LED Strobe Lights: The Ultimate Buying Guide

If you are searching for information on LED strobe lights, then you are at the right place.

This buying guide discusses all the things you should know about LED strobe lights.

Therefore, it will help you make an informed decision when making your purchase.

LED Strobe Light

LED Strobe Light

LED strobe lights refer to lighting systems that emit continuous whirling or flashes of light, which are normally very bright.

The extreme brightness is because the strobe light allows the use of more energy for every flash of light.

This is different from the need for sustaining a regular beam of light as the case with a standard light.

Generally, LED strobe lights are famous for their intensity and power, making it easy to see them from far.

Moreover, you can use this type of strobe lights in all sorts of different backgrounds and environments.

Advantages of LED Strobe Lights over Xenon Strobe Lights

Though some argue that xenon-based strobe lights give brighter illumination than LEDs, there are many benefits of LED strobe lights over xenon strobes:

· Longer Life

LEDs have a longer life compared to any other type of lighting devices available.

They feature an overall operation lifespan of 50,000 hours in comparison to 10,000 hours of continuous operation of xenon strobe lights.

· Energy Efficiency

This is the main reason why LED strobe lights are the best selection.

The lights consume around 75 per cent less power compared to incandescent lamps and about 60 per cent than xenon strobes.

Although more costly in comparison to xenon flash tubes, LED strobes are cost-effective in the long term due to their low energy consumption.

· Less Maintenance

The prolonged lifespan of LED strobe lights substantially minimizes the cost of maintenance and long-term operating expenses.

This in turn makes them very cost-effective.

· Durability

LED strobes are solid-state luminaires that utilize semiconductor materials rather than electrical filaments to produce visible light.

This makes them more durable than xenon strobe lights, which employ filaments enclosed in a glass.

The glass component makes xenon flashtubes extremely delicate and very susceptible to breakage.

LED strobe lighting devices have the benefit of being vibration, shock and any extra potential external damage resistant.

· Instant Lighting

Typically, LEDs attain maximum brightness output immediately on powering on in comparison to xenon types that experience slight delay.

· Controllability

Being semiconductor devices, it is possible to control/programme the flash patterns and light output of LED strobe lights as desired.

They as well give a smooth, regular dimming.

· Safety and Convenience

Generally, LEDs are safer and more convenient to use since they function at low voltage.

On the other hand, xenon strobe lights need the higher voltage for ionizing the gas, and you need to handle them with caution.

Radiation/UV light out of xenon flashtubes might equally generate great quantities of ozone, which can be dangerous to equipment, animals and people.

Moreover, UV light also attracts insects into xenon strobes.

Therefore, purchasing LED strobe lights help you avoid those annoying insects.

Operating Modes of LED Strobe Lights

You can use either of these two LED strobe light modes:

  • Flashing light mode mainly to produce effects. The lighting fixtures can produce flashes of light in a specific sequence referred to as a pattern.

Most LED strobe lights feature numerous pattern choices. Flashing lighting mode often find use in emergency vehicles, or concerts.

  • Continuous mode where the spacing of flashes is in such a manner that it is nearly impossible to detect that they are flashing.

This facilitates production of the continuous light beam, which commonly find application in photography.

LED lights are typically white however, you can color the light beam produced for particular purposes.

Available Types of LED Strobe Lights

There has been rapid evolution of Strobe light technology over the years, resulting in the development of several LED strobe light types, including:

i. LED Strobe Lights for Vehiclesl

Police LED Strobe Lights

Police LED Strobe Lights

LED strobe lights are becoming a typical feature of most types of vehicle.

You can use the LED lighting fixtures for vehicles for various purposes, though the primary usage is normally for awareness.

Installing LED strobe lights for vehicles can assist in alerting other motorists to the vehicle presence, which is critical in emergency scenarios.

For instance, most ambulances use LED strobe lights to signal other motorists of its presence.

However, these LED light fittings for the vehicle are not particularly appropriate for illuminating the path of vehicle.

Because of their flashing nature, you cannot rely on the lighting fixtures to emit continuous light beam to offer additional visibility to driver.

They are ideal for providing visibility for other motorists, for awareness purposes, instead of the vehicle having the lights mounted.

