Distress hand flares - old vs new vs LED

I don't think I need to explain much here, you will get the idea after watching the video.
SOLAS hand flare vs LED
The most reliable hand flare here was of course the LED flare.
Is it powerful enough to draw any attention in case required... well... at least one key element for that would be missing - the smoke.
Is it as bright as the pyro? No it's not.
Would somebody take it as a distress signal, or just another night club toy? I don't know...
When using a pyrotechnical flare, consider the following:
The burning time is about one minute.
It will become hot, use gloves. Keep a pair ready where you store your pyrotechnics.
Beware of the sparks and burning residues, point away from your boat and people.
Mind also the wind direction so it won't blow the sparks on you.
After burning, the flare will stay hot for some time and will ignite flammable materials.

[@jimf671]

Our experiments in the UK show that the reliability of old pyrotechnic flares and smokes is all about the firing mechanism and not about the main pyrotechnic charge. A common situation here is that expiry of marine pyro is ensured by using a carbon steel fire wire which rusts through and makes it unusable after a few years. This looks like a blatant commercial exploitation since other pyro that uses copper fire wires last for decades. In some parts of the world, a chemical striker is used to fire the pyrotechnics and this method also has a limited life. The main pyrotechnic charge will last a very very long time. One experienced academic with 40 years experience of ammunition and pyrotechnics put it to me that if these things expired then we wouldn't need to worry about unexploded bombs left over from wars! Safe disposal of pyro is a serious problem in some territories, including the UK. LED versions will only be a slight improvement since it involves Lithium batteries!

[@Alex666-z3y]

No pyro no party!

[@Ghizlan77]

Cha3al lflam dabab lcurva

[@omar0580]

Uar

[@morrocancriminel2696]

@@omar0580 😂😂😂😂

[@abdoooooo_______ch9917]

@@omar0580 g.f.w.9

[@bromleyareshite6555]

Utfs

[@cigarswede]

This clearly shows the huge difference in output when comparing flares based on electronics versus pyrotechnics. Electric flares can NEVER replace pyrotechnic flares when it comes to light output since a battery never can achieve the same energy density!

[@among-us-99999]

LEDs are WAY more efficient. Pyrotechnic flares waste most of their chemical energy on heat.

[@Luckingsworth]

@tom lewis Useless is a very relative term. Sure the regular flares are brighter but they last a minute. LEDs can last for hours.

[@Luckingsworth]

@tom lewis Sounds great until the reason you are pulled over is because your electric cable snapped and you dont have tail lights. Sounds great until you are stranded in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception and you need to walk to get help in the middle of a pitch black night. Both have their uses.

[@Luckingsworth]

@tom lewis Pulled over as in you yourself pulled yourself to the side of the road. Not forced. Semantics is the first sign of lack of a real argument. You fialed to address any of my points. And by your talk of the "tail lights still working" it would appear you briefly skimmed it. Using precious cell battery on a camera would be foolish if you are looking at a multi hour walk to the nearest town in dark.

[@Luckingsworth]

@tom lewis You have clearly never driven a rusty old truck. Battery cables often corrode and break off at the terminals. I can't help you if you dont ever want to consider possibilities. Which is ironic considering that is the point of prep. You feel free to carry a couple hundred flares. I will save room for other supplies carrying just one or two and supplementing their usage with an LED flare.

[@cakearmy_maxgaming6346]

I think the use case is very different. If you're a vehicle disabled on the side of a not-so-busy highway, LED flares will be fine, they will give a warning, and can help if your battery (car) dies. The pyro flares are better for longer distance warning and off-road/forest/marine use, as the smoke also helps indicate. One is for being found, the other for not being hit.

[@HDSME]

If you're in the mountains deep snow nothing like a flare the led is for girls

[@jamesfuller201]

Interesting indeed. I have some old hand flares in a boat i have just bought which have been there since it was built in 1997, they are in perfect condition due to being kept in the manufacturers storage box. Because there is plenty of them i might fire couple off to see if they are good. (obviously while well inland, worth noting)

[@Scramasax]

Shall I put it this way. The ones with the archer logo will work. ;-)

[@OmmerSyssel]

Be careful with parachute flares onshore.. They are very efficient starting a fire wherever they land!

[@shininggodmsbeyblader8284]

james fuller did they work?

