LED or not

[yjbrody]

Quit playing around, get the BEST! I believe Harve used to use these lights.

Haha! I remember using those (or something similar) on our helmet on a class field trip to a cave, but that wasn't too long ago. Maybe 20 years?

Had to be careful or you'd burn your hands when climbing up and down the ladders. Forgot all about those.

[WD6956]

I have to see if Globe will do a mounting tab on my new Turnout Coat for one one of them. And i hope BlackJack comes out with a helmet mount for one of them soon.

[LVFD301]

Quit playing around, get the BEST! I believe Harve used to use these lights.

[Rescue101]

Some people have told me that LED lights don't cut through smoke very well; some people have told me they do. What's the real truth?

I'm looking for a right-angle light to hang on a coat.

One firefighter told me that non-LED lights cut through smoke better but that, at least in his experience, lighting through smoke isn't actually particularly important. He prefers LED so as to have a brighter, longer-lasting (per charge) beam for utility purposes.

But I've just read an older thread here in which someone said LED cuts through smoke better.

Since I'm only just starting the basic firefighting course in a couple weeks, I have no experience to guide me. What kind of bulb cuts through smoke better, and how important is that anyway?

Two lights in particular I'm considering are the Streamlight Survivor and the Pelican Big Ed. My station doesn't issue any kind of coat light so I'm pretty much free to pick whatever I want.

If it makes a difference, I'm with a suburban FD, with actual structure fires few and far between. But of course I'd still want my gear to be ready for one in case I ever actually do get in one...

See if you can borrow one of each,get in the Smokehouse and draw your OWN conclusion. In my experience either is OK as you won't be seeing a lot anyway. I like the extended run time of the Led,but thats just me. T.C.

[JJR512]

Let's try this again

` If I was you I would purchase a LED right angle Streamlight for your coat. I would also purchase a Streamlight Vulcan. At work I have a right angle on my coat, and the Vulcan on my gut belt. The Vulcan comes with a quick release seat belt strap so you can carry it on a gut belt or shoulder strap. The Vulcan cuts through smoke very well...

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...houlder_strap/

This is what I carry mine on......

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...r_escape_belt/

Good luck in the academy Brother! Stay safe.

At my station, we have similar lights to the Vulcan. I'm not sure if it's actually a Streamlight Vulcan or some other brand/model but it's the same basic kind of light. And this is what they use now instead of the Survivor. (From what I'm told, they used to put Survivors out there for people to take in, but they started disappearing because people would leave them clipped to their coats...take the coats home...and presto, a free flashlight.)

I'll have to check and see what kind of bulb these box lights use but I seem to recall that they're not LED. So I see what you're saying, though; for the coat light, it makes sense to get whatever kind of bulb the box light is not. That way, I have one of each kind of bulb at the ready.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Who said that we busted balls??

Just an honest mistake.

In order to bust balls.... one must have them!

Just kidding, bro, just kidding...

[WD6956]

You should be able to click Edit and then delete this thread?

[WD6956]

If the purpose of the flashlight is to BE SEEN and not to see in smoke then the LED is probably a better choice. If the purpose of the flashlight is to see in smoke then I will take the Xenon bulb. None of them works all that good but I prefer a more focused less glare casting flashlight.

Thankfully Streamlight is still offering the Vulcan lights in Halogen an Xenon. So you still have that option. I use an LED Vulcan which is ridiculously bright and works great for investigating alarms, etc. As i am not an officer, i don't carry a handlight in a fire anyhow.

I will say I believe Streamlights decision to stop making the Xenon Black Dot bulb version of the Streamlight xl90 is a bad one. I guess if my Survivor ever takes a dump I will have to look elsewhere for a new flashlight.

