Critique This Potential Install

[BigWil]

I have been tasked to spec out the lights and siren for a new Police Interceptor Utility. We run a few calls, mostly in town, not a lot of highway use. This is what I'm thinking, but I'm open to suggestions.


Setina PB 450L with red/blue lights to the front


Flushmount Sound Off Intersectors on side of PB


Vertex in front turn signals


Rigid Duallys on PB, used as driving lights/takedowns with alternating flasher hooked up for response


Loaded Liberty with red/blue traffic directional (not my choice, I'd go with amber, but policy says red/blue) and LED takedowns/alleys


red/blue dual Avenger in rear side windows


red/red and blue/blue dual Avengers in top of rear window (for lighting when hatch is raised)


Vertex in reverse lights


Whelen CenCom Saphire

 

[foxtrot5]

Is it possible to add in any rear amber? Maybe the dual avengers could be R/A and B/A instead of RR BB?

 

[got_yogurt]

Looks pretty good! You mention you want amber... I'd consider replacing the dual rear avengers with a TIR-3 D8, R/A/A/A/A/A/A/B, and you could do traffic adviser patterns with the D-8 instead of the liberty

 

[twodogs603]

Sounds like a nice set up. Could you use a Liberty DUO which could be switched to amber in the rear when on scene?

 

[BigWil]

We are an national police agency, but vehicles are purchased and upfit locally. Our policy does not allow for amber to the rear at all. I wish it did allow for it, or at least all red for the traffic advisor, but I can't.


This install overall follows light placement guidelines. The only things I'm doing different is the intersection warning (Side of PB instead of side of vehicle) and adding the Duallys. I want a spot light, but I'm not permitted to add one...we can only have them if they are equipped that way from factory.

 

[foxtrot5]

We are an national police agency, but vehicles are purchased and upfit locally. Our policy does not allow for amber to the rear at all. I wish it did allow for it, or at least all red for the traffic advisor, but I can't.

This install overall follows light placement guidelines. The only things I'm doing different is the intersection warning (Side of PB instead of side of vehicle) and adding the Duallys. I want a spot light, but I'm not permitted to add one...we can only have them if they are equipped that way from factory.

Why would they make things simple, right? Well if you're not allowed to have amber then it sounds pretty good to me. Have you considered something like a slimlighter in the back side windows as additional side warning?

 

[BigWil]

Why would they make things simple, right? Well if you're not allowed to have amber then it sounds pretty good to me. Have you considered something like a slimlighter in the back side windows as additional side warning?

I want to go with the Avengers (they are on the list) for better off axis...I find nobody ever blocks a road on a direct 90 degrees...it's usually an angle. I tried to put together a package that will show multiple lights at any angle.

 

[foxtrot5]

I want to go with the Avengers (they are on the list) for better off axis...I find nobody ever blocks a road on a direct 90 degrees...it's usually an angle. I tried to put together a package that will show multiple lights at any angle.

Well then it seems pretty good. What's going to be controlling it all?

 

[BigWil]

Well then it seems pretty good. What's going to be controlling it all?

CenCom Saphire

 

[foxtrot5]

CenCom Saphire

Great, I'd say make sure any flashing white is on a park-kill module (possibly with an over-ride option) and you're all set. Can't wait to see it.

 

[BigWil]

Great, I'd say make sure any flashing white is on a park-kill module (possibly with an over-ride option) and you're all set. Can't wait to see it.

That was my plan...flashing takedowns, alleys, and Dually's cut off when parked.


Flash patterns as follows:


Intersectors on side of PB fast single flash pattern


PB front lights quad flash alternating


Front vertexs on quad flash


Duallys slow wigwag


two sets of forward facing lights in Liberty on fast alternating pattern, with other two on a slow alternating


Corners on fast pattern, both lights on corner flashing together, alternating with opposite side.


Rear lights on Liberty, slow warning pattern, with a "Fill up" style advisor function rather than a "chase" pattern


Rear side avengers synced with rear avengers on quad pattern


rear vertex on slow alternating pattern

 

[twodogs603]

Everything sounds good, except!!---I would leave the corner modules on the Liberty the default pattern as it comes from the factory--SignalAlert. I just like the idea of the flash then brief steady on that that pattern provides. I think it gives motorists something easier to see then a fast flashing light. The inner light heads could then be set up like you said--on different patterns.


