Thread: Lets see pictures of custom lights/lightbars

Lots of good looking pics/vids of everyone's creations. Wish I have just 10% of the knowledge it takes to wire and come up with something totally custom. I can't even wire up TIR3's, hence the reason I dont have any.

Great job to everyone that has posted!

Originally Posted by tom

These aren't waterproof, are they? Is there anyway I could make them waterproof?

They are not waterproof. You would have to put these inside a water proof housing to mount them to the exterior of a vehicle.

Originally Posted by cameo89

So did you end up using 1 watt leds or 3 watt? Im thinking about ordering some to play with, your light seems very bright.

connection: so what do you have to do to power these little guys? just solder pos and ground wires and attach to a external led flasher? Thanks

I am really sorry for the confusion. I ended up using 1 watt LED's and it is quite bright. To power them I just tapped into the 12 volts from the vehicle via a cheap car adapter and ran that to a custom power supply of sorts to regulate and distribute the current evenly. Then just ran wires to my microprocessor which was running my custom flash patterns. I am sure there is an easy way to make it work with an external flasher with a little bit of tinkering. I still have my light bar around but while I was trying to correct the flash patterns I
accidentally shorted half of the bar out. I'll try to take some pictures of my crappy wiring job and power supply a little later this evening and post them since there seems to be a considerable amount of interest.

I'm a little late to the party, but here's my custom FlatLighter. I gutted some 500 series linear heads, and siliconed the circuit boards to the FlatLighter housing. On the front side, I epoxied the diffusers to the housing. I've been very happy with it, and have used it since 2007 with no issues. I still don't see why Whelen didn't do this from the factory. It would have eliminated some work on my part.



And a video (poor quality)

ncfireman1918, Just curious, how's the flashback on that? It looks like it could be pretty bad at night.

I would imagin the flashback is just as bad as with the strobe version... They do make a flash back shield for those though, but the are ugly and big... LOL

Originally Posted by ncfireman1918

I'm a little late to the party, but here's my custom FlatLighter. I gutted some 500 series linear heads, and siliconed the circuit boards to the FlatLighter housing. On the front side, I epoxied the diffusers to the housing. I've been very happy with it, and have used it since 2007 with no issues. I still don't see why Whelen didn't do this from the factory. It would have eliminated some work on my part.



And a video (poor quality)

That looks awesome! I agree, they should make them factory like that.

Originally Posted by TritonBoulder47

I would imagin the flashback is just as bad as with the strobe version... They do make a flash back shield for those though, but the are ugly and big... LOL

Really??? I did'nt know that! It would have to be pretty damn big to cover it! lol

I originally got it in 2004, and ran it until 2007 in the original strobe version with red and white lenses. Then I changed it over to LED and have run it like that since 2007. I'm pretty much used to the flashback (which has never bothered me in the least). I see a LOT of posts on this site complaining about flashback from visor lights, but it has never been an issue for me. There was a really bulky flashback shield available for the flatlighters, but I think it pretty much defeats the point of having a visor light. I think my next project is going to be a custom housing for a pair of 400 series LED heads, or a pair of M4s, but I don't have the details worked out yet. I'm planning to incorporate a flashback shield into that one.

Originally Posted by Station 3

Is this standard or did this guy make this looks pretty sweet

Actually I got this in a trade .. took the white bulbs out and put some blue in..

Originally Posted by Station 3

why does a Storm Spotter needs a light bar?

Originally Posted by SPMRC

why does a Storm Spotter needs a light bar?

To warn the storms, they have been spotted ... Sorry in a mood

Originally Posted by SPMRC

why does a Storm Spotter needs a light bar?

This is why

All they need is one of these, a lightbar is too much flying junk if it gets blown off in a tornado (which it's more likely to do if it's poorly built), in addition to just being more warning lights than they need.

Originally Posted by K9Vic

This is why

This is an excellent video!

Originally Posted by NC lawdog

This is an excellent video!

+1! Guy made a LOT of very good points, that public safety as well as storm chasers need to remember. Billions of blinkies all going at once might not be the best idea....

Originally Posted by PJD642

+1! Guy made a LOT of very good points, that public safety as well as storm chasers need to remember. Billions of blinkies all going at once might not be the best idea....

I actually used to chase with Chris. He was a videographer, not you normal run of the mill whacker. He drove and I did all the navigation... The only lights he had on his vehicle was an arrowstick. He was chasing long before the "Twister" movie came out. He knows his stuff.

Got this Twinsonic the other day has Mcdermott flasher installed where the mirrors were.

Strange! why this transformation with a Mcdermott in place of the mirrors?

Originally Posted by fireball3

Strange! why this transformation with a Mcdermott in place of the mirrors?

No clue, I wanted the Twinsonic to get my parts for my rebuild. Havent decided yet whether Im going to keep them or list them in the FS section.

Finally got the Night vids on HD cam shot and posted for my Freedom Demo bar, I was kinda Impressed that the brightness managed to make the camera lose focus a couple times
Primary Pattern
Secondary Pattern
It's almost impossible to see but there is a Piercer II in the middle of the front side.

Originally Posted by calebsheltonmed23

Really??? I did'nt know that! It would have to be pretty damn big to cover it! lol

Sure did... Second page of the following PDF...

http://www.gaam.com.au/__data/assets...LED_Series.pdf

Originally Posted by Medicman695

Finally got the Night vids on HD cam shot and posted for my Freedom Demo bar, I was kinda Impressed that the brightness managed to make the camera lose focus a couple times

I hate to dissapoint you, but that's just because the lights were flashing, and they were the only thing the camera could see - the camera needs something that is both visible and not flashing to get a proper focus. (At least I think that's how it works.) Brightness isn't much of an issue.

Originally Posted by nerdly_dood

I hate to dissapoint you, but that's just because the lights were flashing, and they were the only thing the camera could see - the camera needs something that is both visible and not flashing to get a proper focus. (At least I think that's how it works.) Brightness isn't much of an issue.

I've never had an issue with filming my other lighbar at night before, but there are several other variables that could be making it do the focus thing, I've never heard of that being an issue before but I could see it as plausable.

Originally Posted by signal12

here is a video
YouTube - ‪rotating strobe lights (its for sale email if interested)‬‏
its not the best since the camera does not pick up all the flashes. there are two seperate 12 pattern power supplies with at least 66 user selectable flash patterns available plus level 5 random mode with a flash rate of a minimum 0f 250 to 1,720 per minute with all 4 strobes operating. i have also added leds in front of the diamond mirrors.

That looks pretty bad ass!!!

Here's a new HD vid of my Custom Respond-A-Laser...

And here'e the evening/night vid... Hope you enjoy!!!

Nice job. I now thinking of trying something like that. However I would be the guy mounting that lightbar permently on the grill. Always liked that idea,

Originally Posted by Support Services

Nice job. I now thinking of trying something like that. However I would be the guy mounting that lightbar permently on the grill. Always liked that idea,

I have to admit, I actually kind of like it there...

Originally Posted by TritonBoulder47

And here'e the evening/night vid... Hope you enjoy!!!

I agree! Bolt that sucker in place right where it is!