These are the type of vehicles that commonly use LED strobe lights:

  • Wrecker vehicles and tow trucks
  • Volunteer EMTs and firefighter vehicles, particularly those operating in areas with minimal public lighting on back roads.
  • Construction vehicles
  • Police vehicles

ii. LED Strobe Lights for FOG and Misty conditions

LED strobe lights are perfect at penetrating through misty and fog conditions.

These lights are by far the best type of strobe lights to cut through heavy fog.

Moreover, the color of LED strobe lights for fog and misty conditions is very instrumental in its effectiveness.

Typically, longer wavelength lights are better at penetrating through fog.

Red LED strobe lights for fog and misty conditions makes the top of list, having a wavelength ranging from 620-750 nanometers.

Still, if state restrictions prohibit use of red lights, the next best alternative for you is orange light (590-620 nanometers).

Yellow light having wavelength of between 570 to 590 nanometer is the third option.

However, try to avoid blue (450-495 nanometer) and violet (380-450 nanometer) LED strobe lights for fog and misty conditions.

iii. Emergency LED Strobe Lights

LED strobe lights give the brightest and long-lasting lighting for any safety and emergency scenario.

They are an integral outdoor survival lights for any serious road user.

You can install emergency LED strobe lights on any vehicle, be it construction vehicles, off-road vehicles, plow trucks, or police vehicles.

They make sure that you are noticeable on scene all the time.

The lights function as an essential visual aid necessary for rescue and search services.

The main application of emergency LED strobe lights is when you are lost, injured, or require aid if outdoors at night.

During a clear night, these types of LED strobe lights are visible over a distance of 1 mile. Moreover, the lighting fixtures have lightweight and simple to utilize and emit flashes of light from high-power LEDs.

iii. LED Strobe Lights for Room

Room LED strobe lights can work magic and change your room into an amusing and exciting space to be in.

Furthermore, they set the mood in the room and produce a special atmosphere.

There are various types and design of LED strobe lights for room, available in both electrical- and solar-powered types.

They come with varying input and output capacity depending on the brand and are exceptionally energy-efficient.

LED Strobe Lights for Room

 LED Strobe Lights for Room

Majority of room LED strobe lights feature plastic injection moulds, aluminium die-casting, and UV-stabilized polycarbonate of the highest quality.

These materials provide resistance to destructive solar UV radiations, abrupt weather conditions and mechanical stresses.

Additionally, the installation of LED strobe lights for a room is very easy and they require minimal maintenance.

v. LED Strobe Light Kits

LED strobe lighting kits come in various flashing patterns, colours and sizes.

You can install or mount them in different ways.

The contents of most LED strobe light kit include the following:

  • LED Strobe Heads
  • External Mounts
  • Flange Kit
  • Strobe Wires
  • Pattern/ON/OFF Power Switch

LED Strobe Light Kit

LED Strobe Light Kit

LED strobe heads individually connect into compatible power outlets of 120-277V AC, which an inline transformer steps down to 10-30V DC.

Additionally, it is also possible to select custom features and programs to control how the lights are flashing.

Different flashers and several strobe patterns are available allowing synchronization of the LED strobe lights.

Applications of LED Strobe Lights

The common uses of LED strobe lights include:

Inspection and Quality Control

The lights are simple but effective devices for inspection and quality check at full manufacturing speed.

This requires accurate timing of the strobe light with the object in motion.

The fast flash of strobe light will “freeze” a picture of section of line that your eye observes if the light flashes.

Aviation

LED strobe lighting finds application in aviation industry where you use it as aircraft anti-collision lighting.

You can install on both tall stationary objects like radio and television towers and aircraft themselves.

Night Clubs and Homes

Some applications of LED strobe light involve using them in raves, nightclubs and homes for entertainment, or creating special effects.

Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles

These types of LED lighting have wide use in law enforcement and emergency vehicles.

Furthermore, LED strobe lights also serve as emergency signaling tool in scuba diving.

Other uses of LED strobe lighting are in high visibility running lights, theatrical lighting (mainly to simulate lighting), and alarm systems.

Parts and Components of LED Strobe Lights

The main components of LED strobe light comprise of:

· Light Emitting Diodes

The luminaire typically comprises of a matrix of LEDs that are solid-state.

Different from Xenon-based strobe lights, LED types do not utilize gas to produce illumination.

· Metal Base

Most LED strobe lights feature a heavy-duty metal base constructed using anodized aluminium to impede corrosion, with the dome made using standard polycarbonate.

