Alley Lighting with a slicktop setup, need ideas

[egriggs]

Putting this one out there to the creative thinkers on here because I am not really sure how I want to go about this....

I have a 2007 Silverado extended cab and I need to install some alley lighting so I can see addresses at night since the majority of my responses are in the dark.  I currently have Whelen LIN3's in white mounted under my side view mirrors on the 15 degree brackets (green arrow in picture).  I would use them but they are not high enough and I think the linear style of them won't focus the light where I need it.  My dilema is that I don't want to mount anything more on the exterior, but need something with a solid focused beam.

I am thinking of purchasing the LR11 alley kit for a liberty bar and fabricating a bracket so I can mount them on the interior in the rear side window (white arrow in picture).

See the pics for a visual of what I am talking about and give me your thoughts

 

[paff2]

 Maybe a dual color light (nforce or similar) or if you don't need a warning light just alley use a Feniex 100 with spot optics. Mount it at the top of the extended cab window and slide the window down slightly if you need to. I have a Nforce mounted in that spot and loved the way the white punched thru and illuminated houses at night.

 

[7d9_z28]

Well, for starters, I dont think a couple LR-11 behind a tinted window are going to net you much.

Typically, addresses are located in different areas (mailbox, up on the side of the house, door..) and you are better with a light that you can position. A Unity would be ideal, a GoLight would work too (albeit slower)

This is going to be a matter of sacrificing function for a certain look.

 

[ericl9812]

A Feniex Titan-X5 100 OR even the Feniex Titan-X10 200, would probably be your best bet... You can have it built with spot optics. And use it as a "takedown" or in your case, "alley light" 

 

[acala91]

Do you have a toolbox? Put some Whelen 500 or Ion v-series to the sides. If not I think the Titans in the side windows is your next best bet. 

 

[Retired1]

I agree with the GoLight option. The remote controlled GoLights, with a magnetic base, provide easy removal when not needed, and they provide awesome light output. These will also save a lot of 'jockying' around the truck to get the light beam of a fixed light just where you want it

http://www.golight.com/products/index.html

If you don't want a magnet attached to your painted roof, use an Acari mount and use the permanent mount GoLight.

http://acariproducts.com/

 

[egriggs]

I agree with the GoLight option. The remote controlled GoLights, with a magnetic base, provide easy removal when not needed, and they provide awesome light output. These will also save a lot of 'jockying' around the truck to get the light beam of a fixed light just where you want it

http://www.golight.com/products/index.html

If you don't want a magnet attached to your painted roof, use an Acari mount and use the permanent mount GoLight.

http://acariproducts.com/

I do have a wireless go light, just really not looking to mount anything exterior that's not permanantly mounted, have had stuff stolen off my roof before... Maybe I will have to look into the Titans and see if i can accomplish what I need.

 

[Jamey@NNE]

On my truck I have a golight and rigid duallys in driving beam to find addresses at night but that's all on a headache rack

 

[kitn1mcc]

do you have a rack

also go with

http://www.whelen.com/auto/product.php?head_id=8&cat_id=64&prod_id=687

or

http://www.whelen.com/auto/product.php?head_id=12&cat_id=74&prod_id=469

 

[ericl9812]

Egriggs, 

What did you decide on? Were you able to come across anything better?

 

[pdk9]

I'm personally not a fan of Go-lights. I've had them on almost every vehicle I've driven over the past 8 yrs, and I've NEVER used them (other than for messing around/playing with other crews in between calls), because it's too annoying to futz around with IMHO, rather than an on/off rocker switch.


If you have a toolbox or a PB, I would get a SOS mighty night light or a whelen V-series light to mount on each side. If you don't have either, you can fabricate a small bracket to mount on the inside of the bed rail (right behind the cab), paint it black to match the liner color, & surface mount the lighthead to the bracket you set up.


I wouldn't mount any alley warning inside the cab, b/c you'll definitely lose output & (if the light is bright enough) you'll probably be lighting the inside of the cab from flashback/reflection inside

 

[ericl9812]

I'm personally not a fan of Go-lights. I've had them on almost every vehicle I've driven over the past 8 yrs, and I've NEVER used them (other than for messing around/playing with other crews in between calls), because it's too annoying to futz around with IMHO, rather than an on/off rocker switch.


If you have a toolbox or a PB, I would get a SOS mighty night light or a whelen V-series light to mount on each side. If you don't have either, you can fabricate a small bracket to mount on the inside of the bed rail (right behind the cab), paint it black to match the liner color, & surface mount the lighthead to the bracket you set up.


I wouldn't mount any alley warning inside the cab, b/c you'll definitely lose output & (if the light is bright enough) you'll probably be lighting the inside of the cab from flashback/reflection inside

Didn't think about flashback / reflection. Good Point!

However, Maybe mount the light in the upper part of the window, Allowing you to slightly crack the window open during night time operations...?

 

[Eric1249]

On my old Explorer I had a 6 inch Lifetime Led on my running board. I know some will say it is too low to be effective. Well it worked fine for me. In the driving rain I wouldn't want to

have to open up my rear window. Just sayin.

 

[ericl9812]

On my old Explorer I had a 6 inch Lifetime Led on my running board. I know some will say it is too low to be effective. Well it worked fine for me. In the driving rain I wouldn't want to


have to open up my rear window. Just sayin.

Very good point. However, When you don't want to mount anything to the exterior of the vehicle, It gets a little tricky... lol.

