Benefits and Uses of LED Hideaway Lights
There are many needs that emergency responders or police may have in the course of their roles, and one of these in some cases is a need for subtlety and perhaps concealment. This even extends to some situations where emergency or first response lights need to be hidden away for some period of time, and the use of LED hideaway lights is a common one in these settings.
At LED Equipped, we’re here to offer a huge range of emergency LED light options, including LED hideaway lights for a variety of needs and situations. Here’s a rundown on how hideaway lights work, their major benefits, and the kinds of situations and settings where their use is common and often beneficial.
How Hideaway Lights Work
As their name indicates, LED hideaway lights are designed to be concealed in various settings. They’re meant to give no indication whatsoever that they are in use, and when people may be trying to remain inconspicuous or have a need for complete light concealment, this kind of setup is ideal.
There are actually two primary formats for hideaway lights today:
- Separate and mountable lights: The type that’s likely more well-known among civilians is this one, which might evoke images from movies or TV of a detective placing a hand-held light on their dashboard when they’re trying to go undercover. These lights can be mounted on the dashboard, the rear end of a vehicle, or just about any other flat surface. And when they aren’t needed, they’re small and can simply be placed in a glove compartment or other storage area.
- Placed within headlights or tail lights: In other cases, the LED hideaway lights are actually placed within the headlight or taillight assembly of a vehicle. This makes them even more discreet and can be much less noticeable in some cases, as the light remains completely hidden from view when not in use. In this format, the lights will be connected to the vehicle and will come with the ability to turn them on and off as-needed – when in use they will provide powerful light that’s noticeable from afar, but when turned off the lights will simply function as normal lights that give off no trace.
Each of these formats has its own benefits, and you should be considering the one that works best for your particular needs and situation.
Benefits of LED Hideaway Lights
When it comes to using LED hideaway lights in any setting or situation, there are a number of benefits you’ll likely enjoy. The major ones include:
- Discreet use: As we’ve already mentioned, the main benefit provided by LED hideaway lights is complete discretion and stealth. These lights will provide powerful light, yet they won’t be detectable when not in use. This means that you can remain hidden and unobserved while still having access to powerful lighting when needed.
- Durability: LED hideaway lights are designed to be incredibly durable, and they will last for years in most cases. This is because LEDs are more energy-efficient and won’t need to be replaced as often as traditional light sources such as halogens or incandescents. As such, LED hideaway lights are a much more cost-effective option in the long run.
- High intensity: Just because these lights are discreet doesn’t mean that they aren’t powerful. On the contrary, LED hideaway lights actually provide a very high level of intensity, which can be useful in many settings such as providing additional visibility while driving at night or during emergency situations.
- Quick and easy to pull up: Especially for those who utilize separate, mountable hideaway lights, they can be pulled up quickly and easily when needed. This means that you don’t have to worry about fumbling with cords or searching for the right switches – just pull it up and go. For undercover officers or others in potentially high-pressure situations, this can be a real lifesaver.
- Easy to customize: In addition to being durable and able to provide powerful light, LED hideaway lights are also very easy to customize. You can choose the color of the light or even the flashing pattern that best suits your needs, allowing you to create a truly unique setup that will serve your needs perfectly.
- Pairable with sirens: If you are looking for a complete emergency response setup, LED hideaway lights can also be used in tandem with sirens to create a truly unique package. This will give you the ability to easily respond to any situation or call quickly and effectively.
- Don’t take up much space: For mountable options that are relatively small, LED hideaway lights don’t take up much space. This means that you can easily store the light in some areas of your vehicle or even carry it on your person without feeling like you’re weighed down. And of course, lights that are actually installed into your headlights or tail lights don’t get in the way at all.
So how and when are hideaway LED lights often used? Our next few sections will look into this.
Undercover Settings
As we’ve alluded to a few times here already, one of the most common use cases for LED hideaway lights is in undercover settings. This could be for a police officer or first responder who needs to remain discreet and not draw attention to themselves, or it could even be for someone just trying to get through an area without being noticed.
As a simple example, many police departments will utilize undercover vehicles to trap speeders in high-danger areas of the road. Officers in this setting will need to remain unnoticed, yet be able to respond quickly when needed. This is where LED hideaway lights come into play – they can provide enough light for the officer to drive safely without drawing attention to themselves.
If you’re purchasing LED hideaway lights for any kind of undercover purpose, there are a few things to be thinking about:
- Mountable or in-light setup: As we discussed above, there are two primary ways to use LED hideaway lights – mountable and in-light. Mountable sets will likely be the best choice for undercover purposes, as they can be moved easily wherever needed.
- Colors: Depending on your vehicle and what you’re trying to accomplish, different colors of light may be more useful than others. For example, if you’re trying to stay hidden in a dark environment, then white or blue light is probably best.
- Ease of setup: If you’re in a high-pressure undercover situation, then you’ll want to make sure that your LED hideaway lights are easy and fast to set up. The last thing you want is to fumble around with cords or switches while trying to stay under the radar!
For Some Industrial Projects
In other cases, LED hideaway lights may be used in industrial settings or other large-scale projects. For example, they could be utilized to provide additional light in warehouses or factories that require it, and due to their easy setup and powerful output – they can really help to speed up the entire process.
These lights are also great for providing lighting during construction projects, as they can provide ample light without taking up too much space on the site. This means that you’ll be able to get the job done faster, safer and with less hassle – which is always a plus!
Volunteer Responders
Another regular use of LED hideaway lights is for volunteer responders – whether it be for an emergency situation or even a search and rescue mission.
In these cases, the main benefit of using LED hideaway lights is that they can provide extra illumination in dark or hard-to-reach areas while still remaining relatively quiet and discreet. This allows volunteers to respond quickly and safely to any situation, without drawing too much attention to themselves.
As you can see, there are a number of different uses for LED hideaway lights, and the ones we’ve just discussed are only a few examples. No matter what you need your lights for, they can provide an effective solution that’s both safe and discreet.
For more here, or to learn about any of our quality emergency LED lights for any purpose or need, speak to our team at LED Equipped today.