Your first LED light

[Station 3]

I wanted to make this just to find out when you guys first discoverd LED technology. When did you see the first LED usage. What did you think of it? When did you get one? What did you get?


I will start it off my first time seeing LEDs was back in the day when i was a fire department explorer i observed a fire unit with some SHO ME micro lights back in 2004-2005 i then got my own LEDs when i was a full member back in early 2007 i got a Sho Me economy visor light in Red and Amber with PAR 36 heads in 5mm. I loved it thought it was the coolest thing ever and thought that was all i needed to move traffic. That leaded to an obsession which i then got around 1k worth of SHO ME by the inch leds and put them all around in every nook and cranny in my truck.


Now i am here in ELB as an addict.


Now tell me your stories.

 

[7d9_z28]

Used to look through Galls alot in middle school, which was when the 911EP Millennium came out. Always wanted one, joined ELB and bought 3!

 

[CodeMan]

I remember when they first came out in Galls, and the prices where crazy.. 2-300 bucks for name brands.


I opened a small shop catering to the amber/blue/red market in my area. I was selling the same brands to co workers and other PD officers for $160, even if it was priced at $200 to 300 in galls and still made a profit.. just below retail to companies (shows what the mark ups are really like)..


My first was the Whelen visor light.. wont say what i paid for it (would make you sick) lol, still have it in my pov..


Now have the tomar LED policelight II.

 

[twodogs603]

Whelen Dash King

 

[TheGatekeeper]

Whelen DashKing as well.


Blue/Red. Circa 2002.


Was tracking some Toronto store websites, and got a buddy to purchase the DashKing from Nicchols and bring it over where it ended up on the deck of my then service car. Nobody on this side of the pond knew what it was !


I remember a convoy job that ended up with all the cops around my ride trying to figure out if it was that little colorless thing on the dash that punched the blue flashes on the way..


Quickly bought a Talon single from EVS UK in 2003 that went on my newly appointed Audi A4. Still have it to this day (The Talon, not the A4 )...

 

[foxtrot5]

Whelen Talon in blue (well, teal) was my first. And the obsession grew from there but I've still got a soft spot for whelen dashlights because of it.

 

[Jarred J.]

first led light i bought was a mag mount battery operated light from kmart about 15 years ago. i might still have it somewhere.


first real led light i bought was a dashking2000 in amber.

 

[EMT-BLS]

First LED light(s) were...an embarrassment. I didn't know anything about lights, other that they were cool when blinking. So I went to the website I saw the most on Google ads, ETD. I bought two lights from them, one I tore apart right after I joined eLb, and the other I still have, wired into my trunk light. It's been 4 years, still going strong.

 

[dmathieu]

When 911EP first came out with the original LS15. (If I remember correctly, it was LS15 before it was changed and called LS12).


I bought one, and went through the process and became one of the first dealers.

 

[fireman29b]

My first was an amber/amber Slimlighter on the rear deck of my squad car at the time (when I was doing the po-po thing years ago). Paired up with a couple of Code 3 AS-2's and a couple of Dashmaster's. I miss the effectiveness of all three styles, strobe/halogen/LED.

 

[Reno911]

First time seeing LEDs for me was probably the 02 CHP camaros, but I remember seeing pictures experimental LED setups on 03 CHP Crown Vic's.


I'm pretty sure my dads first LED stuff was a complete wiring/LED setup off of an 03 CHP.

 

[Core Public Safety]

Whelen Slimlighter (Gen1)

 

[GPC]

Whelen Slimlighter (Gen1)

Gen1 Slimlighter for me too.

 

[Wheels]

When 911EP first came out with the original LS15. (If I remember correctly, it was LS15 before it was changed and called LS12).
I bought one, and went through the process and became one of the first dealers.

I remember seeing those 911EP LS15's for the 1st time back in January of 2002. However I decided to try out an amber Federal Signal Delta Ray because at the time, I thought it was bright and completely different from anything else i've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z47ACnw_Jqc

 

[dcfrmp255]

Mini-Phantom

 

[dmathieu]

I remember seeing those 911EP LS15's for the 1st time back in January of 2002. However I decided to try out an amber Federal Signal Delta Ray because at the time, I thought it was bright and completely different from anything else i've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z47ACnw_Jqc

Those first LS15s were cutting edge at the time.

 

[pdk9]

My first light ever was a blue whelen dual talon when I first joined my fire dept in NY in 2007. It is hands down one of the best purchases I ever made; great output, durable, and reliable. This light never failed me once and still worked perfect even after a dump truck crushed my car on the highway (and the light was already about 5 years old), so this light definitely stood up to a lot.