[@theplinkerslodge6361]

Great share - hang onto those old flares. The oldest ones seemed to be brightest.

[@adamknight5089]

Just can't beat pyrotechnic flares for emergency signalling

[@bobsky3100]

Professional comparison 👍

[@RVLifeNOW]

Interesting video. I wonder why manufacturers permit such a limited shelf life when the flares, obviously can function properly for far longer.

[@Scramasax]

That's how it seems to be. For what ever reason, it's the primer that seems to go bad in most of them. It just violently explodes instead of evenly igniting the torch. But then again the quality ones seem to work just fine no matter the age...

[@alexanderfarrel3053]

@@Scramasax ys

[@TheFelish33]

I believe they give them expiry date because occasional boater doesn't check their flares, well at least that's what I heard.

[@isaackarjala7916]

Expiration date could have as much to do with the companies willingness to do long term testing as anything else

[@adamoneale4396]

Theoretically the burn compound could deteriorate and you could essentially pull the string and instead of a flare, you get a pipe bomb

[@stevenmerlock9971]

Chemical flares are the best if at sea! The smoke is great for rescue and at night the light pinpoints location. LED’s no smoke but longer lasting. There’s a new laser model that’s better than all you point it from a standing position on the raft toward the water extending away from your location. This points day or night toward your location. Honestly underwater flares have a longer shelf life and produce massive amounts of light and smoke = EXPENSIVE though.

[@lukavolarevic1388]

No pyro no party

[@Hooliganos-z7n]

Yes

[@DG-ss1gc]

Thanks for video, I’m curious if my “30min” flares will actually go that long now.

[@gp-yc8zz]

I love it ❤‍🔥

[@AdventureSurvivalist]

Thanks for demostrating this for us liked video

[@dv5809]

OMG, look how much pollution those combustion flares emits! On the other hand, electric LED flares are just stunning, very clean and environment friendly way to die! 😎

[@900stx7]

All that plastic made from oil and the lithium in the battery ending up in a land fill? No pollution there .

[@blackbear92201]

Very interesting video. thanks for posting! :D

[@Scramasax]

Thanks!

[@vicenteferreira8177]

When the weekend comes:

[@grahampalmer9337]

Personally; I was most impressed by the last flare. OK. So the LED may not be as bright, but how long will it keep going; & is it really that bad if used at night/ in dark conditions? I take a bargain shop bicycle rear LED when I'm hill walking. Easy to pack & far better then nothing. Scramasax. Isn't that the long Anglo-Saxon personal weapon/knife?

[@Scramasax]

The last one was hands down the winner. Most even burn. Bright flame with almost zero sparks and check that smoke! The more the better I think. It also happened to be the most reliable of the pyros. Despite the age... LEDs are good in close distances for guiding the resque personel to the site. In a marina for example leave it on the deck while you take care of your patient. Also definitely better than nothing as you say. Your final question: If you have time to watch my Finnish Archipelago video, you will know where the name came from. But yes. ;-)

[@GoldCoast85]

Led doesn't show distress

[@RONALD511]

Years ago I worked the railroad they had some long-lasting flares...

[@ecgodsmack86]

Good demonstration and video

[@philgreen815]

I have an ODEOFLARE, But I would suggest you wear protective glasses during this exercise ?

[@accipiternisus649]

Bravo! Very nice video

[@Scramasax]

Thanks. I wanted to show the burning uncut and unedited, so people can compare by them selves.

[@LovingAtlanta]

👍Very interesting, thank you. 💝

[@TheJumay]

LIBERTÉ POUR LES ULTRAS !

[@tosh4461]

With flare that don’t light get jet lighter with long tip as to not burn hand and use to light

[@darksentinel9304]

What?

[@Scramasax]

@@darksentinel9304 He is talking about those long reach JET lighters. Would work I agree. We use one for igniting the oven in the boat...

[@itaybenezra2301]

Thanks

[@AlsCal72]

I personally think those odeo led flares could do more harm than good, people are going out replacing pyro flares for the odeo ones, it could be the difference between life and death, the pyro ones may only last a minute but that might be all you need, the led one might run all night long but what use is that if your never spotted because it's not bright enough.

[@Scramasax]

There also is one more difference people sometimes forget. The pyro flare can be spotted in bright daylight.

