The SAE J581 Aux High Beam Thread

Seriously though. A high performance light that offers a neutral white color temp and reasonable price point is going to fill a big hole in the market.

If DD went all in on the 4000k Z-ES chips for their lightbars they would have another advantage over their competitors. They already offer a solid product at a very reasonable pricepoint for the performance. BD and Rigid are chasing max lumens and are riding hard on the "daylight white is mo betta" schtick. 4k color temp is very pleasant 9n the eyes and doesn't wash out some things like higher color temps do.

Now we just need Osram to debut some automotive high intensity chips in sub-5500k color temps.

 

I would, right now, swap my SS30 for a 4000K version at full retail price. I feel like the advantages would be super clear for bringing up the efficiencies of their amber/yellow bars as well.

Unless @Diode Dynamics have something else in mind for the Stage Series bars?

 

I as well would be super interested in a 20-30" bar in yellow/4000k

 

I have been holding out on replacing the shitty light bar in my grille from the previous owner for this exact thing. Especially since I don’t NEED the light bar just yet.

 

I have to say, the current Diode Dynamics Stage series bars are pretty impressive - even if the color temperature isn't "perfect." I had a CaliRaised 30" dual row light bar in the lower grill of my recently departed Tacoma on a set of their brackets. It was reasonably impressive, but the part I didn't like was that even with (supposedly) a full driving beam setup, the darn thing just blew out light everywhere. I replaced it with a single row 30" DD bar in an all driving beam pattern and holy crap, what a difference. The DD bar was just light years ahead in light pattern and build quality. The price was reasonable too.

As a side note, the CR bar went on to live behind the lower grill of my son's 2013 Scion tC. He too was reasonably impressed - until we swapped the DD bar in last weekend since it won't fit in my new 4Runner. "Holy crap dad, this thing's like a laser beam compared to the old bar" was his first comment. There was also a side benefit. The CR bar looked kind of large and cheap in the tC. You can hardly see the DD bar, and when you do spot it, it looks elegant. As for the CR bar, it's going on a piece of farm equipment.

 

I’m pretty sure the one in mine currently is a Chinese Amazon knockoff junk. It looks like a small spot beam that’s aimed slightly above the top of my DD fog lights.

I have no doubts I will like the DD light bar. I just am holding hope to the last second I decide to buy I can keep the 4000k color temp going.

 

I hear you there. But no matter what you buy, somebody will come out with something better as soon as you buy it. Ask me how I know that. @crashnburn80 does a stellar job of spending my disposable income on that program.

 

I know that all too well. Right after I bought my SS3 pros they came out with the max. Been toying with the idea of selling my pros and upgrading to the max too.

 

Already did that.

 

Here's a video update, this one is different than the live video they did but pretty much the same info. I updated the notes in my post to reflect that it's the SPORT spot that pushes 400,000 candela, not the pro.

https://youtu.be/Pont8vdEmoU

 

How to convince the wife that we need 8 ss5's on a bar attached to the roof....

 

Just like the SS3 sport, the smaller emitters used in the sport model deliver better focus with Spot, driving higher Cd than Pro but with a smaller pattern.

My go-to is it is for the safety of the children.

 

That’s been my go to for everything lighting on the truck. We don’t have kids yet but are trying to have our first one currently.

 

Just like the nesting stage in preparing all the things in planning for kids, preparations must be made for the truck as well. Especially while funds are still available.

 

I recommend a regular cab. Best prevention you can buy.

 

Wife, kid, and two dogs in a trail limo decked out with diode lighting sounds like a blast to me! Ultimate family fun right there.

 

Yeah it's really hard to take off your pants in there, not much room.

 

I keep telling myself Hella 700FF is all I need for auxiliary driving lights because I really don’t drive in the dark unless necessary. DD is not making that easy…

 

I drive forest service roads and our drill trails through the trees. Just bought a 2021 TRDOR. I've already swapped to Phillips H9 in the low beam.

Here's my thoughts for driving early morning fog and late night dark. I hope it makes sense. SS3 Pro yellows to replace the stock fog lights. My thinking is the looser pattern will light up Bambi and Bullwinkle along the roadside in the near field as well as helping with fog vision.

Here in Canada, fog lights can not be used with high beam lights.

Next add on would be lights to see further down the road, but in the trees, winding roads and elevation changes, I don't need to light up a mile away. I had spots on my previous truck and it would light the sky like the bat beacon if going up hill or light up a single tree at the next corner. Wasn't ideal. I'm thinking SS3 Max in a driving pattern. Possibly the new SS5 as I have time to add those.

I would have the Pro fogs, H9 low beam, and Max driving, to light up the road at night. Would I have too much light in close that I wouldn't notice the light further down the road?

Appreciate any assistance.

 

You have the proper choice for low beam. I also agree with your fog selection for the dual purpose of both fog and animal sighting.

Something to consider for driving lights, the Max will be a tighter pattern in 6000k. If you got the Pros in yellow (using 4000k emitters) and did a clear lens driving optic swap, you'd have a 4000k driving pattern covering a larger area but sacrificing intensity over the Max with the benefit of also more closely matching the color temp of the other light sources.



Of course the sweet spot would be the SS5 Pro in 4000k in a driving optic, which is what I am holding out for.

As to your question about too much foreground light, the answer is no, not at all. This is the beauty of the Diode Dynamics TIR optic driving lights. All the light is a highly focused distance driving light. You don't end up with short range foreground light spill like you do with a dated open bucket reflector LED pod design. All the output is going to be focused down range.