!!

similar to these(mine were cheaper and worse quality i think)-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36WD-12-24-Volt-...20d5d9a9e2

id upload photos of mine but the website seems to be having a nightmare with uploads!

if you PM me your email i can send some photos if you like Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8.
Post #292015 20th Dec 2013 7:44pm
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Josh K



Member Since: 01 Nov 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 266

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Orkney Grey
I've got a pair of 6" spots by Wipac on an 'A' bar which helps no end with lighting up country lanes and reminding other drivers to turn their full beam and front fogs off Laughing 2007 (57) Defender 90 (Sold)
Looking for another to replace it.

The road less travelled.... is a muddy one!
Post #292017 20th Dec 2013 7:48pm
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Mountain_man



Member Since: 09 Dec 2011
Location: Right side of Offas Dyke
Posts: 756

Wales 
Roof lights are very useful for driving in tall grass/scrub that is as high or higher than the headlights since they stop the glare from the reflections off all the plant growth.

On my 30 year old 110 rebuild I fitted Quadoptic lights from a late defender, Osram bulbs, and I uprated the wiring loom so that I was getting 12+V at the bulbs and not the more normal 8-9 volts. I can honestly say the lights are as good as any car I have owned (I have had 30+ over the years). Certainly not the normal candle in a jam-jar of most LRs I have been in. If you think about it, a 7" parabolic bowl is about as good as it gets for projecting light, just need to get all the other variable optimised
Post #292019 20th Dec 2013 7:51pm
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GUM97



Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3555

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Stornoway Grey
Depends what you want from them! Different locations perform better in different conditions! Grille are generally more of an all round position Thumbs Up An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"
Post #292025 20th Dec 2013 8:01pm
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jimsadventure



Member Since: 10 Nov 2013
Location: edinburgh
Posts: 199

Scotland 2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SVX Soft Top Santorini Black
Re: Extra lighting
RickH wrote:
Need some boosted lighting. Already getting some Wipac Crystal and uprated bulbs, but now I'm considering led light bars.

Question though; do I go for a smaller discrete grille mounted option, or go the whole hog for a wider roof mounted option.

back country lanes without any light whatsoever. Plenty of wildlife to avoid too.



Hi mate ,, where abouts in central scotland are you as i have a set of led lights on the front of mine that i bought from 4x4 lighting and these are by far a vast improvement over the standard setup .. If you were close by i can certainly let you see these babies light up the country roads ,, jim Thumbs Up
Post #292095 21st Dec 2013 12:53am
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Cheshire110



Member Since: 26 Jul 2013
Location: Cheshire/London
Posts: 2725

United Kingdom 
BEAMSHOTS!

Took these last night - hope they help a bit Smile

Standard Low Beam:

Click image to enlarge


Standard High Beam:

Click image to enlarge


Hi with LEDs too:

Click image to enlarge


As you can see they make a massive difference , especially with the width and low down, so you can see the edges of the road & round corners much better. Also the whiteness of the light makes white lines, cats eyes, writing on the road and signs etc 'pop' out a lot more

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green  Cheers, David
Land Rovers of all shapes S3 onwards… Daily is a 110 V8.
Post #292142 21st Dec 2013 11:04am
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
These lights from Rigid Industries are very good and have had good reviews from a couple of forum members that purchased them. I've had the link stashed in 'my favourites' for ages with a view of justifying them for either front or rear. There are some excellent beam shots on the link too where somebody mounted them to the front of their 4x4 roof rack. I agree with David though in the second beam shot the windscreen wipers are very detailed in the light, of course the photos are never taken when it's pishing down but I would imagine you wouldn't see much if it was.

http://www.zenoverland.com/lighting/rigid_...ually.html If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!


Last edited by K9F on 21st Dec 2013 11:15am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #292145 21st Dec 2013 11:11am
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diesel_jim



Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6041

United Kingdom 2006 Defender 110 Td5 SW Epsom Green
Someone had a pair of KC daylighters for sale in the for sale section. they're 6" round.

I've got a pair of these on the 110 (had several sets over the years) and they're brilliant. if you get the halogen bulb version (As opposed to the sealed beam unit... I don't know what the ones are that are for sale) then you can fit 130w bulbs to them for extra brightness. although I tend to stick with 100w as the 130s are a little fragile, and blow often.
Post #292146 21st Dec 2013 11:13am
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8578

United Kingdom 
There are masses of different lights out there in the market place, with a wide range of prices, a wide range of light output and IP rating.


Roof mounted will probably give you more range then low down lights. Roof mounted lights pointed downwards helps to pick out potholes/ditches in the road better then low mounted lights.

One long LED light bar or two or four shorter ones?

With multiple lights you can 'play' with a combination of lights to give you the best light output for the particular conditions you are driving in

Smaller lights are easier to point out sideways to light up roadside close to vehicle especially if bumper mounted.

To be road legal in the UK optional driving lights have to be type approved I.e. E marked and wired through the main beam switch.

I would suggest at least one/pair of lights NOT wired through main beam. This is ILLEGAL for road use in the UK, even if type approved, however if you have ever experienced the main light switch burning out you will be happy with this set of lights!


Minimum IP rating required is IP67, however even with this rating I would suggest you mount the wiring inlet to be at the bottom of the unit.


Light output?

A lot of LED lights especially the cheaper ones will just quote the wattage of the unit. This has nothing to do with the light output which is measured in lumens.

Now if just one lumen figure is given, this is a theoretical light output.

If the LED light figure given is the wattage multiplied by 90 to 100 then this is typical theoretical figure for the better LEDs available. Would a top quality expensive LED be fitted to the cheaper end of the light bar market?


The American Rigid Industry LED bars do have a good reputation, although I have never used them.

The UK made Lazer Lamp bars are an excellent light bar, which we have used, some of their range are E marked and some also include DRLs as well.



Brendan
Post #292159 21st Dec 2013 11:56am
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Tiger



Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Wales
Posts: 2265

2004 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Are we allowed both Smile
Post #292162 21st Dec 2013 12:12pm
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Diablo



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 335

1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Keswick Green
I've had experiences with both positions (not LED mind).

My bumper/grille mounted ones were pretty useless. One muddy puddle and they are almost completely blocked, and they attracted damage like there was no tomorrow.

After about the 5th breakage I gave up.

roof lights are out of the way of muck and damage. Hence I still have them.
Post #292682 23rd Dec 2013 1:48pm
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ken



Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

United Kingdom 
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Roof lights really have there place if the correct type are brought :mrgreen:

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green
Post #292690 23rd Dec 2013 1:56pm
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