Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/105105
auxiliary lights is coming down and getting more competitive with the halogen variety, which is great news for pickup owners. If you aren't familiar with the LED and HID lights, understanding how they work and what they contribute to a pickup's utility and driver safety is important in making your purchase decision. Your run-of-the-mill lights run electricity through a filament surrounded by a gas, such as halogen. As the filament heats up and burns it produces light. But because the heart of the bulb is a wire, it will eventually burn in half or break from vibration. LIGHTS BASICS The light output and efficiency of such lights don't stack up against that produced by HID or the newest generation of LEDs. HID-based lights don't have filaments. Instead, an internal or external ballast builds up the power to create light when an arc jumps between two electrodes, stimulating a special mixture of Xenon gases to produce a brilliant, almost blue-white light that's about three times brighter than a halogen bulb emits. Think lightning in a bottle. The benefit of HID lighting is it has a much longer life expectancy than halogens while being very efficient, requiring about a third less power than conventional bulbs of comparable output. And the light color is that of sunlight, which makes it easier to see both detail and longer distance compared to conventional halogen lighting. The downside: Most HIDs are designated for "off-road use" only, and they are usually more expensive compared to lights of similar output/function. LED TECHNOLOGY LED auxiliary light technology has really advanced in the last couple years. The prices have come way down, the light output gone way up. They're also available in all AGING NIGHT VISION Age plays a significant role in night driving; the older you get, the poorer your night vision. It's just a fact of life. Ophthalmologists say the lenses in our eyes aren't as transparent at age 50 as they were at 20, our pupils don't dilate as well, and older eyes' light receptors aren't as sensitive. All of these factors add up to decreased low-light vision. In effect, a 50-year-old's eyesight is like a young person's wearing sunglasses. Factor in poor driving conditions with aging eyes and it's easy to see why it's so important to have really good headlights and auxiliary lights on your pickup. Auxiliary Lights PRODUCT showcase LED FLOOD LIGHTS The 10 LEDs in these 7-inch Auxiliary Flood Lights from Truck-Lite disperse a crisp, wide, even light pattern with 1,600 lumens output. Advanced white technology and fully encapsulated design is said to deliver 10,000 hours life expectancy inside the aluminum housing and polycarbonate lens. truck-lite.com HOT LED SPOTS D Truck-Lite's 4-inch LED Spot Lights provide a targeted beam to brightly illuminate the road or jobsite with an even pattern not found in conventional spot-beam driving lights. The six LEDs produce 450 lumens and they are housed in a die-cast aluminum housing with white, chrome or black finish. Polycarbonate lens. 5-year limited warranty. truck-lite.com propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 13