LED hideaways... comparisions and opinions wanted

mcpd2025

Member
May 20, 2010
1,557
Maryland, USA
I am sure its been discussed ad nausem on this board already, but I am having a miserable time with the search feature on this new board. I search Whelen universal law, it just searchs for law. I search SOS hideaway, I get no returns. I search sound off signal hideaway, it searches for sound hideaway.....


I am considering switching to LED hideaways. My department is installing Whelen Universal hideaways on new vehicles and they are awesome.... but not worth ditching a perfectly good strobe system and spending over $400 for. I've heard the Vertex's aren't quite bright enough to catch attention when responding code 3. I am interested in the Sound Off Signal led hideaways, but the only video's I see aren't in a housing or are at night. Anything looks bright in pitch black, so those video's aren't helpful. I need to see how the LED's work in a light housing, so the bare light video's aren't helpful. I've heard snippets here and there about the Axixtech led hideaway's as well.


What are people running in their vehicles, are they satisfied, and how do they work compared to a clear strobe tube? If you have daytime video, hopefully from at least 10 or 20 feet away, could you post some video's please? I know the Whelen LAW's are adequete substitutes for strobes, but they are cost prohibitive for me at this point.
 

unlisted

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May 20, 2010
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I'm working on a large comparison. I was supposed to have two separate cameramen (with HD cameras) come help me film since filming from a distance of 500 feet is never easy. Yes, I am filming in bright daylight.


I've given up on outside help, and I'm just going to do it myself, sadly with a POS (non HD) camera. I hope to start filming once the rain lets up..


I'll be testing/talking about the following ones:


Sound Off Signal Lighthouse


Code 3 Hide-a-blast


Whelen Vertex


Sound Off Signal Univeral


Axixtech T.R.I.


If there is anyone in the NY state area near Niagara Falls who can cross the border and assist me with filming, PLEASE pm me. Heck, I'll even toss in a Canadian Beer. :)
 

unlisted

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May 20, 2010
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VolEms said:
Good luck on it. Are you going to inclue the Whelen LAW's?

If I had them to compare, I would. Sadly, I don't really have much $$ To be spending on simple comparisons. If anyone wants to trade/temp loan to me, I can do that. I would ask they wait until I get the other reviews up first..


Thankfully, the location and my car setup for doing "testing" is easy to do, and always available. (I have separate side markers for testing only, and a standard flasher to hook up to, so all lights tested will flash at the exact same rate no matter what brand) :ugeek: :cool:
 

unlisted

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May 20, 2010
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Update:


I got bored, and decided to post what I have typed up thus far. They are slowly appearing in the "Equipment Reviews" sub forum.


more photos, details, videos to follow in the next few days.. Stay tuned!
 

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