The Uses for a 12-Volt Strobe Light

• When young people think of a strobe light, many will instantly think of the lights being used at a party. But the strobe light was actually invented for many industrial purposes and subsequently became associated with the nightclub scene. Strobe lights, especially at lower flashing frequencies, can be used by scientists, mechanics and entertainers.

Science

• Due to its affect of making everything seem to move in slow motion, strobe lights have been used by many scientists over the past century to study moving objects.

  One of the most famous of these studies was in 1931 when Harold Edgerton used flashing lamps and high-speed photography to capture the movement of bullets in flight.

  Others have used strobe lights to study the movement of vocal cords.

Mechanic Work

• By aiming a strobe light at the fly-wheel of a car, a mechanic is able to optimize the efficiency of a car engine by observing in "slow motion" the rotational period. This practice is not widely used anymore, as car engine efficiency can be more accurately judged through the various computers fitted to the vehicle. Other industries, too, have used strobe lights to assess the efficiency of rotating objects.

Emergency Services

• On many emergency vehicles, the old-fashioned rotating light bulb has been replaced by a low-frequency strobe light. This is because the short flash time means the light intensity is increased, making the light more noticeable. Divers, mountaineers and ships also use strobe lights as a distress beacon.

Entertainment

• In practically all forms of entertainment, from music videos, to theater and to photography, strobe lights are used, but for very different purposes. Movie and theater directors use strobe lights as special effects to enhance certain scenes. In the theater especially, strobe lights have proved very effective at injecting movement and drama into scenes that would otherwise seem flat. Photographers use strobe lights in conjunction with the camera, due to the strobe light's effect of making everything appear still. During live music performances, music videos and in nightclubs, strobe lights are used purely for their entertainment value. This practice originated in nightclubs the 1960s as a way of enhancing the lively mood of club patrons.

Dangers

• If you are planning on using a strobe light for any purpose it is important to remember that they can induce epileptic fits.