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Which Driving lights should i get

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:39 pm
by monkeyplex
Im getting some lights for my zook. I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations. Basically i've ruled out Hella, K C Hilites, Lightforce and IPF because of cost. Im looking at Narva Ultimas and Nite Stalkers anything else worth a look?

Cheers

Mitch

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:48 pm
by zooker
I've got the blue Narva Ultimas on my zook, not too expensive for the pair. Wire them up with some decent thick wire and they are sweet, nice bright white light. They've got my vote.

Geoff

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:54 pm
by Triangle
Sticky tape a dolphin torch to the roof so you can reach out the window and turn it off when cars are come the other way... otherwise, save up for IPF XS Sports... they rock!

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:55 pm
by ashhash
Ive got Hella Comet 500's - they were only $200 for the pair with install kit.
Pretty decent light for the price!

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:42 pm
by monkeyplex
Ok, thanks guys.

I am tending to lean towards the Narva Ultimas, but what is the advantage of the blue ones? Is it just a brighter white light, because i have seen that the regular ultimas have a longer range?

I know IPF is a good brand, but what is the advantage? Do they have a long warranty or are they bloody bright?

I looked up the Hella comet 500's just then. They are only 55 Watt globes. How bright are yours?

Cheers

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:11 pm
by MitchellBros4x4
Why have you ruled out Lightforce??? You get what you pay for... If you look at the overall costs, pros and cons you will see the value in good lights. You can get a pair of IPF lights from $270-00 to $400-00. Lightforce, for a pair 140's with 75w globes for about $230-00, 170's with 100w globes for about $320-00 and 240's with 100w globes for about $360-00. Seriously, save a few more bucks and get the good stuff, you WON'T regret it.

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:21 pm
by monkeyplex
I get your point, but I still dont understand exactly why they are better. What is the advantage of Lightforce 170 100 watt over the Narva Ultima 175's 100w? Is it worth 100 bucks?

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:11 pm
by ronoor
I just bought the night stalkers put them on a rack on top luv em onebeam one flood cheers ron ps got em cheap tjm $ 130

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:43 pm
by SiKiD_01
monkeyplex wrote:I get your point, but I still dont understand exactly why they are better. What is the advantage of Lightforce 170 100 watt over the Narva Ultima 175's 100w? Is it worth 100 bucks?
check out the nite stalker "roo lites"!!!! as some people will say, nite stalkers are a good spotty for their prices, and everyone will say you get what you pay for.

the ROO LITES are copies of the lightforce 170's. adjustable beam, like mag lights, all plastic construction, very stong and stable, and extremely light like the light force's.

the actual lense in the roo lites are flexible, where the lightforce ones are not as flexi. less prone to breaking or cracking. the roo lites are about $50-$100 cheaper, from what i have heard compared to the lightforce 170s.

i myself have the narva ultimas, blue lenses. just like lightforce have different coloured lenses, like red to make animals more visible, yellow for heavy rain and fog, and blue for bright snowy conditions. i have spread beams on the front of my vit, and they are enough for what i use them for. i know the distance isnt really that great, its where you use them that counts. my vit doesnt go too fast, so i dont need to see things a million Ks away for me to have time to stop. most of the tracks we go on up here dont have too many straight parts, and having powerful lights like lightforces, you will only see up to the next corner. so i won't need such powerful and bright lights.

maybe to spot beams on the front will be good enough. i dont have enough peripheral lighting, as we do a lot of pigging up here, so when i get my light bar made up, the will be 4 narvas above my windscreen. two centreones being spots, and two outer ones being spread and slightly outward facing for more lighting down the sides of the road.

most lights will include a wiring loom with switch and relay and sufficient wiring, but the lightforces do not have the wiring loom. so another $50 for the loom, or you can just buy all the gear yourself for under $20 and go from there.

some metal cased lights wont seal from water when submerged too much, so be aware. they will all say sealed and so on, but after time, they will leak in water. apparently lightforce are fully sealed and have breathers for the lights. this is another reason for lightforces. but make sure that they cant be knocked off too easy!

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:04 pm
by monkeyplex
yeah i've been looking at the Roo Lites, they seem relatively cheap, but 700m is probably more than i need, i mainly do my offroading in tighter country so i think the narvas would be more practical. A pencil beam and spread beam would be pretty versatile i guess. I hear allot of good words about the narvas where as i haven't heard squat about the nite stalkers. Would the Roo-Lites be higher build quality than the Narva Ultimas? Does the adjustable beam enable much of a spread?

Cheers fellas

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:23 am
by droopypete
I think most of you know my preferance for sealed beams, this is what I run, 250w each and I love em :armsup:
Image

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:32 am
by mistaboz
What lights are they Droopy?
Where can i get some?

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:36 pm
by todders
I have Lightforce 170s with Blue filters 1 spot and 1 spread aswell as the clear spot filters. The lights are excellent for the driving i do which is highway, close country and beach. Very bright compared to my old nightstalkers 170 and being able to change filters is great, also being so light they haven't vibrated to bits on rough roads.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 1:24 pm
by droopypete
mistaboz wrote:What lights are they Droopy?
Where can i get some?
http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogu ... lmaint=798

a few other companys make copys of this light but the Hella is a sound unit.
next you will remove the bulbs that come with them :cry: and replace them with GE #4522 250W PAR 46's

http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_l ... atalog.pdf

scroll down to page 43 of this PDF and look for PAR 46
the 4522's use a C-2R supported fillament and brass screw terminals
Then scroll down the page 48 item #15 and there you have the specs on my lights :armsup:
Peter.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 3:34 pm
by mistaboz
Specs are good.
Did I read right that the life of the globe is about 25 hours? It also says they are rated at 290,000 candle power.
I thought lightforce were about 3 times that with less amount of watts?

Or am I reading into this the wrong way? :?

Cheers

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:31 pm
by droopypete
mistaboz wrote:Specs are good.
Did I read right that the life of the globe is about 25 hours? It also says they are rated at 290,000 candle power.
I thought lightforce were about 3 times that with less amount of watts?

Or am I reading into this the wrong way? :?

Cheers
When I first read that 25 hour bit I bought a box of 8 lamps thinking I would have to replace them often, they have been on for 7 years and I still have 6 spares :armsup:

and as far as 290,000 candle power bit goes how do you explain this,
http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/5-milli ... spotlight/
all for $45
Just take my word for it that they are bright, white and dyno-mite :armsup:
Peter.

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:34 pm
by droopypete
woops, missed this little $49.95 ripper.
http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/10-mill ... spotlight/

:D

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 6:08 pm
by mistaboz
I see your point :lol:

Will look into getting a pair.

Thanks for the replies.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 4:46 pm
by josh9465
go for a pair that come with a clear protective cover. you dont want to be getting in and out to take the covers off everytime u use them.

by the way i have narva ultima 175. for $130 it does the job. bright enuf for me.

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 11:47 pm
by monkeyplex
thanks guys,

I Went with the narva ultima blues. I figured for what i do they should be ok. They seem to get a good rap too. The chick at autobarn stuffed up the price so i got them for the same price as the normal 175's.

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:34 pm
by Guy
I just picked up a set of Cibie Oscars and Bosch Fogs for $40 .. :D

$10 a light is pretty good value in my book

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:53 pm
by droopypete
love_mud wrote: Bosch Fogs
Isn't that the evil nemisis of the dukes of hazard?
and you have been drinking agian Guy!!!!
:D
Peter.