Thread: Roof Top Lights

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Roof mounted lights do have the advantage of being out of the mud. They have the disadvantage, as noted above, that they are closer to the driver's line of vision, and hence much more affected by scattering particles in the air. While fog or haze is relatively rare in Australia, most of the country frequently has a plentiful supply of dust in the air

Strange but I’ve always found that in dust, fog, what ever, any lights other than low beam, whether they are on the roof or the bumper, are useless.

After doing tens of thousands of kilometres of night driving, I’ve found nothing assisted in making night driving easier and safer than the use of roof lights. They just give you so much additional coverage, both in front and to the side, over bumper mounted lights.

I would be interested to know how certain 'new' lights are considered. I was looking to machine a perspex front insert for a roof rack holding ~10x 15W 150deg 5000K LED's. When lit it would emit an insanely bright white light in almost all forward directions. Could also be done with smaller LED's in the side rails for camp lighting.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by beforethevision

I would be interested to know how certain 'new' lights are considered. I was looking to machine a perspex front insert for a roof rack holding ~10x 15W 150deg 5000K LED's. When lit it would emit an insanely bright white light in almost all forward directions. Could also be done with smaller LED's in the side rails for camp lighting.

Cheers!

As far as I know LED lights for illumination (as opposed to signals/markers) have not been addressed in regulations anywhere - but it will have to be addressed pretty soon. 150 degrees is a much higher beam than is needed for any type of headlight, and much of the light would be wasted unless redirected by upper and lower reflectors. For camp lighting, sounds like a really good idea though.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

150 degrees is a much higher beam than is needed for any type of headlight, and much of the light would be wasted unless redirected by upper and lower reflectors. For camp lighting, sounds like a really good idea though.

John

Thats a good point. I should probably consider a concave cut on the forward facing edge to focus it a little.

Cheers!

Beforethevision, see if you can get a look at a new Audi, some of the new models have LED headlights, might give you some ideas.

Just a quick question to the advocates of rooftop lights.
If they are so good for long distance night driving, how come Interstate Truckies don't have them fitted?

I have seen trucks with roof lights!!

i have 4 lightforce on the roof of the county - 2x XGT's and 2 x 170, and also 4 on the roof of the 90. we live almost in the middle of nowhere with obviously no street lighting and the difference they make is huge. my missus leaves for work at 5.30 (in the 90)every morning and wouldn't be without them either.
neither of us has ever had anything said to us about them being legal or not, but would play dumb if anyone ever did.