Lightforce lights is there an issue??

[paulm958]

I purchased a set of 240 Blitz lights a few years back and a mate noticed they didnt seem as bright as his new ones, on a closer inspection we noticed both reflectors in the lights have dulled and there seems to be a greyish color comming through dulling the chrome reflectors,
Has anyone else running these light ever had a similar issue???

[mkpatrol]

How old are they?


It is normal for reflectors to lose their effect over time in any light.

[Guy]

Talk to the folks at lightforce, their after sales support is supposed to be quite good (have not used it myself)

[bogged]

Talk to the folks at lightforce, their after sales support is supposed to be quite good (have not used it myself)

x 2..
have heard of replacements not having been a problem in the past.

[luxoflex]

If you have put higher wattage bulbs that could also do this.

[roblrc]

happened on the brother's truck. Replaced no questions asked.
Rob

[micka1]

also happened on mine after a few years .

[paulm958]

I ended up getting onto the General Sales manager of Lightforce (Kerry Langkilde), and it seems that the lights i purchased are a little over three yrs old which makes them just out of warranty, so basically they really dont want to know about it,
I understant if the lights had been damaged or missused there would be no Warranty, but as this seems to be more of a fault with the light rather than missuse that may have been a consideration,
They are quite expensive lights i thought they may have lasted a little longer than a few years,
(the origanals in my 10yr old Landcruiser still look as new)

[Wozza244]

I can tell ya exactly wat that is, its moisture getting in thru the breather at the back, they supply a kit new.
Its a common problem cause these lights "breathe" as they get hot an cold.
I won a set back in april 2004 in australian UTE magazine, they did the same thing bout 3 months after i got them, i contacted lightforce and they said to send them back and they would inspect them.
Later that week before i could get round to taking them off, they were knocked off.

[paulm958]

Thanks Wozza, the cars always garaged, but i cant say moisture has never gotten in, so maybee that may be the cause,
but when i bought them i thought i was going to get more than a few years of life out of them,
Has anyone else on here checked theres out lately to see if they have discolored ???,
I only noticed mine after a mate pointed it out

[Wozza244]

In the last 6 or so yrs, i have had quite a few mates with the same issue, the "Blitz" was great when it first came out, polycarbonate design and all.
But the reality of it is, it was a new thing, and new things have bugs.

I believe all the bugs have been ironed out with the new XGT series, try them mate, well worth the money thats for sure.

I tried "Roo Lites" Bloody garbage! Steer Clear.

The new Narva Ultima 225 looks ok but i havent seen them in action yet.
Just by the look of them tho i believe alot more thought could have gone into the mounting, big light made from polycarbonate and a small mount area? No good.

Narva have also got a new one on the market with a new anti theft cage looking deal around them, the bloke i live with just got them, they are nothing more than another set of standard H4 high beams, Garbage!! Steer Clear.

Im a bit of a driving light nazi, tested alot and its not always the big names like Hella and Lightforce that have the best light, one thing they do have however, is a good name and top marketing ideas.

I own a set of "Super Vision" H.I.D lights, they basically look like a Hella Rallye 4000 but H.I.D with an internal ballast.
They are both spread beam i have had them for over 3 yrs now, nothing short of magic!!
Out at a camp ground not long ago, a bloke had the big flash Hella Predators, H.I.D spread beams like mine and talked it up all arvo that they were better than mine, well, we both decided that they were nearly as good as mine!!!
Mine cost $1500, his cost $2500 Sorry champ.
Just goes to show.

Ahh sorry for the big rant, im bored.........

[Bingham]

pretty sure you cant take 4 yr old cars out of warranty back for fading paint so can see there stance. Have to draw line somewhere.....

just like nissan telling me there will be no more good will repairs out of warranty after they paid half my gearbox 5000k out of warranty..

told her that try not pay for such next time it happens and they shall find me camped in fron of there store scaring customers away

[bogged]

I ended up getting onto the General Sales manager of Lightforce (Kerry Langkilde), and it seems that the lights i purchased are a little over three yrs old which makes them just out of warranty, so basically they really dont want to know about it

Is there a date stamp or some way for them to know the date on them? How did they know how old they are?

[paulm958]

They reckon theres a number somewhere on the light to tell how old they are, I was sure they wernt quite three years old but couldnt find the reciept, certainly sucks if you buy old stock ( i reckon that may have happened to us)

[ISUZUROVER]

pretty sure you cant take 4 yr old cars out of warranty back for fading paint so can see there stance. Have to draw line somewhere.....

True, but I would expect a set of super expensive lights to last more than 4 years. The reflectors are the most critical part. Using your car analogy, this is equivalent to the engine blowing a head gasket after 4 years.

My old-tech glass and steel IPFs I bought second hand are still going fine.

I was going to buy a set of Lightforce spotlights, but thanks to this thread, I will either buy some old-tech spotties, or wait a few years until I can be sure the LFs will last.

[Wozza244]

I was going to buy a set of Lightforce spotlights, but thanks to this thread, I will either buy some old-tech spotties, or wait a few years until I can be sure the LFs will last.

Dont be discouraged by some of this, the lights talked about here are the "240 Blitz"
Lightforce is a good brand and makes some quality gear, the Blitz were a turning point in modernised technology and had bugs.
They just jumped in a bit quick with some things i believe.
However the new series of XGT's with the xenophot globes are a good thing.

Actually checked out a set of IPF 800XS square lights out the other night, bloody awesome.
Trading my Roo Lites in for them shortly!

