What's the worst lightbar made by a well-known company? (FedSig, Code 3, Whelen)

lotsofbars

lotsofbars

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I was just thinking about this the other day when I saw a Federal Signal Jetstream on a wrecker. They're simply bad. Crappy output, little off-axis lighting, all of the things I don't like about a lightbar… in a lightbar. So my vote goes out to all halogen Jetsonic/Jetstream lightbars from Federal signal.


With that being said, I know there are more crappy bars (new and old) out there.


So what's your least-favorite major brand lightbar? Why? Discuss.
 
lotsofbars said:
I was just thinking about this the other day when I saw a Federal Signal Jetstream on a wrecker. They're simply bad. Crappy output, little off-axis lighting, all of the things I don't like about a lightbar… in a lightbar. So my vote goes out to all halogen Jetsonic/Jetstream lightbars from Federal signal.

With that being said, I know there are more crappy bars (new and old) out there.


So what's your least-favorite major brand lightbar? Why? Discuss.
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Strobe lightbars that were originally designed as halogen bars


strobe MX or a strobe vista
 
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As far as design goes I am going with the streethawk. Theres so much wasted space. I also didn't like the whelen lightbars that were put on the back of the FDNY Batalion trucks. The ones that you could flip each one side vertical, and it has stop lights in it and stuff.
 
i think that the aerodynic or whatever its called the one on the dukes of hazzard car i think its retarded since it has no side coverage due to the fact that it has a flasher blocking the rotators from the side STUPID
 
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Halogen Jet series, moreso the sync rotators... dim, dim, dim
 
A fully loaded Whelen Freedom, everyone knows you can barely see that thing. j/k

rwo978 said:
Halogen Jet series, moreso the sync rotators... dim, dim, dim
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+1, or even when you added the strobe beacon inside of it.
 
Station 3 said:
i think that the aerodynic or whatever its called the one on the dukes of hazzard car i think its retarded since it has no side coverage due to the fact that it has a flasher blocking the rotators from the side STUPID
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It's this design here (photo credit to ERIC6913)


ai734.photobucket.com_albums_ww341_eric6913_24CA7.jpg


I do agree that the side coverage is really bad, with two front & rear flashers plus alley lights. Unless you have the alleys on a alt flasher to add side warning, it probably wouldn't help. The AeroDynics with just synced rotators and no flashers are much better at intersection warning IMO.
 
Every halogen rotator Whelen AdvantEdge on an ambulance, eventually self-destructs with the tiny rotators turning black or rusting leaving you with essentially no warning. The original Jetsonic also gets my vote.


I like Streethawks. :yes: Super bright and lots of room inside means they run COOL all day in the hot sun.
 
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NPS Ranger said:
I like Streethawks. :yes: Super bright and lots of room inside means they run COOL all day in the hot sun.
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I totally agree. It's true that there's a bit of "wasted space," but they CAN run forever. And nothing beats the streethawk rotators, they're phenomenal.


It's also true that the strobe vistas suck, but I had a strobe MX and currently have a strobe 360 and I can testify that they're surprisingly great.
 
RBRONKEMA GHTFD said:
As far as design goes I am going with the streethawk.
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Um they kick ass, they're bright as crap! I just ran code3 9 hours ago using one and it clears a 4 lane highway fast!
 
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Halogen jetsonic (independent rotators) or strobe vista.
 
GPC said:
Strobe vista sucks.
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Vistas in general for me, just because of the design. Seriously, who came up with the idea to use a football shape for a lightbar :weird: ? They look absolutely bulky as heck!
 
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RBRONKEMA GHTFD said:
As far as design goes I am going with the streethawk. Theres so much wasted space. I also didn't like the whelen lightbars that were put on the back of the FDNY Batalion trucks. The ones that you could flip each one side vertical, and it has stop lights in it and stuff.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad lightbar; the highway patrol here used to use those as the ONLY lightbar and they worked well. The only problem they have is that they look a little dim when the domes get cloudy because the front facing lights on the rear bar have to go through two domes, but cloudy domes is a problem with any bar.


aimages16.fotki.com_v272_photos_4_49373_2273006_cnpca4554_vi.jpg


aimages18.fotki.com_v270_photos_4_49373_2273006_cnpca4554a_vi.jpg


awww.phildorsett.com_images_whelenhiriser.gif
 
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Cant hate on the streethawks or halogen vistas. They had to be up there in top sold lightbars for fedsig. Yea the jetstreams are a little weak when they get old but still plenty bright when new. Streethawks wicked bright! Vista strobes kinda sucked but halogens kicked butt!! lp6000 seemd cheap. whelen advantage sucked.
 
