Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
turns sour – or you need to see more of the road closer to the front and off to the sides. Well-designed fog lights throw light out about a 100 feet with an even spread across both lanes of a two-lane road as well as a dozen yards off the shoulders. The good ones also have a distinct cut-off along the top of the light beam that prevents light glaring back in your eyes when thick fog, rain or snow reek havoc on visibility. When it comes to lens color, amber is hard to beat. Fog lights also work great as work lights and backup lights; their broad light pattern does a superb job illuminating a larger area close to the vehicle such as when winching, working in the bed or loading a trailer. Lights labeled "work lights" have a full flood pattern, while fog lights have a more cut-off flood beam. Oft times you can get snap-on lenses for driving lights that turn them into powerful work/flood lights. LIGHTS: AUXILLIARY DRIVING/ SPOT LIGHTS When it comes to driving, be it paved road or gravel, backroad or open Interstate, nothing helps relieve eye-strain better than a good set of driving lights. (I run a set of 4-inch HID driving lights on my truck as well as a set of aftermarket fog lights.) PRODUCT SHOWCASE WORK ENGO BED RACK MATE Although JW Speaker's Model 282 12/24V LED lamp is billed as a low-profile dome or compartment lamp, it also works as a bed or bed rack rail light because it provides lots of light with a wide, uniform dispersion and low amp draw. Available with a clear (shown), hazed, or semi-frosted lens. www.jwspeaker.com; (800) 558-7288 Engo's LED work lights are available in 4-inch-round or 4-inch-square design with power ranging from 18W to 27W each. Engo LED work lights come in either a 60-degree flood or 15-degree spot pattern. Engo LED work lights will help improve your nighttime conditions for increased productivity and better safety. www.engousa.com; (360)573-0882 SII LED SPOT STINGERZ STRIPS Custom Dynamic's LEDs are completely flexible, waterproof, and extremely versatile. These peel-andstick accent lights come pre-taped on all three sides to providing an extremely flexible, versatile LED lighting solution. Work on any 10 to 14VDC system. Lifetime warranty against LED failure. www.customdynamics.com; (800) 382-1388 Driving, or spot-beam, lights throw out a tight, focused light pattern that can light reflectors up to a mile away in some applications. (Check local/state vehicle laws to make sure they are legal for use.) They are the same style light as planes use for landing lights. Like fog lights, quality and COMING TO TERMS: LUMENS & CANDLEPOWER Some light manufacturers still lead buyers to believe candlepower is the number that matters in a light's performance. That's old and misleading data. If you are really interested in how a light performs, think lumens. Lumens is the automotive performance equivalent of 1/4-mile time. It's a true world-standard measurement of both power and design of a light by measuring how it lights up an object at a set distance. Candlepower (a.k.a. candela) is an antiquated measurement of light output at the source (bulb) and has nothing to do with how that light illuminates an object out in front of the light assembly. So when comparing lights, look at each one's lumen number: the higher the lumens, the more useable light being produced. The better performer is the one that consumes the same (or less) power and delivers a higher lumen output. technology make a difference in driving lights. HID driving lights, for example, can reach out hundreds of feet farther than conventional headlights. And there are some "dual-pattern" or "combo" lights that can be switched between a long-range spot beam and a broader-beam mid-distance road light. Driving lights are also where the candlepower sales pitches flourish. Don't let candlepower be your guide to the light's performance. It's misleading. (See "Coming To Terms" sidebar.) Be a smart buyer when it comes to driving lights. Focus your comparison shopping on: 1) lumensper-watt effciency; 2) the quality of the housing and mounting system; and 3) warranty. The SII LED Light Flush Mount kit from Baja Designs easily allows you to mount an SII LED spot pattern light in places you never could before. Now you can hide the 1,800 lumens of the SII in a sleek package that sits flush on any flat surface. www.bajadesigns.com; (760) 560-2252 WIRING KITS The quality of the wiring kit supplied with the lights is also important; the better the kit, the less shop time wasted during installation. The better light manufacturers' installation kits come with wiring harnesses, further reducing instalaltion time and potential wiring/ switch issues down the road. Cheaper kits may only include the lights and cheap switch, leaving you to figure out the rest. Speaking of wiring, don't skimp on the wiring or switches. One thing you don't want happening is auxiliary lights overloading the pickup's electrical system; tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses and melted switches are just a tiny step away from an costly electrical fire. 68 PROPICKUP Big Book 2013 ProPickup_2013BB_Lights Aux.indd 68 8/6/13 10:14 AM