china led lights on the cheap (product review)

[battlebuddy618]

I've see all the posts from individuals and manufacturers concerning these cheap led lights that companies are "re branding" and selling as there own. I thought if a guy could find the lights direct from china you could get them even cheaper. My thoughts are you get what you pay for so if your going to buy a low quality product get it for as cheap as possible!

The problem I quickly found with that idea is that most websites that offer these lights want you to buy in large quantities. I briefly thought about importing a batch of these light myself and selling the extras off to my buddies but things like customs inspections, business licenses, and tax ID's brought me right back to my senses.

So I consulted my old friend ebay. The problem with ebay especially with any kind of electronics is the sheer volume of items up for sale. I found many LED light bars for sale but most sellers were either adding the cost of importing the lights from china or manufacturers were selling direct from china but wanted a metric crap ton to ship them to America.

After a few hours of searching I came across this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=251010024796

It was for two 36W 7" led lights for $219.00 with free shipping! They looked just like the kind available for resale by numerous vendors and were 1/2 what some were trying to sell them for. I ordered them up and about 10 days later here's what I got.

The Styrofoam packaging was taped up and stuck in a DHL shipping bag. Not what I would call extra careful packaging but they did show up in decently good shape and they do work so I cant complain. Also I got no relay, switch, wiring, or instructions of any kind. They didn't have a brand name of any kind on them at all.

Here's a few pics of them out of their packaging. I apologize for the low quality pictures. My DSLR was at my brothers house and the shitty blackberry phone camera is all I have currently.



I went to lowes got some alligator clips and wire and made me up a test harness to make sure they worked. The sellers return policy was 7 days so I wanted to make sure they were ok right away. I did a test by driving out of town and hooking the lights up while they were sitting on the radiator support of my truck. For comparison I first took pics of the low and high beams of my 2012 chevy 2500 truck.

chevy 2500 low beams only

chevy 2500 high beams

LED's alone


LED's and high beams

Keep in mind that I specified the flood light style of light and also that these lights were just sitting on the radiator support on my truck and were not at all set up for optimum light pattern.

Hopefully this will help some looking for the cheap LED lights. I plan to run run these on my buggy this season and will report back with how they hold up.

Also it should be said that I am in no way affiliated with the person listing these lights on Ebay or the manufacturer of these lights.

[dragogt]

Sub'd like to see how they hold up..

[BMFNTOY]

Originally Posted by dragogt

Sub'd like to see how they hold up..

Same!

[FordX4-offroad]

meh... fawk it. i think ill just get some now. if i do, ill be sure to share as well

[red racer]

More cheap crap from china......less jobs for america

[battlebuddy618]

You forgot to capitalize America in your post.

Southpark - They Took Our Job! - YouTube

[bigredkacy]

How did they do?

Would you buy again?

[battlebuddy618]

Well to be honest they are still sitting on my snack bar. My rig isn't together yet so I've done nothing other than turn them on for the "test".

I'll post back up once I get some more use out of them.

[orbot]

Come.. ive bought some, they work fine.. all that crap abuout better products and this and that is just talk.. prove to me they make their own parts.

As for the lights it depends on who you buy them from and comunication, i get mine well packed... 80% the item compared to the US brands and 50% the cost you get what you pay for sure, but if you take of things they last a while.

[78stepsideUAK10]

Wonder how one spot and one flood would look

[bigredkacy]

Originally Posted by 78stepsideUAK10

Wonder how one spot and one flood would look

I ordered a flood.
Next i will order a spot!

[Rock Toy]

What light angle did you order your lights in?

[talonxracer]

I bought the 120w light bar and the amount of light it puts out is impressive. I got it in the flood pattern, 60 degrees, only because I also ordered two 40w 4 x 10w CREE 25 degree spots to compliment the flood. I plan on mounting the lights up on the targa bar on a light mount. Here is the light bar mounted low.

[Rock Toy]

Talon, where did you get that one and what did you pay? That an E-Bay special?

[talonxracer]

Originally Posted by Rock Toy

Talon, where did you get that one and what did you pay? That an E-Bay special?

I got that directly from China, Hanma is the companies name. The Aussies are having excellent success with these lights. It ended up costing 236$ to my door via DHL in 5 days time. They have a 30 and 60 degree version. http://www.hanma-auto.com.cn/product...Light_Bar.html

I have a pair of these to compliment the 120W flood bar, 4x10w CREE modules http://www.hanma-auto.com.cn/product...ork_light.html


I looked, searched, asked and begged for a budget set of LED lights with a made in the USA label, but alas no one is willing to make them, so the company that does gets my money.

[Slowerthanu]

This is the kind of thread I was looking for.

