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themajor
Bone Stock
Posts:25
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| 11/14/2004 1:20 AM |
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Original equipment headlights are good for a lot of conditions and masters of none.
If you intend to travel at night in Third World Africa, where dogs, chickens, cattle and goats are a constant danger, fit good quality auxiliary lighting to your vehicle.
Driving lights
Driving lights supplement the vehicle’s own lighting, giving a moderately broad spread illuminating the road sides and providing penetration ahead.
Fog lamps
Fog lamps are not simply driving lights with an amber filter. What is crucial about a fog light is its spread, not its colour. Genuine fog lamps throw a very broad flat beam that stays low. This prevents glare as the light bounces off the airborne particles and is thrown back into the face of the driver. Amber permits further penetration through the fog, but its primary function is not to increase the driver’s visibility but to make the vehicle more visible to other drivers.
Long range
Long Range lights penetrate ahead, the range of a typical quartz-halogen light being three kilometres. Specialist lighting such as the metal-halide 900 000 candle-power units made by KC Hilites are rated at over 18 kilometres. Long range lights are characterised by a prism-less lens. Another excellent example is the Cibie Oscar which is my first choice in long range lighting.
The colour of light
Clear light is used for seeing and red and amber light is used to be seen. It is for this reason that tail lights are red and driving lights are white or as close to white as possible. The chart above represents the light temperature spectrum in degrees Kelvin.
Quartz halogen
Quartz Halogen became standard equipment in most motor vehicles by the end of the seventies, before which incandescent sealed beams were used. Normal wattage ratings range from 50/65 (50 watts dim/65 watts high beam) to 100/150. The difference in efficiency between these two extremes is cast and if you are dissatisfied with your vehicle’s lights, simply changing the bulb rating may be an economical and effective answer. If you do this make sure that the vehicle’s relays and switches can cope with the extra current, otherwise expensive burnout will occur.
Sealed beam
Incandescent sealed beams are not as bright as quartz-halogen. Their advantage is that they are totally waterproof and very robust. Apart from being less efficient their other disadvantage is that when the filament fails or the lens is damaged, the entire reflector and lens units must be replaced.
Fitting auxiliary lights
Auxiliary lights are easily fitted by anyone knowing basic electrics. They must be fitted in conjunction with a relay directly linked to the high/low beam switch, so that they automatically switch off when the headlamps are switched to low beam. This is enforced by law. Poor performance and unreliability can be avoided by high quality connectors and relays and the use of multi-core copper wire with a core diameter of at least 3mm.
Light guards
When fitted too close to the light lens they make cleaning difficult. Some are purely cosmetic - the design should protect the lens from flying stones, as this is how most damage occurs. Steel mesh types that hinge open for cleaning are best. Broadly spread slats are not very effective against flying stones.
Rear lighting
It is also a good idea to have a small floodlight permanently attached to the rear of the vehicle. They are invaluable if you need to do the following after sunset:
Arrive at a camp-site.
Hitch up or unhitch a trailer.
Perform a tricky reversing manoeuvre.
Undertake repairs to a second vehicle.
I also recommend the use of a 12-volt fluorescent tube with a long cable. They are robust, consume little current and are ideal for working on a vehicle thanks to their broad, even spread of light |
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You can do things the right way or the wrong way.
Or you can do it MY way...which is like the wrong way, only much faster.
http://www.links4jeeps.com |
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webby4x4
Forum Admin, Magazine Editor
Rock Star
Posts:2375
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| 11/15/2004 12:15 PM |
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Great points to consider. For those that don't have room to mount off road lights up front (or are afraid the air will block the radiator causing some overheating issues), you can install a set of IPF Replacement headlamps. We run them on our project Land Cruiser and love it! super white light, very bright "brights" and of course they have a cool green or blue glow ring installed which makes for a good conversation piece at the campfire.
http://www.4x4review.com/products/lighting/ipf-headlights.asp
Rick |
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Rick Webster
Editor, 4X4REVIEW.COM - A Tork Media, Inc. Publication
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'74 FJ40 Land Cruiser
"Measure once, cut twice" |
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4xguy
Street Queen
Posts:104
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| 11/16/2004 11:47 AM |
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| Any particular brand or type of light recommended Major? |
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Jason Gorpman, Esq. |
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themajor
Bone Stock
Posts:25
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| 11/16/2004 6:19 PM |
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| Nope, I dont use any brand but then I don't buy expensive either. I have smashed too many so I use the cheaper ones for offroading. You need to see but you dont need to see expensively, HAHA |
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You can do things the right way or the wrong way.
Or you can do it MY way...which is like the wrong way, only much faster.
http://www.links4jeeps.com |
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4xguy
Street Queen
Posts:104
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| 11/16/2004 8:27 PM |
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| Would you suggest flood or spot beam lights for offroading? I would think that flood would work best unless you're racing right? |
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Jason Gorpman, Esq. |
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themajor
Bone Stock
Posts:25
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| 11/16/2004 8:46 PM |
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| I use flood. Off road at night you should not ever out run your lights. Slow speed offroad is advisable especially at night. If you have ever driven at night you will notice that all holes are extremely dark and you cannot see the depth even with the best of lights. Offroad racing is a different story like you said, your over the problem before you see it. Remember, its a long walk home when your in a hurrry. |
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You can do things the right way or the wrong way.
Or you can do it MY way...which is like the wrong way, only much faster.
http://www.links4jeeps.com |
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4xguy
Street Queen
Posts:104
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| 11/16/2004 9:25 PM |
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| Good advice. Thanks! |
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Jason Gorpman, Esq. |
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