A parabolic reflector, driven by an electric motor, revolves around a continuously illuminated bulb on the vertical axis of the beacon creating a powerful beam of light travelling through 360 degrees.
These units are available with either a filament or a tungsten halogen bulb. In general, this type of beacon has a greater degree of light output than other models but this is reduced as the parabolic reflector only illuminates one given point at a time.
View the Rotating Beacons Range
Xenon (Strobe) Beacons
A discharge capacitor operating through a converter circuit ignites xenon gas inside a tube creating a brilliant flash of light. Xenon gas ignites virtually instantaneously so maximum brightness is obtained immediately. This signal can be improved further by the use of a Dioptric (Fresnel) lens as described earlier. In some Moflash models a ‘Double Flash’ option is also available this extends the signal duration making it more noticeable to the human eye.
Xenons have an added advantage of low current consumption combined with long life. The tube life of a xenon beacon is approximately 5 million flashes. These units are the most efficient available incorporating a 360 degree light output with the brightest and most effective visual signal.
View the Xenon Beacons Range
A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits visible light when an electrical current passes through it. The four major benefits of LED technology incorporated into warning beacons are:
- Low power requirement
- High efficiency
- Very Long Life
- Multiple colour signal options in a single beacon enclosure.
Moflash offer a range of LED options, from beacons containing 8 off LEDs up to 144 off LEDs in a single enclosure. They can be set in various modes of operation from Flashing, Static and Rotating. Some beacons have a combined Audible & Visual option. Ethernet compatible and PLC controllable beacons also make up the range along with high ‘Ingress Protection’ enclosures.
View the LED Beacons Range
Levels of Brightness
Brightness depends upon the type of beacon chosen, the rated power output of the unit i.e. Watts and Joules, the distance that the signal is observed from and the dome colour of the beacon used. In general, if the viewing distance is doubled, the light intensity observed is reduced to a quarter and if the distance is quadrupled the light intensity is reduced to a sixteenth.
At Moflash, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality lighting solutions. One way we do this is by using effective candela to measure the light output of our beacons, rather than peak candela or candela lumen.
The effective candela is a measure of the brightness of a source of light that considers the sensitivity of the human eye to different wavelengths of light. It is therefore a more accurate measure of the actual perceived brightness of a light source than the peak or lumens candela, which do not reflect this sensitivity.
Using effective candela to measure light output is the most appropriate unit for beacons as it provides the most accurate representation of the light emitted by the device. This is important for applications where the visibility of the beacon is critical, such as in emergency situations or industrial applications.
By providing information on effective candela on our data sheets, we aim to provide our customers with the most relevant information when choosing the right beacon for their needs. We truly believe that using effective candela is a key part of our commitment to providing the highest quality lighting solutions to our customers.
Beacon Lens Colours
The intensity of the light can be greatly reduced as it passes through the dome of the beacon. The extent of this reduction is dependent upon:
- The type of light source used i.e. conventional Filament (Incandescent) Bulb, Tungsten Halogen Bulb, Xenon Tube or LED.
- The colour of the beacon lens that is used.
Lens colours available are shown in the below table:
The next table gives an indication of the percentage of light that will pass through the beacon dome for different light sources and dome colours.
Dome colours convey different messages to the observer:
|RED||Serious Danger - Act now!|
|AMBER||Warning proceed with care|
|GREEN||Ok proceed as normal|
|Blue||Specific process notice/warning|