Best LED Light Bar 2018 – Buyer’s Guide (Updated)
Best LED Light Bar – MaintainYourRide Recommends :
TMH 20″ 126W LED Light Bar
Introduction – Best LED Light Bar 2018
LED Light Bars are quickly becoming one of the most popular aftermarket exterior modifications in the automotive industry. Naturally, this trend started in the truck/off-roading circles due to the necessity of a good lighting solution to illuminate the trails when off-roading at night. In the past few years, however, the trend has spread into the general consumer market with all types of LED Light Bars making their way onto Cars, Trucks, ATVs, 4wheelers, SUV’s, even Go Karts.
Choosing the Best LED Light Bar
Selecting the Best LED Light Bar can be tricky due to the vast array of products that are out there. We compared the top 5 Best LED Light Bars to help you make your decision.
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The LED Light Bar is extremely affordable compared to yesterday’s roof mounted Halogen/HID lights. They produce significantly less heat, consume less power, and last a lot longer than HIDs and Halogen Bulbs.
Size is another huge factor with the LED Light Bars.
Due to their extreme brightness relative to size of the LED, Light Bars can be as thin as 1 inch. This greatly improves the flexibility you have when it comes to mounting the Light Bar. Some popular widths for LED Light Bars: 6 inch led light bars, 12 inch led light bars, 20 inch led light bars, 22 inch led light bars, 24 inch led light bars, 30 inch led light bars, 32 inch led light bars, 40 inch led light bars, and 50 inch led light bars, 52 inch led light bars.
As you can see from the list above, knowing the size you want is step 1 to choosing the best LED Light Bar. From there, you can take a look at a few of the common characteristics of LED Light Bars to see how they compare. Wattage, Warranty, Price, LED Type, Luminosity, IP Rating, Shape, etc.
The number one enemy of LEDs is heat. Quality LED Light Bars will have oversize heat sinks and tight current control.
Wattage typically corresponds to the Luminosity of a Light Bar. However, other factors can affect it as well such as LED Type. CREE LEDs are among the top in terms of quality. They are rated to last upwards of 50,000 hours and can have an efficiency rating up to 120 lumens per watt.
Other things to check:
- Look closely at mounting points and brackets. The best LED light bar has sturdy, corrosion-proof mounting hardware and provide options for mounting the bar in different locations.
- Check the IP rating. At a minimum, it must be IP65. IP69K is the highest rating, but few light bars achieve that. Make sure the electrical connectors are IP-rated.
- Most importantly, check the warranty. Top LED light bar makers back their products with at least a 1-2 year guarantee. Be sure to check the fine print for exclusions.
Top 5 LED Light Bars 2018 – Comparison
5. Nilight 22″ 120W LED Light Bar
Nilight is currently one of the most popular brands of LED Light Bar on the market. They have a wide array of products and all of them have great reviews. This speaks to their quality, design and price.
The Nilight 22″ 120 LED Light Bar is IP67 Waterproof Rated. That means it is waterproof up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and 100% dustproof. The stainless mounting brackets are also rust-proof and anti-corrosive. For heat dissipation, this bar features a specially designed die-cast aluminum alloy heat sink that effectively extends lifespan of the light bar beyond 30,000 hours.
| Specification: | |
|---|---|
| LED power: | 120 W (40pcs 3W high intensity LEDS) |
| Voltage: | 10-32 V |
| Beam type: | flood spot combo beam. |
| LED color temperature: | Pure White 6000K |
| Working life: | 30000 hours |
| Working temperature: | -40~ 60degree |
| Waterproof rate: | IP67 |
| Material: | 6063 Diecast aluminum profile, stainless steel bracket, PC Lens |
| Warranty: | 2 Year |
This bar has 4.3/5 stars with hundreds of reviews to back it up. At a cost under $35, with a 2 year warranty, this is a great option if you are in need of an LED Light Bar to fit in a 22″ space. This is the MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar from a value perspective.
