# Are strobe hide-a-ways really that much brighter than LED ones?



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

So I finished putting in my corner strobes yesterday. I will say they are bright, but not as bright as I was expecting. Especially in the sun and with the running lights on.

Do they really draw that much power as well? During the mowing season I leave them on at all our lawns, so I am worried about them draining my battery.


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## M & MD Lawn (Aug 29, 2010)

I think it depends on what watt power supply and how many heads you have also. I have a strobe system in my truck and only leave it on if the truck is running. I, on my next truck am going to try a LED system. they are suppose to be brighter all around, however when I see them..like in a police car..etc. I am not to fond of them, but I have never had them in a vehicle of mine.

I do like dash and surface mount LEDs, however how close they are to the hideaways idk.


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

It all depends on the brand ( you get what you pay for). If you get the cheap Jap ones they will not be as bright as the Whelen.

In this case if you are going to be running them 10-12 hours a day in the growing season I would have went with the LED, you could leave those on for 24 hours strait and wont see any draw on your battery. I suggest Whelen or Soundoff hideaways. payup but well worth it!


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

I have a set of nova bulb strobes in one truck and whelen vertex diodes in another .
Side by side , the Vertexes are more crisper and brighter to me .

Their pattern selections are also alot more advanced in way by , I can keep them on solid (which I use as reverse lights) and I believe they have 20 patterns that actually syncronize with others WITHOUT A POWER SUPPLY BOX .You can just keep adding endless diodes that will sync together.
Very kool

just my 2cents


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

maelawncare;1541745 said:


> So I finished putting in my corner strobes yesterday. I will say they are bright, but not as bright as I was expecting. Especially in the sun and with the running lights on.
> 
> Do they really draw that much power as well? During the mowing season I leave them on at all our lawns, so I am worried about them draining my battery.


I would not leave strobe hideaways on with out the truck running for any period of time otherwise you will find your self on the side of the road with a dead truck and no lights. If you wanted to do this you should have went with led's its the main reason I went with LED'S also so I dont have to deal with a power pack or burnt out bulbs.


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## Strobesnmore (Jan 31, 2007)

On the strobes theres 2 key ingredients. The strobe tubes and the power supply. As someone already said if they are cheap ebay ones they usually are half the wattage they claim. LEDs are great but mounting them is key. You can lose more than half the light output if mounted incorrectly. Strobes are less noticeable since they flash 360 degrees. We still sell and install tons of strobes.


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## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

I went with LEDs in all four corners. But I always seem to think that the strobes are a LOT brighter than the led ones. 

I went with the feniex fairy strobes. 8-4watt leds, they are defiantly bright. I almost surface mounted them they were so bright. But I wanted the stealth look.


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## razr777 (Jan 22, 2012)

So what is the way to go for led hide away's? i see the online led store has their own and strobes n more has their own so for the money what would be the best ones without breaking the bank?


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## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

razr777;1543847 said:


> So what is the way to go for led hide away's? i see the online led store has their own and strobes n more has their own so for the money what would be the best ones without breaking the bank?


Personally the ones I got would be. The past month they have been running a 50% off sale. Got both of my mine for $100. Not too bad.


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

razr777;1543847 said:


> So what is the way to go for led hide away's? i see the online led store has their own and strobes n more has their own so for the money what would be the best ones without breaking the bank?


Strobe Hideaways are cheaper but are a PIA to deal with trying to run all the wires to the power pack. I suggest you go with led you will not have to deal with all the wires and they last forever never have to deal with a burnt out light head or a burnt out power pack. But thats just how I feel as you can see by the OP feels the other way.


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## Strobesnmore (Jan 31, 2007)

Go with our E series singles, they are the brightest we offer. We have tested so many different ones and they always win. We have a couple sets of class ones that cant touch our E series singles.


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## blueline38 (Dec 22, 2007)

This is a "to each his own topic". Each light has it's benefits. 

LED's: draw less power, don't create as much heat and have a built in flasher. The installation is more straight forward. The color (if colored) is more vibrant and does not reduce light output. Led's also have consistant output!

Strobes: create more heat and this heat can be good when it comes to snow and ice but bad if placed too close to the housing. The flasher is seperate and can be replaced if needed, as can the strobe heads.Therefore, colors can be changed by simply changing the bulb heads. This is not the case with most led's and the whole unit must be changed. However, the painted strobe tube reduces output. Power supplies also distribute the wattage based on the number of heads.

I have a Whelen 6x90 power supply along with whelen strobes. I have had this kit since 2005 and everything still works. What you must understand with strobe power supplies is that the power is distributed based on the number of strobes (unless the power supply states otherwise). If I run two strobes, they will be much brighter (45wattts) than if I turn on all six. I only have four installed so each bulb is running at around 22watts. If I had and ran all six, each bulb would be at 15watts. So, one must understand how the supply works and what they are looking to accomplish.


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## razr777 (Jan 22, 2012)

Strobesnmore;1544203 said:


> Go with our E series singles, they are the brightest we offer. We have tested so many different ones and they always win. We have a couple sets of class ones that cant touch our E series singles.


