Any strobes useful for actual use?

[Beacon of Light]

Back when I first became familiar with LED lights it was from my LED bike lights Specialized Astro and Cateye EL??? (Looked like War of the Worlds). Even back then in 2000/2001 they had lights with super long run-times provided you used the flashing mode. Now the flashing mode on those lights didn't resemble the fast/slow strobe on 2 of the lights I have, a MiniMag with IQ switch and the Streamlight Tasklight. On the bike lights the strobe was actually usable as a light as the strobe was fast enough it wasn't that noticeable as a strobe but it seemed more like a way to conserve battery life as well as being more seen by drivers at night, whereas the strobe on flashlights seem to be either a pulse to signal someone like an SOS or fast strobe like a rave or something but not actually useful in everyday situations like those bike lights flashing modes were. The other thing I noticed is the flash modes on the bike lights gave upwards of 320 HOURS of light on 2 AAs where the strobe modes on flashlights usually eat up the battery faster than full power. Can someone explain this phenomenon, as I am wanting to find the flashing mode found in bike lights that have been around since 2000 in a current production EDC flashlight in 2009. Thanks.

 

[Beacon of Light]

Here is a current Cateye EL135, which is not unlike the light I owned.

And the specs are 80 hours in full power 320 in flashing mode

http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/343

 

[Search]

I don't think strobes are that useful.

If I wanted to attack you and you turned on you're strobing flashlight I would still attack you, period.

Some say it's for personal defense and Military/LE. From my experience it's a joke when it comes to Military/LE. It could be useful in personal defense, but not something I would personally care about.

It's most useful purpose might be finding an epileptic.

 

[hyperloop]

Do you have any information on the light output of that Cateye light? It may be that the output is significantly less than say, a Jetbeam Jet I Pro IBS (Q5) which i sometimes use while cycling. I program the strobe to its lowest frequency (or maybe slightly higher) just so that it attracts attention without being irritating but the thing is that the strobe is on at 225 lumens (either that or default high which is still way up there), this would eat into battery life (havent tested yet but will do so over the weekend).

Wouldnt know how much runtime you need unless you're doing a cross country trip lasting days in which case that 320 hours would be really useful but for me, a coupla hours is more than enough.

In any event, i use mainly rechargables and carry spares when im out cycling so i feel pretty secure and not too worried that the light will go out.

EDIT: to be more specific on topic

For an EDC light, think that the closest that i know of personally is Jetbeam's IBS UI, they allow programming of the strobe from locator to 'rave' like levels.

 

[K-T]

I am not sure if the following answers your question, but in my opinion strobe does not make much sense, except for maybe (but I have never experienced the influence of effective strobe myself) tactial/self defense situations. Especially the completely useless SOS function (those who use that mode, please raise your hand) would be something to just forget about. :shakehead

It seems to be hard for manufacturers to design an intuitive and simple to use UI that doens't need a manual. :shrug:

 

[Search]

I am not sure if the following answers your question, but in my opinion strobe does not make much sense, except for maybe (but I have never experienced the influence of effective strobe myself) tactial/self defense situations. Especially the completely useless SOS function (those who use that mode, please raise your hand) would be something to just forget about. :shakehead

Take the tactical out of that and you're dead on.

In low light tactical situations, no operator would be worrying about switching to strobe. It makes no sense.

You need a light that can be pressed for momentary and maybe click or twisted for constant. If you pressed the tail cap for strobe, how could you maneuver with the momentary techniques if you're worrying about going into strobe.

Plus, when you find a threat, strobing him to death is dumb. He is either going to try to shoot, or he is going to realize the odds are stacked. Time to fold.

Strobe has TWO and ONLY TWO actual, logical, usable, and sensible uses:

- Fast strobe for self defense
- Slow strobe for bikers, walkers, etc etc

The first group would need a bright light to stun someone.

The second group would need a dim light to let traffic know they are there, but not so much they blind traffic.

 

[K-T]

.... strobing him to death is dumb....

That somehow made me spill my coffee

 

[VidPro]

the long runtime came from a very short ON time, with a low power draw, to begin with.
now with the higher power draws on any multilevel, and PWM being used for all leveling and strobing and all, the strobe is usually done at FULL power, and the strobe is effect , and attention, and not specifically designed to have short on times, with longer off times.

sooo, a possible solution would be to find the rate you wanted in some driver, then lower the current before the PWM gets ahold of it and hard pulses the led.

i dont know of the specific items you mention, but i am familliar with the IDEA they were using, and i dont think back then they were pumping in 1 AMP into the led during the pulses , because that is (sorta) before the wide usage of higher powered leds.

with 5 x 20ma leds with a short on time, or even the incadescents they did it with, it is not like the ammount of power they pulse into the led today.
When they did it with the incadescents they also had a afterglow, wheras leds have a turn off time measured in miliseconds.
Also they could have been using more popular then "Transisters", instead of "Mosfets" for switching, sorta more analog capable, whereas mosfet switching is most efficent and akin to the switching part done as only full on and full off.
so the slower more analog switching of the transister, would give a better ramp for even the leds on/off, instead of so harsh a slam on and off.

there still is available and even more available, the RED blinkies which use the little 5mm 20ma leds, with 5 and more of them that pulse and can run for days on a set of AAs. just because 100ma on for 1/5th the time is only the power of a single small led.
so other than reducing the current, and getting the correct pulse itself, ramping , there is also just using small leds, at small current they only run at anyway.

