4 Questions to Ask When Selecting Lights

Choosing replacement lights for a truck or trailer often comes down to cost, but that can be a shortsighted decision. Differences in technology, brightness, energy use and durability should all be considerations when spec’ing lights, and each of these can very different among your lighting options.

Today’s incandescent lights are better than yesterday’s halogens, but neither is as long lasting as LEDs (light-emitting diodes). LEDs were first introduced in the 1980s but have gained sizable market share in recent year as their prices have dropped and they’ve become more affordable for drivers and fleets. In some cases, fleets are finding that they can retrofit their trucks and trailers for less than $10 a light.

If you are thinking about switching from incandescent to LED lights, here are four questions to ask yourself:

• How long do you plan to keep your vehicle? LED lights use less electricity and last longer than incandescent lights. They also have a more consistent output over their lifetime, depreciating only 7 percent in lumen output over 25,000 hours. Although they may cost more initially, LED lights may be a cost-saver if you are planning to keep a vehicle for more than a year or two.
• How rough is the terrain your trucks travel? An LED light does not have a filament. This is one reason why it better resists jostling from rough terrain and minor accidental impacts, such as bumping into a loading dock.
• What kind of weather conditions do your trucks operate in? LED lights have a color temperature that is more blue-white. Blue-white light is closer to the sun’s color temperature and provides greater visibility for trucks and trailers. LEDs also produce light at a wavelength that’s within the melatonin suppression zone, which can reduce drowsiness for drivers.
• What are your CSA concerns? A light that isn’t working is a six-point CSA violation. Because of their longer life and greater durability, LED lights are less likely to break or burn out on the job.

Road Choice® Can Meet Your Lighting Needs

Whether you decide to go with LEDs or incandescent lights, Road Choice has you covered. Road Choice lights are available in a wide range of applications, including stop / tail / turn, backup, mid-ship turn, clearance marker, license, Panelite® Millennium series, dome, ABS and utility work lights.

Road Choice LED lights are backed by a one-diode lifetime warranty. This means that any LED light will be replaced by the manufacturer if even a single diode fails at any point during the life of the light. All Road Choice lights are sealed using sound waves instead of glue to make them waterproof, and are constructed of lightweight, impact-resistant materials.

Road Choice incandescent lights are backed by a three-year warranty. Like our LED lights, each Road Choice incandescent light is sealed using sound waves instead of glue to make it waterproof, and constructed of durable, lightweight materials. Many Road Choice incandescent lights are also equipped with shock-proof sockets to guarantee long bulb life.

Road Choice also offers mounting grommets, plugs and pigtails for easy light installation.

Check out the Road Choice Lighting Catalog to learn more about the wide selection of top-quality LED and incandescent lights we offer at a value price. You can also find lighting diagrams and a complete list of federal lighting requirements. Once you find the lights you need, contact a retailer near you to place your order.