LED's Or Strobes?

[sr71 1]

Which do you feel gives better warning, LEDs or strobes?

My department is thinking about upgrading to LED's from older strobes on our engines, but is it worth it?

[Guest]

Which is Better Led's Or Strobes? My Dept Is Thinking About Changing the Strobes On Our Engine TO Led's Are They Better?

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LED's light are a good way to save power and the newer styles of LED's are about as intense as strobes are. We ran all LED's on our new engine and we used a lot of them. We have them flash at random so they are not hypnotizing to on coming traffic. It is a very impressive set up. I always liked a combination of both strobes and LED's. If I were to do anything I would switch out the halogen intersect lights(on our trucks) to LED's, and since no new wiring would be needed, it is a direct replacement

Edited July 9, 2006 by S7SHFD

[cas2383 22]

One thing i noticed about LED's, my opinion is during incliment weather it is much easier on the eyes, both from an oncoming standpoint as well as being inside the vehicle. You don't get as much feedback if you will from rain drops or snow flakes as you would with the stobes.

Also LEDs have a much longer life than strobes and are much more better equipped for areas of high vibration and moisture.

[Guest fire42rescue]

at night the led's look great they're so bright and it also looks good durnin the day

engine 42 from the village of mamaroneck and also engine 40 have leds and they look great

[Guest]

i personally think LEDs r the best. people can see it during the day and at night, forget about it. you'll see the LED from a mile away!

[xfirefighter484x 234]

The newer generations of LEDs are ages ahead of the older ones. In the past, LEDs were only really intense from a direct, head-on approach, but from a combination of either reflectors, and or just the advances in the lights, they have a much broader viewing field nowadays. They are insane at night, and extremely visible in the daytime, not being washed out by the sunlight.

Also, as was stated earlier, they have a much, much greater life than strobes, the generally accepted time being 100,000 hours of continuous use (over 10 YEARS)!!! :blink: The power draw for LEDs is insanely small as compared to what is required for strobes. The need to create extra juice to power them is not necessary, such as beefed up alternator, or extra battery packs, power supplies, etc... LEDs can also be left running for quite a while before one has to even consider worrying about draining a battery (without engine running).

Their intensity rivals that of strobes, and just are cooler.

I started out with a strobe light in my POV, and moved onto LEDs, and never looked back. I have been pleased by LEDs since the first day of use, and love to see apparatus outfitted (appropriately of course) with "sufficient" amount, and type of LEDs.

The cost may be a bit higher in the beginning, for the cost of them, but in the long run, I can safely say that the cost will be minimal, due to a lack of maintenance, and lack of a need for constant replacement, like dead and or blown bulbs (halogen or strobe).

Edited July 9, 2006 by xfirefighter484x

[Guest KFD236]

LED's by far. Our new tanker has LED lights and it looks great. I also have LEDs on my POV and I will never go back to strobe.

[JCESU 20]

All the reasons sighted and then some are why we switched to LED's when doing spec's for new trucks. The only flaw and this has more to do with LE than the FD is that you have to be very careful during pursuits. Too close and you can get "blinded by the lights" and the motoring public tends to stare at the pretty lights. So if you are travelling with more than one vehicle equipped with LED's now more than ever you have to use caution at intersections as people can become blinded and not take notice of the other vehciles. As a side note I think our Cuda Spectre's draw like 2 amps. Which absolutely minimal.

Rick

[RDUNC67 1]

Just to add tot his response: The LED is a no brainer, forget halogen, old technology and a huge draw on alternators, Strobes are on their way out as well, usually individual lights need a power supply, if the supply craps out you lose all of the lights wired to it. LED has made tremendous advancement in our profession, so many choice of colors, flash patterns etc..., and as far as price goes, by the time you add up strobes, cables and supply's you are right there with LED lighting.

[Guest]

I never liked stobes as the primary light bar i was a flash guy but I gotta tell ya LED is great day or night my deputy chief @ HARRISON EMS has his vehicle done in led and I love none of the things that I didnt like about strobes...........be safe

[houlidsa 76]

LEDs! Strobe warranties tend to be terrible. For example Whelen strobes have a 2 year warranty from date of manufacture. So if you order a new piece of apparatus assuming 1 year as the build/delivery time and that the parts have been sitting on the shelf at the manufacturer's due to bulk purchasing. So after a few months when a strobe blows or fries you're held holding the bag. Also with most of the marker style ones you have to purchase an entire assembly not just a tube. They are hassle free and are a much better cost of ownership for a piece of apparatus.