Streethawk rotators were some of the best around.... blocky bars, but very effective. The independent jet rotators were just bad....
 
Definitely the advantage. The halogen jet bars are week, put are aesthetically pleasing. They are great project bars, and they're one of the most aerodynamic bars available - only 3% resistance in wind tunnel testing! Another useless POS: any flush bar with rotators! Especially Whelen's.
 
Federal Raydians are among my most hated....stupidly set-up as far as internal wiring & they're heavy.


I don't think the Vista would've been bad if the shape wasn't so huge.


Federal almost always seems to have some kind of dumbass idea to make a lightbar "work".
 
I, by far, have the best one. I'm kinda surprised no one said it, probably because it's not a traditional lightbar.


Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Whelen Fastraxx (FRONT STROBE VERSION)

3681436186_47c9494d65.jpg
 
bfd740 said:
That's not a bad lightbar; the highway patrol here used to use those as the ONLY lightbar and they worked well. The only problem they have is that they look a little dim when the domes get cloudy because the front facing lights on the rear bar have to go through two domes, but cloudy domes is a problem with any bar.
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The only thing I don't like about them is the wasted space. Theres so much more room for flashers or take downs like the code 3 Mx and excals. I'm not bashing thir preformance.
 
Phillyrube said:
2nds on strobe vista...our entire fleet has them....
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I am so sorry… The entire fleet in my city has Liberties and they're just fine. I much prefer FedSig solaris LED's, though.
 
lotsofbars said:
i was just thinking about this the other day when i saw a federal signal jetstream on a wrecker. They're simply bad. Crappy output, little off-axis lighting, all of the things i don't like about a lightbar… in a lightbar. So my vote goes out to all halogen jetsonic/jetstream lightbars from federal signal.

With that being said, i know there are more crappy bars (new and old) out there.


So what's your least-favorite major brand lightbar? Why? Discuss.
Click to expand...

i don't know about that i have a strobe vista and it's plenty bright and people move when they see it. I'd say the streethawk
 
gman021 said:
I, by far, have the best one. I'm kinda surprised no one said it, probably because it's not a traditional lightbar.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Whelen Fastraxx (FRONT STROBE VERSION)
Click to expand...

You don't say that about the Fastraxx, Its a nice lightbar.
 
My Least favorite bar is the Code 3 XL bars . Because there is alot of wasted space in those bars.
 
I'll refrain from saying it's the FedSig Jetstream because I've seen some of those that were genuinely bright... I'd have to say Vista strobe.
 
RBRONKEMA GHTFD said:
The only thing I don't like about them is the wasted space. Theres so much more room for flashers or take downs like the code 3 Mx and excals. I'm not bashing thir preformance.
Click to expand...

I added 2 pics to my original post - takedowns are available. The ones the PD had didn't have any of the black sections. When it's down, there's 8 across the front and when it's up there's 10 across the front (both have 2 sets of takedowns and they are in front of each other when its down) The empty space on one is filled on the other so that no lights are blocked when its down. They actually have more lights than their fully populated Edge and Freedom bars.
 
zacmtz7 said:
I loved my Fasttrax, if it hadn't have blown off i'd still be using it today.
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haha that must have been interesting. I'm all for a rear led version, but I will not go for a front one
 
Strobehawk. I like the Streethawks though! I love the design of them and how they look, but they were meant to be a rotator, not a strobe. Oh, and about the Fasttrax...the ugliest frickin lightbar I've ever seen, so long as it's facing to the front. When it's in the back it looks cool, but not to the front. I can't say on the performance though, as I've never seen one in real life.
 
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