Vision X Solstice Solo s1100 LED

[slosurfer]

I picked up one of the Vision X Solstice Solo s1100's while at the Offroad Expo from Darick at http://visionxstore.com (thanks for the great deal ). I've been eyeing these for awhile, and have been wanting to get at least one to use as an aux. backup light.

They are a single 10watt LED that produces 800 lumens at .75amps and they are also modular and can be attached to each other easily. They come in your choice of "spot", "euro", or "flood" beams.Click here for the full specs.

I chose the euro beam because it seemed to have a wider throw than the flood beam and the spot was too concentrated to use as an aux reverse light. The main reason I needed an aux light (besides, being addicted to lights), is due to the placement of the stock reverse lights on the 2nd gen. The stock lights are pretty bright, but they are placed in the middle of the tailgate, which really sucks for when you are towing a trailer and trying to back up. Right now, when backing up the trailer, I just get a ton of light right on the front of the trailer and it is almost impossible to see the rear or sides of the trailer. I needed to get an aux light that was up high and shining down.

These things are pretty small, so I just mounted it to the metal "spoiler" on the rear of the 4runner. Simple install, just drilled a 1/4" hole and mounted it. Wireing it will be an easy two wire install, but running the wire will be a little harder since I’ve got to figure out how to get it ran into the window channel without looking hokey. (might need some suggestions on how to do this)

Here are the mounted pics (not wired up yet)




I’ll have some night shots in just a bit:

[slosurfer]

Better pics, still playing with my camera settings and I forgot to take the tripod with me. DOH!!! It was super foggy too! The first couple pics, I think I have the light aimed down too much, so I adjusted it up some for more distance.

reverse lights


both lights(those crappers are 90+ feet away)


trying to get a shot of the spread


While I was there, this spaceship landed (haha, it's a crappy pic, but it made me laugh and it shows how foggy it was)

[4x4mike]

Nice dude. Without seeing your euro beam shots I think it is the one to go with for this application. Are you still going to build a light with the garage sale lights?

As for wiring I'd go under the 4runner. If it were me in mine I'd tap into my aux power box that is under the stereo. Drop the power wire through the shifter tunnel and route it under the body. My rock lights are like this and I ran the wire along the e brake housing (it starts at the tunnel and goes to the rear). Keep the wire high and then snake it behind the rear bumper and through the molding at the rear door/tailgate. Run the wire up the door jamb to the spoiler. I think this way is better because you're not tearing your interior apart to run a wire and you don't disrupt the weatherstripping on the door. Another option depending on when you'll use the light (along with other lights) you could tap into your trailer harness if the wire will put up with your load. If you've got a 7 pin you've got a constant 12V.

[Seanz0rz]

you have an interesting situation with the wiring as there is nothing to drop it down or through. i would drill a hole for a grommet near the wiper motor, and run it around the headliner to the side panel, then forward under the sill plates (where your body harness is)

[slosurfer]

I added some crappy pics to the second post, I'll get better ones once I have them wired up and can go somewhere that will show the spread better.

Sean, I think I may have to do something similar to what you were saying. Mike, I like your idea, but I don't have a doorjamb to run it up, since it's a tailgate. I may try to see if I can get it in the window channel though. We'll see how it goes.

[4x4mike]

You should add those pics in the sh!tty pic thread instead on the rate my poo, J/K.
Looks pretty bright. I'm sure it gets warm but does it get hot? I'm wondering how hot after a couple of minutes and then after like 30 minutes.

[CYi5]

The plastic mounts for the spoiler may actually be hollow. Perhaps you could drill a hole into that and maybe into the door behind the spoiler mount and go in through there.

[slosurfer]

You should add those pics in the sh!tty pic thread instead on the rate my poo, J/K.
Looks pretty bright. I'm sure it gets warm but does it get hot? I'm wondering how hot after a couple of minutes and then after like 30 minutes.

That's exactly what I was thinking of when I was taking them (you should have seen the first ones , when all I did was turn off the flash ) There's only so much I could do with the canon sd1100 IS as far as adjustments.

I only had it on a couple minutes at a time, so not even long enough to get warm. I'll leave it on for a half hour one of these nights and see how it does. It's just going to go by how hot it feels to me, since I don't have a fancy laser thermometer.

CYi5, that's not a bad idea.

[slosurfer]

Here are a couple less crappy pics (i.e. less grainy) that I took at dusk last night, to hold you over till I get some better pics

stock reverse lights:


stock and solstice:

[slosurfer]

Better pics, still playing with my camera settings and I forgot to take the tripod with me. DOH!!! It was super foggy too! The first couple pics, I think I have the light aimed down too much, so I adjusted it up some for more distance.

reverse lights


both lights(those crappers are 90+ feet away)


trying to get a shot of the spread


While I was there, this spaceship landed (haha, it's a crappy pic, but it made me laugh and it shows how foggy it was)