I don't compete and I don't wheel at night enough to justify a $400.00 light bar but I can convince myself that $250.00 is reasonable.

[Slowerthanu]

Oh also, fuck yeah to Chinese translation!

"Product Feature:
Wide operating voltage range: it can apply to different types of trucks,cars,and other vehicles
The appearance of fine craft and easy to install brackets
Different sizes to choose from installed in different locations
Different light pattern from flood beam and spot beam
Long life: more than ordinary advanced LED light bulbs, more than 30000 hours life
Aluminum casing, shock-proof waterproof better
Light perception: a softer light to prevent glare
Waterproof and anti-corrosion: it can in the rain or harsh environments
One year limited warranty"

[talonxracer]

That isnt a whole lot worse than redneckese, and probably significantly better than 30% of high school grads.....LOL, LOL, LOL

[talonxracer]

Originally Posted by Slowerthanu

This is the kind of thread I was looking for.

I don't compete and I don't wheel at night enough to justify a $400.00 light bar but I can convince myself that $250.00 is reasonable.

My thinking exactly, I wanted a budget light. I have no need for a baja ready light and good enough truely is good enough for my needs. I have to work within a budget and make the most of my purchases.

[X-Rated]

website says 10 is the minimum order, how did you get only one?

[talonxracer]

I emailed them and requested a price and shipping quote for the light I wanted, whamo bammo they replied very promptly and they had absolutely no issues with small purchases. http://www.hanma-auto.com/contact-us

[supersize75k5]

Originally Posted by Slowerthanu

This is the kind of thread I was looking for.

I don't compete and I don't wheel at night enough to justify a $400.00 light bar but I can convince myself that $250.00 is reasonable.

So how smart will you or others feel when your cheap obvious half priced knock offs fail and you are stuck replacing them on your own dime... Thus you will have spend full price in the end or 1.5x the price if you finally order a rigid or visionx


The rigid lights at least have a office hear in sunny AZ with people you can communicate with and a limited lifetime warranty compared to your 1 year and 7 day return label only bs return crap.


I am all for saving a buck, but these are bull shit for trying to look like a rigid and I'll give anyone who buys them continuous shit for it.

[Rock Toy]

They are not a *little* cheaper. They are less than 1/3rd the cost. So whereas a 6" Rigid LED is $300, theirs is $54. That means that you can buy 5 of theirs for the same price as one Rigid light. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And there is no indication that the quality is any less. That is just your assumption. The AL is still AL. The LED's are still LED's. For the casual wheeler that does some occasional wheeling at night, this is a GREAT alternative. For the desert racers, probably not.

[battlebuddy618]

Originally Posted by supersize75k5

So how smart will you or others feel when your cheap obvious half priced knock offs fail and you are stuck replacing them on your own dime... Thus you will have spend full price in the end or 1.5x the price if you finally order a rigid or visionx


The rigid lights at least have a office hear in sunny AZ with people you can communicate with and a limited lifetime warranty compared to your 1 year and 7 day return label only bs return crap.


I am all for saving a buck, but these are bull shit for trying to look like a rigid and I'll give anyone who buys them continuous shit for it.

I'm fully prepared to have wasted a couple hundred bucks. I will not feel stupid for doing so at all and will never have enough money to buy a rigid or vision x light. I will probably replace the shitty china LED lights with some shitty china HID lights if they fail.

It's just like shopping at harbor freight. Some of the stuff is complete trash and some of it is pretty good especially when you factor in the low purchase price.

[supersize75k5]

Originally Posted by Rock Toy

They are not a *little* cheaper. They are less than 1/3rd the cost. So whereas a 6" Rigid LED is $300, theirs is $54. That means that you can buy 5 of theirs for the same price as one Rigid light. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And there is no indication that the quality is any less. That is just your assumption. The AL is still AL. The LED's are still LED's. For the casual wheeler that does some occasional wheeling at night, this is a GREAT alternative. For the desert racers, probably not.

I was referencing the priced posted above, I'd agree it would be hard to argue with your example for most people assuing all was equal.

That said I find some pride in my purchase and while you say my assumption that the knock off lack quality, I'd retort with the fact and record that the Rigid is proven where yours is a wild card.


I too am a recreational wheeler, so if I take time off work, drive the lady nuts staying up and getting ready for a trip, spend the gas, and head out to play I want parts to flipping work within reason and I should be able to have that expectation.


I can't afford to be cheap.


I'd also be less irritated if they were not trying to so hard to pass off for another brand. If they had their own look and feel that would be one thing, the fact that they don't means my rash of shit talkin will come down hard if they fail for anyone I know.