Hella is a German vehicle lighting and electronics manufacturer that supplies tractors, combines, and agricultural machinery across the UK. The company was founded in 1899, makes lighting products in 7 broad agricultural categories (work lights, headlamps, beacons, marker lamps, rear lamps, interior lamps, and accessories), and sits in the upper-mid to premium tier of the market. This guide covers the agricultural product range, the model names UK farmers see most often, and how to choose the right Hella light for the job.
Who Is Hella and What Do They Make
Hella is a German vehicle lighting and electronics manufacturer headquartered in Lippstadt, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company was founded in 1899 by Sally Windmüller as Westfälische Metall-Industrie. The Hella name dates from 1908, taken from a horn product called “Hella”. In 2022, Hella joined the Forvia group, the world’s seventh-largest automotive supplier.
Hella employs around 125,000 people across the Forvia group and supplies most major car and truck manufacturers in Europe. The agricultural lighting range is a smaller share of the total business, but the engineering, testing, and manufacturing standards inherited from the automotive side carry over directly to the tractor and machinery products.
Three engineering strengths define the agricultural range. The first is optical design. Hella reflectors, lenses, and LED arrays come from the same labs that produce headlamps for premium passenger cars, and the beam patterns reflect that pedigree. The second is environmental sealing. Most Hella work lights and beacons carry IP67 or higher protection. The third is electromagnetic compatibility. Hella products meet ECE R10 EMC requirements without retrofit filters, which matters for tractors with GPS and ISOBUS electronics.
For the wider brand picture, see Agricultural Lighting Brands: Who Makes What and the Buying & Comparison hub.
Hella Work Lights for Agricultural Vehicles
Hella work lights cover halogen, xenon, and LED technology across more than 60 active models. The agricultural range concentrates on LED, with halogen retained for cost-sensitive replacements and xenon kept for a small number of heavy-duty applications.
Six work light families dominate UK agricultural fitment.
| Model family | Technology | Lumens | Voltage | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module 70 LED | LED | 1,500 | 9 to 33 V | Compact fender or A-pillar |
| Module 90 LED | LED | 1,500 to 2,500 | 9 to 33 V | Cab roof, fender, side mounts |
| Oval 100 LED | LED | 1,500 to 2,500 | 9 to 33 V | Cab roof, mid-output general work |
| Ultra Beam LED Gen IV | LED | 3,500 to 4,500 | 9 to 33 V | Combine, telehandler, premium work |
| Power Beam 5000/3500 | LED | up to 9,000 | 9 to 33 V | Heavy combine, sprayer, long-range |
| ValueFit | LED | 1,000 to 3,000 | 12/24 V | Budget fitment, fleet work |
The Module 70 is the smallest LED in the range. It measures 84 mm across, draws 18 to 24 watts, and pushes 1,500 lumens through a flood, long-range, or close-range optic. UK farmers fit it to fender corners, A-pillars, and cab door pillars where space is tight.
The Oval 100 is the workhorse of the range. It produces 1,500 to 2,500 lumens, fits a 100 mm housing, and replaces older Hella halogen ovals on a like-for-like bracket. Most UK John Deere, Case IH, and New Holland tractors built between 1995 and 2015 use this size as a roof or fender work light.
The Ultra Beam LED is the premium standard work light. The fourth-generation Ultra Beam (Gen IV) produces 3,500 to 4,500 lumens depending on lens, runs at 35 to 50 watts, and survives 20 g of vibration. It is rated IP6K9K, which is the highest dust and high-pressure water rating on the standard work light scale.
The Power Beam 5000 is the long-range and high-output choice. It produces up to 9,000 lumens, weighs 1.5 kg, and projects working light to 200 metres. UK contractors fit it to combines, self-propelled sprayers, and telehandlers used on large arable farms.
For a wider technology comparison, see LED Work Lights: How to Choose the Right One and Cheap vs Premium LED Work Lights: What You Get for the Money.
Hella LED Headlamps and Headlight Modules
Hella LED headlamps replace halogen sealed-beam units and round insert headlamps on tractors of all generations. The range covers 90 mm and 109 mm round modules, full headlight units, and DRL bars for retrofitting daytime running lights.
Three module families cover most agricultural fitment.
The 90 mm LED module fits the recess in older Hella round headlamps and in many John Deere, Massey Ferguson, and Case IH tractors built between 1985 and 2010. It produces 800 to 1,200 lumens of dipped beam and 1,000 to 1,500 lumens of main beam, depending on the variant. The 90 mm module replaces an H4 halogen bulb without rewiring.
The 109 mm LED module fits the larger sealed-beam recess on heritage Ford, Fordson, David Brown, and International Harvester tractors. The output runs to 1,500 lumens of dipped and 2,000 lumens of main beam.
The Ledayline range covers daytime running lights. UK regulations from 2011 require DRLs on cars and small commercial vehicles registered after that date, but the rule does not extend to tractors. UK contractors still fit DRLs to improve daytime visibility on rural roads, and the Ledayline 470, 590, and FF 50 LED units are the common choices.
For the headlamp picture across all manufacturers, see Halogen Headlamps: H1, H3, H4, and H7 Bulb Types and LED Headlamp Conversions: How to Upgrade from Halogen.
Hella Beacons and Warning Lights
Hella beacons fit the warning light requirement on agricultural and slow-moving vehicles for road use in the UK. The range covers halogen rotating beacons, LED multi-pattern beacons, and DIN pole, magnetic, and bolt-on mounts.
Five beacon families cover the agricultural market.
The KL Rotaflex is the established halogen rotating beacon. It uses an H1 bulb, draws 55 watts, and produces a continuous rotating amber pattern. Replacement bulbs are widely stocked and the unit costs less than half of an equivalent LED beacon.
