Emergency Lights

[Thunderball]

Hey Guys
I would like to convert or change my emergency lights, so they Strobe, you know like on police cars, if it legal that is. I don't inten on ever breaking down, but if I do, I want to make sure people see it, and not run in to it. Anybody know how to do this, and how much it will cost, and is it hard or easy to do ?. Any info will be appreciated.
Thanks.

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2001 Ram 2500HD 4x4 Quad Cab, Slt, Auto, Long-bed, 354 Anti-Spin Differential, White Clear Coat / Light Driftwood Satin Glow, Trailer Tow Group, Snow Plow Prep, Camper Special, Brakes Pwr Disc/Drum, Rr Anti-Lock, every thing but leather.

 

[RATTLINRAM]

Thunderball,
Check out http://www.galls.com/index. jsp and I've also seen them in J. C. Whitney.
Not sure how legal it is here in Va. but I'll check with our daughter who works for the fire department and see if she can find out.

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Dennis D. Tway
"RATTLIN" *1999 2500 SPORT QUAD CAB* "RAM"
IntenseBlue/SB/Cummins/4x2/auto/3. 54AS/4whlABS/Camper&TowPkg/
Keyless/Leather/TravelConGrp/SecuritySys/6spkrCD*Cass/Strngwhlcntrls/
WestinTubeSteps/SportMastersSoftTonneau/15k RBW 5th-WheelHitch/26'Nomad 5er (looking for a bigger one) and a way to take my HARLEY too!
-- email address removed -- or -- email address removed --

[This message has been edited by RATTLINRAM (edited 05-29-2001). ]

 

[tgbol]

I sometimes use my truck on road calls. I installed amber strobes in my turn signals in front and in the back up lights to the rear. I got my kit from Sirennet.com it ran around $300 with some extras. It's only illegal if you get caught.

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01. 5 QC ETH/DEE 4X4 LB intense blue sport, everything but leather and cab lights. Trailer and Camper Packages. DC brush guard, missing turbo ring, amber rear turn signals and real back-up lights, K&N re-0880

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Definatley buy them from www.galls.com you wont find them cheaper and they are a great company, super fast shipping, great customer service. Order a catalog, they will send you a full color catalog every month with all sorts of really cool stuff, lots of vehicle supplies too. The brigtest and best quality strobes are made by a company called Whelen Engineering. They have a website www.whelen.com but dont buy them direct, its very expensive.
As far as legality, the only color you could install is Amber, (or clear bulbs inside amber lenses, like your front turn signals). And they will be legal to use IF you are not moving. I. E. Stopped on the side of the road in traffic, broke down, etc.
Red is Police, Green is EMS/Civil Defense, Blue is Volunteer Fire and police in some areas. If you use any of those colors, broken down or not, you will be in trouble. Here in NY , strobes become popular with the import car clubs, then the police started cracking down and i have heard people got there cars impounded for impersonating a police officer.

 

[Jim Norton]

Thunderball I'm a volunteer fireman/EMT from Indiana,I'm not shure this is universal but you should be ok if you strobe($) or wig wag (cheaper but nowhere near as visible especialy in daylight) your backup lights. The front is a little touchier at least here,altho you can probly wig wag a nonfactory installed white light on the front. I to have used Galls for a lot of supplies of this nature,on my own equip. and I do most of the dept. installs. Whelan is a good brand name but Galls brand equip. looks remarkably simular inside and out? If you get into specifics and want help post or e-mail me. Another thougt,stop at a volunteer station and ask what you can do localy-if its legal at home most cops would let you by on a genuine emergancy,afterall the safer you are the easier there job in the long run

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JCN
98 QC,Gitkit,transgo shiftkit, muff. elim. ,combo gauge on a pillar,homemade britebox,ten dollar cooldown timer,hightech fast idle.
kdp out 3/16-dimpled hole

 

[lawdog]

The strobes that you are looking for ar called Hide-away strobes. you drill them into the light housing from the back sides. It is best to get them near the factory bulbes, to take advantage of the factory designed reflector in the light assembly. I would recommend using the clear bulb strobes in the front and rear, or amber front and clear rear. I WOULD NOT put the strobes in the back up lights in the rear, unless you were to also use amber or red bulbs in the rear. The white strobes are VERY intense, and could blind drivers coming from the rear, and here in Michigan it is illegal to have white light to the rear. To avoid problems from local law enforcemnent, when you wire in the strobes, make both fronts flash at the same time and both rears flash at the same time,( instead of alternating side to side) which would duplicate the factory hazzard style, with the superior warning power of the strobe lights. My patrol car uses clear strobes in the front corner / turnsignal area, and clear put into the tail light area, so it flashes red, along with blue in the rear window, out the side windows, the front sides of the mirrors and the push bumpers. it is also combined with headlight flashers, so the car is very lit up, even though it does not have a light bar on the roof. Our old patrol cars used a whelen 6 head 90 watt strobe power supply. Our new ones use one of the 6 heads and a 150 watt 8 head. I would ONLY use a whelen unit and whelen bulbs. Just my opinion from 9 years as the police.

