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Alarms & signaling devices

Selecting your beacons - LED or xenon?

Which beacon? Demystifying LED and xenon

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Whilst performance differences between xenon and LED are actually small, the decision process can sometimes prove challenging when you deciding what type of beacon you should choose for your speciific application. What should your key considerations be when making that selection? 

The following considers both performance and benefits of both LED and xenon beacons.

Cost
Whilst xenon costs less initially, LEDs cost less over time given their low current consumption and long life.
Service life
LEDs can give approximately 50,000 hours of continuous operation, whereas xenon will give you approximately 10,000 hours.
Adaptability
LEDs enable controlled or programmed flash patterns, xenon beacons will give single flash sequences.
Visibility
Xenon gives a full spectrum of white light that's emitted in every direction, LED light is more directional.
Light output
Visible for a longer period, LED reaches maximum brightness immediately; xenon gives a short bright flash over a wide-area.
Maintenance
Whilst xenon bulbs will fail immediately at the end of their life, LEDs deteriorate over time.
Application
LED beacons are suitable for applications that require notification through different flash patterns, and are ideal where circuit capacity is limited. Xenon beacons can be used for notification in larger spaces and where simple single flash notification is needed.

Solex xenon and Solex LED - How do they compare?

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Solex xenon features at a glance
  • Supply Voltage: 9-60V DC | 110-230V AC
  • Operating temperature: -25°C to +70°C
  • Ingress protection: IP21C (shallow base) | IP65 (deep base)
  • Impact rating: N/A
  • Current consumption @ 24V dc: 40mA | 88 mA | 240mA
  • Flash pattern: 1Hz (Single)
  • Lens colours: Red, Amber, Clear, Green, Blue
  • Base options: Fulleon range & combi signalling units
  • Compliance: CE, VdS approved - Fire Alarm Optical Indication Device
  • Flash intensity: 4cd | 20cd | 70cd
  • Lifetime: 10,000hrs
  • Not rated for continuous use 
Take me to Solex Xenon
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Solex LED features at a glance
  • Supply Voltage: 9-60V DC | 24V AC | 110-230V AC
  • Operating temperature: -25°C to +55°C 
  • Ingress protection: IP21C (shallow base) | IP65 (deep base)
  • Impact rating: IK08
  • Current consumption @ 24V dc: 110mA (+/-10%)
  • Flash pattern: 1Hz, 2Hz, On, Double, Triple, Pulse
  • Lens colours: Red, Amber, Clear, Green, Blue
  • Base options: Fulleon range & combi signalling units 
  • Compliance: CE, EMC Light industrial, heavy industrial, medical
  • Flash intensity: 40cd
  • Lifetime: 50,000hrs
  • Rated for continuous use
Take me to Solex LED

How can I adapt the Solex LED to meet my signalling requirements?

With its 6 different flash patterns, including a unique 'pulse' flash and its compatibility with bases from the Fulleon range, and combi signalling units when more than one beacon is required, you can adapt your Solex LED to suit the setting whether it's for manufacturing or a heavy industrial environment.
Where can I install my Solex LED?

Bespoke engineering for OEM applications

One of our principles in the development of a new product is diversity – we aim to create a standalone product which has the ability to integrate OEM interfaces and protocols to create a custom addressable solution. Our Research and Development team has worked with multiple OEM customers and engineers in the project management, hardware / firmware design, and certification process to create a design which incorporates into any OEM fire system.
Contact us for help with your OEM project
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