In the world of emergencies, strict standards and advanced technologies are used and implemented as soon as people are aware of and when they become available. The same can be said for one of the most renowned manufacturers of both sounding and beacon alarms.
Klaxon is a UK manufacturer of such devices with one simple goal in mind, to outperform the competitors in every single way by making a simple design that functions as it should 100% of the time. The brand has been making sounders and beacons for a long time now but it hasn't been recognised for its quality products until recently.
Types of Beacon Lights
Red
The most common and also the most eye-catching colour a beacon light uses is red. Red beacons are implemented for emergency situations be it in an area with live equipment or heavy machines. A red Klaxon beacon light warns other people of a danger or hazard which means you should move out of the way of machinery or leave the area.
Blue
A blue beacon light may not signal any danger but it is still as important as a red beacon light. That's because blue light beacons are made to be used when change is happening. For instance, if a security alarm is down or equipment is being powered down a blue light is flashing in order to make others aware of the situation.
Yellow
An amber or yellow light beacon is one that is used as a warning message of any imminent danger. It's not as abrupt as a red light but it's definitely used to warn others of movement be it from an automatic door or a forklift.
Green
You might not have seen a green beacon light but this type of Klaxon beacon is still used as an emergency light. Although not as strong of an emergency as that of a red or yellow light, a green beacon light is used to indicate that necessary action is being taken to resolve an incident or breakdown.
Magenta
Another uncommon beacon light is a magenta colour light which is something between red and purple. This type of beacon warns of the danger that is present when there are high levels of combustible gas. Magenta lights can also be used as alternatives to red lights due to the colours being quite similar to each other.
White
With a white beacon light, you get to warn others of moving objects and people but that's mostly the case in low visibility conditions since the clear white light can be seen from far away. If you need a brighter beacon light than a red light, a white beacon is a better Klaxon alarm in this regard.
What Matters in a Beacon Light
IP Rating
Beacon lights can be found both indoors and outdoors and that's because they have the correct IP rating. This means they're protected from both water and dust ingress. No matter the weather conditions they can turn on when they need to without issue.
Pattern
The sequence in which the beacon generates a flashing light matters as much as the colour of the light. The correct pattern must be used for the specific area or issue the beacons are used for and with the use of LED beacons there are several different rotating patterns.
Lumens
The way a beacon flashes is quite important however the brightness of the beam is too. This is expressed in lumens and the higher the number of lumens the brighter the light is no matter its colour.
Types of Sounders
Horn
A Klaxon alarm is also one that can generate sound and sounders usually operate with the help of a horn. These are the most common sounders nowadays since they can generate directional sound in both a continuous blast and in an intermittent pattern. Meaning they are able to be effective in different environments and for different use case scenarios.
Electronic
The most versatile Klaxon sounder you'll come across is an electronic one. Not only does an electronics sounder produce different types of sounds for different occasions it also produces different sounds in terms of loudness. You can even add in a custom-made sound which is why they are also the most expensive.
Siren
If you need sounders purely for outdoor use a siren is the way to go. Sirens produce loud wailing sounds, meaning they can catch anyone's attention from far away extremely quickly.
Different Ways Sounders Operate
Heat
Most sounders are used as fire alarms and the most common ones are those that can sense the change in temperature or heat sounders. But they also cause a lot of false alarms caused by changes in humidity.
Ionisation
With fast-burning fires, the best fire sounder is one that uses ionisation. This method involves a running electric current between two plates which when interrupted triggers the alarm.
Photoelectric
The photoelectric method works in a rather similar way to the ionisation method. The former uses light instead of electricity which makes such a Klaxon sounder best for small fires.
