Ambulance box rear lighting suggestion

[iceman4122]

In the middle of putting together lighting for a Chevy or International ambulance. For the rear top of the box the idea is to populate it with 8 whelen m6's and two flood lights. Any suggestions on colors, flash patterns and what colors get synced? Red, blue and amber are authorized colors.


Here's my idea. Let me know what you guys think.


R B A FL R R FL A B R.


The flood lights only activate when the rear doors are open. I was thinking to have all the red and Amber flash together and then sync alternately with the 2 blue modules. Not sure what flash pattern to use though.


Any suggestions and ideas are appreciated.

 

[dcarrfire45]

i would alternate the red and amber and have the blue alternate with each other. red and amber together will be alot of light at once. as far as pattern i would do a simple slow pattern for the red/amber, and something a little faster for the blue (maybe a triple flash alternating)

 

[ems60]

Have the rear floods activate when you shift into reverse also.

 

[hoisy71]

I've always like the rear of Boston EMS. Nice and slow.

 

[VolEms]

I would go with M9's on the box if you have room.

 

[EMT-BLS]

In the middle of putting together lighting for a Chevy or International ambulance. For the rear top of the box the idea is to populate it with 8 whelen m6's and two flood lights. Any suggestions on colors, flash patterns and what colors get synced? Red, blue and amber are authorized colors.

Here's my idea. Let me know what you guys think.


R B A FL R R FL A B R.


The flood lights only activate when the rear doors are open. I was thinking to have all the red and Amber flash together and then sync alternately with the 2 blue modules. Not sure what flash pattern to use though.


Any suggestions and ideas are appreciated.

I personally don't see the need for the amber if you're flashing it with red. I'm also not sure why you're going with M6's, seeing as M9's are more heavily used locally, but hey, to each his own. I'd recommend dropping the amber, and get a setup that intermingles the red and the blue, and flash the colors against each other. The outcome is that when the lights are on, it shows the outline of the rig, even if you're too far away to see anything but the lights. For example:


R-B-R-B-F-R-F-B-R-B-R


I realize that's 9, not 8, but I hate when floods are immediately next to each other, I prefer to give them some space for better dispersion.

 

[Zoe]

I've always like the rear of Boston EMS. Nice and slow.

This is *extremely* effective at distance. Unbelievably so.


I prefer a combination of slow a fast - able to be selected independently.


Here's a truck I spec'd. The video shows initially the primary warning, and then the secondary warning.

 

[Storm4200]

i like:


R/B/R/FL/A/\A\FL\R\B\R


all synced and flashed SLOWLY (single flash or Signal Alert75)


Flash All red, then blue and amber, then red, then blue/amber


Blue and Amber dont make purple like R/B, so they can be on at the same time. If R/A are flashed together, both being 'warm' colors, they blend and have no contrast.

 

[pdk9]

In the middle of putting together lighting for a Chevy or International ambulance. For the rear top of the box the idea is to populate it with 8 whelen m6's and two flood lights. Any suggestions on colors, flash patterns and what colors get synced? Red, blue and amber are authorized colors.

Here's my idea. Let me know what you guys think.


R B A FL R R FL A B R.


The flood lights only activate when the rear doors are open. I was thinking to have all the red and Amber flash together and then sync alternately with the 2 blue modules. Not sure what flash pattern to use though.


Any suggestions and ideas are appreciated.

What other warning will be going on the rear of the box, or is that all that is planned? I definitely recommend 3 tiers of warning for the rear of any apparatus: upper (your M6 proposal), mid level (around the level of the windows; see below), & lower (bottom of the box). M6's are okay up top since you're putting a bunch of them on that level, but anywhere else (where the units are more standalone), I'd go with larger lightheads


I really don't like interweaving different colors, no matter how slow they flash, so I'd do something like 1 of these 2:


UPPER LEVEL (I only went with 6 lightheads here to avoid cramming & wasting $): A A FL R R FL A A


MID LEVEL (M9's): B B (on each side of the rig)


LOWER LEVEL (M9's): R R (on each side of the rig)


--or--


UPPER LEVEL: B B FL A A FL R R


MID LEVEL: R B


LOWER LEVEL: R B


Sync/Flash for either option 1 or 2: for the upper level I'd have the outer 4 units all flash together on signal alert and alternate with the inner 2 units, and the 4 M9's separately synced on single flash in an X-pattern or upper/lower alternating. I don't recommend anything really fast on the rear of any truck because it can be too blinding at night IMO; Signal alert is nice because its medium speed and single flash is a nice, slow footprint.


IMO, one of the most overlooked things when lighting the rear of an ambo is people don't think about how the output will be partially obstructed when the doors are open...Yeah you'll see Horton's custom striplites on the insides of doors or a gen1 amber 500 series on the inside of some MedTecs (for example), but I don't wanna rely to heavily on that when on the side of a road at night. Thus, the reason I recommended perimeter lighting at level with the windows & at the bottom of the box is b/c you'll still have most of the output when the doors are open (the lower level lights are never blocked, and the window level lights are never blocked more than 1/3 to 1/2 at worst case scenario, but half an M9 is still a lot).