The sealed metal base makes sure that the electronic parts of the LED strobe light are safe from any harsh conditions.

· 555 Timer IC

This is the heart of LED strobe light, which can operate in 3 different modes comprising of Bistable, Monostable and Astable mode.

All the 3 modes emit 3 different kinds of pulses that you can control at a specific point.

· Connections Cables

These are set of wires you will use to connect the LED strobe lights

· Housing

This is the outer casing that covers the LED strobe light components.

They are made from different materials depending on the specifications.

LED Strobe Lights vs Continuous Strobe lights

The main difference between LED Strobe Light and Continuous Strobe Light is how they emit light.

As already explained, LED strobe light produces a fast flash of light.

The emitted light is typically exceptionally powerful, and you can adjust and modify it for a variety of innovative control.

Pros of LED Strobe Light

  • Ensures higher power output, thus allowing for more flexibility
  • Offers you more accurate control
  • Rapid flashing of LED assist freeze movement, which is important in inspection, quality control and photography.
  • Wide strobe modifiers variety enable further control of the lights

Cons of LED Strobe Lights

  • Generally, more expensive than continuous lighting
  • Not suited for video work
  • Studio flash can seem intimidating to newcomers

On the other hand, continuous light outputs a continuous beam of light, and you can also adjust and modify them.

However, these types of lighting fixture are less flexible compared to LED strobe lights.

Pros of Continuous Light

  • Offers control over brightness, color temperature, and power.
  • Enables you to observe lighting outcomes in real time
  • Flicker-free continuous lights are appropriate for shooting video

Cons of Continuous Lights

  • Has lower power output in comparison to LED Strobe light
  • Less brightness making it difficult to capture objects in motion
  • Continuous light can be uncomfortable

Dangers of using LED Strobe Lights

The flashes of LED strobe light fluctuate as a result of light radiation intensity.

This causes frequent and dangerous flicker disturbance to the eye, and impedes and interferes with human brain activity.

In as much as the brain responds swiftly, the light flicker of LED strobe light still interrupts the human brain.

LED strobe heads individually connect into compatible power outlets of 120-277V AC, which an inline transformer steps down to 10-30V DC.

Additionally, it is also possible to select custom features and programs to control how the lights are flashing.

Different flashers and several strobe patterns are available allowing synchronization of the LED strobe lights.

Applications of LED Strobe Lights

The common uses of LED strobe lights include:

Inspection and Quality Control

The lights are simple but effective devices for inspection and quality check at full manufacturing speed.

This requires accurate timing of the strobe light with the object in motion.

The fast flash of strobe light will “freeze” a picture of a section of line that your eye observes if the light flashes.

Aviation

LED strobe lighting finds application in aviation industry where you use it as aircraft anti-collision lighting.

You can install on both tall stationary objects like radio and television towers and aircraft themselves.

Night Clubs and Homes

Some applications of LED strobe light involve using them in raves, nightclubs and homes for entertainment, or creating special effects.

Emergency and Law Enforcement Vehicles

These types of LED lighting have wide use in law enforcement and emergency vehicles.

Furthermore, LED strobe lights also serve as emergency signaling tool in scuba diving.

Other uses of LED strobe lighting are in high visibility running lights, theatrical lighting (mainly to simulate lighting), and alarm systems.

Parts and Components of LED Strobe Lights

The main components of LED strobe light comprise of:

· Light Emitting Diodes

The luminaire typically comprises of a matrix of LEDs that are solid-state.

Different from Xenon-based strobe lights, LED types do not utilize gas to produce illumination.

·  Metal Base

Most LED strobe lights feature a heavy-duty metal base constructed using anodized aluminium to impede corrosion, with the dome made using standard polycarbonate.

The sealed metal base makes sure that the electronic parts of the LED strobe light are safe from any harsh conditions.

· 555 Timer IC

This is the heart of LED strobe light, which can operate in 3 different modes comprising of Bistable, Monostable and Astable mode.

All the 3 modes emit 3 different kinds of pulses that you can control at a specific point.

· Connections Cables

These are set of wires you will use to connect the LED strobe lights

· Housing

This is the outer casing that covers the LED strobe light components.

They are made from different materials depending on the specifications.

LED Strobe Lights vs Continuous Strobe lights

The main difference between LED Strobe Light and Continuous Strobe Light is on how they emit light.

