40" behind grill vs. 20" in lower grill

[Ramathorn178]

I'm just wondering for those who have put them in which do you perfer and why? Also do you notice much of a difference with a radius vs straight design (assuming both are a combo light)?

I've read that you lose about half of the output of a 40" when behind the grill and I'm assuming that would make output close to the same as an unobstructed 20" in the lower grill. Thanks in advance

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

A good quality 20" in the lower bumper will beat ANY 40" lightbar behind the grill, especially for the money value. While I have seen some good setups behind the grill that doesn't block as much output, they are still losing +30%...

If you like the stealth look, and don't require maximum output, then behind the grill is fine. But personally, I don't like spending good money on lighting, and then only getting 50-70% of my money worth in output.

As an example,

a 20" Vision X Xmitter prime Xtreme (possibly the best all-purpose bar for the lower bumper) puts out about 19,000 lumen and MSRP for $999 which equals 19 lumens per dollar.

The same Vision X bar in 40" version puts out about 38,000 lumens (impressive right!?), now in a BEST CASE scenario we will say output is reduced by only 30% (most likely be more), which equals about 26,600 lumens and MSRP at $1929 which equals about $13 per lumen.

Obviously lumen count is not the whole story in lighting, but it makes for an easy understanding of what your getting for your money and difference in performance.

-Joseph Haynes

 

[Aaron313]

I have a 40" Rigid E series bar behind my grill and when comparing it to a 20" Cree bar on my Jeeps front bumper I think my Chinese 20" lightbar is brighter. I need to do a side by side comparison but if you're actually using the bar for what it's for then I would go with an unobstructed approach.


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[Deleted member 12951]

I agree on not spending money on a high dollar light for behind the grill. I purchased a 40" and 30" Blackhawks for a little over $1k to put behind the grill and very happy with it. It does not go as far but I use them to light up closer in front of me. I have better lights up top to go further. I like the layered approach where you use multiple lights that are purpose built so all together they fill the voids.

I would put the 40" behind the grill AND put the 20" in the bumper. Have one of them be amber. It really helps in dusty situations.

I just recently got my first radius light for the bumper so its too soon to give you an opinion on that.

 

[RPG]

Years ago, we had a customer buy 2 vision X Xmitter Prime extremes. 20" for the bumper and 40" behind the grill. The 20" was substantially brighter then the 40" behind the grill.


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[Dane]

If you put the 20" in the lower grill, where do you put the winch? Deal breaker for me.

 

[Ramathorn178]

A good quality 20" in the lower bumper will beat ANY 40" lightbar behind the grill, especially for the money value. While I have seen some good setups behind the grill that doesn't block as much output, they are still losing +30%...

If you like the stealth look, and don't require maximum output, then behind the grill is fine. But personally, I don't like spending good money on lighting, and then only getting 50-70% of my money worth in output.

As an example,

a 20" Vision X Xmitter prime Xtreme (possibly the best all-purpose bar for the lower bumper) puts out about 19,000 lumen and MSRP for $999 which equals 19 lumens per dollar.

The same Vision X bar in 40" version puts out about 38,000 lumens (impressive right!?), now in a BEST CASE scenario we will say output is reduced by only 30% (most likely be more), which equals about 26,600 lumens and MSRP at $1929 which equals about $13 per lumen.

Obviously lumen count is not the whole story in lighting, but it makes for an easy understanding of what your getting for your money and difference in performance.

-Joseph Haynes

I dont quite understand the price per lumen. Take for example KC c3 fog kit 4300 total and its $322, so would that be 4300/ $322 = $13 per lumen then just for arguement sake take an ebay/ amazon/ chinese knock off kit thats "rated at" 4300/ $160 = $26 per lumen. Now more than likely the knockoff kit is going to be waaaaay hyped on numbers but, that math works out that the legit KC's are cheaper per lumen just because the price is more expensive or did i misread it?

If you put the 20" in the lower grill, where do you put the winch? Deal breaker for me.

Kinda the boat im in.

 

[HAYNES OFFROAD]

I dont quite understand the price per lumen. Take for example KC c3 fog kit 4300 total and its $322, so would that be 4300/ $322 = $13 per lumen then just for arguement sake take an ebay/ amazon/ chinese knock off kit thats "rated at" 4300/ $160 = $26 per lumen. Now more than likely the knockoff kit is going to be waaaaay hyped on numbers but, that math works out that the legit KC's are cheaper per lumen just because the price is more expensive or did i misread it?
.

That was just a way to give an example of 2 identical bars besides size. In other words, you get more useable light output for your money, as you lose light ouput behind the grill.

Comparing those numbers I provided, to a completely different light, is comparing apples to oranges as they won't perform the same even side by side.

 

[Deleted member 12951]

I dont quite understand the price per lumen. Take for example KC c3 fog kit 4300 total and its $322, so would that be 4300/ $322 = $13 per lumen then just for arguement sake take an ebay/ amazon/ chinese knock off kit thats "rated at" 4300/ $160 = $26 per lumen. Now more than likely the knockoff kit is going to be waaaaay hyped on numbers but, that math works out that the legit KC's are cheaper per lumen just because the price is more expensive or did i misread it?

If both are the same lumen, then you can't really compare on lumens alone so your example doesn't help. Believe the concept is the cheap ones have lower lumens and the good ones have higher lumens. But the good ones higher lumens are so much higher that even though it cost more, price per lumen could be better. Lumens alone is not what makes a good light, good plus there is no standard how people are rating them.

 

[Jimbo]

Years ago, we had a customer buy 2 vision X Xmitter Prime extremes. 20" for the bumper and 40" behind the grill. The 20" was substantially brighter then the 40" behind the grill.


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What about @Madcowranch, bought the expensive 40" and 30" for behind the grill, puts out as much light has his halogen headlights did