Electronics

Despite the consistent efficiency and positive aspects of the massive traffic infrastructure, it can still be dangerous. Yes, well-built roads and the transport system have brought us closer together, but injuries and accidents can happen. You can do everything in your power to be a safe driver, but someone else might not pay attention and miss you. Another aspect of traffic is how full it is, and you might need to get somewhere quickly as part of your job. You might be a security company, an ambulance, police, etc. And instead of worrying about what might happen and fruitlessly using your horn, there is another, better solution.

That solution for your personal and industrial needs is LED warning lights. LED, which stands for light-emitting diode, is now a widely-spread and helpful technology. It’s an excellent and reliable light source that has found many uses in personal life, like camping, on your car, as well as more industrial-like applications on building sites. Nonetheless, there are certain restrictions as to who’s allowed to use them and how. Due to the many benefits and uses and the limitations, I decided to write this article. The goal, of course, is to explain them in detail. More specifically, what you should look out for when buying one and the technical features they have.

Characteristics and Restrictions

This part of the article will focus on the technological aspects and how to consider them. These tips will be particularly helpful for buying LED warning lights for cars. Furthermore, it will go into the legislature of Australia in regards to them. 

Technology

LED lights work very similarly to regular ones, except that there’s no filament. To compensate for this, it produces it as the electricity passes through the path of its semiconductor. This movement, in turn, creates radiation which we people can see. And this detail makes all the difference. 

Quality

That said, the crucial two aspects that define the lights’ quality are the number of LEDs and the colours available. The first one is how strong your warning light will be when you use it. Meanwhile, the second one is the array of colours you can use. Some of them can be more helpful in certain situations, like red when it’s raining or similar. The spectrum of colours, however, is defined by the voltage that the light can use, which in turn is restricted by the semiconductor compound it uses. 

But, what’s important to know is what colour uses what voltage. Infra-red wastes the least with 1.2V, but it isn’t common. Red wastes 1.8V, and it is widely spread. Ambres is 2.2V and yellow is 2.2V. On the other hand, green uses 3.5V, the most out of all the common ones. The colour white, which is also present sometimes, uses 4.0V. And while this might seem like a small detail, it makes a difference because the light can sometimes go up to 50 degrees Celsius. 

Modes

Aside from the previously mentioned quality of light, another distinguishing quality is the modes. They determine how the LED acts. The most common one is steady, as it doesn’t shift or change. If you’re looking for a light that rotates, then the rotating configuration is the one for you. Furthermore, this configuration can have multiple options. But, if you want a light that flashes on and off, you need the flashing configuration. Same as the previous one, it also comes with multiple options. Additionally, if you want some sort of alert noise, some of them also come equipped with an alarm. 

Durability

If you’re afraid of the warning lights falling off or malfunctioning, don’t worry. There are several extra features just for this. First, you want to make sure that it’s waterproof, especially if you’re using it outdoors. Another mechanism, if you’re worried about someone tampering with it, is a locking apparatus. There’s also the anti-tamper locking screw as an alternative. Lastly, if you don’t want it to fall off, stainless steel fixings are known for being durable and great for any occasion.

Usage in Australia

As previously explained, using LED lights without a good reason or legal basis can be illegal. As such, you should make sure that you won’t have any trouble. However, the government does regulate some of the colours at the state level. The State and Federal Police forces, Military Police and Border forces, for example, use red and blue. Red exclusively means a risk-to-life situation. Accordingly, ARFF, mines rescue, and Western Power uses them. Blue, on the other hand, is for emergency motor vehicles, like ambulances, fire, police vehicles, etc. 

Benefits

When it comes to the benefits of using LED warning lights for cars, there’s honestly just too many. But I’ll try to go over some of the main ones.

Efficiency

This advantage is multi-faceted as it spans across several areas, kind of similar to how the light spreads. The primary characteristic which sets it apart is how much little electricity it wastes compared to normal ones. Consequently, you spend less money. As you spend less electricity, it’s also environmentally friendly. The colour green isn’t always present in these lights, but they are definitely “green”.

Furthermore, they don’t require any maintenance, and you’ll never have to change another lightbulb. This is due to them being extremely long-lasting. The average lifespan is 50.000 hours, which is much longer than other ones.
Finally, if you’re worried about how you can use them, they’re easy to control, and they instantly light up. And the lights can be much more pleasant to the eye compared to fluorescent or incandescent.

Safety

The biggest benefit of these lights, when used in traffic, is the absolute condition of safety. They quickly and easily attract attention from anyone else in the environment. And as previously mentioned, they’re easy to control with many modes that can be a lifesaver in difficult situations. Although, as already mentioned several times in this text, you can only use these lights if you have a valid reason to do so. Otherwise, you face the risk of legal problems.