[Jeeps]

I purchased a set of 240 Blitz lights a few years back

Do you have the old shape 240 Blitz or the new shape with the Goretex breathers?

cheers

[jessie928]

what a SHIT light it is if they have had reflector problems within 4 years. I have spotlights that are 20 years old or more and the reflectors are the same as they were when they were in packaging, and i BET that they wernt 450 friggen dollars either.
lightforce are OVERRATED ( after buying 2 sets myself)
JEs

[ISUZUROVER]

I was going to buy a set of Lightforce spotlights, but thanks to this thread, I will either buy some old-tech spotties, or wait a few years until I can be sure the LFs will last.

Dont be discouraged by some of this, the lights talked about here are the "240 Blitz"
Lightforce is a good brand and makes some quality gear, the Blitz were a turning point in modernised technology and had bugs.
They just jumped in a bit quick with some things i believe.
However the new series of XGT's with the xenophot globes are a good thing.

Actually checked out a set of IPF 800XS square lights out the other night, bloody awesome.
Trading my Roo Lites in for them shortly!

How long have the XGTs been on the market?

[Wozza244]

Bout 4 yrs i think mate or thereabouts

[bigbrowndog]

There are a few sets with brown reflectors around here that I have noticed and was wondering why. New they are brilliant [no pun intended]. This is what put me off buying a set. I have asked this question before but has anyone ever compared the Hella or Narva Bulllights to Lightforce. Just musing how a set of the bulllights with a HID kit from here would go as I have stacks of room on my bullbar fro them. cheers

[Wozza244]

Havent ried the hella bulls
But the narva bulls, are rubbish, as compared to alot of other brands of the same size

They look good tho!!!

[bigbrowndog]

Havent ried the hella bulls
But the narva bulls, are rubbish, as compared to alot of other brands of the same size

They look good tho!!!

Thanks Wozza, I thought they may be ok as I see them on quite a few trucks. The Hella reflector does look better though and I thought they would have plenty of room for a conversion to HID. Cheers

[Justin_M]

I love how people get so hyped up in spottie threads. Ive owned ipf's that the reflectors rusted out in, my work ute has rally 4000 compacts that turn into a fish tank every time it rains and the rally 4000's i had the lense fell out because i didnt loctite the screws (who would have thought you have to pull apart new lights?). All lights have their own issues and lets be honest, they see alot of nature sitting out there on the bullbar. 4 years at $400 is only $2 a week.

[BundyRumandCoke]

Just got back from converting a set of 140 Lightforces to HID, and the reflectors are going- one gone completely, and the other one starting to discolour. These lights are less than 3 years old- bought new with the lease car in Sept 06. A phone call to Lightforce and they will replace them once they have been sent back for inspection.

But we were doing a bit of playing around- the 3 vehicles there had the pair of 140s, a pair of large LFs, 240s I think, and a set of Roolights. All the reflectors seem to be interchangable- the large LF reflectors and the Roolight reflectors both screwed onto the 140 mounts, so that got us thinking, if LF does replace them under warranty, would they then send out 240 reflectors instead of the 140s if the difference was paid? And if the Roolights ever need replacing, then just buying a pair of LF reflectors.

[paulm958]

We have since discussed this topic with a few other lightforce light owners, and some are very happy with there lights, but we noticed there lights to be quite new,
one of my sons friends noticed a dark grey looking color starting to discolor the reflector on his 240 blitzs,
he sent them back to lightforce as they told him they would replace the lights under warranty,
but he has since been informed they are just over three years old (we believe this to be true), as at the time he thought it would be getting close to that, but like us hadnt bothered to hang onto the reciept,
He told me they offered him new replacement lights anyway (i thought lucky b@$$%^sted youve done better than me),
but there was a slight catch,
Repy from Lightforce
Lightforce can offer a half price retail replacment of $207.50,
and in condition will keep your existing lights.
BRAD MILLARD
Customer Service Representative,

[Wozza244]

Lightforce can offer a half price retail replacment of $207.50,
and in condition will keep your existing lights.
BRAD MILLARD
Customer Service Representative,

RUBBISH!!!!!

Brad Millard can get !!!

Lightforce are crap.

Good light while they are working 100% sure i agree.

Lasting quality??? NO, they are tough and can stand a beating but they cant stand moisture on the lens????
What sort of quality is that???
What sort of guarantee is that??

1000 people cant be wrong, surely.....

[krusty182]

Well, I'm actually happy with the run I've had out of my LF 240 Blitz's. I've had them for years, I don't know when the purchase date was but it would have been not long after I picked up my old ute in 2003. I run one with a spot lens cover and one with a spread beam lens cover.

When they were new I could pick reflectors up the road 1.5km away measured by the odometer. I haven't tried the same test lately, but they are still very good.

Prior to this set I have had a set of round IPF driving lights that I bought new on my old patrol and they were good, but not as good as the LF's and after 2 years were rusting around the screws that hold the chrome surround on. I have also had a couple of sets of rectangular Narva lights, but they were cheapish rubbish.

I've got my moneys worth out of the Blitz's and would buy another set if I needed them, but a mate of mine has a newer set of the XGT's with the blue-ish covers on and is not happy with them, we tested his and mine side by side a while ago and mine were maybe a little duller, but seemed to throw a better light patten. So maybe their reflector quality control is not as good as the earlier versions..?

[Wozza244]

So maybe their reflector quality control is not as good as the earlier versions..?

The reflector is basically the same, full mirror, spot beam, the only way LF gets a "spread" is with an interchangeable cover.

From what ive read on OL, and what ive heard in the "real world" is LF loses votes by a long shot.
Overall anyhow.

We could talk all day about this.