Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Vehicle LED Lights
Whether you’re a first responder, a tow truck or snow plow driver or anyone else who uses LED lights or warning systems on a regular basis, ensuring the quality of these systems is vital. The last thing you want is a malfunctioning light setup that doesn’t allow you to properly warn others of your presence, possibly leading to not only delays in response, but also safety concerns and related issues.
At LED Equipped, we’re proud to offer a variety of quality LED light options for our clients, from mini LED light bars to visor lights, strobe lights and numerous other choices. In addition, we’re happy to assist our clients with the continuing care and quality of their LED lights, including a vital factor: Recognizing the signs that it’s time to upgrade your lighting setup. Here are some of the most common such signs we tend to see among our clients.
Current Lights Malfunctioning
The simplest and most common reason why you might consider a light upgrade: Your current setup isn’t working anymore. Whether this is due to the lights malfunctioning in some way, being damaged in an accident or completely failing to operate at all, it’s important that you work with an experienced provider like LED Equipped to find a new solution for your lighting needs.
In many cases, light malfunctions are due to long-term issues like corrosion or brittle connections that don’t appear at first glance. Moreover, batteries can become damaged or stop working over time as well, something that may not be immediately apparent until the lights short out or completely fail to operate.
And while there may be situations where some minor repairs will do the trick, there are many others where it is simply more wise to invest in an entirely new lighting setup. This is especially true if you fall into any of the other categories we’ll get to in the rest of today’s blog.
System Compatibility
In other cases, new LED lights will be necessitated by an upgrade to your vehicle’s electrical system. This is often the case with light bars, as many of them are designed to be compatible with your car or truck’s battery system. That way, they draw power without draining your battery until you turn the lights on at night-time or in poor weather conditions.
If you change vehicles, however, or even if you’ve added certain new technological features that change the compatibility landscape, you may find yourself needing LED lights that are compatible with your new setup. Whether you need to make sure everything will function together without draining the battery or if you simply want to ensure no problems arise, LED Equipped can help by making sure your lights are compatible with all of your vehicle’s electrical components.
Lights Aren’t Bright Enough
Your lights might still be technically turning on and off each time you operate them, but if their light output isn’t sufficient, that’s not really much help at all. You need something brighter than the standard lights you’re currently using if you want to stand out in even the worst conditions, which means upgrading your lighting setup could be just what you need.
This is especially important if you regularly operate the vehicle in settings where there isn’t much light, from nighttime responses to situations like snowstorms or fog. These are the times when you need to be able to guarantee that other drivers can see you, something that requires brighter lights than average.
And if your current light setup is simply inadequate for the job, it’s important to upgrade sooner rather than later to avoid accidents and injuries due to a hazardous lack of visibility. There are numerous bright, easily noticeable options available to you — just ask our team to recommend the ideal selection depending on your needs.
Light Type Change
In still other cases, your need for new LED lights will come from a change in the type of light you need. This is often due to improved or changing safety standards for responders and other drivers, not to mention new technology that makes certain types of lights more efficient than ever before — which can also save you money in the long term.
For instance, strobes may be the most common type of emergency light, but they’re generally less effective at attracting attention than newer types of lighting technology. With more and more studies showing that LED lights are the most visible in all conditions, particularly when it comes to harsh weather like snowstorms, fog and so on, you may want to consider switching over your entire vehicle’s lighting setup even if you haven’t changed vehicles or made any other major upgrades.
As we just noted, sometimes this change will actually be to your role. Maybe you’re moving from the position of tow truck driver to snow plow operator, or vice versa. If so, your needs might be better met by different types of lights than the ones you’ve been using in the past.
Changing Laws or Local Directives
Often, your changing needs for LED lights won’t be based on any issues with your current setup at all, but rather, changes in local laws or official directives. This might be due to your role, such as when you move from a position that doesn’t require lights to one where they’re compulsory.
Or it could be the result of national guidelines and recommendations, particularly if you live in an area where driving in winter weather is more common than anywhere else. In some counties, for instance, snowplow operators are required by law to have hundreds of contingencies in place when they head out to work — and that includes adequate lighting for their vehicle.
These might include DOT (Department of Transportation) standards alongside local laws and directives, all of which will likely require you to upgrade your light setup in order to stay on the right side of the law. The key here is to not wait for an accident or injury before you take action, since this could be just one traffic stop away from happening. Instead, it’s better to go ahead and get started with a new LED lighting set up that ensures you’ll be seen around the clock.
Multiple Functions
If you’re still using older forms of warning lights, you might be limited in terms of the number of features you can use — and these features may not even be available on your current vehicle. For instance, using strobe lights as your primary signal has its benefits, but it also means that the only other option is to turn those lights into a hazard flasher or indicator light combination.
By upgrading to LED lights with additional functions and capabilities, you can expand your visibility and safety to both other motorists and any responders who might be tracking your location. This could range from a flashing rear light for tow trucks to a powerful LED light bar that lets everyone around you know exactly the kind of work you’re performing.
Size and Style Factors
Finally, you might be considering upgraded LED lights due to their changing size and style. While the light source itself is often the same, the added features and components for things like strobes can increase overall size. This may not be a problem for tow trucks or other large vehicles, but it could be an issue if you need to attach your lights to a smaller vehicle or one with limited space.
In such cases, switching to more compact LED lights or light bars might be your best bet. This will allow you to stay safe without having to deal with bulky components that can get in the way of other features, such as windshield wipers for example. When it comes to staying on the right side of the law and ensuring everyone’s safety on the road, upgrading your LED lighting setup is an ideal method.
For more on signs it’s time to upgrade your LED lighting arrangement, or to learn about any of our LED light bars or related products, speak to the staff at LED Equipped today.