Helmet light for Firefighter - advice needed

Hi all

I'm new here but I'm told it's the best place for quality advice.

I need a new light for my firefighter's helmet. I've been using a Pelican Mitylite with a helmet clip for 16 years and been quite happy (apart from replacing the lamp module several times).

I'd like to look for a suitable replacement, maybe an LED model? If not LED, then something that has a more robust lamp module in it. Obviously, there's a few deciding factors:

Tough
Bright
Small
Electrostatically safe
Helmet clip

Can anyone suggest models and where to get them from? I'm based in Australia so I'd prefer a locally available product if possible. Otherwise, anything else that's available online and doesn't cost exhorbitant amounts for overseas shipping would be fine.

TIA

--
Me_at_werk




Chazzozz!!

I don't see why you couldn't attatch the Surefire 6P to your helmet. Theyre aluminum, very bright (65 lumen), and has a Pyrex glass lens which withstands heat well. I have it and love it.

its no problem getting a really good, tough light - the only real problem will be getting a helmet mount for it
i know pelican make a lot of different lights and helmet mounts.
if you could attach a 1 inch scope mount to your helmet then you could try any of the surefire or pila range
Streamlight make a lot of firefighter type lights that have hazardous ratings

i would reccomend either another Pelican or either Streamlight or underwater kinetics.
or you could try a headlamp - again pelican and streamlight have a few models
also try black diamond, petzl, princeton tec.
i would assume you want a very tight beam with little sidespill to cut through smoke - try having a look at the Inova range of LED lights
good to see another aussie flashaholic on the forum

welcome to CPF Me At Werk. I can't really help with your specific question, but I'm sure others will happily chime in. And remember the motto: "Buy both". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Welcome to the CPF, Me. I haven't had the opportunity to do any welcoming lately, so I'm happy to help greet a Newbie.

Others will be able to give you good advice, so I'll let it up to them. Way back in the 80's, when I was a FF, we were expected to crawl and feel our way around in the dark. I was the only one on the department with a good, small, light (for that era, anyway). It's a better world of lighting implements these days.

Enjoy your stay and keep us posted on your experiences.

Jay.

There are a number of lights that could meet your needs. Here's a well known and respected light that is helmet-mountable and appropriate for your purpose. It has an intense narrow beam and respectable runtime.

UNDERWATER KINETICS 4AA



Brightnorm

Was just going to recommend the UK 4AA, but Norm beat me to it. For your use, I would advise against the LED version of this light. It's not all that bright and will just reflect back at you in smoky conditions.

Stick with the Xenon, which is very popular in this role. I'm involved in SAR, and I see quite a few teams who use the Xenon 4AA attached to their helmets as standard equipment.

look @ Brightstar. specifically the Brightstar Responder 4AA and the Brightstar Responder headlamp.

the Responder 4AA has a very concentrated beam for penetrating smoke/fog/dust/light pollution. also has an available fire helmet bracket.

it's also available in a headlamp form. the headlamp has an adjustable rubber strap to fit over your helmet and stay put.

both are focusable and available in bright yellow for easy visibility.

here are some links from CPF member Quickbeam's review site (you'll learn to luv it very quickly) and Brightguy.com.

Brightstar Responder 4AA review by Quickbeam
Brightstar Responder 4AA from Brightguy.com - $16.95
Fire Helmet Bracket For Brighstar Responder 4AA from Brightguy.com - $8.30
Brightstar Responder Headlamp With Rubber Strap from Brightguy.com - $23.95
here's what the headlamp looks like since Brightguy doesn't yet have a picture:


not sure of their availability down under tho. good prices if you can find them there, and still pretty good if you order online.

Surefires are a no go as they're not rated for electrostatic, nor are they rated for hazardous conditions.

The only company I know of that makes helmet mounts for their lights is Pelican.

--dan

Streamlight makes helmet mounts for the ProPolymer 4AA. Underwater Kinetics makes helmet mounts for the 4AA model too. I would recommend the UK 4AA Rechargeable, which gives you the option of either the standard output (~35 Lumens 260 min.) or high output (~65 Lumens, 130 min.) lamp modules. It is also waterproof and rated for use in hazardous environments (UL Approved, CL I, DIV 2, GP A, B, C, D, CL II, DIV 2 GP G, CL III, DIV 2 T2B, copied from UK website).