Unfortunately, Fire/Rescue doesn't utilize blue in Florida and I don't respond to calls in my POV (I only go on calls when on shift), but I would undoubtedly still using it today if I could

 

[hitman38367]

My first ones were a DashKing2000 in red and a Sho-Me Quadstick in red many moons ago. I was the only one in the county(including EMS and LE) that had LED technology at the time and once folks saw what I was running and asked questions, it seems like the LED world invaded my county. lol!!!!

 

[mdlighting]

My first on was a red/red mini phantom had it for 6 years and finally sold it to my chief this past year but the first I ever saw in use was Mechanicsville engine 23 a 2003 pierce dash with gen 1 700 series over the wheel wells

 

[Tlauden]

A Talon, I thought it was a great light, but its lout, i can hear the flasher fire the light, still dont know if its supposed to do that haha

 

[Tom]

A Talon, I thought it was a great light, but its lout, i can hear the flasher fire the light, still dont know if its supposed to do that haha

It's a ballast version. They are louder than the newer models

 

[NERT11]

My first was a Star Mini phantom with the 5mm LED's

 

[911]

my first led light was a sho-me led dash light 11.8000

 

[LED]

[Broken External Image]:http://www.lightbars.net/Hawk LED 48 on.jpg


Had two of these bad boys on my police bicycle in oh 2006! A blue/blue in the front and a Blue/Red in rear with the red steady. Traded the Blue/Red on here to some prick who cut out the red and then tried to sell it again. Never did get my trade thinking about it, hmm..

 

[kitn1mcc]

i remember playing with whelen 500 series LED back in 1999 the first one were stop/turn/tail

 

[EVT]

First was a small Able2 dash light that actually had a "L" bracket with sticky tape on it built right into it. It was cool, for the life of me I cannot find a photo of it.

 

[emtanderson51]

Whelen TIR3's in my grille......2 weeks after they first appeared on Sirennet.com.......Then I put 2 more in the grille and then 2 on my fenders then 4 in my rear window then 2 on the rear door then finally 2 more on my rear quarter panels....lol

 

[Jtsou]

Mine was a SHOME r/c gen1 dash light. It was split colors with 7 patterns and was about 6 inches wide.


That thing still works, the red leds are pretty much worn out, but the clear ones are still kicking.


I use it when i need a temporary light if i switch vehicles, etc.


I dont remember the model number because of the way shome names their products. (11.3423.42.4.2523522)

 

[chief1562]

My first experience with Leds was when I bought a Vista strobe off ebay and it had lower Leds in it.


Couldn't wait til I could afford more Leds then.

 

[ff_emt_820]

I don't remember where I saw my first LED lights (probably in Galls). My first one was a Blue/White Axixtech Hawk 1. Sold that one to my dad when I bought my blue/blue Whelen Dual Talon.

 

[cybercop]

Whelen DashKing single lens red/blue split

 

[jprleedy4680]

I remember seeing the first Liberties back in 2003...(?) and thinking they were the cat's meow.


My first LED light was a R/W Whelen Slimmiser.

 

[andrewsim]

I "nerded" out with Sho-Me LEDs by the inch in Amber back in 2005. I probably had 60 or 70 inches total. I like to think that I've learned A LOT since then.

 

[julietbravosierra]

My first LED light was a SNM E44 in amber I put on my ATV for plowing!

 

[firefighter31]

axixtech tir4 Titan? I think..

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Originally joined the FD and had a Self Contained Dual Dashmiser (thanks for ripping me off Galls). Then, my FIRST LED light was the LED Flatlighter (FLLED thanks again Galls), I guess back in 2003 or 2004 (I think the former).


Eventually I got a TIR6 Slimlighter, and ran that for 7 years (favorite). My 2nd car had a FS Dual Viper S2 (another great light).


Current set-up now has a Dual Avenger, as well as many other LEDs lol!!

 

[hawkspringsfire]

Mini-Phantom

+1 on that. I ended up buying 2 more because I liked them so much.

 

[Quickstep80]

My first LED light was a HazTec "Spectre" (TIR6) back in 2004. Performed really good together with the VAMA LE330 strobe beacon.


The Spectre at that time replaced a Code3 deckblaster (which is still working fine but not installed in my POV any more, same with the LE330).


Some years later I comped the Spectre to a colleague and, as far as I know, the light is still in use.

 

[TheGatekeeper]

First was a small Able2 dash light that actually had a "L" bracket with sticky tape on it built right into it. It was cool, for the life of me I cannot find a photo of it.

ShoMe DashPro ?


Had one of those too... I just craved a dual color one, in B/W. Still have it today in a drawer, works fine, although GEN1 and a bit weak compared to latest products.

 

[SBFD-E-9]

I bought a blue/blue Mini Phantom when they first came out. Then upgraded to a Star 6 inch LED.


Dan