Buy Nilight 22″ 120W LED Light Bar
4. Auxbeam 12″ 72W LED Light Bar
AuxBeam is a relative newcomer in the LED Light Bar industry. They do bring a lot to the table though with their 12″ 72w LED Light Bar shown here. Incredible light output for such a small light combo light bar.
The design features a 12″ dual row of original CREE LED chips which provides a broad viewing area: Spot (30 Degree), Flood (60 Degree), and Combo – creates the best coverage. Rated for up to 7200lm Luminous Flux from just 24 High Power LEDs, you can really see the power and efficiency of the CREE LED. The energy efficient design paired with a quick cooling heat sink effectively extends the Bar’s life-span beyond 30,000 hours. It is IP67 rated, meaning waterproof, dustproof, shockproof. It is also certified by ROHs and CE.
| Specification: | |
|---|---|
| LED power: | 72 W (24pcs x 3w high-intensity CREE LEDs) |
| Voltage: | 9-32 V |
| Beam type: | 30 degree (spot beam) & 60 degree (flood beam) combo |
| LED color temperature: | Pure White 6000K |
| Working life: | >30,000 hours |
| Luminous Flux: | 5040lm~7200lm |
| Waterproof rate: | IP67 |
| Material: | 6063 Diecast aluminum profile, stainless steel bracket, PC Lens |
| Dimensions: | With Bracket – approx. 302 x 106 x64mm/11.89 x4.17 x2.52inch |
| Warranty: | 1 Year |
This bar has over four and a half stars from thousands of reviewers. At a price point under $30, the CREE LED’s really make this Light Bar a bargain for its size.
Buy Auxbeam 12″ 72W LED Light Bar
3. MICTUNING 32″ 180W LED Light Bar Curved
The MICTUNING 32″ 180w LED Light Bar features a curved design that allows it to flow much better with the body lines of a typical car or truck. This Light Bar is designed to be roof, hood, or bumper-mounted and offers a bit more of an aesthetic flow than some of the other brands.
The chassis features adiecast aluminum housing and heavy duty powder coat with a 10pcs cooling fin, which provides faster Heat-Dissipation than most LED Light Bars. It is IP67 rated meaning vacuum-sealed, Waterproof test rated. It’s also rust & corrosion resistant for long lasting durability.
| Specification: | |
|---|---|
| LED power: | 180W |
| Voltage: | 10-30 V |
| Beam type: | flood spot combo beam. |
| LED color temperature: | Pure White 6000K |
| Working life: | 30,000 hours |
| Size: | 31.5″ x 3.5″ x 3.2″ |
| Waterproof rate: | IP67 |
| Material: | Cast Aluminum Profile, PC Glass Lens |
| Warranty: | 2 Year |
Hundreds of reviewers gave this LightBar four and a third stars. While its not the largest, this Light Bar packs a ton of output into a small package. At a cost under $50, this is a reasonably-priced, high-performance option for the 32″ size.
Buy MICTUNING 32″ 180W LED Light Bar Curved
2. Nilight 52″ 300w LED Light Bar
Nilight appears on this list twice due to the quality and cost of their products. This is just more evidence of the reliability of the brand.
The Nilight 52″ 300w Light Bar is also IP67 Waterproof Rated. Again, waterproof up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and 100% dustproof. The stainless mounting brackets are also rust-proof and anti-corrosive. For heat dissipation, this bar features a specially designed die-cast aluminum alloy heat sink that effectively extends lifespan of the light bar beyond 30,000 hours.
| Specification: | |
|---|---|
| LED power: | 300 W (100pcs x 3W high intensity LEDS) |
| Voltage: | Multi volt 10-30V DC (will work on 12v and 24v applications) |
| Beam type: | flood spot combo beam. |
| LED color temperature: | Pure White 6000K |
| Working life: | 30,000 hours |
| Working temperature: | -40~ 60degree |
| Waterproof rate: | IP67 |
| Material: | 6063 Diecast aluminum profile, stainless steel bracket, PC Lens |
| Warranty: | 2 Years |
Over four and a quarter stars and over three thousand reviews this Light Bar definitely is worth the fifty bucks that you’ll pay for it. This is the MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar for pure performance and output.