Crikey! I wasn't expecting so many great responses so quickly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks to everyone who sent a reply. I'll have a great time searching the online stores for these lights.

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

--
Me_at_werk




Chazzozz!!

I'm going to have to go against what bonvivantmike said, and say that you should check out an LED. I've found in personal experience that where an incandescent walls into smoke, steam and fog the LED cuts through a lot better. And while I've got an Incandescent for SAR work, I tend to stick with LEDs due to the more even spill and natural lighting color. Just my .02

I've found that the narrower the beam is focused the better it will cut through smoke or fog. The SuperPeli Lite is fantastic for this purpose. If the BrightStar 4AA and UK 4AA are as tightly focused then they will also make good choices. Those are all xenon lights, not LED. I'm guessing that an equally bright and tightly focused LED would be as good with the advantage of no incandescent lamp to burn out. Right now it seems that LED choices are limited, compared to xenon, for small lights that will cut through smoke. I'm hoping that this will change because the reliability of LED's is an advantage - especially if your welfare might depend upon it.

ACMarina, I vastly prefer LEDs too for just about any use. In fact, the only decent incandescent I own is a SL TL-2, which I keep only for those occasions where I need serious throw. But I would really like an LED that would work well under smoky/foggy conditions.

I haven't tested my Hyper-Blaster 1R under those conditions. Since it's more spot than flood, it might work. Does anyone have any experience with a Hyper-Blaster 1R, or maybe a KL1, in smoky conditions?

I bought a friend of mine a UK 4AA Xenon with six extra Lamp assemblies, a UK 4AA E LED and two helmet mounts for graduation from the fire academy. I bought one standard mount and one adjustable mount. So he has the option of having two helmet lights at once. But what he does is carry both lights and slips one in his pocket and one in the mount and switches them as needed. The UK 4AA LED for general illumination and the xenon for when a bright spot light is needed. Also the ELED module can be removed and a xenon lamp assembly can be put in it's place. The UK 4AA are rated for hazardous conditions. Price wise the lights are affordable.

OK, I'm confused here. I was under the impression that fog lamps worked best with their yellow incandescent color, and that the bluish tint of LED was a particularly bad choice.

Yes/No?

Can somebody reply with first hand experience?

Personally I've only used a Pelican Products Stealthlight (incandescent) because it's non-incendive rating. Although I am not a Fire Fighter, I'm a Hazmat ERT most of my situations are not that smokey (thankfully!) As has already been stated they make several helmet mounts.

GregR

I am a UK firefighter. We have had Underwater Kinetics 4AA Xenon's on our Gallet helmets for a few years. They are great lights.
I recently trialled the 4AA ELed varient for the Service. I have found the reliability and dead steady regulation of the light makes it ideal for the firefighter and they have now been adopted by the Sevice. I carry a Xenon and ELed light in my firejacket, but always use the Eled, keeping the Xenon as back-up.
I my experience there is no "smoke cutting" beam. I have found the Eled's softer flood beam more useful during live fire training than the Xenon.
In dense smoke only the Thermal Imager and sense of touch are any use.

I can not think of many scenarios where I would chose the Xenon over the LED. If we need throw we generally need BIG throw and will go for a larger light.

I highly recommend the UK 4AA Eled. Hopefully you will be able to get a compatible mount for your fire helmet.

My vote as a german fire fighter goes
to the UK 4AA as well. There are widly used
over here at volunteer and professional
firefighters...

Cheers
Ralf

don't forget that UK makes a rechargeable 4AA xenon with a higher power lamp with a 2 hour runtime now, and that the eLED module is compatible with it.

sounds great, no?

I was under the impression you were required to have intrinsically safe torches if you're a firie??

My father in law is one in NSW and in trying to get into the NSW Fire Brigade to sell my Pila torches we discovered they had to be int. safe, meaning no spark to ignite combustible gasses etc.

If a torch like the Pila or Surefire is acceptable in the Fire Service then I will be a happy man if it can be obtained in writing by the Service. Until then I am of the opinion they aren't suitable unfortunately.