LIGHTFORCE VS THE NEW IPF 900XS
Submitted: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 at 22:29
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Leroy
from arb bayside's website.....
LIGHTFORCE VS THE NEW IPF 900XS
Everyone seems to be asking for Lightforce lights lately. It's not hard to see why - the 240 XGT is BIG. But how good is it? We decided to conduct a simple but real life
test with a Lightforce 240 XGT and the new IPF 900XS side by side, projected onto a board about 2 car lengths away. This digital photograph of the board gives a good comparitive image of the light pattern and intensity. The Lightforce is on the left, the IPF on the right.
What are our observations from this comparison?.......
Both are certainly spot lights, with very similar beam patterns.
The IPF 900XS produces a whiter light, as can be seen clearly by the brilliant white spot in the centre.
The IPF's cost $399.00 for 2 lights as
well as a full IPF wiring harness with mouse switch and relay (it's worth $90 alone).
The Lightforce XGT's cost $518.00 for 2 lights and nothing else.
The Lightforces are too big to fit into many bull bars, but the IPF's being smaller don't have that problem.
The IPF's are waterproof and submersible.They are steel and therefore stronger than the plastic Lightforce. Our idling GU Patrol diesel causes the Lightforce to flutter & vibrate, but the IPF was
rock solid.
So are you being sucked in by the "big light mentality"? Maybe you should look at IPF's current technology, high performance lights and save some money.
Leroy
Reply By: Member - Doug T (QLD) - Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 09:42
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 09:42
Leroy
This part of your post amused me : quote [ The IPF's are waterproof and submersible.They are steel and therefore stronger than the plastic Lightforce. Our idling GU Patrol diesel causes the Lightforce to flutter & vibrate, but the IPF was
rock solid. ]
I have 2 X 170mm Lighforce on my Troopie, No vibrations at all m must be that Nissan eh [ dig dig ] Why anyone would want the large Lightforce is beyond me, for a starter they block off air flow to the radiator as do the oblong IPFs ,If my 2 lightforces can light up reflected signs at 3klms and post reflectors at 2 klms or more then thats more than enough, I see cattle at 300m to 400m and have more than enough time to slow down , for Roos I don't do a thing, no horn blowing,no dipped lights, I don't have any stupid Rooshu BS, just leave em and they watch you go past, and I very rarely strike one ,Yes I operate in Outback Australia and I know whats what , I have not hit a Roo yet this year and have never hit a cow, SLOW DOWN .
Doug
AnswerID:
170377
Follow Up By: Leroy - Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 16:14
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 16:14
I found the entire comparison amusing hence the post.
Leroy
FollowupID:
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Reply By: S&N - Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 14:30
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 14:30
I like the comment about "this digital photograph", in one of the "reputable" 4x4 mags, they did a huge comparison with lights, in a PROPPER light testing lab, and they stated that when you look at their "digital photos", look for the one with a pinker centre, not white. something about how a digital photo captures the light and the brighter/whiter lights actually dont come up as the brightest/whitest in a digital
pic. the HID came up even more pink, and we know that they are brighter. so i think their "simple test" was aimed at "simple people" that dont do their research.
i have the 240 lightforce, the smaller 800 series IPF, and the larger 800 series IPF. i have 130w globes in the larger IPF's and 100w in the light force. the lightforce are still the best lights ive ever had. ive also had cibbe super oscars, hella's and narvas! The only one that i think comes close ars the narva 175's
AnswerID:
170443
Follow Up By: Utemad - Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 15:38
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 15:38
We have two F250s at work. One has IPF 800 ($352) and the other Lightforce 240 Blitz ($375).
When we got the IPF 800 lights I was dissapointed as they performed no better than my Nitestalker 170 ($165) lights on my ute. However the Lightforce 240 lights are heaps better.
None of the lights have fallen apart although when I removed the Nitestalkers the nuts had rusted and were a bugger to get off as the bolt spun in the mount.
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Reply By: Member - Bradley- Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 15:35
Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 15:35
yeah it wouldn't have much to do with the fact i noticed opposite lock now advertising lightforce would it ??
i certainly havent heard much bad said about the lightforce models, apart from their size (240s) and have seen some that were fairly banged up but havent failed.
and they're an aussie developed and made product to boot.
a few years back i was doing runs from melb to
adelaide every 5 weeks as part of my job, and the amount of longhaul trucks running 170 & 240 lf's was overwhelming, these guys living depends on their resources, they dont buy for image or pleasure use, so i think that speaks volumes for the product.
I know when my narva 170's die i'm putting a pair of 170 striker lighforce on.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, May 04, 2006 at 00:05
Thursday, May 04, 2006 at 00:05
Forumites,
I'm not going to start a "Lightforce" vs "IPF" debate.
I will however make an observation so that potential purchasers of one or the other can take it into their consideration, for whatever it's worth.
ARB are distributors of the IPF range and therefore would logically promote "their" product line over others.
TJM are distributors of the Lightforce product line. (They used to sell IPF's)
So, both distributors would more than likely apply a little bias towards the product they sell.
Oh! and just in case someone is observant enough to notice I have IPF's on the Jack, I bought them for the following reasons.
They fitted into my budget at the time of purchase.
They were the only one of the major brands that offered a rectangular housing that I believe suited the style of the Bull bar I had and the shape blended better with the similar looking original headlights. Simple technology.
As to which may be better of the two, I don't give a bugger.
Mine are adequate for my needs and to tell the honest truth, I hardly use them anyway, as I have pulled over and set up
camp before darkness has arrived and the boogieman starts his patrol. But on the rare occasions I do light them up, they turn night into day for a reasonable distance in front of, and to the side of, the road or track I'm travelling on, so they are a practical addition to safety when driving at night.
AnswerID:
170574