How many watts are the leds you use in the e series and can you get the split amber/clear?
Also are these made in china like the ones on ebay?


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## Spool it up (Oct 30, 2012)

whelen vertex LED's can be externally mounted or used as a hide-away w/out a power pak and syncable . 
*They are also waterproof* .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whelen-Vert...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccdf9adb4&vxp=mtr

*external flange mount *
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WHELEN-VERT...Parts_Accessories&hash=item4aae3fd857&vxp=mtr


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## Roundhammer (Feb 4, 2011)

My install guy talked me out of hideaways.

He said they weren't worth the time and added$$$. Key thing..Not as bright as externally mounted due to them being in behind the lense. 

All I know is my Whelen Ion's and LINZ6 Ambers are very bright and I have ZERO complaints 

RH


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## Strobesnmore (Jan 31, 2007)

We just came out with a new hide a way LED that is specifically designed for surface mounting and not designed to be mounted in a head or tail light. I cant provide any links or pricing as we are not a sponsor of the site any longer but these new lights are unlike anything else on the market. We saw so many customers mounting lights designed for one application and using them for another we decided to change things up. These new LEDs have optics and come with surface mount flanges. As for brightness brighter than anything else on the market.


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## Maine_Train (Dec 16, 2009)

While some might feel that LEDs don't have the "pop" of xenon strobes, I think the LEDs are pretty effective. And another good thing about LEDs is, you stand way less chance of tangling with something heavily charged, that's waiting for a path to ground. {_BZZZT!_}



Strobesnmore;1586672 said:


> We just came out with a new hide a way LED that is specifically designed for surface mounting and not designed to be mounted in a head or tail light. As for brightness brighter than anything else on the market.


Man, those *are* bright, especially considering their size. I'm already imagining places I could put pairs of those on my truck.


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## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

Strobesnmore;1586672 said:


> We just came out with a new hide a way LED that is specifically designed for surface mounting and not designed to be mounted in a head or tail light. I cant provide any links or pricing as we are not a sponsor of the site any longer but these new lights are unlike anything else on the market. We saw so many customers mounting lights designed for one application and using them for another we decided to change things up. These new LEDs have optics and come with surface mount flanges. As for brightness brighter than anything else on the market.


These?

http://www.strobesnmore.com/Strobes-N-More-Surface-Star-LED-Lights.html


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## SalNazzaro (Jan 17, 2011)

How do the led hideaways get installed without a power pack? Where's everything have to run to?


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

SalNazzaro;1601884 said:


> How do the led hideaways get installed without a power pack? Where's everything have to run to?


You run a wire from your battery to a switch then from the switch you run a wire to the red wire on the hideaways. Each hideaway has its own flasher box on the wire (the small black box on the wire) So everything is basically the same just it easier because you dont have to run 4 or 6 wires to one spot on the truck.


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## Maine_Train (Dec 16, 2009)

And you can get several of them synched from that one common switch/power source? That is wicked cool. 

Even I could probably hook those up without too much bad language.


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

Maine_Train;1601922 said:


> And you can get several of them synched from that one common switch/power source? That is wicked cool.
> 
> Even I could probably hook those up without too much bad language.


Yep one wire for power and then you hook all the synch wires together and its all done


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## SalNazzaro (Jan 17, 2011)

Wow that's simple, so the white and yellow control flash patterns?


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

SalNazzaro;1601930 said:


> Wow that's simple, so the white and yellow control flash patterns?


Yes on these lights its yellow to change the flash pattern and to sync them. And you hook one of the white wires to the power wire (the red one) if you want them to alternate (so one light flashes then the other one). If you want them to both flash at the same time then you do not use the white wire.


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## SalNazzaro (Jan 17, 2011)

Ok awesome, I think I'm going to look into getting LEDs for my new truck over the tubes


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## SalNazzaro (Jan 17, 2011)

ok I've been looking on strobesnmore at the hide away led kits, what all do I need just four of the $54.99 E series led hideaway?


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## fordtruck661 (Feb 26, 2011)

SalNazzaro;1602171 said:


> ok I've been looking on strobesnmore at the hide away led kits, what all do I need just four of the $54.99 E series led hideaway?


Yeah you can get 4 of these http://www.strobesnmore.com/Strobes-N-More-E-Series-LED-Hide-a-way.html

Just remember to get the same color led light as what you are putting it behind. So if it is going into a blinker that has a amber cover then you have to get a amber hideaway. (if its going in something with a clear cover you can get any color)


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## SalNazzaro (Jan 17, 2011)

Ok awesome thanks for the help!


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## Maine_Train (Dec 16, 2009)

fordtruck661;1602173 said:


> Just remember to get the same color led light as what you are putting it behind. So if it is going into a blinker that has a amber cover then you have to get a amber hideaway. (if its going in something with a clear cover you can get any color)


Now _that's_ why I hang out here: I can learn something without breaking anything prior to the lesson sinking in. 

Actually, I just saw that recently on some LED manufacturer's site, complete with illustrations of how the lens color affects the light wavelength, but seeing it here makes it official.


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