The KLX LED beacon range covers single, double, and quad LED multi-pattern units. The KLX produces 6 to 12 selectable flash patterns, draws 8 to 14 watts depending on configuration, and meets ECE R65 Class 1 (the higher visibility class) on most variants.
The KLPB-L LED is the low-profile beacon for cab roofs with overhead clearance restrictions. It stands 65 mm tall, fits buildings under 3 metres, and meets ECE R65 Class 2.
The KLDE LED double-flash beacon is the high-intensity choice for plant and contractor use. It produces 4,000 to 5,000 candela on the synchronised double-flash pattern.
The Hella Mini-Lightbar combines two LED beacons in a slimline bar. UK contractors fit it as a rear-roof warning system on combines, telehandlers, and wide implement carriers.
The legal context for beacon use, fitment, and required visibility class sits in Tractor Beacon Lights: UK Legal Requirements and Mounting Options and ECE R65 Beacons: What the Regulation Means. For LED versus halogen, see LED Beacons vs Halogen Beacons: Which Is Better for Farm Vehicles.
Hella Interior, Marker, and Rear Lamps
Hella supplies interior cab lights, side marker lamps, and rear lamp clusters as a complete vehicle package. UK farmers see Hella interior and marker lamps most often as factory fitment on European tractor brands, and replacement parts are widely stocked.
Four interior and marker categories cover the range.
Interior cab dome lights with LED or festoon bulb fitment, single and double switch options, and amber, white, or red colour options. Hella produces 5 main interior lamp shapes for tractor cabs.
Side marker lamps in oval, round, and rectangular formats, in white (front), amber (mid), and red (rear) colours. The LED side marker range carries 9 to 33 V acceptance and IP67 sealing.
LED rear lamp clusters that combine tail, brake, indicator, fog, reverse, and reflex reflector functions in a single sealed unit. The Hella Easy Conn rear lamp uses standard ISO 7-pin and 13-pin trailer plugs, fitting trailers from any UK manufacturer.
Number plate lights, end outline marker lamps, and licence plate clusters complete the rear and side lighting picture.
For the rear and marker picture across all brands, see LED Rear Lamp Clusters, Side Marker Lights, and End Outline Marker Lamps.
How to Identify and Buy the Right Hella Light
Identify a Hella light by the e-mark code, the model number on the housing, and the family name. Three identification points prove origin and fitment.
The e-mark code is the small letter E inside a circle followed by a country number, found on every legal Hella product sold for road use in Europe. Hella products typically carry E1 (Germany) or E13 (Luxembourg, where some Hella plants operate). The number after the E1 or E13 mark links to the type approval document.
The Hella part number is printed on the rear housing or moulded into the lens. The first 7 to 9 digits identify the model. A common Module 70 LED part number reads 1G0 996 176-XXX, where the first three characters denote the family.
The family name (Module 70, Oval 100, Ultra Beam, Power Beam, KLX, KL Rotaflex) is printed on the box and in the catalogue. Match the family name to the application, then confirm the lens type (flood, long-range, close-range, or combo) for the working pattern.
Buying decisions follow three steps.
Step 1, define the job. Cab roof flood, fender close-range, A-pillar accent, combine front, telehandler boom, beacon for road. The job dictates beam pattern and lumen output.
Step 2, match the housing to the existing fitment. A Hella Oval 100 replacement fits an existing Oval 100 bracket and harness without modification. A switch to Module 70 from Oval 100 requires a different bracket.
Step 3, confirm the voltage. Hella work lights and most LED rear lamps accept 9 to 33 V, working on both 12 V and 24 V systems. Halogen products are voltage-specific and the wrong choice reduces bulb life or causes immediate failure.
For step-by-step fitment, see Lighting Fitment by Tractor Model and the Fitment Guides hub.
Where Hella Sits on Price and Quality
Hella sits in the upper-mid to premium tier of agricultural vehicle lighting. The pricing reflects the engineering pedigree, the warranty, and the supply chain.
Three price tiers describe the agricultural lighting market in the UK.
| Tier | Brands | Price index (Hella = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | unbranded, ValueFit-class | 25 to 50 |
| Mid-market | LED Autolamps, Britax, Truck-Lite | 60 to 90 |
| Upper-mid | Hella standard, VIGNAL | 100 to 140 |
| Premium | Nordic Lights, Hella Power Beam Gen IV | 150 to 250 |
A Hella Module 90 LED retails between £80 and £130 in the UK. An equivalent unbranded LED at the same lumen output costs £20 to £40. The Hella product carries a 5-year warranty, an IP6K9K rating, and full ECE R10 EMC compliance. The unbranded product carries a 12-month warranty if any, IP65 or IP67, and EMC results that vary unit to unit.
Two situations argue for Hella over a budget LED. The first is mission-critical work where a failed light costs more than the price difference, such as combine night running, contracting work, or sprayer night application. The second is GPS-equipped tractors where EMC interference can disrupt auto-steer. Hella products test compliant out of the box and reduce the troubleshooting risk.
Two situations argue for a budget LED over Hella. The first is short-life fitment on a tractor due for replacement or sale within 2 to 3 years. The second is fleet replacement across many machines where the cost difference compounds.
For the deeper price comparison, see Cheap vs Premium LED Work Lights: What You Actually Get for the Money and OEM vs Aftermarket Tractor Lights.
The Hella range covers every lighting requirement on a UK farm vehicle, from a 70 mm fender LED to a 9,000 lumen combine work light to an ECE R65 Class 1 beacon. Match the model to the job, confirm the housing and voltage, and the brand earns its premium.
For the full work light range from all manufacturers, browse the LED work lamp category and the beacon category.