Both bars are the same Pro Series 3.0 build. The difference is how many rows of LEDs sit in the housing, and that changes three things you will notice: how tall the bar is, how much light it makes for its length, and what it costs. This guide puts a 30 inch single row and a 30 inch double row side by side, then walks through which to pick for your mount, which LED power to choose, and where to shop. If you are still choosing a length, start with the light bar size guide or browse all LED light bars.
- Short on height (grille, low rack clearance, tight bumper opening): choose a single row. The housing is about 2 inches tall.
- Short on length, want the most light: choose a double row. It has twice the LEDs at the same length and is 3-1/4 inches tall.
- Either way, pick the 5W build. It lists about 76 to 77 percent more raw lumens than the 3W build for a price step of 8 to 26 percent.
- Same on both: IP69K rated, military grade, 12 to 30V DC, harness with fuse, relay and switch included, and spot, flood or combo optics.
What is the real difference between a single row and a double row light bar?
A single row bar has one line of reflector cells, one LED per inch of nominal length. A double row has two lines, so a 30 inch double row carries 60 LEDs where a 30 inch single row carries 30. The extra row makes the housing taller (3-1/4 inches against about 2 inches) and a little deeper, but the length and the mounting footprint stay close. Here are the two drawn to scale from the official Black Oak drawings.
Front and side views of a 30 inch single row and a 30 inch double row, drawn to the same scale. Dimensions come from the official drawings; LED counts come from each product's Specs tab.
| 30 inch | Single row | Double row |
|---|---|---|
| Rows of LEDs | 1 | 2 |
| LEDs | 30 | 60 |
| Housing length | 31-15/16 in | 32 in |
| Housing height | about 2 in | 3-1/4 in |
| Depth | 3-1/4 in | 3-1/2 in |
| Weight | 8.6 lbs | 10.8 lbs |
| 5W build / 3W build | 150W / 90W | 300W / 180W |
| Raw lumens, 5W build | not listed | 39,600 |
| Rating and voltage | IP69K, 12 to 30V DC | IP69K, 12 to 30V DC |
Source: product Specs tabs and official drawings for the 30 inch single row and 30 inch double row.
Which one fits your mount: single row or double row?
Start with the space, not the spec sheet. Measure the vertical room and the width, then use the tabs below. Vertical room favors the single row; if height is not an issue, the double row gives you more light from the same width.
- A bumper opening that is 4 inches or taller takes a double row. A slim or split opening points to a single row.
- Typical lengths: 20 to 40 inch. Compare the 40 inch bars.
- Roof bars are the longest, so output per inch matters. A 50 inch double row carries 100 LEDs; a 50 inch single row carries 50.
- Where a roof rack leaves little clearance, a single row can be the only one that fits. Read a real 30 inch single row install under rack crossbars.
- Typical lengths: 40 to 50 inch. See the 50 inch bars.
- At 6 inches a double row packs 12 LEDs in a very small footprint; a single row packs 6. The 6 inch single row is about 1.6 lbs.
- Browse 6 inch and 10 inch bars, or see where each size mounts in the mounting locations guide.
Decide in three questions
Beam pattern is a separate choice from row count. If you are not sure whether you want spot, flood or combo, read combo beam light bars explained first. Curved bars follow a windshield or roofline; see the curved double row bars.
Does a double row light bar give more light than a single row?
At the same length, yes. The Specs tabs work out to about 660 raw lumens per 5W LED (20 LEDs list 13,200), so doubling the LEDs doubles the listed raw lumens. The less obvious point is that length and rows trade off. A 20 inch double row and a 40 inch single row both carry 40 LEDs and both list 26,400 raw lumens on the 5W build. If you have the length but not the height, a longer single row gets you the same LED count; if you have the height but not the length, the double row does.
| Size | Single row LEDs | Single row 5W / 3W | Single row raw lumens (5W) | Double row LEDs | Double row 5W / 3W | Double row raw lumens (5W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6" | 6 | 30W | 3,960 | 12 | 60W | 7,920 |
| 10" | 10 | 50W / 30W | not listed | 20 | 100W / 60W | 13,200 |
| 20" | 20 | 100W / 60W | 13,200 | 40 | 200W / 120W | 26,400 |
| 30" | 30 | 150W / 90W | not listed | 60 | 300W / 180W | 39,600 |
| 40" | 40 | 200W / 120W | 26,400 | 80 | 400W / 240W | 52,800 |
| 50" | 50 | 250W / 150W | 33,000 | 100 | 500W / 300W | 66,000 |
5W and 3W wattage and 5W raw lumens from each product's Specs tab. "Not listed" means the Specs tab does not publish a figure for that bar. Raw lumens are the LED rating, not measured output at the lens. Size fuses and wire from the wattage, not from the listed amp draw, and use the included relay.