As already explained, LED strobe light produces a fast flash of light.

The emitted light is typically exceptionally powerful, and you can adjust and modify for a variety of innovative control.

Pros of LED Strobe Light

  • Ensures higher power output, thus allowing for more flexibility
  • Offers you more accurate control
  • Rapid flashing of LED assists freeze movement, which is important in inspection, quality control and photography.
  • Wide strobe modifiers variety enable further control of the lights

Cons of LED Strobe Lights

  • Generally, more expensive than continuous lighting
  • Not suited for video work
  • Studio flash can seem intimidating to newcomers

On the other hand, continuous light outputs a continuous beam of light, and you can also adjust and modify them.

However, these types of lighting fixture are less flexible compared to LED strobe lights.

Pros of Continuous Light

  • Offers control over brightness, color temperature, and power.
  • Enables you to observe lighting outcomes in real time
  • Flicker-free continuous lights are appropriate for shooting video

Cons of Continuous Lights

  • Has lower power output in comparison to LED Strobe light
  • Less brightness making it difficult to capture objects in motion
  • Continuous light can be uncomfortable

Dangers of using LED Strobe Lights

The flashes of LED strobe light fluctuate as a result of light radiation intensity.

This causes frequent and dangerous flicker disturbance to the eye, and impedes and interferes with human brain activity.

In as much as the brain responds swiftly, the light flicker of LED strobe light still interrupts the human brain.

 Emergency LED Strobe Light

 Emergency LED Strobe Light

Some of the dangers of LED strobe light include:

1) Migraine

Light flashes can easily result in migraines, with 100Hz flicker frequency the main cause.

Typically, slow strobing is more dangerous compared to fast strobing.

However, most people who suffer from migraine are just sensitive to flashes of LED strobe light.

2) Anxiety

Flashing lights of 120 Hz frequency may have effects on people’s emotions, for instance making you anxious, appear bored and so on.

3) Photosensitive Epileptic Diseases

With individuals who are light-sensitive, they can experience epilepsy even with short-time visible light (3-70 Hz) exposure.

4) Eye Fatigue

Strobe light flashes tend to result in eye fatigue in certain individuals.

tend to fall asleep while studying under LED strobe lights.

5) Attention Dispersion

People incline to be highly sensitive to LED strobes around the human eye field of vision.

6) Autism

Autistic children are especially sensitive to environmental changes.

The flashes of strobe lights tend to increase the recurrence of the condition.

Power Consumption of LED Strobe Lights

Most LED strobe lights only draw about 0.4 to 0.35 amperes at 12VDC.

They use only 25 to 35 percent of power consumed by halogen and gas-discharge strobe lights.

LED strobe lighting fixtures consume less energy compared to any other type of lighting technology available on the market.

You can power them using low voltage, enabling minimal electrical current draw from the power source.

As a result, the LED luminaires feature a longer service life, often lasting 10 times the lifespan of traditional strobe lights.

Benefits of LED Strobe Light Controller in Machine Vision Systems

The advantages of LED lighting controller in vision inspection machines far surpass the cost in uses involving:

  • Inspection and motion
  • Optical character recognition
  • Mark quality assessment and bar code grading
  • Low contrast
  • Ambient lighting issues

Machine vision applications entailing image contrast lower than 20 per cent pose specific difficulties.

With such low contrast, even the smallest variation in the intensity of LED output can result in a major effect on inspection system performance.

An LED array function at 100 percent power produces heat that reduces the LED array lifespan.

This gradually diminishes the intensity of output with time.

Even with new LEDs, there light can experience brightness reduction by about 40% as they warm up from 25 to 90 degrees Celsius.

This reduction in output intensity might start exhibiting itself by way of false rejects.

Therefore, there is need to adjust the camera system or lighting output to reinstate optimal performance.

Incorporating quality LED strobe lighting controller can give consistently-homogenous light throughout the project life.

To ensure continuous operation, you can prolong the LED array life by operating it at lower than 100 percent power.

With LED strobe control, the array will have a longer lifespan even if overdriving at reduced duty cycle operation.

Running the LED array in strobed mode or decreased output minimizes the generation of heat and greatly slows the LED array output degradation.

LED strobe light controllers that modulate current flow to LED array instead of voltage equally give more uniform illumination intensity.

