Penton has been a distributor of LED light bars since 2006. They distribute 5 light bar product lines from both US and Australian warehouses. Product lines correspond to different manufacturers, but there is little in their specifications to distinguish between them. Mainly, the lines differ by styling and mounting configurations. The 24 inch LED light bar reviewed here is part of their A-Series product line. It is the shortest light bar in this line, which goes as long as 52 inches.
Penton A-Series 24″ LED Light Bar Details
This double-row light with 20 3W LEDs in each row is clearly aimed at the budget-minded customer with a price point around $50. Despite the frugal price point, you can see in the summary of buyers who have left a Penton LED light bar review that most buyers are quite satisfied with its performance. Its raw lumen output of 100lm per watt rivals that of much more expensive light bars.
More than a Work Light
Penton’s A-Series 24 inch light bar is touted as a “work light” but its size and power make it perfectly suitable for highway or off-road vehicles as well as ATVs, UTVs, or commercial and farm vehicles. The stock model comes as a combo beam with the center section dedicated to the spot function and two side sections producing flood illumination. All flood or all spot configurations are available also.
Although it is listed as a 24 inch LED light bar, the actual size of the light’s housing is about 21 inches. With the flange mounts, the entire length is 24 inches. Mounting hardware is included by the way, but a wiring harness is not.
Specifications
Feature | Description |
Nominal power | 120W |
Raw lumen output | 12000lm |
Outer dimensions | 24″L x 4″ x 5″ including mounting hardware |
Weight | 12.5 lbs. |
IP rating | IP67 |
Input voltage | 10 to 30 VDC |
Nominal current | 8.2A @ 12V |
Number of LEDs | 40 3W Epsitar LEDS made in China |
Light color | 6000K blue-white spectrum |
Beam Pattern | Spot, Flood or Combo |
Lens Material | Toughened glass without lensing |
Extras | Universal wiring harness available separately |
Warranty | 2 years |
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Impressive lighting power for an affordable price
- Finned housing is good at wicking away LED heat
- Custom wiring harness is good quality
Cons
- 6000K can induce nighttime driving fatigue
- Penton does not manufacture the lights they sell
- IP67 means you should silicone-seal the light bar seams in wet climates
What Buyers Are Saying
The Penton 24 Inch LED light bar is one of the more well-reviewed light bars, so you know it is a popular choice. Furthermore, this light bar gets high marks from most buyers, but that is not to say there are not a significant number of purchasers who were disappointed by performance, installation or maintenance issues.
Spot Beam Falls Short
The vast majority of reviewers find the amount of light produced by the Epsitar 3W LEDs to be at least adequate and some even dare to compare the beams to well-known and more expensive brands. A few, however, are not satisfied with the spot function, which is understandable given the rather broad 30 degree spot of the Penton compared to 10 degree spots of top tier light bars.
When 24 Inches Is Actually 21
The most frequent complaint in any Penton LED light bar review is that Penton chooses to measure the length of their light bars as including the end brackets, which no other light bar maker does. Many were disappointed that the light bar housing was shorter than expected, which resulted in a fit that did not meet original expectations.
Other Minor Problems
Other shortfalls that are noted include stripped mounting hole threads, sketchy instructions and moisture ingress. Like many less expensive light bars, these really need to have the seams silicone-sealed right out of the box.
A Light that Finds Many Uses
The light is certainly versatile and many buyers do use it exclusively for illuminating work or camping areas. Others have found novel uses including mounting it on a boat for duck hunting, for nighttime fishing and for lighting up their home’s back yard.
Note about the Missing Wiring Harness
This Penton 120W light bar does not come with a wiring harness. It is ordered separately and from buyers’ observations, it pays to purchase the one from Penton and not from a 3rd party. The quality between the two is significant but the price is not.
Conclusion
Without CREE LEDs, an IP67 rating and a less than rugged die-cast aluminum housing, the Penton 120W 24″ LED light bar is not going to impress the off-road 4WD racing circuit. However, it is an excellent utility light at a very affordable price for many other uses including trail and highway illumination.
One has to question how well this light will stand up under rough conditions, but on the other hand, one could easily afford to buy a spare light if they have reason to expect the original to fail. In any case, for those who want lots of lumens without a high price or are just dipping their toes into LED light bars, this may be an ideal first choice in terms of both size and illumination power.
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