2016 F450 4x4 Ambulance

[SBFD-E-9]

This is my full time departments new ambulance. This was the first ambulance I have ever "built". It is not officially in service yet so I have yet to run a call in it.

Equipment list:

Front
4 Whelen M7s on grille-2 red, 2 green
2 Whelen M9s-red
1 Whelen 700 series strobe hooked into a Tomar opticom power supply
Code 3 MX7000 with 8 rotators, sweeps, takedown lights and alley lights

Side
1 Whelen M2-red
1 Whelen M7-amber
2 Whelen M9-red
2 Whelen LED scene lights

Rear:
5 Whelen M9-3 amber, 2 red
2 Whelen LED scene lights

Siren
Carson Magforce with Mechanical tone
Buell air horns

Radio
Dual head kenwood TK790

 

[801]

Nice rig. Green, I'm assuming your close by Chi town? Awesome to see the mix of rotators and LED.

 

[LRGJr72]

Nice rig. Green, I'm assuming your close by Chi town? Awesome to see the mix of rotators and LED.

I was thinking Metamora Township, Michigan (a distant fringe suburb of Detroit). But the green lights indicate Illinois.. Chicago area, like you said.

 

[SBFD-E-9]

We are a couple hours south of Chicago. It's somewhat common in surrounding counties to have a couple green lights. I just wanted to be different. Most ambulances in my area are red/blue.

I still love rotators so I couldn't resist putting that MX7000 on this truck. The video doesn't do the bar justice.

Dan

 

[Sparky_911]

That's a beaut Dan. Good work.

 

[lotsofbars]

Looks great. In a world of split-fail and purple/pink blobs, you've done us all proud. And that MX is wonderful, did that come new with the truck?

One thing I'd suggest is changing the flashers to a slightly faster single flash or perhaps to the "signal alert" pattern. Flashes that steady are bright for sure but not as attention-getting (I've observed in my ambulance fleet) as lights that have some sort of flicker or faster flash rate. The amber light above the rear wheels look more like a turn signal than a warning light.

 

[SBFD-E-9]

Yes, the MX bar was ordered new for the truck.

I am planning on tinkering with flash patterns. I just haven't had much time to do that yet.

It was supposed to have all lights except the grille lights on action flash. But it came like that.

Dan

 

[ff168577]

Yes, the MX bar was ordered new for the truck.

I am planning on tinkering with flash patterns. I just haven't had much time to do that yet.

It was supposed to have all lights except the grille lights on action flash. But it came like that.

Dan

Horton sets all flash patterns to there eprompt system. You can't adjust the flash patterns unless you have them burn you a new board at $800 a shot.

 

[pdk9]

I like the setup a lot. I just wish everything on the box was set to action flash and that the rear was synced differently....I know that's a pretty common rear sync, but I can't stand it and would've alternated the ambers with the Reds (in other words alternate the 1 upper center/2 lower vs the 2 upper outter M9's). I'd also consider syncing the grill lights so that both red flash then both green (I think it makes a larger footprint that's harder to drown out at night with the headlights)

The front fender on the super dutys drives me nuts b/c you can't surface mount a larger lighthead there without a special bracket (that you'll often seen used to mount a 700 series slightly angled)

 

[801]

I think the flash pattern is great. The MX7K has the intersection sweeps, which are still some of the most effective for intersection warning and you have the white Opticom to the front.

 

[SBFD-E-9]

The flash pattern is a lot brighter in person than it is in the video. Really I feel like it's pretty effective. I was going to change patterns just to see what it would look like but it doesn't look like I'll be able to.

Yes the rear lights sort of bug me too. The outer lights were supposed to be in an X pattern and the center amber on its own pattern independent. But, I've gotten used to it.

Larger lights on the fender would have been great, I was nervous about the M2, but I have to say it's quite bright.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Dan

 

[NJEMT]

The grille light should have just a simple plug on the back of them. You should be able to just switch the plugs on one red and one green if you want to have the colors flash together.