Whether you’re a “just-beginner” 4×4 racer or an experienced driver, when putting together a mod wish list, one of the initial elements is often the brightest assist lighting you can install.
Let’s face it, the OEM lighting offered by automakers today is a little disappointing given the speed that both 4WDs and our brave Australian fauna can reach. Being able to project your vision forward can mean the difference between reaching your destination after dark or threading Sonny’s best friend deep into a grille.
ARB has over 45 years of experience in manufacturing 4×4 equipment and after releasing the original series of LED lights, Intensity listened to customer feedback to develop lights with improved design and performance. Customers appreciate the ability to vary the light output, but why would you want to reduce the impact of your spot?
Well, some of the feedback the ARB has received is that its lights are too bright when it hits reflective road signs. In some cases, the rebound blinded the driver, completely nullifying the point’s purpose. Of course, you can turn off the spotlight offline, but bringing back real-time driver night vision isn’t ideal.
After using the lights for the last month, I have found the best power point for a medium sized boat when driving in a level 3 city. Going outside the city, more lighting power can be used to reach the maximum level 5. Moreover, with this average power, using only two of the three Solis lights mounted on the front of the Hilux still makes my original eBay triple LED light quite depressing.
ARB offers Solis in separate Flood and Spot variants, but when installed side by side, you will completely notice the difference visually. When ARB’s technicians designed the Solis layout, they kept the motherboard electronics, LED placement, and die-cast aluminum chassis the same.
The only change is now a one-piece reflector. This reduces manufacturing costs as most LED fixtures use a single cup of the same shape for each LED, which also reduces the space available in traditional round housings. ARB reversed the script and developed an unusual shape for the Solis Cup, taking advantage of the larger available housing area by cramming 36 LEDs into roughly the same area as the original 32 Intensity LED design.
Solis uses a combination of 30 4W OSRAM LEDs and 6 German-made 10W LEDs to generate 165W of power. However, the hexagonal arrangement of the more powerful 10W LEDs should be as close to the center of the lamp as possible, and the lower power LEDs should be placed around them (and one inside the hexagon) to make the edges of the 10W LEDs more pronounced. more visible.
The result is an 11° expansion of the Flood with a segmented/gradient cup surface, while a more focused 6° expansion of the Spot is achieved with a smooth surface. Given that the Flood Reflector refracts the target light, the power output drops slightly to 8333 lumens while the Spot Reflector reaches 9546 lumens.
However, if suite data is more important to you, Solis will also help you. Using two Spot (obviously) ARBs, I was able to record standard measurements of 1 lux at a distance of 1462 m from the light source. Using just one spotlight, Solis was still able to capture 1 lux of light from a kilometer away at 1032m. A change by one flood brought that figure down to a still respectable 729m.
With all the fantastic numbers on paper, they give engineers a valuable percentage of improvement and where buyers can go next, but in the real world, light quality will prove to be the most effective. A typical example is the ability of a reflector to follow a light after it has been in front of the driver. Do it wrong and all drivers will focus on the bouncing ball of focused light ahead. It’s not ideal when you have to look for turbocharged baggies or road hazards.
By shaping the Solis reflector cup into an irregular shape, ARB engineers were able to redirect some of the focused light, creating the fade needed to reduce the intensity of the center light. There is still some intensity in the center of the beam, but the reduction in harsh edges reduces eye strain significantly.
With the abilities of most would-be automotive electricians whose wiring under the hood resembles Bali’s telephone poles, it’s no surprise that ARB continues to develop its own machines for the Solis. However, this is more of a necessity, since the loom also has to deal with the new dimming feature.
The distinguishing feature of the cab-mounted dimmer is that it acts as a switch when the ARB symbol is pressed, illuminates the logo in red when turned off, and eliminates the need for a separate power switch on the dash for wiring. The ARB range also includes all pre-wired fuse holders and fuses for H4 and HB3/HB4 headlamp bulbs, ring terminal battery accessories and plug and play interceptor harnesses. If your 4×4 has negative switching headlights (eg Hilux), there are detailed instructions for installing a switching relay on a Solis loom. However, you will have to use your own switching relay.
The loom is rated for the current of two spotlights and is insulated with a strong conduit. The final connection between the loom and the lanterns is through waterproof Deutsch style connectors for each lantern. However, it is not recommended to sew a third or fourth light to the loom. The reason is that the Solis controller uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to tell the electronics inside the spotlight what level of brightness you want them to be. The good news is that ARB is working on a loom that allows you to control more than two lights with a single dimmer, but at the same time you have to use a dimmer and a loom for every two lights.
Being at the forefront of 4×4 lenses, it goes without saying that if something flies and hits them, a solid set of lenses will give you peace of mind. ARB did this the first time they installed a tough polycarbonate lens in their original strength range and used it again on the Solis. To further double your protection, they also come with a clear, removable polycarbonate cover, but there are full blackout or amber color options if you want to change up the look later.
The lower part of the lens with a beveled round shape allows engineers to bring the center of gravity closer to the bottom of the lamp. They also placed most of the electronics and heatsinks closest to the base. This naturally reduces the arm of the supporting light housing relative to the bracket, further reducing vibrations that can be seen in the projected light. ARB has also replaced the mount with high pressure molded aluminum, the same material as the heatsink and lens ring.
Often overlooked is electrical noise from powerful equipment. Listening to the radio while using my old eBay flashlight was never an option, unless I was in the mood to enjoy smooth static without the beating. Switched to a Solis lamp with a quality circuit, and now this static is happily zero.
With so many lighting products on the market, it’s hard to come up with something new and innovative, but ARB has made it possible.
ARB lists two Solis options, MSRP: $349 each; Essential Two-Light Loom, MSRP: $89. Suggested retail price for a replacement amber or black case: $16 each.
With features such as dimmer control, thoughtful physical design, incredible power and light quality, customization, and excellent backup support from a well-known Australian company, the 4×4 driver has become a great choice.
Post time: Oct-25-2022