BMW 328xi coupe Fire/EMS POV

[chabtastic]

Hey everyone! I have been on the forum awhile, but I've never really posted anything besides classifieds. So here it is, this is my 2007 BMW 328xi coupe, installed equipment is a Code 3 Visor light, in B/B and 2 SNM E6's also in B/B. Everything is hardwired to a single switch in my center console; I can show it in a video if there's interest. Comments and feedback are appreciated, otherwise, hope you like it!

 

[strobecrazy]

I know my eyes are going but I don't see any pictures or videos.

 

[chabtastic]

I know my eyes are going but I don't see any pictures or videos.

Sorry about that, couldn't get the pics to orient correctly. All fixed now.

 

[julietbravosierra]

I really like the simplicity. If allowed by law, I'd put 2 dual color e6's in the rear headliner in blue/amber.

 

[strobecrazy]

I agree, like the simple setups. The Code3 must be killer on flashback, If so I would change that out to a dual head dashlight mounted using the coat hanger trick.

 

[JPolston]

I agree, like the simple setups. The Code3 must be killer on flashback, If so I would change that out to a dual head dashlight mounted using the coat hanger trick.

+1 :2thumbs: :iagree:


A Whelen Slimlighter would work wonders.

 

[efdny2003]

Agreed with all the above comments, especially the visor light. I know I had one for a while and it wasn't bad during the day but at night was horrible so I very rarely used it. Not sure how much space you have in that area so I would imagine a Slimlighter would be best. Also agree that you should put two SNM E6s in the rear, I'm a big fan of blue/amber.

 

[chabtastic]

Thanks for the comments everyone! Yes, I totally agree, the flashback is pretty bad from the visor light at night. Its not too big of a deal for me because I'm in a suburb and I'm less than a mile from my fire department and about a mile from my EMS building, so if I'm responding at night I'm usually coming from home and the lights aren't even necessary. Its during the day when I'm out and about that I need the lights to come over from the other side of town. But even so, I am kind of drooling over the new Feniex Apollo, so maybe I'll swap the visor out for a dual dash, or 2 singles. And about the dual E6s, can those flash alternating blue/amber? I was under the impression they could either flash one color or the other.

 

[NFD-102]

+1 :2thumbs: :iagree:

A Whelen Slimlighter would work wonders.

A slimlighter would give just as much flashback. I would go with an avenger because it has a flash shield. Or a similar light like strobesnmore D12. Then you could sync it up with the grill lights.

 

[eng18ine]

im really liking that apollo idea. that light offers pretty much no flashback and give awesome off axis

 

[Eric1249]

Nice looking car. Lights are clean and simple

 

[EMT-BLS]

A slimlighter would give just as much flashback.

No, it wouldn't. Obviously, something with a flashback shield is best, but a SlimLighter (which mounts directly on the windshield) will do a lot better than the visor light (which sits much further back in the car). Besides, I would just put the SlimLighter on the dash, flashback problem solved.

 

[Abacus]

I continue to be shocked at the price of the new slimlighters. This set up is very effective for short runs to the station.


I believe that the current version of the dual color E6 can flash both blue amber.

 

[NFD-102]

No, it wouldn't. Obviously, something with a flashback shield is best, but a SlimLighter (which mounts directly on the windshield) will do a lot better than the visor light (which sits much further back in the car). Besides, I would just put the SlimLighter on the dash, flashback problem solved.

The strobesnmore D12, pretty much the same light, would be even better because it has the flashshield and its half the cost. I have a friend that has one mounted to the windshield and he has to turn it off at night because the flashback is so aweful. Especially in a rural area. In the city you have tons of lights and its easier to see things. In the rural area all we have is grass, cows, and a few cars. Its a lot harder to see. Don't take this as attacking your statement. The author of this thread said he lives in a rural area and its a lot different then the city.

 

[Squirrel]

very cool setup

 

[chabtastic]

Here is my updated BMW 328xi Fire/EMS POV setup, with 2 SNM E6's in the grille and now with a B/W Starburst Phantom. In addition, everything was wired to a wireless relay ordered from Amazon, which works surprisingly well. What do you guys think?

 

[acala91]

Looks good aside from the wires running across the dash :nono:


Anything to the rear?

 

[RES347CUE]

Thats a very bizzare flash pattern on the interior bar

 

[pdk9]

I like it up front, except for the cheesy pattern on the phantom ILB; I think the most effective patterns are those where the entire left side of the lightbar alternates with the entire right side of the bar (for single color bars) OR all color 1 modules alternate with all color 2 modules for multi color bars (in this case, it'd be all blue modules flashing > all clear modules flashing etc).


The rear could def use something simple involving blue & amber (ie 1 blue AWL pulse on passenger side & 1 amber AWL pulse on the driver side rear deck)

 

[nightwolf]

What's the advantage of a wireless remote? With the battery being in the back, where'd you tap power from? How easy was it to run wires through the firewall/remove the headliner?


Looks good. I'd just change the pattern on the ILB.

 

[chabtastic]

What's the advantage of a wireless remote? With the battery being in the back, where'd you tap power from? How easy was it to run wires through the firewall/remove the headliner?

Looks good. I'd just change the pattern on the ILB.

Ring terminals on the battery in the back, to the wireless relay which is in the trunk, and then from there under the seats/floor mats up to the phantom, and out to the grill lights. I used the wireless remote simply because there's no good place to put a switch in the car, and I didn't want to drill holes in the dash. The firewall was pretty easy to get through, theres a grommet right above the clutch pedal that you can poke through with a screwdriver, and wires come out by the power steering box in the engine bay. I mounted the phantom by loosening the visor brackets and slipping the forked bracket through it, no headliner removal necessary. And I'll play around with the flash pattern when I get a chance.

 

[chabtastic]

The rear could def use something simple involving blue & amber (ie 1 blue AWL pulse on passenger side & 1 amber AWL pulse on the driver side rear deck)

Nothing to the rear as of yet, as I don't drive in reverse :haha: ! I was thinking a pair of blue/amber cannons in the turn signals just for ID, which wouldn't be affected if I wanted to tint the rear window.

 

[acala91]

A B/A Slimlighter on the rear deck would look good and would be way easier to install than HAWs.