Best of luck

 

[jprleedy4680]

M9 lightheads w/ M9 Super LED flood.


R1 A2 FL A3 FL A4 B5


R6 B7


Signal Alert, Quad Flash, or similar.


1/3/5 together, alternate with 2/4/6/7.


3 should be M7 is accommodating back-up camera.

 

[acala91]

I would set it up and flash it like is shown in the picture on Signal Alert in motion and single flash when in parked. This is using all M9 light heads with either a Pioneer or an M9 scene light in the middle. This setup is very effective.

 

[iceman4122]

What other warning will be going on the rear of the box, or is that all that is planned? I definitely recommend 3 tiers of warning for the rear of any apparatus: upper (your M6 proposal), mid level (around the level of the windows; see below), & lower (bottom of the box). M6's are okay up top since you're putting a bunch of them on that level, but anywhere else (where the units are more standalone), I'd go with larger lightheads

I really don't like interweaving different colors, no matter how slow they flash, so I'd do something like 1 of these 2:


UPPER LEVEL (I only went with 6 lightheads here to avoid cramming & wasting $): A A FL R R FL A A


MID LEVEL (M9's): B B (on each side of the rig)


LOWER LEVEL (M9's): R R (on each side of the rig)


--or--


UPPER LEVEL: B B FL A A FL R R


MID LEVEL: R B


LOWER LEVEL: R B


Sync/Flash for either option 1 or 2: for the upper level I'd have the outer 4 units all flash together on signal alert and alternate with the inner 2 units, and the 4 M9's separately synced on single flash in an X-pattern or upper/lower alternating. I don't recommend anything really fast on the rear of any truck because it can be too blinding at night IMO; Signal alert is nice because its medium speed and single flash is a nice, slow footprint.


IMO, one of the most overlooked things when lighting the rear of an ambo is people don't think about how the output will be partially obstructed when the doors are open...Yeah you'll see Horton's custom striplites on the insides of doors or a gen1 amber 500 series on the inside of some MedTecs (for example), but I don't wanna rely to heavily on that when on the side of a road at night. Thus, the reason I recommended perimeter lighting at level with the windows & at the bottom of the box is b/c you'll still have most of the output when the doors are open (the lower level lights are never blocked, and the window level lights are never blocked more than 1/3 to 1/2 at worst case scenario, but half an M9 is still a lot).


Best of luck

There is going to be additional rear lighting consisting of 2 M9 around window height on each side. Top will be red bottom will be blue and will have an X pattern. The two red M9 will be brake lights as well when brakes are engaged and the two blue M9 will continue to alternate.

 

[pdk9]

Btw, on a slightly unrelated note, when is the decision for Chevy or international chassis going to be made? Also, you are you sending the bids out to.


I love Chevy pickups and Tahoes/Suburbans, but I CANNOT stand them for ambulances! I love the durastar rescues that my FD has (yes, you will deal with a false low pressure alarm or something annoying from time to time, but they've been very dependable for us thus far). Unfortunately MedTec is RIP, but Horton, Braun, & (something more local) PL custom are the units I've enjoyed working with best

 

[Lt. Dino]

What other warning will be going on the rear of the box, or is that all that is planned? I definitely recommend 3 tiers of warning for the rear of any apparatus: upper (your M6 proposal), mid level (around the level of the windows; see below), & lower (bottom of the box). M6's are okay up top since you're putting a bunch of them on that level, but anywhere else (where the units are more standalone), I'd go with larger lightheads

I really don't like interweaving different colors, no matter how slow they flash, so I'd do something like 1 of these 2:


IMO, one of the most overlooked things when lighting the rear of an ambo is people don't think about how the output will be partially obstructed when the doors are open...Yeah you'll see Horton's custom striplites on the insides of doors or a gen1 amber 500 series on the inside of some MedTecs (for example), but I don't wanna rely to heavily on that when on the side of a road at night. Thus, the reason I recommended perimeter lighting at level with the windows & at the bottom of the box is b/c you'll still have most of the output when the doors are open (the lower level lights are never blocked, and the window level lights are never blocked more than 1/3 to 1/2 at worst case scenario, but half an M9 is still a lot).


Best of luck

I agree with a lot of PDK's points. One of the best rear ambulance light setups was for a private I worked for 10 or so years ago, but since strobes aren't really around much, tough to replicate. But I've worked in other trucks and this is probably the best setup I've seen. Not overly complicated, yet extremely effective. You get 3 levels of lighting, and lower lighting to still be visible when doors are open. And as others noted, with lighting in the corners, you outline the box.


In this, the upper corner red 900 series (or M9 if preferred) flash together, and alternate with the center amber and bumper area 500 series. Simple flash - like a halogen head. On and off... nothing fancy (but we played with flash patterns and a triple or quad flash looked good too.) And a 900 series in the center by the doors. These 2 heads are separate from the others, and flash alternately in a triple or quad flash. This setup combines/compromises two of the best setups I've worked with. (Pics snagged from AEV's website.)

 

[VolEms]

I would only put M9 on an ambulance. I think the M6 are too small for such a big box.