Federal Signal Highlighter LED - who has one? Do you like it?

[RecElect]

We are working on a stock list for our warehouse, BUT I am slightly concerned about the Highlighter LED minibar. I like the look, but every video I see of one just doesn't seem that impressive. Especially for the cost. I know videos do not do lights justice, but I feel like I could video a Whelen responder and think it was significantly better.


So my question is, who has one, and do you like it? I am mainly interested in AMBER, but I would take input on any. Is it bright? Quality? Flash patterns good?


I also know there is an "Economy" version, and a "Standard" version, so it would be helpful to know which one you have, or if you know the difference in the two.


If we do get them, I plan on doing a good video and review of one, but I am not interested in wasting warehouse space on something that is sub par to the current mini bars on the market.


We got some Impaxx in and CN signal masters which I think are awesome, But again, still concerned about the Highlighter being up to par.


Thanks!

 

[Firefly Berlin]

I have a blue standard one and for european approved lights it is pretty good, but compared to a Whelen mini justice or liberty, well, it isn't that bright.

 

[FireMedic19]

A buddy of mine on my department has one, in all red. It's actually very bright, even at distance. I'm very picky about lights, and normally choose Whelen, but I was surprised about this one.

 

[RecElect]

I have a blue standard one and for european approved lights it is pretty good, but compared to a Whelen mini justice or liberty, well, it isn't that bright.

Thanks! I don't think we can compare it to a mini justice or freedom, It is not in the same class. We gotta compare it to a Responder LP. Now if we were talking the MINI Legend, I think we could...

 

[FireMedic19]

Oh ya, nothing will beat those IMO

 

[FireMedic19]

I personally think the Responder LP kicks the highlighters butt.

 

[RecElect]

I personally think the Responder LP kicks the highlighters butt.

NOT what I wanted to hear, BUT I would rather know that now then later when I have a whole pallet of them...

 

[Sigma Safety]

We loaned our Highlighter LED (series "A" - the original one) to a dep't a couple years ago. They also had a Responder LP Linear (not the CON3). They tried them both out for about a week - day, evening, night, roadside, highway, etc. They came back and said that most times they couldn't tell a difference. The only time they saw one over the other was at 45 degrees where the HL was superior.


It came down to price. The Whelen guy dropped his pants on price so they bought the Whelen one, but still buy our HLs once in a while. Now, with the Economy HL's, we sell lots more. They are nearly as bright as the full power HL, but the price is much lower.


I haven't put them up against the CON3 version of the Responder, but I suspect that if the full power HL is on par with the Linear version of the Responder, the CON3 won't be as strong.


I know some people have had HLs with water in them, but we have them on zodiacs out in the water (ocean) for years, and have never had any sort of problem with them. We basically get the same weather as Seattle, just FYI. These boats are docked (not trailered and stored) when they are not in use, so the bars are fully exposed to tons of rain and salt water. The newer Series B HL is much better in terms of water intrusion, but again I can't say much to that because even the Series A were fine for us.


We sell a reasonable number of these and they have been very good, solid lights. I can't remember the last time we had one back for a problem.

 

[LED]

I drive past roadwork vans with the Highlighters on them every day around 2pm heading into the City. In the sunlight, they aren't impressive.

 

[Eric1249]

We have one on our atv at the FD. I am not impressed. The highway dep uses all Whelen and they are much brighter

 

[ff.brent20]

Had one personally, they really aren't much to brag about at all. The patterns I personally think are terrible, and they aren't all that bright. If you want to stock a mini bar with a punch stock the linear responder or the SOS mini pinnacle.

 

[pdk9]

We have the highlighters on 3 of our engines (above the cab's second row doors and in place of rear upper beacons)...I gotta say, I'm not really impressed with them...one of the reasons is because they are set to a stupid flash pattern to mimic a revolving beacon. However, I have seen a lot of amber/white highlighters with a variety of flash patterns...Their output is okay, but I'd only recommend them on a slow pattern were the entire unit lights up at once. None of the units I've seen in person were the economy ones, so I wouldn't personally bother trying those out.


We've since replaced lighting in those 2 areas with L31 beacons and mini freedoms on our engines & aerials (while our rescues have always had led mini aerodynics on that area)...it's hard to make a fair comparison because they're all totally different than the highlighter, but if I had to go with a lightbar the size of the highlighter, I'd go with the Lin6 responder (I think of it as an economical mini liberty)

 

[rick h.]

+ 1 on the mini Pinnacle. I have 1 and it is extremly bright,also easy to switch colors around