Why You Need LED Truck Lights

09 Jul Why You Need LED Truck Lights

Let’s face it, more times than not, the factory lighting setup for your truck just doesn’t get the job done. Not just aesthetically either, but also where safety is concerned. Sure, today’s LED headlights look really cool on your rig — especially the truck light bars — but the additional benefit of making your truck or fleet safer on the road by adding or upgrading to LED lights for trucks is a really bright idea (see what I did there?). Fortunately, MrTruckParts.com carries a wide selection of LED headlights from brands like Grote and TRUX Accessories to meet your needs. 

By now, most of us have purchased LED lights or products with LED lighting in them. But what’s the difference between LED and other truck lights? Let’s start by understanding what LED lights are and the technology behind them. 

LED, or Light Emitting Diode, is a two-contact circuit that produces light when currents flow through it. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. There’s a little more to it, but electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the bandgap of the semiconductor. White light is obtained by using multiple semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device. 

The Advantages of LED Headlights for Trucks 

OK, enough physics for one day. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of LED headlights for trucks: 

• LEDs are more efficient and require 10 times less energy to generate light. In the trucking industry, this means less stress on your battery and APU which ultimately leads to less battery-related downtime. 
• LED lights are economical, clear, less impacting, and more eco-efficient lights. 
• LEDs offer less light dispersion in the air. In public areas where lights have been changed to LED, the inhabitants can see the stars in the sky because LED lights emit a focused light directed downwards. 
• LEDs can be made very small and still put out the intended lumens. 
• LEDs can emit colored light without the use of color filters so they’re more efficient and can lower initial purchase costs. 
• LEDs light up very quickly. 
• LEDs can be dimmed easily. 
• LED’s have a slow failure rate. Plus, they usually dim over time rather than burning out abruptly. 
• LEDs radiate less heat than conventional lights so there’s less wasted energy. However, in some circumstances, less heat also has a downside (see “disadvantages”). 

The Disadvantages of LED Headlights for Trucks 

Although there are many upsides to LED lights, let’s consider some of the disadvantages, as well:  

• High initial price. The price per lumen for LED is usually higher than conventional lighting. 
• LED performance largely depends on the ambient temperature of the operating environment — or “thermal management” properties. Over-driving an LED in high ambient temperatures may result in overheating the LED package, eventually leading to device failure.  
• An adequate heat sink is needed to maintain a long life. This is especially important in automotive, medical, and military uses where devices must operate over a wide range of temperatures. 
• Voltage requirements — LEDs require a voltage above the threshold and below the current-regulated supply (usually just a series resistor for indicator LEDs). 

• Single LEDs are difficult to apply to situations that call for a spherical light field. 
• Unlike incandescent light bulbs, LEDs will only light with correct electrical polarity. 
• Cool-white LEDs can cause more light pollution than other light sources. 
• The efficiency of LEDs decreases as the electric current increases and as heating increases. 
• LEDs are much more attractive to insects than sodium-vapor lights, so you’ll be scraping more bugs off your grill if you do a lot of night driving. 

• LEDs don’t give off much heat so they’re less likely to melt heavy snow that accumulates on them. 

That said, these so-called “disadvantages” don’t really stand up to all the upsides and there’s one major advantage to incorporating LEDs in the transportation and trucking industries that should leave you with no reason not to make the switch; they offer more penetrating illumination and a “whiter” light, so it’s easier to see and to be seen, especially in fog, rain, sleet, or snowy conditions. In comparison to halogens, they’re also less blinding to other motorists. Clearer driving conditions mean more reaction time and fewer chances for accidents. And we all know how important it is to keep downtime to a minimum for both you and your truck or fleet. 

It’s clear that LEDs offer a safer solution to conventional lighting and at MrTruckParts.com we’re confident you can find a lighting solution to meet your needs from manufacturers like TRUX Accessories or Grote. Whether you’re looking to replace existing conventional lighting on your big rig, or you just want to add more LED truck lights to bring more bling to your ride, it’s good to know you’ve got a lot of options at MrTruckParts.com.