XL5000s comparison video

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
Here are my "same but different" XL bars. They served the same purpose but were setup a bit differently. Which do you guys like better? I want to swap the domes and filters between the two and shoot the video again. The center fast rotator in all white is pretty over powering.

 
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stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Tough call, but I do agree that the top bar's clear center section is a bit overwhelming. The top bar might do better with a red lens that has a clear cutout in the center. This would limit the clear to only one flash.
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
Tough call, but I do agree that the top bar's clear center section is a bit overwhelming. The top bar might do better with a red lens that has a clear cutout in the center. This would limit the clear to only one flash.
Yeah, I agree. I would like to do both bars in identical lenses for comparison. I want to do all three sections being solid red with a clear cutout. I actually have the domes to do that, I might make that the next video.
 
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ccsd834

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 19, 2019
54
Dallas, TX
Here are my "same but different" XL bars. They served the same purpose but were setup a bit differently. Which do you guys like better? I want to swap the domes and filters between the two and shoot the video again. The center fast rotator in all white is pretty over powering.

Solid with cutouts gets my nod. Classic!
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
I like clear domes, but the washout of all the white light on that top bar between the center rotator and the stingers is pretty bad. Is is that evident IRL or is the camera over exaggerating it? Even with the red lenses and cutouts there is a decent amount of washout, I am curious if the XL9000 fares any better... now you got me thinking.
 
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JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
I like clear domes, but the washout of all the white light on that top bar between the center rotator and the stingers is pretty bad. Is is that evident IRL or is the camera over exaggerating it? Even with the red lenses and cutouts there is a decent amount of washout, I am curious if the XL9000 fares any better... now you got me thinking.
I just so happen to have a similar XL9000.... So I can do I video of that. The wash out looks worse on the camera, but I do think a solid red dome or red dome with a clear cutout would make the fast rotator better, or at least less washed out.

The center fast rotator currently does have a red 1/2 cylinder filter to the rear which gets picked up on a small part of the step mirrors. I could move that to the front and the only white that would show would be what's caught by the one section of each mirror (currently catching the red).

I will pull the domes off both bars for some mix and match, and dig out my third red dome with the cutout for the center (to try on both bars). I definitely want to put a third red with white cutout (center) dome on the 6 rotator bar. That would make it 6 red rotators and 3 white stingers. Maybe I'll start with that as a baseline then start changing out parts on the other bar.

Keep in mind (lenses aside) these are essentially the same bar with a different center section.

Here is what I'm thinking of trying and documenting:

XLLenses.jpg
 
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bpollard

Member
Jun 13, 2010
422
USA, SC
Keep in mind, yes in an indoor video taken a few feet away the clear seems excessive. And at night in the field it probably was.
However, in actual use it's different. In broad daylight from a hundred yards away when the average person is driving along things are different. That extra "pop" might be the thing that attracts a teenager or a mom with kids raising hell's attention in the rear view mirror. That might provide an additional 5 or 6 seconds reaction time to allow a safer response for everyone. including the patient or fire victim.

Also, I can say from personal experience that those "stingers" may seem a bit slow and unimpressive to some just from the video. In use however it is much different. In fact, those things were so effective that in daylight from a distance they grabbed your eye and you couldn't even tell that the rotators were on.

thanks John for the video, it brings back memories!

Bob
 
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JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
Keep in mind, yes in an indoor video taken a few feet away the clear seems excessive. And at night in the field it probably was.
However, in actual use it's different. In broad daylight from a hundred yards away when the average person is driving along things are different. That extra "pop" might be the thing that attracts a teenager or a mom with kids raising hell's attention in the rear view mirror. That might provide an additional 5 or 6 seconds reaction time to allow a safer response for everyone. including the patient or fire victim.

Also, I can say from personal experience that those "stingers" may seem a bit slow and unimpressive to some just from the video. In use however it is much different. In fact, those things were so effective that in daylight from a distance they grabbed your eye and you couldn't even tell that the rotators were on.

thanks John for the video, it brings back memories!

Bob

The stingers really did do the job even in bright sun. They are one of the few vintage pieces i think are still relevant.
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Having seen plenty of XL5000's with red outer lenses and clear center section, i can tell you that it gets attention during daylight, but at night it is very bright and is most of what can be seen.
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
I'm probably going to put another red dome with clear cutout in the center of the one with three stingers and outer red domes (BAR 1). That would give it 6 red rotators and 3 clear stingers. On the other bar (BAR 2) I think I'm going to make the center fast rotator red (using a full cylinder) filter. That gives bar 2 a total of 5 red rotators and two clear stingers. The red to clear ratios being 6:3 on bar 1 and 5:2 on bar 2. Then I'll do a night video.

XLs.jpg

I have two XL9000s, one has 4 sets of sealed beam rotators under red outer domes and a single driver side stinger behind a clear cutout (center speaker). I like that one the way it is. My triple threat (giant bar with 3 lens sections and speaker grills in between) has 4 sets of red sealed beam rotators under red outer domes (with clear cutouts) and a clear center dome. It has 3 clear stingers total, two behind the cutouts, one in the clear center section. In the center clear dome the bulbs on the rotators are red/green and red/white. You end up with 6 red flashes, 4 white (3 being stingers) and 1 green. I might swap the clear bulb in the center with another red or green if I have it to bring the clear count down, making the only clear bulbs stingers. This thing draws over 65 amps because it trips my power supply pretty fast, I have to test it by using a car battery.

xl9000s.jpg

I also have a mini XL with a two rotators and a stingray multi-function light as well as a mini XL that just has two stingers in it. Those will likely get what ever domes are left after the full bars.
 
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