I too agree it was a bad move to discontinue them. But when i contacted Streamlight to ask why, their answer was what i expected, the LED's were outselling the Xenon to the point it was not cost effective to even offer the Xenon any more. On paper, it makes sense as to why. LED's have longer battery life, brighter light, no bulbs to ever fail or replace. So most departments prefer them. What they don't take into account is the visibility issue, but i guess it's not that big a deal to most people.

As of now, the bulbs are still being made and their are parts on hand. For how long, who knows. If you truly prefer the Xenon version, i would buy another complete light while you still can from leftovers a dealer may have and buy some spare bulbs.

My best advice for finding a flashlight you will like is to see if anyone you know is using one you are thinking about buying and see if they will let you try it out in smoke.

Great advice. Nothing beats a hands on demo and a review from someone you know and who's opinion you trust.

[CaptOldTimer]

Who said that we busted balls??

Just an honest mistake.

[TruckSixFF]

Let's try this again

` If I was you I would purchase a LED right angle Streamlight for your coat. I would also purchase a Streamlight Vulcan. At work I have a right angle on my coat, and the Vulcan on my gut belt. The Vulcan comes with a quick release seat belt strap so you can carry it on a gut belt or shoulder strap. The Vulcan cuts through smoke very well...

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...houlder_strap/

This is what I carry mine on......

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...r_escape_belt/

Good luck in the academy Brother! Stay safe.

[TruckSixFF]

Sorry guys, it's been a while since I have posted on here, and posted this as a new thread instead of a reply to a active thread. Let the ball busting begin.

[LVFD301]

My best advice for finding a flashlight you will like is to see if anyone you know is using one you are thinking about buying and see if they will let you try it out in smoke.

Thats the best advice so far. Get your hands on an LED and a halogen, or incadescant bulb, and see what works best for YOU
.

[TruckSixFF]

Vulacan Light

If I was you I would purchase a LED right angle Streamlight for your coat. I would also purchase a Streamlight Vulcan. At work I have a right angle on my coat, and the Vulcan on my gut belt. The Vulcan comes with a quick release seat belt strap so you can carry it on a gut belt or shoulder strap. The Vulcan cuts through smoke very well...

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...houlder_strap/


This is what I carry mine on......

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...r_escape_belt/

Good luck in the academy Brother! Stay safe.

[FyredUp]

I guess I am going to be the differing viewpoint on this topic.

I have used Xenon Black Dot bulb Survivor flashlights for over 20 years. In fact the last new flashlight I bought was a Xenon Black Dot bulb Survivor. I chose that over an LED Survivor because of my experience of working with a fellow instructor in the burn tower with an LED Survivor. What WD6956 says is absolutely true about the LED Survivor the light is MUCH brighter and it does create that brights in the fog effect that to me makes it much more difficult to see in smoke. The Xenon Black Dot bulb Survivor does not have that brightness so it does not create as much of the brights in the fog effect.

If the purpose of the flashlight is to BE SEEN and not to see in smoke then the LED is probably a better choice. If the purpose of the flashlight is to see in smoke then I will take the Xenon bulb. None of them works all that good but I prefer a more focused less glare casting flashlight.

I will say I believe Streamlights decision to stop making the Xenon Black Dot bulb version of the Streamlight xl90 is a bad one. I guess if my Survivor ever takes a dump I will have to look elsewhere for a new flashlight.

My best advice for finding a flashlight you will like is to see if anyone you know is using one you are thinking about buying and see if they will let you try it out in smoke.

[WD6956]

I do actually have two very similar Surefire 6P variants, one a classic 6P with a xenon bulb (or some kind of halogen) and another with an LED, so I'll try what you were talking about.

Yeah, those two might work. The SureFire Xenon bulbs are super bright though, so the test i described may not be as convincing. But you will have the idea.

But if I understand what you're saying, it's that the LED throws more light...some of the more light gets to where you want it, and some of it glares back. If you can deal with the glare, there is, in fact, more light getting to where you're pointing. Is that pretty much it?

Yes, that is what i am saying. You get a much more powerful beam and with that power will come some glare.