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Detailed
Information:
Throw away your road flares! This is the absolute first
LED road flare replacement I've seen that actually works.
I had a set of LED road flares a few years back and
when I was replacing a flat tire a truck went by and
my expensive LED flares went with it - only to get squashed
by another oncoming car! These are flat, wide, and heavy
enough that traffic wind won't move them. The swirling,
chasing red LED pattern in conjunction with the fact
that the LEDs are angled so that they face traffic,
makes this a very respectable roadside safety device.
Full daylight use may be a bit limited, but in dusk
or dark conditions the TurboFlare 360 is very visible
from a respectable distance.
 
The body of the TurboFlare 360 is yellow injection
molded plastic. The type of plastic is not given. 8
legs protrude from the sides to give the unit a wide
base. The legs have a slight texture which makes them
easier to grip. The main body does not touch the ground,
giving some clearance if liquids from a car accident
are on the surface. On soft surfaces the legs will settle
in and the body base will keep the TurboFlare from sinking
in too far. The body base has concentric rings to improve
its grip on surfaces where it makes contact.
The "bezel" is a large polycarbonate lens
that covers the entire top of the unit. Inside are 20
red LEDs arranged in a circle and pointing outward.
The LEDs are pointed up at a slight angle with alternate
LEDs at an even higher angle. This should put most of
the LEDs in direct line-of-sight of oncoming traffic
when placed on the ground. Underneath the LEDs is a
red and white surface which reflects the red LED light
up and out of the housing for even greater visibility.
Five bolts penetrate the lens to hold the body together.
At the entry points of the bolts the lens is reinforced
with buttresses to give additional strength.
When activated, the LEDs "chase" each other
in a circular pattern. The rotational speed is about
190 RPM or about 3 flashes per second from each LED.
I could not get a good reading on the light meter for
measuring Lux or Overall Output, but the LEDs are quite
bright.
Time Lapse Photo
The switch is a simple rubber shrouded oversized click
switch. It is situated between two of the legs which
do a very effective job of preventing accidental activation.
Press in until it clicks for "on" and do the
same again for "off". Two screws rest on either
side of the switch. Removing these screws gives you
access to the battery housing.
Drop in four AA batteries per the orientation diagram
on the base of the unit. Reattach the switch housing
plate and you are ready to go. 4 AA batteries will run
the unit for 80-90 hours. The TurboFlare 360 also comes
with a low-battery indicator. There is a yellow LED
which is readily visible in the housing which comes
on when there is only about 20% battery life remaining.
The entire unit is advertised as "waterproof".
It has seals visible at the switch, switch housing cover,
the 5 screw entry points, and around the top lens. There
is no reason to believe it couldn't withstand a good
soaking in the rain or from fire hoses.
From a safety standpoint, the "pancake" design
of the TurboFlare 360 makes it much less likely to fly
through the air if struck by oncoming traffic. More
often than not it will just get crushed flat onto the
pavement. It may break, but at least it is unlikely
that it will become a projectile.
The TurboFlare is available individually for consumers
or can be bought 8 at a time in a special fitted case
that also contains a screwdriver and space for 32 AA
batteries. Obviously this configuration is intended
for use by rescue personnel at accident scenes.
What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact
resistant, Long battery life, Bright, Won't blow away,
Very visible, Easy to use
What I Didn't Like: Tools required
for battery change.
Other Things I Noticed:
Conclusions: A great emergency
beacon. Advertised for use in all kinds of emergencies,
the only application I have difficulty believing is
use by hikers if lost. At 12 oz. it's a bit heavy to
toss in your pack only for use "just in case".
If you're a hiker, every oz. counts. Otherwise, I would
recommend getting one or two and throwing them in your
trunk. Remember to change out the batteries once a year,
especially in hot climates. You certainly don't want
dead batteries in your TurboFlare when you need a tire
change on a dark road.
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