Buy Nilight 52″ 300w LED Light Bar
1. TMH 20″ 126W LED Light Bar
TMH Lighting is well-known in Asia for their LED Lighting products. This Light Bar is one of their flagship products, featuring great build quality, great durability, and great output.
It is IP67 rated (waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes, dust proof) and features an all-aluminum, finned housing for great durability and heat dissipation. It comes with stainless steel mounting brackets which prevent rusting.
| Specification: | |
|---|---|
| LED power: | 126W (42pcs 3w Cree XB-D) |
| Voltage: | 12 – 24V DC |
| Beam type: | flood spot combo beam. |
| LED color temperature: | Pure White 6000K |
| Working life: | >50,000 hours |
| Luminosity: | 13000 Lm |
| Waterproof rate: | IP67 |
| Material: | 6063 Diecast aluminum profile, stainless steel bracket, PC Lens |
| Warranty: | 2 Year |
This Light Bar comes in at a very reasonable price under fifty dollars and, with four and a half stars across thousands of reviews, this light is a great deal for those looking to maximize output in for the 20″ size. The TMH 20″ 126w is the MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar overall.
Buy TMH 20″ 126W LED Light Bar
Common LED Light Bar Questions
What are LED Light Bars?
LED Light Bars are just an array of super-bright LED’s arranged into an rectangular pattern usually 2 tall by x wide. Each of them acts like a little headlight bulb, and all of them together produce an incredibly bright flood of light. They are extremely useful for off road scenarios, camping, night-time back road driving, etc.
Are LED Light Bars Legal?
In terms of legality, the majority of LED Light Bars are designed for off-road use only at this time. Unless explicitly stated by the manufacturer, it is safer to assume that a specific light bar is non-DOT approved for road usage. It can cause blinding issues with oncoming traffic. However, if you haven’t ever seen one in use off road, it’s awesome. There are tons of applications where it becomes very useful.
How to Install LED Light Bars.
Most LED Light Bars include installation instructions with the kit. They should also include mounting hardware and a wiring kit as well. From a generic standpoint, you will need to have some general wiring experience, some basic tools, and maybe an extra person to help out.
They make these bars pretty flexible from an installation standpoint. They want them to be as universally compatible as possible so it shouldn’t be much of an issue to get it installed and working.
You’ll have to run your wiring from the battery, through the firewall to a switch in the cabin of the car, and then back to the light bar. There will also need to be a ground wire run from the light to a ground point as well. We would recommend wiring it up to test the functionality prior to actually drilling holes for the install.
What size LED Light Bar?
The size of the LED Light Bar you buy is completely up to you. Obviously, step 1 is to get outside and measure your mounting location. If you want it to go across the roof over your windshield, you will need to find a wider light such as the Nilight 52″ bar. If you’d prefer mounting behind the grill or on the front near the headlights, you will want something a bit more narrow.
You may also want to consider buying some LED Light Pods. These are miniature LED Light Bars that basically square and come in pairs to be mounted together on opposite sides of your vehicle.
Conclusion
MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar – Overall – TMH 20 Inch 126w LED Light Bar
MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar – Performance – Nilight 52″ 300w LED Light Bar
MYR Recommended Best LED Light Bar – Value – Nilight 22″ 120W LED Light Bar
Upgrading your headlights can provide a significant increase in light output as well. Consider checking out our Best LED Headlights and Best HID Headlights Buyer’s Guides to determine which is better for your application.
The increased electrical load from these lighting upgrades may also require an upgraded battery for optimal performance. We have done a detailed comparison of the Best Car Battery options available today.
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