distance of lights

[Sage]

I'm thinking about how much distance is added with light bars.

I've seen photos posted but I can't tell how much distance is added, just that they are brighter. I've seen some charts that show lumins of lights and distance.

I live in a "deer thick on the roads area" and when no cars are coming, I'd like more distance to pick up eyeballs.

I've seen 20" bars listed at 100' of bright light. Is that realistic or is it more?? Looks like more in photos.

 

[Mjolnir]

With all of mine lit up, 20" and two 6 inch I can clearly make out parked cars, signs and other details to about 300 yards


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[keatonskidmore]

With all of mine lit up, 20" and two 6 inch I can clearly make out parked cars, signs and other details to about 300 yards


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I have the exact set up as him ^ and live in texas and am constantly on dirt roads and farm to market roads where the deer and hogs cross my paths. I can say I shot a coyote the other night using the 20" at about 220 yards and could clearly see every detail about him. I've also lit up a blind that I ranged at 337 yards and could see it fine. So I'd say a good 350 yards of light with my 20". They already saved me from taking out a group of pigs

 

[Sage]

Thanks, my roads have "target rich" situations in the late and early hours I sometimes drive. The last thing I want to do is spear a deer or worse an elk. The wife got a black bear but I'm not sure anything would have prevented that since it was in a curve!!

 

[keatonskidmore]

Heres a ****** phone pic I just took on a farm to market road

 

[BlueSVT]

It obviously all depends on your setup... lower wattage light LED bars with "Flood" pattern will likely be less than half the distance of high wattage bars with spot beams. So it's hard to say, as each bar is literally different, depending how its ordered.

I have the 43" Xmitter Extreme with ALL spots, arguably the "furthest" throw you can possibly put into a single bar. 10-degree narrow beam, all focused straight ahead. Distance has to be an easy 1/4 mile, it's pretty ridiculous. At 80+MPH at night, you never feel like you're out driving the light.

This chart shows 400-meters, which is about what I estimated as well... roughly 1/4 mile. Funny enough, that chart is supposedly for their 11" model, so who knows what the actualy range of the 43" model is, but USABLE light is roughly 1/4 mile.

As a contrast, you can see how a wider 40-degree "flood" beam affects the same light... reducing it's effective range about half.

Some people do the half/half combo with spots and floods, although you won't truly have the same range... and to me personally, the flood lighting is SUPER distracting at night, when flying down trails at high speeds. I like it all STRAIGHT ahead, in the direction of travel.

All stuff to consider!

 

[Sage]

All good stuff. My problem being a winding road (only 2 sharp corners, many slight bends) and some brush or trees within 20' of the road in places. I've been driving this road for 30 years and I know the most likely spots for deer. They can still surprise you and pop out anywhere.

I think the floods might work better since the only real straight stretches are fairly wide open. Might consider some amber as there is days where we get fog too.

 

[BlueSVT]

If you're mostly concerned with deer, I'd go with flood for sure, or maybe a mixed bar.

 

[keatonskidmore]

I like my set up and its great for deer and other animals because the two 6" on each side are slightly angled outward and shine perfect on the fencline/barditches and the 20 in the center with spots/floods shines a good distance for any surprises down the road

 

[Mjolnir]

I like my set up and its great for deer and other animals because the two 6" on each side are slightly angled outward and shine perfect on the fencline/barditches and the 20 in the center with spots/floods shines a good distance for any surprises down the road

X2 ^