About Strobes and Beacons

The role of beacons and strobes lights is to want the users about road safety. These are fitted to the vehicles for allowing users to view the road ahead of them. The article deals with the most common signs for road safety.

Table of Contents

1 Using Amber warning Lights

2 Difference Between Rotator, Strobe & Beacon

3 Comparison Halogen Beacons With LED; Which Is Better

4 Potential Users of Strobe Lights or Beacons

5 Fixing The Strobe & Flashing Beacons Lights

6 The Preferred Color of Beacon & Strobe To Be Used

Using Amber warning Lights

Ambar lights help to identify the warning or potential threats on the road. It includes:

Maintenance work
Parked as well as broken down vehicles
Any construction activities
Any oversized or slow-moving vehicle
Any vehicle that stops over and over again on the road

The shape of the light varies and it comes in different designs. But the most commonly available design is:

Warning lights
Beacons
Light bars
Strobes
Utility bars
Lightboxes

The fitting of these lights to the roadside vehicles can be in the following manner:

Any pilot as well as escort vehicles
Recovery vehicle or tow truck
For agricultural machinery
Road trains
For roadside assistance vehicles
For road construction site machinery
Utility vehicles
Some trucks as well as road trains
Some school buses

With amber warning lights, vehicles never get the advantage over traffic rules. Mainly an amber light or strobe is a notification on the road.

It tells people about the occurrence of any obstruction work ahead on the road. It could also lead to destruction or obstruction on the roadside.

It is used when a vehicle is either moving or standing on an obstructed road.

Both beacon or amber must stop working when the vehicle is in the non-hazardous zone.

Magnetic Base Rechargeable Revolving LED Mini-Bar

Difference Between Rotator, Strobe & Beacon

There are three to four halogen spotlights in the rotator. The same is true for revolving beacon lights as well. The lights are attached to the electric motor of the vehicle.

The attachment is with the help of rubber belts or gears. It also helps in the rotation of the entire assembly. The arrangements are most effective in working.

The weight of the process makes them vulnerable to falls, impacts, vibrations etc.

Technological advancements somehow changed the actual setting of the light.

Now the original rotator has been replaced. There is a rotatory lens or mirror with a halogen globe in the center. This type of light is even most commonly been used today.

It is a warning light with a static strobe design of the tube. These lights are also prone to wear and tear from vibrations and heat. The new strobe technology is replacing the mechanism.

Today’s industry is all about LED strobes.

This series is compact as well as reliable. It utilizes durable as well as intense LED lights. The lights thus are able to work for a longer time under different situations.

The effectiveness can be enhanced with the help of its innovative reflectors. The life of these lights is long and these come with no moving parts.

Rechargeable LED Beacon

Comparison Halogen Beacons With LED; Which Is Better

As such, there is no strict answer to this question. Even in practice, there is no ideal reply. However, for ease, the answer can be best considered in the light of a few variables.

For that matter, you need to consider the following questions:

– What would be the frequency of using the beacon, and how intense that would be?
How about switching on and off of these beacon lights?
What is the comparison between the initial cost or the lifelong cost of beacons?

Above all, need to determine:

The place of using these beacon lights
The application of these beacons

In case your usage is frequent, there are many plus points for using the lights. The beacons have longer life when compared with halogens. There is also no point in moving parts or replacement of these lights.

A beacon with hard wire and the ability to switch from inside is all that is needed. This type is the preferred source for any outlet with a 12-volt auxiliary or a magnetic battery.

It enables you to use the strobe from within the system. It also makes them less susceptible to threats or any burning hazards.

Apart from other features, quality is worth the price you pay for these lights.

If the comparison is drawn between LED beacons and Halogen, LED is of course on the expensive side.

It is due to designs as well as technology and the cost related to these designs.

LED beacons are costly than Halogen.

But the more price you pay is in return for a better investment. You get endurable lights, with better illumination. These are also resistant to water, dust, and vibration.

Rechargeable LED Beacon

Potential Users of Strobe Lights or Beacons

Both strobe or beacon lights are mainly used by professionals in a wide range. For some specific services, the color of the lights is also specific.

But you have to be a registered person in order to use the emergency lights. Otherwise, amber flash and beacon lights are the only options left for you to use on your vehicle.

When beacon flashlight or amber lights are being used by you, then you have to be careful. You need to maintain the safety and security of other passerby and vehicles.

Besides this keep track of the load, your vehicle is carrying. In a nutshell, using strobe or beacon lights doesn’t give you preference on road.

Mainly, common uses of strobe or amber flashing lights are in the following domain:

For Patrols and security guards
For mining as well as mining support vehicles
For some heavy, light as well as long vehicles
For Utility vehicles and municipal services vehicles
For special needs and other school buses
For services of alpine plants and snowplows
For work crews and council ranger
For road construction as well as building crews
For pilot vehicles and escort services
For heavy, some haulage vehicles as well as tow trucks
For agricultural plants and machinery
The accidentally damaged vehicle that could disrupt the flow of traffic

Rechargeable LED Beacon

Fixing The Strobe & Flashing Beacons Lights

The placement of flashing lights and strobes must be properly aligned. The alignment must be able to view at a degree of 360 with 25 meters radius.

In case you are not able to accomplish it, then it is better to get another flashlight.

The illumination of the light source should not hamper.

It should continue to work as long as operational. Thus, the quality of these lights carries much importance.

You need to be sure that this information is valid. Every state comes up with its own procedures and laws for strobe and flashlight installation.

All these laws and procedures must be considered while installing flashlights. The safety marking must also be there for every strobe and beacon light.

The marking could be either in white or red color. Again DIN 30 710 standards have to be aligned with the rules and regulations of every state.