Have Halogen Rotators gone old school?

[dr.frankenmod]

Just an observation and for conversation.


I have seen that a lot of departments are going LED and scraping there rotating Halogen lights.


Is it because LED’s are the “Bigger Better Thing” or is there an advantage to it.


I do understand that LED’s will draw a lot less current then halogen.


One of my assumption’s is that because they draw less that more light can be installed and at the same time is less taxing on the electrical system by requiring less current and will last longer then halogen.


Are there additional reasons?


Brighter?


More Rugged?


Easer it see?


I am interested in knowing.


Victor F.

 

[jdh]

One other thing to consider with L.E.D.'s is that they produce true color with no fading, and they have a way lower profile then hal or strobe bars.

 

[Byte]

Also that they are generally more reliable and usually last longer.

 

[dr.frankenmod]

Ok. Just for giggles. Has anyone as an experiment replaced the H-1 Halogens with


H-1 led’s to see what it looks like?

 

[ParkPiggy]

Also, I think most departments replaced halogens with strobes, and then replaced strobes with LEDs. I can't think of any department around me that is even using strobes anymore, other then a few older Cleveland cruisers. Otherwise, we all merged to LEDs the last 5-8 years.

 

[I 26]

Yes there are a series of advantages in the LED systems which explains the recent trend you've noticed.


They include:


-Reduced current draw


-Reduced profile (Aids in fuel economy)


-Reduced maintenance costs (due to lack of moving parts/limited life-span of halogen or strobe bulbs)


-Simpler, more user-friendly curcuitry


-Some people claim LED's are brighter, but this is limited to the highest-end products


It just seems to be the way the world is going with all things...advance, advance, advance...but isn't this how it's always been?


Toronto Police, within the last couple of years, fully equiped their fleet with brand new Code 3 Excalibur halogens (upgraded from LP6000's)...so I'm sure these bars will stick around for at least another 7 years or so...and there's probably a handful of other departments out there preserving the traditional halogen/strobe systems.


And, yes, there was a company a few years ago that specialized in putting LED bulbs in metal reflectors and such...never heard much more about them, don't know how well they did.

 

[crescentstar69]

Yep. Progress. As a former police administrator I always bought the latest and best technology, even though I collect vintaqe stuff. Look at it this way, it makes the old stuff collectible sooner!

 

[dr.frankenmod]

Personally I still like the rotators. Not the slow a** ones, I talking about the 175 fpm or faster. My personal favorite was Fed Sig's Vector. And I also like the real flashy LED sticks.


But your right "Advance until you cant anymore".


That brings up another question, "What's Next"?


Victor F.

 

[dr.frankenmod]

On my way home from work, I was thinking about my question about LED Rotators. The required optics would be very expensive to develop. Milling the casting mold would cost thousands if not more. It would be a very special very small market (wackers)

 

[I 26]

The development of LED rotators would be a relatively simple task for businesses with an existing halogen product line but would not fill any demands. Several of the principal benefits of LED would be lost in such a product (ex: high current draw from motors, maintanence required for moving parts, added profile for rotator height). The initiative is not cost-effective for anyone to do.

 

[NPS Ranger]

Since this is the new board and this is the off topic lounge and there's been too little controversy here since Stendec left, here's a new topic. Just an observation and for conversation: LEARNING HOW TO SPELL has gone old school!

Just an observation and for conversation.

scraping there rotating Halogen lights. Did you mean "scrapping their" halogen lights?


a lot less current then halogen. When? Ohhhh you meant THAN.


One of my assumption’s Does your assumption own anything? That's called possessive. Didn't think so.





last longer then halogen. Hmmm


I am interested in knowing.

Me too!

 

[JohnMarcson]

Huron Valley Ambulance, one of the largest providers in Michigan, uses halogen flashers and rotators still. They replace their ambulances every 4 years so they found that they rarely have to change bulbs anyway, and it's cheap up front cost. At some point the LEDs will be standard or the same cost though.

 

[dr.frankenmod]

Since this is the new board and this is the off topic lounge and there's been too little controversy here since Stendec left, here's a new topic. Just an observation and for conversation: LEARNING HOW TO SPELL has gone old school!




Me too!

wells dang. i's be corerected. i did go to schol to's learns the besteds english

 

[dr.frankenmod]

theirs are somes pepole whos brain matter is the same consistensis of the after math ofs a lesbiean cluster f**k

 

[BigDogg795]

theirs are somes pepole whos brain matter is the same consistensis of the after math ofs a lesbiean cluster f**k

Lol..."lesbian cluster f**k".


BOT; I had started a thread similar to this on the prior gen board; I still think there's something wicked cool about an "old" tear drop on the roof of a car.

 

[dr.frankenmod]

theirs are somes pepole whos brain matter is the same consistensis of the after math ofs a lesbiean cluster f**k

Well you see i's gots it wrog. It not after math, it Afterbirth as in, "Afterbirth of a lesbian cluster F**k"

 

[C420sailor]

You can't really just plug LED "bulbs" into a rotator. I mean you CAN, but you don't get the same snappy flash of light as the beam passes your eyes. It kinda fades in and out. Not very attention grabbing.


