Are 19200 lumens a lot?

mikerajjers · Sep 6, 2015

I'm looking into getting a lightbar for the D2. There seem to be hundreds on offer but could do with someone with experience shedding more light on the issue (no pun intended).

Most are quoted in watts, but I understand lumens are more important. Found a 41" bar on paddocks but its a bit out of my budget. Lists 19200 lumens, is that a lot? If anyone saw the TopGear episode where Jeremy and May drove the two pickups in the snow...Jezza had a massive lightbar!

aaronmorris · Sep 6, 2015

That is quite a lot yes. But if you're not in a rush, my advice would be to buy something similar direct from china and save yourself a fortune.

timtheenchanteruk · Sep 7, 2015

Lumens are better measure than Watts, but can still be skewed.
A decent supplier will give you the lumens output of the lightbar itself, fully made, and properly tested.
A not so decent one will give you the lumens of the LEDs used (multiplied by the number in the bar)
Now, obviously there are light losses in the lenses, and the lumen output of the LEDs would be the max, driven at full power (or even slightly over)

A GOOD bar will only run the LEDs at 80-90%, still VERY close to their maximum lumen output, but improves efficiancy and lifespan (lifespan by up to 80% if under run)

Watts again many give the theoretical power, some the power being driven at, some cheap bars use seconds of higher power LEDS and under run them.

I dont sell vehicle LED lighting, but do alot of domestic/commercial/industrial stuff, luckily standards were brought in a couple of years ago to prevent genuine manufacturers doing this, but many cheap/online places still do.
easy example, one of my 10W LED floods power consumption is actually 13W, 10W being the actual power used by the LED.
Many cheaper units I have seen CONSUME 10W, so the power being used by the LED is only 8W (ish)
Even one of the named brands I stock have theirs labled as a 12W LED flood, and the LED itself is 10W.
Non of these are incorrect, but are all the same, but different.

miktdish · Sep 7, 2015

Yes 19200 lumens is a shed full of light and will need a considerable amount of current @ 12V to make it shine, around 18 to 20 Amps if my math is correct.

I bought these <eBay 252049723527> http://is.gd/nbi6Os and they are bright, a friend bought some twice the size and they are like daylight. The finish is poor though, they look good out the box but the (stainless) bolts rust and the paint flakes and peels after 9 months or so.

Another thing to watch out for is the amount of RF the crees drivers produce. The cheap pair I bought completely wipe out the radio when they are on.

mikerajjers · Sep 8, 2015

Thanks guys! That has certainly cleared up some things...I'm gradually scouting through eBay and other places. I'm in no particular rush and currently have some Hella spots fitted.

SpaceDawg · Sep 8, 2015

I'm sticking 4x18w cree bars each with 6x3w cree bulbs, I have seen these in action before and they are very bright. This will only drain about 5-6amps which means I will not be sucking the life out of the car.

On the back 2x18 floods are being put there.

These big light bars are awsome but hell they are bright.

bankz5152 · Sep 8, 2015

I just bought this one -

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=191204293142&alt=web

I cant reccomend the seller enough, bought a couple 9" bars couple years ago. One broke after about 4 months, contacted them and they sent me a brand new light no questions asked.

mikerajjers · Sep 8, 2015

bankz5152 said:
I just bought this one -

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=191204293142&alt=web

I cant reccomend the seller enough, bought a couple 9" bars couple years ago. One broke after about 4 months, contacted them and they sent me a brand new light no questions asked.

Wow! I do like that! I'll measure the landy up tomorrow and see how it will fit. I notice they also do a 42" curved one.

bankz5152 · Sep 8, 2015

Indeed. 50" just fits inside a roll cage so should fit any Defender.

Curved ones do look good on a Disco!

Saltlick · Sep 9, 2015

Not bad - that even comes with a wiring loom..

terr · Sep 9, 2015

miktdish said:
Yes 19200 lumens is a shed full of light and will need a considerable amount of current @ 12V to make it shine, around 18 to 20 Amps if my math is correct.

I bought these <eBay 252049723527> http://is.gd/nbi6Os and they are bright, a friend bought some twice the size and they are like daylight. The finish is poor though, they look good out the box but the (stainless) bolts rust and the paint flakes and peels after 9 months or so.

Another thing to watch out for is the amount of RF the crees drivers produce. The cheap pair I bought completely wipe out the radio when they are on.

so that's wye my radio dies at night dodgy roof lights

miktdish · Sep 9, 2015

terr said:
so that's wye my radio dies at night dodgy roof lights

Yup. there are drivers out there that don't emit RFi but they cost more and the lamps are therefore more expensive.
There is whole raft of info on the internet and even a European specification (EN 55015:2006) to stop this problem.
CREE drivers are particularly nasty in the VHF(FM Radio) frequency range hence they swamp the normal/weak radio waves and introduce white noise/hiss on the radio..

Low cost Chinese manufacturers are (unfortunately) the worst.

here's a technical article with some revealing graphics http://www.ledbenchmark.com/faq/LED-interference-issues.html

terr · Sep 9, 2015

miktdish said:
Yup. there are drivers out there that don't emit RFi but they cost more and the lamps are therefore more expensive.
There is whole raft of info on the internet and even a European specification (EN 55015:2006) to stop this problem.
CREE drivers are particularly nasty in the VHF(FM Radio) frequency range hence they swamp the normal/weak radio waves and introduce white noise/hiss on the radio..

Low cost Chinese manufacturers are (unfortunately) the worst.

here's a technical article with some revealing graphics http://www.ledbenchmark.com/faq/LED-interference-issues.html

thank you for the info.i also have 2 led floodlights on the back wired in to a relay from the reverse lights but i also have
a reverse censer and the leds drive the censer wild . turn them off and all is good.
lights on the roof and censer in the bumper.
j

miktdish · Sep 9, 2015

terr said:
thank you for the info.i also have 2 led floodlights on the back wired in to a relay from the reverse lights but i also have
a reverse censer and the leds drive the censer wild . turn them off and all is good.
lights on the roof and censer in the bumper.
j

Nothing you can do i'm afraid, this lot http://is.gd/vbyXbE say they use shielded drivers but they are still on the front of the circuit board so just a bit of plastic between you and the source. I haven't tried them so can't say for sure that they will work, however, at least they acknowledge the problem ...

Are 19200 lumens a lot?

mikerajjers

Well-Known Member

aaronmorris

Head's a shed

timtheenchanteruk

Well-Known Member

miktdish

Guns n Chainsaws

mikerajjers

Well-Known Member

SpaceDawg

Active Member

bankz5152

Well-Known Member

mikerajjers

Well-Known Member

bankz5152

Well-Known Member

Saltlick

Well-Known Member

terr

Active Member

miktdish

Guns n Chainsaws

terr

Active Member

miktdish

Guns n Chainsaws

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