How to Choose the Ideal LED Search Light for Your Car

Searching for the right type of light revolves around dozens of different considerations. How, where and why you’ll be using the light, and whether factors like brightness, build and portability fulfil your lighting needs. On that note, there are dozens of different lighting options. For typical off-road or recreational use, think fishing and hunting, a dedicated search light complements what you’ve already got fitted on the vehicle or positioned around the campsite to provide that extra dose of light where other lights just fall short.

Searchlights evolved from military needs back in the day. The bright, directional lights were used to spot enemy aircraft from the ground, and approaching torpedoes when mounted on ships. Similar uses exist today, directing aeroplanes to a safe landing in difficult conditions. Or showcasing events at major venues. But sold in smaller, portable and manageable packages have made searchlights one of the more versatile light options for everyday use.

Anatomy of a Search Light

To shine a high-intensity, tight spot beam with the highest possible brightness and at the furthest distances, a searchlight makes use of proven and effective tech. Light sources differ, with LEDs now making their mark more present, over traditional choices like halogen or HID bulbs. Possibly more important is the Fresnel lens layout, with concave reflectors, that concentrate available light in a tighter area. This is similar to what lighthouses use. The low-angle, focused beam can thus shine further. The Fresnel lenses also save space, eliminating the need for complex and heavy lighting arrays for the same result. Some units have adjustable reflector and lens setups to project both wide floods to focused spot beams. All this has allowed for compact, lightweight, and practical designs.

Where Search Lights are Used

Searchlights are used in a multitude of scenarios where you’ll need more of the distance illuminated. Typical uses are in search and rescue missions, hunting, hiking, off-roading, biking, and for agricultural usage in poorly-lit rural settings. Lights can be mounted on vehicles, such as LED search light for car, or be handheld units that are an improved substitute over the weaker beams from torches and headlamps. The latter have their shortcomings when compared to the overall brightness levels, beam distances and run times of dedicated searchlights.

Lighting Tech – The Basics

Though there are searchlights in varying tech, improvements in LEDs of late mean they’re the choice for most buyers. And this has translated to increased sales in other types of lights. LEDs can be optioned in smaller packages, reducing overall weight, without sacrificing performance. Prices have come down substantially compared to just a few years ago, and there are more choices and brands than ever. Compared to similarly priced halogens and HID lights, there are evident benefits.

First is efficiency. Searchlights with light-emitting diodes and fitted heat sinks consume considerably less power for the same brightness and beam types. Estimates put them at 80 per cent less than comparable halogen bulbs, and 50 per cent less than Xenon-filled HID bulbs. This means longer runtimes from a battery in the same capacity.

Next is durability and longevity. With no heat generated from heated gases, there’s less wear. LEDs are rated for 50000 hours, compared to 2500 hours for halogen bulbs (20 times more!), and around 20000 hours in better and more costly HID lights. You’ll be saving money and time on replacement bulbs. In addition, an LED searchlight for car will be less susceptible to outside temperatures or longer usage, producing consistent levels of light until you decide to turn it off.

And then there is lighting performance. LEDs have comparable if not better light output and at further distances than recent reigning champs, HID lights, and much more than halogens. Lights can also be easily calibrated for a wider range of colour temperatures. Here halogens struggle with warmer tones, and HIDs tend to run cooler by default.

What to Look for in Searchlights

Brightness levels are impressive for the size. Smaller handheld lights, fed by rechargeable Lithium-polymer batteries aren’t exactly the pinnacle of power, yet still manage to light up almost everything 350 metres away. For portable use, this is more than enough. Of course, brightness will depend on beam types, but even searchlights with combined flood and spot beams perform extremely well in this respect.

Another thing to look for are colour combinations. Simpler lights produce only an intense white beam, but there are also white/red, white/infrared, red/infrared and four colour combinations either at full intensity or with a dimming option.

How portable lights are charged and the type of batteries they use determines overall brightness and how long the light shines with consistent strength. This is the rated run time. Lights with built-in batteries like the Li-Po mentioned above are efficient, allowing beams to be used at the highest intensity for at least 2 hours. The run times are even longer with the dimming function.

Batteries can be charged on the fly, either from appropriate power banks or deep-cycle batteries with the right cables. And this extends use. Indicators displaying charge levels and charging status are nice features, so you don’t end up with no power when you need the light most. Also, have in mind charging times and this will differ between brands and lights and batteries in different sizes.

Lastly, consider build quality. Lights need to be lightweight and portable, but not skip on quality materials. Consider outer housings that are rated against water ingress and impact, so can be used in different weather conditions and still work if accidentally dropped. Non-slip, rubberised grips with ergonomic indentations offer optimal handling and are glove-compatible. LED chips should be from renowned chip makers, to ensure uniform illumination with the highest efficiency.