 

[Beacon of Light]

I guess I am slowly finding out that I prefer the functions of a bike light with long run-time to the idea of a flashlight being a tactical weapon. Just surprised there aren't any flashlights just meant for practical purposes. It's ironic I come here to start drooling over new flashlights, only to start thinking about the next flashlight I really want is a $20-$30 bike light to use as an EDC light instead of a $70-$80 flashlight with all the bells and whistles except for the bells and whistles I need and want.

 

[VidPro]

indeed, some of this stuff is like Vista operating systems neet features , it was easy for them to do it, its cool for about 15 minutes, then its just impractical for any realistic needs.
but losta people WILL like it and enjoy it, and might find a practical use for it, while the rest of us GET it, mabey even get forced to pay for it, as the old system becomes obsolete.

(something like that)

 

[lightinsky]

Fast strobe is mostly used in law enforcement in EMT, Police and Fire personnel vehicles. These strobes allow people to know something is going on or going down. That's it. The strobe mode is not intended for tactical use but rather to let others know you are in emergency mode. When police put on their strobes it's to let civilians know they are either in pursuit, heading to an emergency or needed to pass through.

 

[TooSharp]

I actually like a strobe feature. When needing to get someones attention from afar just give them a shot of strobe. Works every time, especially in parking lots.

 

[Beacon of Light]

So basically no one makes a strobe to utilize longer runtime like the bike light manufacturers? Now I know how Zell Miller felt when he said he didn't leave the Democratic Party, but the Democratic Party left him.

 

[h2oflyer]

Beacon of Light

Buy Yourself a LF3XT - program it to blink/ flash/strobe at any rate you want , at any brightness you want , at any run time you want - you can even duct tape it to your handle bars. Your search is over.

Walter

 

[Marduke]

So basically no one makes a strobe to utilize longer runtime like the bike light manufacturers?

The bike light manufacturers didn't utilize strobe to make the batteries last longer, they utilized it to call more attention to the cyclist so the rider lives longer.

Strobe as you describe it is rather useless as an illumination tool. Its purpose at those frequencies is purely for attention getting.

Now, at very high frequencies, there is something called PWM (pulse width modulation). Essentially it is a VERY fast strobe, and is the means by which any high power light capable of <10 lumens operates. By changing the time the light is turned off vs on, you can adjust the apparent "average" brightness from anywhere between max and min. So, in that respect, a huge number of manufactures use "strobe" to give longer battery life.

 

[Lite_me]

Beacon of Light

Buy Yourself a LF3XT - program it to blink/ flash/strobe at any rate you want , at any brightness you want , at any run time you want - you can even duct tape it to your handle bars. Your search is over.

Walter

+1 on the LF3XT. It does it all. But instead of duct tape, these TwoFish bike mounts work nice.
https://www.4sevens.com/index.php?cPath=92&osCsid=f69aa6fd4e6870a2b08975391bfce9db

 

[Beacon of Light]

Walter I will have to Google that as I have no idea what that is other than letters and numbers. Who makes it? No need to duct tape it to my handlebars as I have sufficient bike lights, maybe you misunderstood my point.

Beacon of Light

Buy Yourself a LF3XT - program it to blink/ flash/strobe at any rate you want , at any brightness you want , at any run time you want - you can even duct tape it to your handle bars. Your search is over.

Walter

 

[Beacon of Light]

Beacon of Light

Buy Yourself a LF3XT - program it to blink/ flash/strobe at any rate you want , at any brightness you want , at any run time you want - you can even duct tape it to your handle bars. Your search is over.

Walter

If they make these to run on AA's then I'd consider it.

 

[Beacon of Light]

The bike light manufacturers didn't utilize strobe to make the batteries last longer, they utilized it to call more attention to the cyclist so the rider lives longer.

Strobe as you describe it is rather useless as an illumination tool. Its purpose at those frequencies is purely for attention getting.

Now, at very high frequencies, there is something called PWM (pulse width modulation). Essentially it is a VERY fast strobe, and is the means by which any high power light capable of <10 lumens operates. By changing the time the light is turned off vs on, you can adjust the apparent "average" brightness from anywhere between max and min. So, in that respect, a huge number of manufactures use "strobe" to give longer battery life.

That is exactly what the Cateye does, I can ride my bike at night solely with the light set to flashing. Flashing is not exactly Strobe, but it was the only way I could compare so you guys would understand me.

 

[Beacon of Light]

+1 on the LF3XT. It does it all. But instead of duct tape, these TwoFish bike mounts work nice.
https://www.4sevens.com/index.php?cPath=92&osCsid=f69aa6fd4e6870a2b08975391bfce9db

You guys really aren't understanding me. I don't want a bike light for my bike, I already have a few of the better ones for that. I am wanting a regular flashlight that incorporates some of the technology found in these bike lights. Does that make it clearer, sorry if I worded it a bit confusing before.