Why no colored lens anymore like in the 80's and 90's?

[NYCguy]

Hey guys,


I was wondering why all the LED lights are clear lens these days. I used to think the red/blue lens--lights were sharp (when halogen an strobes were popular) inside public safety cars. Now everything is "white," (clear) with color leds, are there any manufacturers who even make colored lens-lights anymore?





very best

 

[foxtrot5]

Whelen's Talons were available with colored lenses, other than that I don't know of any interior mounted lights that were/are available with colored lenses unless it's a custom order.


Clear lenses work on everything and therefore help cut down on production costs.

 

[acala91]

When everything was either strobes or halogen, they required a colored lens to produce the desired color which is why everything back then had colored lenses. Now with LEDs, the diodes themselves produce the desired color so you can use clear lenses. I personally prefer colored lenses.

 

[twodogs603]

Two of my customers still demand colored lenses on their lightbars.

 

[Quickstep80]

I've just seen a BLS ambulance today with two lightbars on the roof, at the front with all blue domes, and in the rear with clear domes (because of additionally integrated brake and turn signals). To me that looked a bit weird; personnally I would have chosen two bars with clear lenses then.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

NYSP still uses colored lenses with LED bars.

 

[justavillain]

Kent County Sheriff's Dept in MI and the Michigan State Police have colored lenses over their LEDs. I like the look of the red/blue lenses

 

[FSEP]

DSP still uses colored lenses. However, the new units with valors are clear.

 

[Storm4200]

with the new dual and tri color lightbars and lightheads that are out, the colored lenses will soon become even more rare

 

[Reno911]

One of the Search and Rescue trucks in my area has clear lenses on the bar, with red and blue end caps. Looks a little strange, but kinda neat too, as if it's hinting "look I'm red and blue" lol

 

[emtanderson51]

More and more departments in our area are going back to colored lenses. Bars they originally mounted with clear lenses are being re-mounted and getting the colored rehab lenskits. I find the all clear lens thing to be very blah. Bars like the Valor that have a one, two or 3 lens set-up have to be clear unless you have all 1 color LED in the bar. OHP are a prime example with the RX bars in blue with the white cut outs over the TD and AL.

 

[coopers]

One of the Search and Rescue trucks in my area has clear lenses on the bar, with red and blue end caps. Looks a little strange, but kinda neat too, as if it's hinting "look I'm red and blue" lol

Like this bar? I like the look of it. We don't have too many bars on cars in this state with colored lenses. A lot of people are going to duo liberties.

 

[marionso14]

another reason for choosing the colored lenses is they dont "yellow" after being exposed to weather and the sun...


The colored lenses do get cloudy overtime but it doesnt look near as bad as a clear one being yellowed.

 

[Outsider]

another reason for choosing the colored lenses is they dont "yellow" after being exposed to weather and the sun...

The colored lenses do get cloudy overtime but it doesnt look near as bad as a clear one being yellowed.

And even that doesn't happen anymore. At least from Whelen, all lenses are coated with a silicon UV hard coating that does not "yellow" in the sun. I don't believe any other manufacturer is doing this.

 

[ERIC6913]

And even that doesn't happen anymore. At least from Whelen, all lenses are coated with a silicon UV hard coating that does not "yellow" in the sun. I don't believe any other manufacturer is doing this.

Federal did this 10 years ago already. The "cuda spectre" was a clear led light bar with optional UV coated lenses. It helped prolong the issue, but eventually the same thing happened.

 

[RyanZ71]

For the marked units, I find the colored lenses to be more noticeable for better visibility on or off, yeah I know you will probably disagree with that but anyway.

 

[Black Hoe]

Colored lenses just look more official on a marked vehicle!

 

[11b101abn]

I could go either way on this issue. Clear really makes more sense on an LED bar, but the colored lenses can make a car really pop.


It's pretty well known that I have zero use for any kind of 'stealth" garbage on a beat car. The whole point is to deter through visibility.

 

[ClintonPSE]

Star SVP offers most of their LED products in either clear or colored lenses. All Star lightbar lenses are "Diamond Coated". I've never asked Star what that process exactly is, but the lenses do last several years before they get yellowed.

 

[marionso14]

And even that doesn't happen anymore. At least from Whelen, all lenses are coated with a silicon UV hard coating that does not "yellow" in the sun. I don't believe any other manufacturer is doing this.

When did this start because my agency has whelen liberty bars less than 2 years old that are getting yellowed

 

[Musician2111]

NYSP still uses colored lenses with LED bars.

View attachment 59805

That is one of the ugliest lightbar setups ever!

 

[foxtrot5]

That is one of the ugliest lightbar setups ever!

I tend to agree. I feel like the fleet manager woke up one day and said "Hey, let's toss two blues back there... then I'll randomly insert a single amber somewhere in the bar too. Yeah, here seems like a good spot." Personally, I prefer a bar to be "balanced" with light colors.

 

[11b101abn]

I tend to agree. I feel like the fleet manager woke up one day and said "Hey, let's toss two blues back there... then I'll randomly insert a single amber somewhere in the bar too. Yeah, here seems like a good spot." Personally, I prefer a bar to be "balanced" with light colors.

I would prefer, in the NYSP Setup, either amber outboards and all blue center, amber outbards and two blue in boards w/ blank centers. Maybe even an all amber TA. As it is now, it's a purple blob w/ one amber light.

 

[336]

Aren't the NYSP technically in violation of NYS law with more than one blue?

 

[wduda152]

Actually if you see the NYSP bars in action it isn't a purple blob, as the blue alternates against the red/Amber.