# Led or strobe ??



## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Okay, I have ran about all and any commercial lighting.

But strobes seem to be the brightest and most costly. But they do stand out durring the day. 

LED seem to work well at night and are really easy to hook up. We run these on our snow rigs.

I will still run strobes on my day time rigs we use during the summer. Most are Whelen and I am happy with them you see them and that is what we need. Something that jumps out in your face saying...watch out !

So what do you run.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I've run both. Strobes you have to install the power box controller. But they are bright. LEDs are cheaper. Easier to install. My service truck I'm putting together is getting LEDs


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

Since you asked, here's my 2 cents:

Strobes are a proven technology that has been around for many years. That said, even between manufacturers, they are pretty consistently bright and reliable. The price is also quite reasonable.

LEDs are the next wave and both reliability and brightness are all over the map - but getting much better. If you buy name brand LED products, I think you can rest assured that they will be both reliable and bright. And since they're so much easier than strobes to put in (no separate Power Supply), they're almost a no-brainer to go with these days.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

But your going to have the guy come here and bi$ch. They are no good, but I got them cheaper on eBay.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Strobes are so 1982.

Might as well use chain lift plows.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Most new emergency apparatus is going all LED. Fire Engines, police cruisers, ambulance etc. The last engine we ordered before I retired had 100% LED lighting package minus headlights. As long as spend money to get the good ones they are plenty bright in the daylight.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Strobes are so 1982.
> 
> Might as well use chain lift plows.


I love my chainlift plow,now if I could just find a nice woman born in 1982. My strobes give me a headache,going led in the future.


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

leigh said:


> I love my chainlift plow,now if I could just find a nice woman born in 1982. My strobes give me a headache,going led in the future.


LED will give U a headache too....
You need to take them off the hood of your truck


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

leigh said:


> I love my chainlift plow,now if I could just find a nice woman born in 1982. My strobes give me a headache,going led in the future.


If you don't mind...

Why 1982 ??


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Strobes tend to "disappear" between flashes.

They also suck in bright light--daytime. 

They dang near give one a seizure in heavy snow or plowing between buildings.

LED's do not disappear. 

If you spend good money, they are just aboot brighter than the sun. 

They don't reflect oof snow or buildings and cause flashback issues. 

They don't draw near as much as LED's either.

Are you still plowing with a plow or truck from 1982? Still using a rotary dial phone? Paying 1982 salt prices? 

There's good reason that fire\police\EMS have switched any new apparatus to LED and away from strobes. Some never bought into strobes because of the issues mentioned above, including wiring and a power supply.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

I'm old school, (pre 82) I like strobes..... unfortunately I can't use them in the truck.

I do love LEDs just prefer strobes in head and taillights. The may consumed more power but I don't pay utility bill.


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## leigh (Jan 2, 2009)

Dogplow Dodge said:


> If you don't mind...
> 
> Why 1982 ??


That was in reference to Mr. Mark O's comment that strobes and chainlift plows are so 1982.My significant other is a 1960 model year,still going strong lol (she'd skin me alive if she looked over my shoulder) :hammerhead::hammerhead:


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Okay, good comments.

Not so sure I agree with the flash back. However you may be dead on.

So, who makes the best units for the money or is it you get what you pay for ?? But again, who ??


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

On a Call said:


> Okay, good comments.
> 
> Not so sure I agree with the flash back. However you may be dead on.
> 
> So, who makes the best units for the money or is it you get what you pay for ?? But again, who ??


I agree with Mark. I was a Rated Engineer, and an Acting Captain at my FD when I retired. So, that just means I was always in the front. The rigs with normal strobes absolutely had more disorienting flash back in heavy snow. The rigs with the LED, obviously had flashback, it's a light shining against snow, but it wasn't nearly as intense or disorienting.


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Thank you
Why do you think there is less flashback from led compared to strobes ??
My thought is that is due to intensity ?? If that is the case that means the strobe in brighter ?? As I mentioned, during the summer and during the day we found strobes much more easy to see from a distance. 

And I fully agree with strobes having flashback in the snow light or heavy.


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

My guess would be that the strobes have a more concentrated reflector, and the newer LED strobes have differing reflectors, with choices like 30 degree, 60 degree etc. Obviously the narrower the reflector pattern the brighter the LED will look. But you start to give up being able to see the light from a wider range of approach angles the narrower you go. If you go with LED warning lights just buy from one of the major Emergency Vehicle outfitting companies and you should have plenty of brightness. I don't remember the brand of LED that was on our Engines but manufacturers like Wehelen, and Fenix and some others are kind of industry standard for emergency response vehicles.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Are we comparing lumen to lumen. 

I like the LEDs as you no longer hear the capacitor discharge and charge over the radio.
But then, I still have a duel rotator on the roof. OS Thumbs Up


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

It almost seems like the light from LED's is at a different wavelength. 

I run SoundOff and a couple Whelens. Both are extremely bright day or night. Neither have close to the flashback that strobes, sealed beams or halogens have. 

It isn't intensity. The lightbars most cops are using aroond me are SoundOff as well. At night, they are dangerously bright. In full sun, there is still absolutely no missing them. They do have a day and night option, I think some cops forget or the higher ups are too tight to wire it up.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

You might be on to somthing
The led produces light on a very narrow wavelength ,
Thus all of the different colors wavelengths that led's are avaliabel in

And a strobe produces a light with a wider wavelength.

the scatter of color is what we are seeing as
Bounce back?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

SnoFarmer said:


> You might be on to somthing
> The led produces light on a very narrow wavelength ,
> Thus all of the different colors wavelengths that led's are avaliabel in
> 
> ...


Thanks Meg......


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Mark I do agree...the cops around here are easy to see even at some distance. Perhaps they are adjusted to be seen at the angle they need to be or they just work well ? Either way they are bright and noticed even in day light hours or in the sun.

The other comments regarding strobes noise and costs are dead on too.

I remember back in high school, yes I went. We played with LED's they were weak and used mostly for panels to light up say...hoist is up. The reason we used them was due to life and ease of install. Anyhow...I never thought I would see the day they are being used for this application. Now I wish I would have invested into companies that developed them.

Anyhow...I see everyone carrying LED now. Even the street lights are going to LED they are whiter and cleaner looking. I put them in my trucks for the dome light. Now I need to switch safety lights.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Thanks Meg......


any time Peter ....


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Meg and Peter , hmmm ?


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## ktfbgb (Jan 31, 2016)

Family Guy


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

To answer the question posed - but not yet answered: Yes, you do get what you pay for with LEDs. Lots of folks will tell you that their eBay specials are bright, but _everything_ looks bright when it's in your hand and pointed directly into your eyes. Truth be told, the cheap stuff looks pretty pathetic when compared with the good stuff.

As for brands, you can't go wrong with Whelen, SoundOff and Fenix. And I'll put in a plug for a local company near me - Star Warning Systems. I'd put some of their new LEDs up against the big boys for brightness.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

I put a STAR 255 HTC on my articulated truck. Works great, and is auto-dimming which is great for the airport. It meets FAA brightness specifications during the day so I don't have to run around with a checkered flag attached, and then dims at night so it isn't annoying reflecting off of everything.


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## On a Call (Jan 14, 2015)

Okay today I was driving down 75 towards Cincinnati. Went through a construction area that had a few contractors with LED light bars. Man they were bright !!! Stood out from about a half mile. I was not able to stop and check on the manufacturer but they did look like Whelen's.


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