How to Choose the Best LED Strobe Lights

Here are the key factors to consider when choosing LED strobe light for a specific vehicle or other application:

· Color

There exist distinct guidelines on color of LED strobe lights that you can use on a specific vehicle.

It is important to confirm your country’s rules and regulations prior to installing strobe lights.

For example, use of blue and red strobe lights is a reserve for emergency vehicles like police vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks.

It is not permissible for firefighters, EMT teams and medical professionals to use blue and red LED strobes on their personal vehicles.

However, they can utilize strobe lighting fixtures in other colors.

The most popular colors utilized for LED strobe lights are amber, yellow and white.

In some regions, commercial vehicles might use yellow, blue and red lights, based on specific conditions and requirements.

Amber LED Strobe Light

Amber LED Strobe Light

The recommended colors for strobe lights for cutting through fog are yellow, orange and red due to their longer wavelength.

Before making your purchase, always remember that there are limitations on the patterns and color of LED strobe light.

· Design

You can surface-mount or permanently attach automotive LED strobe lights to the grille or roof of the vehicle.

They might as well come as hideaway LED strobes or full-size light bars.

You can install them inside reverse light sockets or place them in the headlights.

Moreover, it is also possible to programme the lights based on the features and design of the LED strobe light kit.

Some lights might feature tougher casings, which are shock-resistant and water-proof.

It is important ensuring that the strobe light you select conforms to the insurance and legal requirements if utilized on public roads.

When using the lights purposely for aesthetics, it is allowable to select from multiple flash patterns and color options.

· Installation

LED strobe light should come with all the necessary hardware for installation.

Make sure you understand the requirements for correct installation or mounting.

Confirm the included wiring, connectors and additional LED strobe light accessories in the kit like light control module.

Select a strobe lighting that ensures easy installation and removal or one engineered for simple plug and play.

· True Colors

The color of the light emitted is a very important consideration during selection of LED strobe light.

Manufacturers offer several colors choices, with white, purple, amber, red, and amber being among the various hues to choose.

Deciding on the LED strobe lighting color completely depends on your preference.

To achieve the best blend, mix and match your lighting with the space or vehicle’s paint job.

· Strong Housing

It is important to ensure that the housing of the LED strobe light is tough enough to endure the elements of nature.

Confirm if it is shatterproof and waterproof.

Make sure you do not choose light fixtures that will blow if wet or housing that break easily.

How to Install LED Strobe Lights

Installation of LED strobe lights differs with the application, though when you understand the principle, it is possible to install them correctly.

However, it is vital you be keen while installing the lights, which have negative and positive poles.

The black wire represents the negative pole while the red stands for positive pole.

The strobes will not flash if you perform wrong connection.

a) Power

You need to supply each light with power.

Simply connect the negative and positive wires on the LED strobe light to the negative and positive wires from the power source.

This will switch the lights on and make them function in default flash pattern.

b) Changing Flash Pattern

To alter the flash pattern, it will be necessary to introduce a power to pattern select wire.

Therefore, it is crucial to differentiate whether the light is negative or positive trigger.

Connect the pattern select wire to negative wire if negative trigger and to positive wire if positive trigger.

Simply repeat the procedure till you find the desired pattern then cap the pattern select wire.

Finally, the LED strobe light is ready for installation.

c) Control

To ensure more control, connect the strobe lighting fixture to the control switch, by simply connecting the cables to the switch.

By a simple push of a button, it is possible to change patterns, turn the lights on and off from the comfort of your seat.

d) Synchronization of LED Strobe Lights

It is essential to ensure you sync all the LED strobe lights together.

Syncing ensures that the lights are communicating with one another and are all strobing in unison.

Furthermore, it makes sure there is a clear pattern that enhances visibility and appears more professional.

All you should do to synchronize the lights is connecting the sync wires of every light together. This is what you need to perform for most types of LED strobe lights.

However, certain LED strobes require that every light be configured to a similar pattern to sync properly.

Therefore, it is always advisable to check the user manual to be certain.

RGBW LED Strobe Light

RGBW LED Strobe Light

In short, LED strobe lights to provide a wide range of advantages during emergency situations.

They enhance safety and effectiveness for both you and those around you.

In fact, they are beneficial in offering extra security and safety.

In case you’re looking for high quality and reliable LED strobe lights, feel free to contact Gold more.

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