LEDs last MUCH longer than bulbs, draw significantly less power, have a truer/deeper color, etc. I like to mix LED, strobe, and halogen.

 

[RolnCode3]

The development of LED rotators would be a relatively simple task for businesses with an existing halogen product line but would not fill any demands. Several of the principal benefits of LED would be lost in such a product (ex: high current draw from motors, maintanence required for moving parts, added profile for rotator height). The initiative is not cost-effective for anyone to do.

You better get on the phone to Federal Signal and tell them not to release the Vision SLR then.

We've discussed this bar before.

 

[Station 3]

Well im one of those that likes old school more than new. We have several units my police department and we do have some new units with fancy lighting but every once in a while i like to take out the crown vic with and old edge lightbar on it. Too bad they put it out of service like two weeks ago that made me sad.

 

[elite907]

Well I think that new Fed.Sig. bar is Bad Azz really neat stuff ,but I am sure it has a really un neat price .

 

[I 26]

You better get on the phone to Federal Signal and tell them not to release the Vision SLR then.

Holy dump! Did that thing just change color? That is cool.


But how is it priced? Is it priced lower than or equal to a standard linear LED bar as a response to the fewer LED pods required for 360 degree illumination? If not what are the advantages to this thing over any other LED lightbar? It seems like a desperate mash-up of multiple technologies that wont go much further than attracting interest at trade-shows and internet interest-groups like this. Same with those D-tech rotators Code 3 came out with a decade or so ago. Great idea on paper but they failed to sell because the benefits didn't equal the added cost.

 

[JohnMarcson]

Holy dump! Did that thing just change color? That is cool.

But how is it priced? Is it priced lower than or equal to a standard linear LED bar as a response to the fewer LED pods required for 360 degree illumination? If not what are the advantages to this thing over any other LED lightbar? It seems like a desperate mash-up of multiple technologies that wont go much further than attracting interest at trade-shows and internet interest-groups like this. Same with those D-tech rotators Code 3 came out with a decade or so ago. Great idea on paper but they failed to sell because the benefits didn't equal the added cost.

Discussion about the new SLR is here


http://www.elightbars.org/forums/showthread.php?7148-New-Fed-Sig-bar

 

[MX7000Guy]

Ok. Just for giggles. Has anyone as an experiment replaced the H-1 Halogens with
H-1 led’s to see what it looks like?

Not worth the trouble, they don't put out NEARLY enough light. Not even good for a "man room" toy.

 

[patrol530]

Not that it bothers me in Florida, however, how are those LED's working out for the snowy parts of the Country? Seems like the snow will linger with such a reduced operating temp.

 

[911]

dr. can i ask you a question? what kind of profession are you in?

 

[Richard P]

LEDs sure use less amperage, but still, rotators dont suck the juice all that much either. I got an LED minibar, it runs at almost 3 amps, a rotator minibar is 8, your cigarette lighter while hot, runs at 15, your radio runs at 15 etc.


And motors sucking aperage? no way, they draw miliamps, youll never kill your battery with a motor running.


Rotating LED? great idea, best of both worlds. LEds are directional, we all know that, you can have the best solaris or M-tech, and youre still not getting the light output a 55w parabolic reflector. ive yet to see a gear jam up on any of my fleet with rotators as primary, and they get HEAVY use. burnt out motor? nope, nothing yet, a few of my bars are pushing 15 years. with the Vision SLR, theres no gears, direct drive right off the motor shaft, no meshing, no possibility of binding. Ill always use rotators as my primary, these things dont fail as often and most of you think. I think powerarc has the right idea, move the light around, same with the SLR

 

[NPS Ranger]

wells dang. i's be corerected. i did go to schol to's learns the besteds english

Well dang, I screwed up! I figured I'd stir the pot in the off-topic lounge but this was actually in the lighting forum. Sorry, all!

 

[dr.frankenmod]

dr. can i ask you a question? what kind of profession are you in?

I am the Hyperbaric Program Safety Director and CHT at a Hyperbaric and Wound care Center. And NO I wont give any Medical Advice. That has already bit me in the butt.


I like to Modify different things and I do a little Home Gun building and also some machining.


If you look at my screen name it says Franken"MOD".


I have been an EMT-I certified in 1990. I am currently not certified and Have no plans to do so.

 

[dr.frankenmod]

One more thing I am a "Wacker" by choice not by genetics.


I do not have any of my projects in my POV I have them in my "Man Cave".

 

[TritonBoulder47]

I like to mix LED, strobe, and halogen.

Same here... I currently have all 3 on my Avalanche now... LOL

 

[dr.frankenmod]

Well dang, I screwed up! I figured I'd stir the pot in the off-topic lounge but this was actually in the lighting forum. Sorry, all!

it was in the off-topic lounge. it got moved here