My initial review: Cheap LEDs from Amazon
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 166
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
My initial review: Cheap LEDs from Amazon
I recently picked up some relatively cheap LED lights off of Amazon and wanted to share my experience with you all so far. I know we all want cheap LEDs and then somehow inevitably end up with the good stuff, but this is my initial review of the lights. I can not speak on longevity of these quite yet, so take this for what its worth.
What I bought was some no name lights off of Amazon that claim to use Cree LEDs and had fairly consistent good reviews. I got a set of 2" cubes (18W) and a 14" bar for the bumper (70 W or maybe 72W I don't recall)
Both sets of lights were fairly rigid, and did not seem to use any overly cheap materials in the construction of them (i.e. no plastic where there should be metal). All hardware was included and the leads on the lights were ample and well sealed.
I mounted the cubes to the windshield with a set of Smittybilt mounts; they fit nice and low and do not obstruct any vision. The light bar got mounted to my bull bar on my bumper.
I paired the lights up with a set of OTRATTW and a Rugged Ridges pillar mount.
The OTRATTW switches are great. I wired the independent to the orange[?] and gray wire for the dimmer that feeds into the window switch (a note for anyone looking for this wire on a 2014+: there are three [3] possible wires on the switch. There is an orange with gray tracer, orange with silver tracer, and a smaller, orangish brown with gray tracer. The proper wire is the smaller, orangish brown with gray tracer).
And with the switches on
Finally, I addressed power distribution with a Blue Sea Systems DC sub panel and a 125A waterproof breaker.
Light testing:
Please note, this test was done on the most dimly light street in my neighborhood, but there is still a good bit of light pollution. The pictures were taken with my phone which has been dropped, kicked, scratched, and chewed on more times than I can count, so it takes pretty bad pictures, that do not do the lights justice.
External shots.
Low beams and windshield lights:
Low beams and bumper light:
From inside the cabin
OEM low beams only:
Bumper bar only:
Windshield lights only:
All on (low, bumper, windshield)
As I said, these pics don't do the lights justice, the camera is crap and there is a lot of diffusion from ambient light. For dexterity I took these two pics parked about 100 ft from the side of this building. first shot is low beams only, second shot is low beams with bumper bar on.
I hope to be able to get out somewhere truly dark this upcoming weekend to fully test these lights out.
What I bought was some no name lights off of Amazon that claim to use Cree LEDs and had fairly consistent good reviews. I got a set of 2" cubes (18W) and a 14" bar for the bumper (70 W or maybe 72W I don't recall)
Both sets of lights were fairly rigid, and did not seem to use any overly cheap materials in the construction of them (i.e. no plastic where there should be metal). All hardware was included and the leads on the lights were ample and well sealed.
I mounted the cubes to the windshield with a set of Smittybilt mounts; they fit nice and low and do not obstruct any vision. The light bar got mounted to my bull bar on my bumper.
I paired the lights up with a set of OTRATTW and a Rugged Ridges pillar mount.
The OTRATTW switches are great. I wired the independent to the orange[?] and gray wire for the dimmer that feeds into the window switch (a note for anyone looking for this wire on a 2014+: there are three [3] possible wires on the switch. There is an orange with gray tracer, orange with silver tracer, and a smaller, orangish brown with gray tracer. The proper wire is the smaller, orangish brown with gray tracer).
And with the switches on
Finally, I addressed power distribution with a Blue Sea Systems DC sub panel and a 125A waterproof breaker.
Light testing:
Please note, this test was done on the most dimly light street in my neighborhood, but there is still a good bit of light pollution. The pictures were taken with my phone which has been dropped, kicked, scratched, and chewed on more times than I can count, so it takes pretty bad pictures, that do not do the lights justice.
External shots.
Low beams and windshield lights:
Low beams and bumper light:
From inside the cabin
OEM low beams only:
Bumper bar only:
Windshield lights only:
All on (low, bumper, windshield)
As I said, these pics don't do the lights justice, the camera is crap and there is a lot of diffusion from ambient light. For dexterity I took these two pics parked about 100 ft from the side of this building. first shot is low beams only, second shot is low beams with bumper bar on.
I hope to be able to get out somewhere truly dark this upcoming weekend to fully test these lights out.
JK Newbie
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Oak Park, Michigan
I just pick up a few of the square lights myself. I had first thought they were priced each, then to my surprise they came as a pair. I'll be putting 3 on a bumper bar and two on each side windshield mount. I'll give my 2c when I get them hooked up in a few weeks but for the price if they last a year or two seems worth it.
