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Driving light VS long range light?

7K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  Richd1963 
#1 · (Edited)
so I'm looking to pick up a set of slimlights and i have a question about which i should get.

I'm trying to decide between the 100W driving lights, or the 130W long range lights. Ive seen that pic that explains the stuff. but i still cant decide. I'm mostly going to be using it in town at night to assist with my poor lighting now, and when I'm out on the unlit back roads or doing some wheeling. i like to see whats around me, aswell as whats ahead of me. which would be the best for me?

I'm already going to be getting either the 55W replacement fogs, or a set of the 100W fogs.
 
#3 ·
That's interesting Jerry!! Kind of like those folks that go in for lasic eye surgery and get one eye fixed for close range focus and the other eye for long range focus!

Seriously though, do you use them one at a time or turn them both on together? Does the "long range" side just give you a longer view down one side of the road? (Not trying to be a smart-@$$ with the questions even if it sounds that way!!)

Are the long range ones street legal?
 
#4 ·
I've had much the same question with respect to flood/driving/long range, but I'm not sure that I understand the intended application here, as I was fairly certain that no 100/130w KC is going to be legal for "around town" road use -- regardless of which lens/reflector combination is chosen. If the stock headlights are the chief complaint right now, then Silverstars should probably be step one, no?
 
#5 ·
Jerry (and others with said combo) use them together. One light handles the mid to long range, and the other handles purely long range. You dont have as good of a spread up close as you would with a pair of driving, but the extended range is pretty nice.

I kinda like the 3 light approach. Depending on where they're getting mounted, either a pair of driving lights and a long range one in the center, or a pair of long range lights and a spread beam (or fog beam) in the center.
 
#6 ·
As I can see you expect more light with a higher wattage. A higher wattage will deliver more light.
Have you ever thought about a bigger reflector? It has a reason why good designed lights are expensive- they do not only charge you for the look. The reflector has to be designed too.

Those Hella Rallye 4000 compacts are expensive, but offer an outstanding range and illumination even with standard bulbs. You can tell the difference just by comparing the reflector.

Or do you carry something else or less than a Mag-lite(or Sure-Fire)???
.
 
#7 ·
i carry a UC3.400, but thats me.

Reflector design is more important then wattage.
I can drop a 35 watt H3 bulb into a well designed housing (like the rallye 4000 compact you mentioned) and get more usable light then a 100 watt bulb in a poorly designed housing.
 
#8 ·
well i drive a lot on unlit, empty roads in my town. thats what i meant by around town.

so the driving lights dont throw any farther than stock headlights??? and the long range ONLY throws it far, and not everywhere ahead of me? i need to be able to see the road on the side of me, and down the road. i need a long, wide pattern.
 
#9 ·
The long-range light isn't a "pencil beam", it'll be fine for what you want. And yes I run both lights, the driving and long-range, off one switch. I wired the driving light relay control coil so it only gets 12 volts when my high beams are on. So while I can drive with just the high beams on without my driving lights, once I throw the KC light switch on, I can easily kill them all for sudden oncoming traffic by just flicking the high beams off. Having to shut two switches off for sudden oncoming traffic was a PITA which is why I rewired the KC driving light relay so it only works when the high beams are on. :thumbsup:
 
#10 ·
Been meaning to do that with my driving lights. I'll get around to it when I install the new ones.
 
#11 ·
I have would have to say get the driving lights over the pencil beams. I have some Hella 1000FF on my roof that has plenty off throw and spread, it travels amost twice as far as my silverstar headlights down the road and lights up the sides of the road as well. I am installing some pencil beams tommorrow if once I have them on I change my mind I will repost.
 
#12 ·
@Jerry. I'm glad I found this post, be it years old. I upgraded my stock headlights and now looking to add long range lights on a front light bar. I would like to wire the lights as you have so that they are independent on but shut off when highbeams are killed. Would you be willing to share instructions on how you wired them?
Also, while I'm in there, my current fog lights (which are great actually) turn off when the high beams are on. I'd really like them to stay on even when the HB are on. Any ideas how I can alter the configuration? It must be possible right?
 
#13 ·
^Your fog lights were wired to turn off with high beams because they are designed to be used in low visibility applications, I.E. FOG. When it's very foggy out, the last thing you want is more light and more light- fog lights help illuminate the road low to the ground so that you can at least see. When you flip to high beams, you have even less visibility.

If you want them to remain on then you need to make your own harness and switch as well because the fog lights are tied into the main harness. It's just easier and more cost effective to make their own relay with their own switch.

The driving lights you can wire into your high beams quite easily. First thing I would do is make my own relay harness for the headlights. One for low beams, one for high beams. Then simply tie the driving lights into the high beam harness so that they flick on when you flick to high beams.

KC's "Long Range" lights are pencil beam lights. They are a spot light with a narrow beam pattern designed to send light out as far down range as possible without lighting up much area around out. Mostly they were deigned for the Baja racers that need to have light as far forward in front of them, without really lighting up anything directly off to their sides.
 
