Code 3 LEDX 2100 "Optix" lightbar vs. Whelen Liber

[chipjumper]

Anyone out there have any good opinions? We are getting closer to the purchase of a new vehicle for our Fire Chief and need to make a decision on the lightbar. I visited a dealer out here that has both and they both are very bright. Price is close too.

[jedi_saber]

having seen and used both, my vote goes with the Liberty bar. I feel that the Whelen linear LED flashpatterns are more aggressive, and if you rely on your TDs and alleys, they are brighter on the liberty (partly because they are physically bigger lightheads).
The code3 bar however is very slick and low profile. Just not sure how much of a consideration that is for a fire department.

[fd2119]

I haven't seen the Liberty as much as I've seen the LED-X bar. I've seen the LED-X bar a few times on I-95 in Howard County (Maryland State Police), and it's quite bright. However, the flash patterns aren't "all that". Too much off time, but I'm sure that can be changed with an external flasher to synch them. But they are quite bright (at least at night with minimal overhead lighting!).

[KitN1MCC]

Liberty is the way to go

or get a Freedom an Freedom blows away all others

[Pj]

A local FD bought some Code3 for the FD Chief's car.... and I have to agree with the above. The C3's look nice, but doesn't have the "impact" of the Whelen bars. You can see the C3's nice...they kinda say "Look at me flashing, aren't I cool?"

The Whelen kinda shouts "Get the hell out of my way!"

When it comes to LED bars, you really need an effective flash pattern, or they will all look the same. You see it, but it doesn't command any real attention.

[jqk407]

911EP Millennium

I don't have any personal experience with any of the above, but the Millennium is a popular lightbar here in Minnesota, and it really is an attention getter. Just another option. What do others think of the 911EP products?

[thebigphish]

Liberty is the way to go

or get a Freedom an Freedom blows away all others

hahah, do you WORK for whelen or something???
OT - hey, how did the MTA job work out?

[tvsjr]

911EP Millennium

I don't have any personal experience with any of the above, but the Millennium is a popular lightbar here in Minnesota, and it really is an attention getter. Just another option. What do others think of the 911EP products?

Some of the departments around here have the Millenium bars. IMHO, they're too "short" and don't show up very well at distance, especially during the day. They're essentially only one Gen 3 LED tall... whereas the Whelens are quite a bit taller. Like Kit said, the Freedom is the best, but high-profile (the same as an old EDGE 9000)... if you want low-profile, go with the Liberty.

[KitN1MCC]

MTA never worked out now i am Trying for the MDC here in Ct

[Cam]

One more vote for the Whelen. The Whelen looks better then the Code3 when off and five times better then the Code3 when on. If it's a larger vehicle then, as others are saying as well, get the Freedom.

Cam

[BPD109]

Get the Whelen bar. Its the shnizit. We sampled a Freedom bar (The one that is LED in the Edge frame) and loved it soo much we are getting three of them. Left the LEDs on for 14 hours, with the ignition off and the patrol car still started. VERY effective flash patterns...das is good

Tried a code3, the bar was very bright, but not effective, AND car wouldnt start after 6-7 hours.

Tried out a Federal LED bar, (I think its called the Arjent or something retarded like that (no offense to the Federal employees/die hards)) it was HORRIBLE! a horrible power sucking beast. Killed the battery in 2 hours.

My opinion.

[Pj]

There is something to be said about square bars...and I think Whelen holds the cake on them with the LFL and 9000/9M/Ultra bars. They just seem to cosmetically fit just about everything.

All these new round things just seem out of place. There are a couple of them that do look good, but for some reason, Whelen found the right angles and seem to fit the LED lightheads very well.

As you know, I love the Whelen products, but from what I have seen so far, you can't go wrong with the Freedom/Liberty all LED bars. I have an Ultra SC with strobe/halogens/gen 1 and linear12 LEDs in there, and the mix of them work VERY well.

A town that I use to work in had some Code360's with a mix of strobe/led/rotators, but it just didn't seem to "flow". Did look nice, but a little too busy.

But this is getting a little into the monthy lightbar debates. If you want to really get the 100% whacker thoughts, try elightbars.org (?) could be .net or one of those if it doesn't work.

[BPD109]

All things being equal, and as Darth advised, the Code360's are just too "busy" (Not to mention that the D-Tech rotators just look, well for lack of a better word, Blah..).

The only other bars I have seen that I can stomach are Code3 Excaliburs, in the strobe/halogen mix. Outboard rotators, inboard linear strobe, center rotator, flashers front and rear, takedowns, alleys, and intersection strobes. (Yay, KCPD) For some reason I just like the way those look but I'm a freak.

[tvsjr]

All things being equal, and as Darth advised, the Code360's are just too "busy" (Not to mention that the D-Tech rotators just look, well for lack of a better word, Blah..).

Ugly? Fugly? Like :o? Pick any one! The local SO runs MX7000s with the D-Tech bars... once they've run awhile, the color fades, so the blue is about sky blue and the red is a putrid orange. They look *terrible*.

[rangerfourever]

A second to that....our SO runs MX7000 bars in red. After a few years they look washed and hard to see in the daylight. My department switched to Whelen Libertys with combo of strobe and LED....bright and simple...man have we come a long way.