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2000 QC SHORT BED 4X4, 24 VALVE W/ 275 HP INJECTORS, 3. 54 GEARS W/ POSI, AUTO, BLACK WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT LEATHER,285/75R16 KELLY SAFARI AWR, RAIDER NOMAD CAB HIGH CAP,FACTORY RAZ STEREO W/ STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, KENWOOD 848 AMP, KENWOOD EXCELON 6X9 IN DOORS AND KENWOOD EXCELON 6IN. ROUND DUAL-MAGS IN REAR DOORS, MTX FACTORY FIT BOX W/ 2-10"SUBS UNDER REAR SEAT

2001 ARCTIC CAT ZR800 TWIN LE BLACK... . Totalled 03-09-01 at 90-100 mph. Ambulance ride and 2 months off work, and a new 2002 Arctic Cat ZR 500 LE Green now in garage

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Gotta agree on Whelen, hard to beat. I am using Grote strobes on my work truck, amber and I have two to the rear and two to the front. Mine alternate, RF-LR and then RR-LF. Personally, the alternating pattern along with multiple flashes of the strobe is the best visibility, but I suppose you might run into problems some places doing this. I think as long as you stay with clear or amber and are using only in an emergency, you will probably be pretty safe with the law. I just did it that way, and so far no one has said anything in either Oregon or California.

Whelen has a cool flash pattern simulation here

Shelby

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2001. 5 2500 QC LB 4WD, ETH (Built 09-10-00), DEE, 3. 54 gears, Laramie SLT, Camper Special, Trailer Tow, Travel Convenience Group, Power Driver Seat, Alarm System, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lamps, Cab Clearance Lamps, HD Transfer Case, Bright White with a Gray Interior. Built 09-15-00, took delivery on 10-06-00, 12310 miles as of 05-01-01. Custom aluminum work body / flat bed. Coming soon: E-Brake and gauges.

 

[Lil' Dog]

Shelby, Are all those patterns selectable with the systems or you have to order them seperately???

J-eh

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Some systems the flash pattern is selectable, others, it depends which plugs you use on the power supply. Like on a 4 outlet power supply you will 2 pairs of outlets for a total of 4 strobes, it will flash one PAIR at a time, so hook the front 2 strobes to one side and the rear to the other. This way, the fronts will both flash at the same time, then the rears will flash at the same time. And the cops will HOPEFULY not bother you. In NY strobes of ANY kind while moving are illegal unless you are police, fire, ems, or construction WHILE working. They will come with detailed instructions, and you wont have to order anything special.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Originally posted by Lil' Dog:
Shelby, Are all those patterns selectable with the systems or you have to order them seperately???

J-eh

I assume you are referring to the Whelen strobes? I believe from looking at their web site that it varies by power supply, but most of their power supplies have more than one strobe pattern. You can get 16 patterns for around $500 and up. They have some "value" priced supplies for $100-300, but these only have 2-4 patterns.

Something that I looked at real hard was the LED light heads, but I don't think these would be stealth. I believe they have 14 flash patterns built in, and are all self contained, no external power supply needed. Whelen does not have a kit for the Dodge truck mirrors, otherwise I would probably have a set of amber LED's on the back of my mirrors.

Shelby

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2001. 5 2500 QC LB 4WD, ETH (Built 09-10-00), DEE, 3. 54 gears, Laramie SLT, Camper Special, Trailer Tow, Travel Convenience Group, Power Driver Seat, Alarm System, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lamps, Cab Clearance Lamps, HD Transfer Case, Bright White with a Gray Interior. Built 09-15-00, took delivery on 10-06-00, 12310 miles as of 05-01-01. Custom aluminum work body / flat bed. Coming soon: E-Brake and gauges.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Also, check out Ebay. I have seen strobe light kits on there alot. You may get a deal.

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01' Intense Blue 4x4 QC SB Auto, Black Leather, Camper/Tow package, etc, etc. JRE Exhaust, Psychotty, Autometer Sport Comp: Trans Temp, 0-35psi Boost and Pre Turbo EGT Gauges, Rhinoliner, PIAA 520 Fogs, Stull "Diamond wire" grill, Westin Stainless sidebars, Smitty bilt "Outland Sport" stainless bumper guard, Hella B/U Lights, Tint, Pioneer audio, JL Audio 12" Sub in center seat. SEAL TITE crossover box. Amsoil dual bypass with the "CPFF" Adaptor and braided stainless lines, Husky liner mudflaps, Motorola Spectra Locomotive radio, Mag-Hytecs Soon.

 

[MHindman]

i looked at these and i didnt see any that fit our trucks? I think it looks cool as can be, i would love to set this up.

 

[ClydeJr]

Just for FYI, many states reqire your truck be an authorized vechile to use "emergency lighting" including Amber. Localy that means call the county sheriff or DOT and fill out the paperwork to get amber. Red requires a permit from the State Fire Marshal or State OES or State EMS office. And for Blue is for Law or "code" enforcement only.

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2001 Dodge 2500 SLT Ext-cab
1985 Ford 250 6. 9L IDI

[This message has been edited by ClydeJr (edited 05-31-2001). ]

 

[Thunderball]

Hey Guys
Thanks for all the replys, and help. I now have alot of options. If anybody else try this let me know witch ones you go with. Never new there were so many flash patterns.

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2001 Ram 2500HD 4x4 Quad Cab, Slt, Auto, Long-bed, 354 Anti-Spin Differential, White Clear Coat / Light Driftwood Satin Glow, Trailer Tow Group, Snow Plow Prep, Camper Special, Brakes Pwr Disc/Drum, Rr Anti-Lock, every thing but leather.

 

[MCrossley]

Question to those using the Whelen units, what power supplies are you using, as there is none that would power 4 25 watt strobes however it appears as though you would not want to the popular wattage seems to be 60

 

[Blakers]

I use amber strobes for snow plowing - no one ever bothers you for moving with them on in Ohio. For years I used a small white strobe made for an airplane - it was very bright and could be seen very well. I never had any trouble using it until it finally quit after serving on two vehicles. School busses around here use white stobes on the top in the rear.



Blake