I know the LEDs are rated 100,000 hours +/-, but what is the rating for an average strobe tube (HAW)? May need a cost/benefit argument.
Strobe tube life span
- Thread starter zsiya
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From what i ever read its going to depend greatly on the amount of watts your running the tube as vs what the tube is rated for of course. Also during the install, was the tube touched? Things like that play a major part with strobes. I did a quick google search and say some rated for 24,000 hours and some rated in the amount of flashes, 5 million to 10 million.
A rule of thumb I was told early on is that when it comes to strobes being effective as warning equipment, they have a 5-year half life. In other words, after five years, the tubes are half as bright as new, and five years later, half of that half. I don't know the methodology used to come to this "rule" or if it is even accurate. I would recommend that tubes be replaced at 5-6 years to maximize effectiveness and keep the power supply from overworking. There is no doubt that strobe systems lose effectiveness over time. This is why I will not reuse hide-a-way bulbs. If you are looking for cost effectiveness over life-cycle, I feel it would be safe to estimate re-lensing or at least a complete re-surfacing of the lenses at 3 years, replacement of bulbs at 6 years, and replacement of at least one power supply at nine years. I used those estimates when arguing against reusing 8 year-old VISTA strobe bars on new cruisers. Add in estimates on fuel savings from reduced drag, lowered power consumption and decreased stress on vehicle electrical system (we were killing alternators at a steady pace with halogen & strobe set-ups...now with 85% LED bars we are going through about 1/4 of the alternators we used to go through), and the obvious increase in effectiveness of LED bars. Other considerations include LED takedowns being superior for in-car video systems due to reduced glare, the fact that LED lightbars do not blind helicopter pilots when they are using NVGs to land at an evac, truer color output, and overall increased lifecycle of all components in lightbar due to reduced weight, heat, and current draw.
MPD 818
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jluisi86 said:
I would have to agree. Usage and conditions really play a big factor. I know for a fact that there are detective vehicles I have done that are still using the same corner strobes that are at least 10 years old and have been in 3 different vehicles of their lifetime. Of course they do not get used much either.