Cheap LED Lights - Are They Worth Buying?

[dieseldane]

I have been on my local fire department for a while now, and have been wanting to get some lights for my personal vehicles. Right now I can't afford the name brand lights, and some google searches have led me to find some of the "chinese" knock offs that are less than half the price of something like the Whelen lights. Everyone I ask about the cheaper lights say they are junk, won't last, and not to buy them but none of them have ever tried them themselves. Just the "Well I have a friend whose cousin bought a dog from someone that had some" kind of thing.

Are they that bad? Or are they just trying to justify to themselves that they spent way more than they needed to?

 

[Lil-Pony]

Dont know about the leds really i know cree brand is really good and reasonablly priced, i own some knock of hid 55w 4" lights similias to ruff stuffs and they are built really well. Qnd havent givin me any trouble.

 

[Scrambler82]

IMHO, no, do not buy them if you want good lights.

Usually they do not last very long, just long enough for you to install them and get them working then one LED goes, then another. The China Companies know you won’t send them bad, first the distance and time and second they were cheap to begin with; don’t waste your money.

Save up and get some good one, you will be happier in the long run, they will work for years and if something does go wrong the larger companies will stand behind you.

 

[RangerSVT]

Give sho me a look. I ran them for years, pretty reliable led and priced affordably. What color do yall run in os, red, or blue? I have some hideaway strobes and red strobes I can sell you if your interested. Pm me if you are...

SVT

 

[kryptonitecb]

I got some for $20 off ebay, they are 6 led's in a rectangular shape about 2x4 inches. So far I've had no issues getting them underwater for over 30 minutes, covered in mud, sprayed with a pressure washer, etc. They are bright and work fine.

My beef was the the "good" name brand ones where $150 a piece. For that price I can buy 7 chinese knockoffs. When you look get the ones that a rated for mine use, they have a funky international standard but as I said so far they work great.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic

 

[dieseldane]

Our department doesn't have any specific bylaws regarding color, but KS state law specifies red or a combination or red and blue. I thought about some hide away strobes, but don't know where I would put them on the front of the b2 with the sealed beam headlights? Don't really want headlight flashers. I was kinda leaning toward some of the type that go at the top of the windshield an some i could put in the back window of on the hatch. I would just get a lightbar or a mini lightbar, but I plan on putting a basket on the roof, and that would block the view from the rear.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I would stay away from the Chinese junk. You don't want them going bad while you're responding to a call, and most don't have any real warranty and customer service. Also, some of those lights are barely visible unless you have direct line of site eye contact with them.

I carry the Feniex line of LED in with my off-road lights, but have access to their emergency lighting as well as the Axixtech LED's.

If you wanted to do a basket, you could easily add LED's to the front and rear of it. Even mix in some clear steady burn for off-road/work lights.

I'm a member over at elightbars.org because I'm a collector, and I see some really good deals there from time to time. You should check it out.

 

[dieseldane]

If you wanted to do a basket, you could easily add LED's to the front and rear of it. Even mix in some clear steady burn for off-road/work lights.

I had thought about doing that also.

I'm a member over at elightbars.org because I'm a collector, and I see some really good deals there from time to time. You should check it out.

Will do, thanks Jim!

EDIT: I had heard of the Feniex brand, but not the Axixtech. Tried to google them but didn't come up with much other than some site that sell them. Are they part of Brooking Industries? Can you point me somewhere where I could look at their stuff?

 

[Jim Oaks]

yes, they're made by Brooking Industries.

http://www.brookingindustries.com/products.php

 

[Mahgongo]

X2 on the Feniex I have the work lights on my truck. one 20" on the bumper and one 40" on the roof. Pictures of them are in my signature.

 

[crazyjp]

Unsure if anyone still reading this thread but

not sure if any one who was posting on this thread is still around but i own some of those Chinese lights these ones to be exact http://www.ebay.com/itm/54-Yellow-A...rs-for-Deck-Dash-Grille-/191422127218?vxp=mtr

there not the greatest but if you don't need em every day of the year there fine here's 2 videos of them in action
Night Time

Day Time

if you don't care about the other shit i talk about in the video mute me i don't care

 

[JustJoshinIt]

I have these. Easy to install, quality is not the greatest of course. I have em mounted in my dash, grill, and side of bumper. The ones outside have gotten worn out and faded and still work. SUPER bright at night, and cant see em at all during the day.
http://www.rakuten.com/prod/hqrp-bl...0ljk1dZCZgRd7u95qWpjcTqUeDLuNBAKh3RoC6Mnw_wcB

 

[xcross]

I have tried using them that is before I bought a Rigid Industries light bar. Honestly speaking, yes you are right if you aren't going to use it in a regular basis it will last longer. But the problem would be the casing and lens that would fade faster compared with my new light bat.

 

[netcana]

you need to buy led lights which are suitable & easy to fit an appropriate are of your apartment.