#14 ·
There is a thread on bending the one pin on the fog relay for them to stay on with the high beams.

As for the long range lights you could wire them independently like the wiring diagram. Using a switch.
Or to come on and off with the high beams by splicing into the high beams in place of the switch.
You could also easily keep the switch and splice into the high beams (prior to switch and relay) and have the lights able to come on only with the switch when the high beams are on bot get shut off either by the switch or killing the high beams.

Always check if it is legal in your state to run these lights on the roads prior to altering your lights.
 
#15 ·
Always check if it is legal in your state to run these lights on the roads prior to altering your lights.
any light designed to be ran with high beams, and properly switched with the high beams, doesn't matter if it's "legal" to be ran on the road. Most people aren't going to be running their high beams, and with them their long range/driving lights, with oncoming drivers. Those who do have bigger problems to deal with.

Laws stating that certain lights are "illegal" to be used while on the streets are just stupid. Change it to "illegal to be used with oncoming traffic", and I'll be happy.
 
#16 ·
^Laws are laws, there is no way around them. California specifically states that you can NOT use more than 4 individual road lights for driving on the roads at night. California also states that you are not allowed to have any more than 4 individual lights uncovered while driving on the roads, meaning that offroad lights need to be covered. Most cops don't really care about these laws as long as you're not being obnoxious or running your offroad lights on the roads.
 
#21 ·
Laws are laws. Get familar with what's expected. Even states you plan on driving through cause your liable for them as well.

Follow the laws and your fine. Don't follow the laws and your fined.
The wonderful thing about this country is that those laws can be changed. You might be content with following them, but personally, I like the option to light up the night when I'm alone on a country road, as long as I have the ability to shut it down if someone comes the other way. Just because a law is there doesn't mean it's justified.

It's also a reason why I enjoy living where I do.
 
#17 ·
I run the 130w driving/130w long range combination. Both have their own switches in the stock pod. I run them as high beams and don't even use the stock high beams. When a car comes, I just use my shifter hand to knock the switches off at the same time (I use Contura switches). According to KC, the LR's are illegal for on road use but I've never had a problem.
 
#18 ·
Now, here is the big question... which set of KC's would be used for both, short/wide range and a decent beam past the factory headlights? I currently have the Silverstars and they work great but, i have to repalce them every 6 months... why? I have no idea. I live in a very rural area where there are plenty of deer and varmints (HA), and my vision is not what it used to be. Not sure I want to run the two different sets of lights (cost and lack of know how/time with twin toddlers). But, I can see where running both would be the best way.
 
#20 ·
The driving lights have a decent beam width and will go beyond the headlights.

Silverstars burn out because they run hot and the material the filiment is made of or the mfg is not conducive of high heat, high current. They should be called long blow fuses.
 
#22 ·
A country road is different than a city or town road. Do it on even a semi-frequented road and you could be fined out the door if a cop is around.

Remember, you're not breaking the law until a cop finds out ;)

I agree with the KC Driving lights. They're brighter than even new headlights and spread the beam pattern out very well.
 
#23 ·
A country road is different than a city or town road. Do it on even a semi-frequented road and you could be fined out the door if a cop is around.

Remember, you're not breaking the law until a cop finds out ;)

I agree with the KC Driving lights. They're brighter than even new headlights and spread the beam pattern out very well.
I do it on the main thoroughfare between my house and town. I just turn them off when I see headlights approaching me. No harm, no foul, and if a cop pulls me for making my drive safer without bothering someone else, just on a technicality, that makes him a ******. Not me.
 
#24 ·
Thanks JP, I had no idea that was the case. I thought it was maybe the vibration or rough ride killing them. Also, thanks for your input on the driving lights.... i will throw a set on. Will be alot of fun... putting in the cb, pa speaker and the lights all at the same time for a nice/neat job.
 
#25 ·
All this talk about the legalities of different lighting systems and breaking the law.

We here in CA are shaking in our boots as the local government is talking about changing policy and allowing "illegal immigrants" to have drivers licenses. Currently they drive without license and are whining about getting their cars impounded and facing stiff fees. I wish lighting was my biggest worries.

I know, Its my choice to be in this screwed up state. Stuck here for 6 more.

As far as lighting, you can always get 2 sets of lights. My Hella fogs work great and spread a pattern nice and wide off to both sides of the Jeep just out in front. I don't have spots yet. I did do a HID conversion and although they are fairly cheap, china, Hong Kong, Taiwan or whatever. Properly adjusted they light up the road like a lightning strike and I have had no complaints in the 1.6 years I have been running them daily. The lighting they throw is unsurpassed. just use a good reflector and make sure to have them adjusted so as not to blind oncoming traffic. Here in this heavily populated city they light up just about the entire city street and the beam goes not only far ahead as well as a little wider than the stock Jeep headlights, which BTW are about as strong as a few candles.
 
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