Introduction to Beacons

Britax and Code 3 beacons and minibars are fitted to many of Australia’s Police, Fire and Ambulance service vehicles. The amber range is also fitted to numerous construction, infrastructure, mining and council vehicles, as well as many roadside service companies including RACQ. Rest assured—you can be confident that you are buying the best quality with the best design features and latest technology.
Below is an overview of each type of beacon including the lighting technology used and the design features employed.

Quartz Halogen Rotating Beacons

The quartz halogen range of rotating beacons are classic in design and function providing excellent visibility and long lasting construction. Beacon lenses are all made from impact resistant polycarbonate that also provide remarkable colour intensity.
The 12 and 24 volt versions are designed to be interchangeable between different vehicles: simply change the globe and move the drive belt and the beacon is converted. Most beacons also feature belt drive for quiet, reliable operation. Some of the heavy duty models feature gear drive for extra resistance against the elements.
Britax and Code 3 reflectors are vacuum metallised to provide a flawless reflective surface. The reflectors are also computer optimised to create the best possible beam pattern for maximum visibility.
Different beacons across the range are available with various mounting including bolt mount, pole mount and magnetic base.
All beacons are RFI radio frequency interference suppressed to provide conflict-free operation with multiple electronic devices.

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LED Beacons

The LED range of beacons are solid-state in their construction making them highly resistant vibration and shock. They are also very resistant to dust and moisture.
LED beacons use a very small amount of power making them ideal for applications where beacons are used for extended periods of time while a vehicle is stationary and running on battery. It is also particularly useful on vehicles that are running many different electrical devices and less strain on the vehicle’s electrical system is an advantage.
LEDs are also very long lasting meaning no blown globes to replace—the expected operation time is generally longer than the lifespan of the physical beacon itself! LEDs are also more compact than traditional types of light source making the beacon range more compact, aerodynamic and increases the options for mounting.
Britax and Code 3 LED beacons have a range of flash patterns with the top-of-the-range beacons featuring an astounding 30 different flash patterns. Some of the range also feature several simulated rotate patterns. This means a beacon that has the strength of solid-state construction, but also features the attention grabbing look of a traditional rotating beacon.
LED beacons are available in various mounting options and the top-of-the-range models feature a 5 year warranty.

Strobe Beacons

The strobe beacon range all feature high impact polycarbonate lenses and are very resistant to dust and moisture.
Xenon strobe beacons range from 2 to 15 joule outputs from 10 to 100 volts DC. Strobe beacons draw from as little as 145 milliamps at 12 volts, making them particularly suitable for use on stationary vehicles without running the battery flat.
The low current draw is also especially suited to the materials handling industry—particularly vehicles such as forklifts.
As with the rotating beacons there are multiple mounting options available. Xenon strobes are available in single flash or multiple flash 360˚, as well as linear or directional versions.
Most of the range is dual voltage (12 and 24 volt), with some models being multi-voltage—the BXA Series for example run from as little as 10 volts up to 100 volts.