 

[Eric1249]

I know you don't want anything on the exterior but what about a Titan/Cobra? I head a Cobra

head up to my running boards and it wasn't near as noticeable as the Lifetime. Just a thought.

 

[Storm4200]

what about the feniex Rocker panel lights? just get 2 or 3 of the modules as white TDs 

 

[emtanderson51]

Whelen 5V3 surface mounted right in front of the door. Ground light, dual LR11 alley light and an awesome 180 degree warning light...they are awesome

 

[Doug]

http://www.soundoffsignal.com/product/mighty-night-light/

 

[ericl9812]

http://www.soundoffsignal.com/product/mighty-night-light/

Do you know how much they sell for? 

 

[Doug]

Do you know how much they sell for?

I believe they're going for about $100-$110 each online. I believe we have several Sound Off Signal dealers on here who may be able to offer better pricing.

 

[cbpdogboy]

The Soundoff Mighty Light is only rated at 400 lumens where the Feniex Titans are 950 lumens each...better bang for your buck with Feniex...imo

http://feniex.com/literature/titanx911016442.pdf

 

[ericl9812]

The Soundoff Mighty Light is only rated at 400 lumens where the Feniex Titans are 950 lumens each...better bang for your buck with Feniex...imo

http://feniex.com/literature/titanx911016442.pdf

I definitely agree ^^ I was just curious on how much they run. I have Feniex Titans and wouldn't trade them.

 

[JohnFireFan]

Federal Signal Impaxx (Dual Color Series) IPX-620 / (Tri Color Series) IPX-630

I have two FS IPX-620RW (Red/White) on both the driver and passenger side of my Explorer. The flood light option puts out an amazing amount of light and they also flash warning when needed.



Close up pics.



One photo is with the lights off and the next photo is with them on.



These are really the best dual color lights that I have found. No offense to Feniex but the Apollos lightheads are too small.

 

[cabunty]

late to the party...but the cobra 200 1/2 spot and 1/2 flood is what i ended up doing inside where you were thinking of mounting them. windows up/closed they are ok, there is a lot of backsplash with the windows up/closed but not enough to impact your vision driving. i found i was more concerned with the light behind me silhouetting me. that being said, most people said they could not see me. 

mount them as high as you can and cracking the windows to just below the beam spread, a few inches, dramatically improves the light put out and decreases to almost nothing the splash of light inside. another guy had his mounted on the door at the bottom of the window, as far back as he could on the interceptor suv. do not do this. he has to drop his windows all the way and his backsplash is horrendous.  i'm not sure how much throw you need, but these light up houses quite well to about 50 yards out. my eyes are bad at night (and the day)...so you may get better distance/throw. 

 

[ericl9812]

late to the party...but the cobra 200 1/2 spot and 1/2 flood is what i ended up doing inside where you were thinking of mounting them. windows up/closed they are ok, there is a lot of backsplash with the windows up/closed but not enough to impact your vision driving. i found i was more concerned with the light behind me silhouetting me. that being said, most people said they could not see me. 


mount them as high as you can and cracking the windows to just below the beam spread, a few inches, dramatically improves the light put out and decreases to almost nothing the splash of light inside. another guy had his mounted on the door at the bottom of the window, as far back as he could on the interceptor suv. do not do this. he has to drop his windows all the way and his backsplash is horrendous.  i'm not sure how much throw you need, but these light up houses quite well to about 50 yards out. my eyes are bad at night (and the day)...so you may get better distance/throw. 

With that being said ^^^ I know its hard to compare through pictures... but would you say the cobra 200s you installed light up a greater area / distance then JohnFireFan's set up...?

 

[cabunty]

no. his is more spread out due to his lights being more spread out and a different style optics. i like his a lot! but he has more options on the outside for a more "stealth" mounting set up with the roof racks and all. 

i am considering getting a front license plate bracket that mounts two lights on the sides for a little more "alley" light.

 

[JohnFireFan]

With that being said ^^^ I know its hard to compare through pictures... but would you say the cobra 200s you installed light up a greater area / distance then JohnFireFan's set up...?

Forgot to mention the other lights in my setup.

- 2 Federal Signal Impaxx Red/White

- Unity Spotlight with Whelen LED bub

- 2 Feniex Titan-X 200s in Spot

 

[Eric1249]

I mounted to white Cobra dummy heads to the sides o my brush guard. I am impressed with the amount of light they throw out. 

 

[ericl9812]

I mounted to white Cobra dummy heads to the sides o my brush guard. I am impressed with the amount of light they throw out. 

I think I'm impressed as well...  LOL. And this may be a dumb question, But two units on each side or two total? one on each side? A little confused on above comment^ Just want to make sure... Looks like a good idea! 

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Eric1249]

I think I'm impressed as well...  LOL. And this may be a dumb question, But two units on each side or two total? one on each side? A little confused on above comment^ Just want to make sure... Looks like a good idea! 

Thanks for sharing!

I should have reread that before I posted it lol.  I have one to each side.  They are in a dual flange but one is a red warning light.

 

[ericl9812]

I should have reread that before I posted it lol.  I have one to each side.  They are in a dual flange but one is a red warning light.

Very nice. May need to try this out for additional alley lighting. Can't beat the output for such a small unit..

Once again, Thanks for sharing!! 

 

[egriggs]

Still have yet to make a decision yet... Strongly looking at the new dual avengers with the lr 11 take downs.... May purchase one to play around with and see how it works...