Diode Dynamics - SS3 Ditch Lights - White/Yellow base models have different emitters that may affect later lens swap

[mcd_ovrlnd]

About to go down a rabbit hole on an issue that maybe doesn't matter. Looking at Diode Dynamics SS3 LED pods for ditch lights. You can buy a model that comes with a white lens or a model that comes with a yellow lens. You can, after market, swap out the lens for a different color. Issue is that DD builds the white light and the yellow light a little different. The white uses 6,000k emitters, the yellow 4,000k emitters. So, if you buy the white model and then at some point decide to put a yellow lens on it, it will look a bit different than if you originally bought the yellow model. Vice versa as well. They explain this in the video below starting around 0:50. Maybe the difference is so negligible that it doesn't matter. Just can't decide which base model to buy if I do, at some point, plan on swapping out lens for different trips.

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[Joestac]

Curious as well since I've never had ditch lights and I have been eyeing them for my TH. Seems like I'd want to go white with a brighter light since the point of these is to see better. I have only used the amber fogs on my TH once during some heavy fog, I use white all the other time as they are brighter. Am I missing something about the amber other than looks?

 

[mcd_ovrlnd]

Amber/yellow is good in fog, but equally good in snow and dust. White is really only good if you are overloading in perfect weather and even then I can have a strain on your eyes. Amber/yellow performs way better in fog, snow, dust and rain and easier on the eyes. I may have just answered my own question.

 

[Joestac]

Amber/yellow is good in fog, but equally good in snow and dust. White is really only good if you are overloading in perfect weather and even then I can have a strain on your eyes. Amber/yellow performs way better in fog, snow, dust and rain and easier on the eyes. I may have just answered my own question.

That does make sense as they did better in the fog, thus the use. No snow to speak of for me in Central Texas, but we do get some rain pretty bad sometimes. Seems like maybe amber then for ditch.

 

[127.0.0.1]

you want yellow for ditch lights 'cuz about 99% the time it's dusty and yellow
cuts thru dust very well. and rain and fog. but it's the dust which blinds you
especially if you aren't the only vehicle driving around. amber is OK too but
imho amber cuts too much visible light

 

[ngfilla94]

About to go down a rabbit hole on an issue that maybe doesn't matter. Looking at Diode Dynamics SS3 LED pods for ditch lights. You can buy a model that comes with a white lens or a model that comes with a yellow lens. You can, after market, swap out the lens for a different color. Issue is that DD builds the white light and the yellow light a little different. The white uses 6,000k emitters, the yellow 4,000k emitters. So, if you buy the white model and then at some point decide to put a yellow lens on it, it will look a bit different than if you originally bought the yellow model. Vice versa as well. They explain this in the video below starting around 0:50. Maybe the difference is so negligible that it doesn't matter. Just can't decide which base model to buy if I do, at some point, plan on swapping out lens for different trips.

If you're ever going to swap them out. Go with the white version. The color difference when swapping over to the yellow lens is pretty negligible, but if you were to do it the other way around it's very noticeable. I believe the goal when models get refreshed is switching to 6000k emitters, regardless of lens color, as they already have made that change on the SSC2 2.0 and new Stage Series light bars. To compensate for that change, the new yellow lenses are a slightly different shade to get the same output color.

 

[mcd_ovrlnd]

Diode says in their comments that if you buy the white and then put on the yellow lens it’s a bit washed out because the white is 6,000 and the oem yellow is 4,000. They call it hyper yellow, rather than the full yellow you get if you buy the oem yellow lens model.
That’s what I am stuck on. I envision swapping out the lens based on type of trip and wonder which is better to have. Sounds like you think 6,000.

 

[ngfilla94]

Diode says in their comments that if you buy the white and then put on the yellow lens it’s a bit washed out because the white is 6,000 and the oem yellow is 4,000. They call it hyper yellow, rather than the full yellow you get if you buy the oem yellow lens model.
That’s what I am stuck on. I envision swapping out the lens based on type of trip and wonder which is better to have. Sounds like you think 6,000.

Depending on how long you're willing to wait, I think the SS3s are getting ready to go through a refresh, so your dilemma may be eliminated. I have no idea the timeframe on that, though. Worst case, get what you think you'll use most now and sell them when the new ones come out.

 

[mcd_ovrlnd]

Maybe I do Baja Designs Squadron Pro. They are 5,000k.

 

[Nodak]

5000k to 5500k is considered neutral white or direct, bright sunlight

6000k to 6500k is considered a bluer "daylight" or overcast sky

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