[@mcnuttkyle8617]

More pyro flares for me

[@hopsi_tebra]

Can u explain me why 3. flare wasnt fire? And is that the same flare what was u trying few times to fire? Or its another flare?

[@Scramasax]

Different flare, same type. You have one go to try to ignite, if it doesn't fire up, then it doesn't. This third type didn't ignite, because it's just so lousy quality. Avoid it.

[@tanboymiguel]

Any drill artist finna cop lmao

[@evobsm2328]

Notable difference. Led flare goes on for idk days maybe but you are sacrificing smoke,brightness and in desperate need a tool for making a fire.

[@Captaraknospider]

Why arnt you scaired it will blow up?

[@Scramasax]

I can't say I'm scared of that, but I'm certainly prepared for it. The primer/fuse can explode as you can see in several occasions in this video. Always point the flare away from you and people when you ignite it. Can even happen with a new flare as you can see at the end here.

[@joacimjansson1123]

First of all it's a igniter for explosios in movies.

[@stefanoschatzistefanou2652]

Is there a problem ignite in it from 2009 to now

[@ronnieboomboom2040]

25 years ago = no projection + long burning time + strong red flare....

[@thomaspayne6866]

I just bought road flares. The package says “5x brighter than led flares”. I bet.

[@yellowsaturn2873]

What is the differences between cignal flares and flare?

[@hopsi_tebra]

Ty my friend, i rly needed to inow about albatris, cuz this flares with matchstick is retarded cuz when u are wet hands u cant make him fire

[@NORTHskin808]

Nome of the last one flare ?

[@vansh8073]

Where to buy

[@villekillen1239]

Where did you buy them?

[@Scramasax]

Dom flesta är från någon båt tillbehör butik. Men stora kedjor som Motonet här i Finland säljer också såna...

[@ewanroberts134]

YNWA. ❤

[@CiljansYT]

Pro pyro rbk😊

[@faizaditiaaditia9699]

good

[@ardatelli]

COMET IS THE BEST

[@goodwillgoth7553]

No. The best is ICARUS made in Sweden. I have hundreds of Comet hand flares that will not fire but with ICARUS, it does not matter the age or even the condition. They all work. Forever.

[@Scramasax]

@@goodwillgoth7553 If in distress - meet your friend: Icaros Mk2 Polar 9:35 Hands down the best of the test.

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@goodwillgoth7553 please observe your spelling, if others should be helped. IKAROS

[@vazdakontra5930]

Prepo se bakljice 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Jaskab0b]

Hmmnmm... Let me guess... You are from Finland.

[@Scramasax]

Näinpä.

[@Jaskab0b]

@@Scramasax No niinpä

[@Hooliganos-z7n]

NO PYRO NO PARTY

[@faridhadi1350]

Good

[@TheRuman4140]

Look on the fire

[@GooDBoY-nj8tx]

rifiuw cengoh yo ngene kii😂😂😂😂 mejen kabeh no kok karuan tuku mercon tulis

[@gloomsouls]

Amazing how a 9 year old flare ignited

[@sinioradnane4430]

I need one

[@johnernest2779]

No skeeters here!

[@omar0580]

drari f uar bano

[@hosnynadaalpirydyn4308]

انواع المواد المستخدمه

[@anouarfahmi]

نوعTop

[@kizatoyt6793]

Solo uar

[@thatfeeble-mindedboy]

Stop adding to the confusion in the world, please. LED is an acronym for light emitting diode, and is pronounced: “ el ee dee” ; not “led” as in ‘the people were led astray by imprecise terminology’ ... or “lead” as in the element metal - ‘I used lead fishing weights for ballast’, for example. If someone hears you say something like “The new LEAD headlights available for cars and motorcycles are quite bright ..” - they’re not going to know what you’re talking about, plus, it will strongly imply that you in fact, don’t. Instructional videos posted on a public forum bear at least some degree of responsibility for being as accurate and precise in descriptions as possible. Wouldn’t you agree?

[@Scramasax]

Hi Kenneth and thank you for your feed back! English is my third language as you propably can hear from the weird accent. The idea of this video was to keep it unedited as far as possible and a lot of people seem to respect that. That is also why I have left the pronouncing mistake untouched there. I will how ever keep your kind reminder in mind, when I remake this video after 25 years.

[@thatfeeble-mindedboy]

@@Scramasax

[@keva153-11]

where did you buy them ?

[@doelbiasa256]

Good