On price, a double row at current 5W pricing costs roughly 25 to 40 percent more than a single row of the same length for twice the LEDs. For example, the 30 inch single row 5W build is $675 and the 30 inch double row 5W build is $940, which works out to about $22.50 per LED against about $15.70. Prices change, so check the product page.
Should you choose the 3W or the 5W build?
Choose the 5W build. Every single row and double row bar in the Pro Series 3.0 line comes in 3W and 5W Osram LED versions, and the Specs tabs list the 5W LED at about 76 to 77 percent more raw lumens than the 3W LED of the same bar. The price step is much smaller than the gain: from 8 percent on the 40 inch double row to 26 percent on the 20 inch single row. You get more light for each added dollar, and the housing, brackets and harness are the same.
+11% price
+17% price
+16% price
+8% price
+26% price
+24% price
+11% price
Raw lumens and prices from each product's Specs tab and current variant prices, 3W build against 5W build of the same bar and beam. Bar length is scaled to the largest value shown.
What is the same on a single row and a double row bar?
Everything except the row count and the numbers that follow from it. Both lines are military grade and IP69K rated, which means the sealed housing is rated against high-pressure, high-temperature water jets and dust, the top of the IP scale (here is what IP ratings mean). Both run on 12 to 30V DC, both use Osram LEDs in 3W and 5W versions, both offer spot (15 degree), flood (45 degree) and combo optics, and both ship with a wiring harness with fuse, relay and switch, plus stainless mounting brackets and hardware. For more on LED wattage, see this older Black Oak post on LED power and Cree vs Osram.
Shop 5W single row and double row light bars
Each link below opens the 5W combo build. You can switch to spot or flood on the product page.
Double row, 5W
10 inch double row5W combo build, 100W
20 inch double row5W combo build, 200W
30 inch double row5W combo build, 300W
40 inch double row5W combo build, 400W
50 inch double row5W combo build, 500W
Single row, 5W
10 inch single row5W combo build, 50W
20 inch single row5W combo build, 100W
30 inch single row5W combo build, 150W
40 inch single row5W combo build, 200W
50 inch single row5W combo build, 250W
Prefer a smaller light? LED pods and round lights cover ditch, A-pillar and bumper-corner spots a bar will not fit.
Single row vs double row light bar FAQ
Is a double row light bar brighter than a single row?
At the same length, yes. A double row has twice the LEDs, so its listed raw lumens are about double: the 20 inch double row lists 26,400 raw lumens on the 5W build, against 13,200 for the 20 inch single row. A 40 inch single row lists the same 26,400, so you can get the same LED count with a single row if you have the length but not the height.
Will a single row fit where a double row will not?
Often, yes. The single row housing is about 2 inches tall, while the double row housing is 3-1/4 inches tall, so single row bars suit grilles, low roof-rack clearance and tight bumper openings. Measure the vertical space first and compare it to the side-view dimensions above.
How much more does a double row cost?
At current 5W prices a double row costs roughly 25 to 40 percent more than a single row of the same length, for twice the LEDs. That makes the cost per LED lower on the double row, while the single row is the lower entry price.
Should I buy the 3W or the 5W build?
For most buyers we recommend the 5W build. Per the Specs tab it gives about 76 to 77 percent more raw lumens than the 3W build of the same bar, and the price step is 8 to 26 percent depending on size. Choose 3W only when budget is the deciding factor or you want the lowest power draw.
Do single row and double row bars come with the same wiring and ratings?
Yes. Both ship with a wiring harness with fuse, relay and switch, plus mounting brackets and hardware, run on 12 to 30V DC, and are IP69K rated and military grade. The row count changes size and output, not the build.
Does the row count change the beam pattern?
No. Spot (15 degree), flood (45 degree) and combo optics are offered on both. Pick the beam for how you drive or work, then pick single or double row for fit and output.
Designed and engineered in Sarasota, Florida.
