Diode Dynamics ss3 max or pro? What lens type should I use?

[Hoote]

I’m installing some DD ss3 lights and I am looking for suggestions for those that are familiar with them.

I off road every other month but mostly do city/freeway with some highway driving. But the winters in Winnipeg are awful and often visibility in blizzards goes down to 0. I need good lights to see in bad weather but also white lights to see far and to the sides on the highway in clear conditions. Other than the DD ss3 fogs which would be for stormy weather, all my ss3 pods will be in my grill. Right now I have two Baja designs lights and 3 Amazon lights in my grill, which I will be replacing with the ss3 pods (picture of my current setup attached).

To combat this I’m getting the SS3 Max Amber fog lights for my Jeep but I also have space for 3-5 ss3 pods as driving/off road lights on clear conditions. My budget would allow me to get 3 max or 5 pro pods. I’m looking for suggestions on if I should go pro or max and what lens I should get to suit my needs. Should these be all white or yellow or a mix?

Some of my thoughts:
-3 x max in white driving will allow me to see far down the road and to the sides a bit if I angle them out somewhat. It will also give me the option to add two more lights later on if I want. My concern is that the beam pattern is too tight and will be more of like a spotlight and won’t be able to cover the sides very well. Although I will have the amber fog lights which do go out to the sides.

-5 x pros in white driving. The beam pattern for the pros is wider and taller, and would cover the sides of the road a bit better especially if I turn them out somewhat. They won’t shoot as far down the road, but I’m wondering at this point would it make much of a difference over the max for what I’m doing.

-mix the lenses on either the three max or the five pros so I have some driving, fog and maybe even combo lenses to try to get more lights out to the side. However, I was told that the flood and the combo lenses really are weak, and are only good for slow driving and have to be pointed out to the sides to be affective (which is harder with my grill mount setup).

Thanks in advance!!

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[Mx5red]

I put the ss3 max fog lights in, I think they are ideal for what you are asking. They are very wide, they have a sharp horizontal cutoff to keep from blinding other drivers since they will be used on the road all the time, and since they are low you will have much less glare off of snow.. you don’t want lights up high in the snow.
If it’s actually snowing it can be counterproductive adding more light as you can get more glare.
So it’s up to you how many and what lights you set up for off-roading but a few SS3 fogs are perfect for driving in the snow.

 

[Windshieldfarmer]

I too have ss3 max fogs in amber and like them. I also have a factory front bumper bar where I installed a high powered Baja Design 10” light bar with a combination lense; with likely the same effect you would receive with your grill mounts. I like the Amber in poor visibility situations but very much like the white combo for most other situations.

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

Anything other than the Fog lenses will create a ton of glare in snow. It would be like turning on your high beams, but even worse. And if the snow is bad enough that you truly need amber fogs, you shouldn’t be driving 70 mph anymore and so won’t need to see hundreds of yards down the road.

The fog beam is fairly wide, but they are not a replacement for ditch lights. There is nothing stopping you from getting a second set of fog lenses and pointing them 45 degrees outwards on the bumper. That will throw farther than the flood lenses, and still work ok in snow. I generally don’t need to see way out to the side in a blizzard though, just directly in front of me. A second set of lights probably isn’t road legal, but staying with the fog lenses all around would at least stop you from blinding everyone around you. assuming you aim them right of course.

 

[Hoote]

Anything other than the Fog lenses will create a ton of glare in snow. It would be like turning on your high beams, but even worse. And if the snow is bad enough that you truly need amber fogs, you shouldn’t be driving 70 mph anymore and so won’t need to see hundreds of yards down the road.

The fog beam is fairly wide, but they are not a replacement for ditch lights. There is nothing stopping you from getting a second set of fog lenses and pointing them 45 degrees outwards on the bumper. That will throw farther than the flood lenses, and still work ok in snow. I generally don’t need to see way out to the side in a blizzard though, just directly in front of me. A second set of lights probably isn’t road legal, but staying with the fog lenses all around would at least stop you from blinding everyone around you. assuming you aim them right of course.

Sorry, actually the ss3 white lights would be for clear highway driving. I realized I didn’t make this clear in my post.

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

Sorry, actually the ss3 white lights would be for clear highway driving. I realized I didn’t make this clear in my post.

Ahh, in that case I love the driving pattern lens on my pair of SS5 pros. It throws a bit further to my high beams, but the beam is much wider, taller, and has more spill. My driving pros are over 9,000 lumens each, and 170,000 cd.

Two driving lens pros, with the lights angled so that each edge barely overlaps would give you wide coverage. Much wider than your current high beams. 3 would give you super wide coverage. Add 1-2 spot lenses aimed straight down and it would be my ideal lonely highway setup. I’ve thought about adding 1-2 SS5 sports with the spot lenses (400k cd each) for highway use, but I mostly use these offroad so I don’t really need the extra distance.

 

[McRubicon]

I have both the amber ss3 max fogs and ss3 pro spots in white. For snow and heavy rain I use the amber covers on the spots. Very easy to use, and you have the choice.

 

[Hoote]

Ahh, in that case I love the driving pattern lens on my pair of SS5 pros. It throws a bit further to my high beams, but the beam is much wider, taller, and has more spill. My driving pros are over 9,000 lumens each, and 170,000 cd.

Two driving lens pros, with the lights angled so that each edge barely overlaps would give you wide coverage. Much wider than your current high beams. 3 would give you super wide coverage. Add 1-2 spot lenses aimed straight down and it would be my ideal lonely highway setup. I’ve thought about adding 1-2 SS5 sports with the spot lenses (400k cd each) for highway use, but I mostly use these offroad so I don’t really need the extra distance.

Thank you, I greatly appreciate the feedback. Yeah, it would almost be better to get the pros due to the spill. DD doesn't have an in between light for the max, its either a very narrow driving lens or a combo or a flood which dilutes the light too much and fog doesn't have the range.

 

[Hoote]

I have both the amber ss3 max fogs and ss3 pro spots in white. For snow and heavy rain I use the amber covers on the spots. Very easy to use, and you have the choice.

Good idea on the amber covers. Quick way to get more amber light

 

[Cyber_Jeeper]

Thank you, I greatly appreciate the feedback. Yeah, it would almost be better to get the pros due to the spill. DD doesn't have an in between light for the max, its either a very narrow driving lens or a combo or a flood which dilutes the light too much and fog doesn't have the range.

Thats one of the reasons why I went with Baja Designs for my ditch lights. Their wide cornering lens is in between the Fog and Driving beams from DD in width.

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