Im not a big fan of many rapidly flashing lights. I just think, especially at night, thats its too busy and makes it harder for motorists to understand what the vehicle is doing. One of the local depts has Justice bars and all the lightheads are rapidly flashing and its hard to tell if the car is moving or sitting still. A light that has a longer dwell or "on" time is easier to see and focus on.

 

[acala91]

I like it. Sucks that you can't run amber, but aside from that, sounds like a great install. The only suggestion I could make is to add another set of mirror mount intersectors for some additional side warning and maybe a 8-head Dominator instead of the two Avengers

 

[waldalm]

Sounds solid. Glad you're going with the sync options on the Avengers, might sync in the rear Vertex as well. For the Liberty, you might consider the sync


option on it also if your agency will approve it. Don't see why they wouldn't but rules can be funny sometimes. The additional intersectors mentioned under the side


view mirrors would be handy for the roadblocks too.


http://elightbars.org/forums/f32/sync-option-whelen-liberty-sx-model-lightbars-19101/

 

[Flashguy]

Sounds good! Not overkill but effective. The two dual avengers need to be placed as close to the rear window as you can get them or the flashback will kill you! Looking forward to pics/videos!

 

[fleetcomm]

CenCom Saphire

I think you will really like the sapphire, I have been programing one today and the changes they made are great.

 

[BigWil]

I like it. Sucks that you can't run amber, but aside from that, sounds like a great install. The only suggestion I could make is to add another set of mirror mount intersectors for some additional side warning and maybe a 8-head Dominator instead of the two Avengers

I considered the mirror mount intersectors as well, but I'm thinking with the side mounted intersector on the PB, vertex in the turn signal, lightbar on the roof and dual avengers in the side window, I have pretty good side warning. For the amount we actually block roads, it should be more than enough. Depending on where quotes come in, if it's still in the budget, I will be adding them.

Sounds solid. Glad you're going with the sync options on the Avengers, might sync in the rear Vertex as well. For the Liberty, you might consider the sync
option on it also if your agency will approve it. Don't see why they wouldn't but rules can be funny sometimes. The additional intersectors mentioned under the side


view mirrors would be handy for the roadblocks too.


http://elightbars.org/forums/f32/sync-option-whelen-liberty-sx-model-lightbars-19101/

I don't want to sync the Avengers with the vertexs, as I want the vertex on a slow flash, with the avengers on a quad flash. I think with a slow pattern on the rear of the lightbar, quad flash on the avengers and a slow alternating pattern on the vertexs, I'll have a long range visible light, with just a little fast light to grab attention for people who are closer.

 

[waldalm]

I don't want to sync the Avengers with the vertexs, as I want the vertex on a slow flash, with the avengers on a quad flash. I think with a slow pattern on the rear of the lightbar, quad flash on the avengers and a slow alternating pattern on the vertexs, I'll have a long range visible light, with just a little fast light to grab attention for people who are closer.

 

[medic340]

Forget the rigid duallys and get a set of whelen micro pioneers they can be used for driving lights, scene illumination,& can be set to wig wag. And they will overpower the rigid lights all day long.

 

[runesson]

Seems like you´ve made some good decisions with the paramters you´ve been given. You got 360, width, good front intersection warning and lights both high and low.


Three things I would suggest:


-consider if the vertex-placement will interfer with the function of the turnsignals. I believe in using the turnsignals to communicate with oncomming drivers (when you are planning to turn off course) and sometimes HAWs in the turnsignals make it difficult to see the amber turnsignal flashing.


-be careful with the mix of red/blue and flashpatterns to avoid :crazy:


-incorporate some ability to dim or adjust the ammount of lights on scene.

 

[nerdly_dood]

From what you've said, your setup is about as good as it can get. I'd personally do things a little different:


- the rear Vertex on a quad flash, sync'd with the side-facing Avengers, for close-range attention getting power that does not overpower slower, long range warning


- the rear-facing Avengers would be on a slow single flash with all red flashing against all blue, for long range warning that's not too frenetic at close range (which a quad flash pattern would be, I think)


- the Liberty would, IMO, be best set to either SignalAlert (the stock pattern) or a slow to medium speed double flash with the entire bar synchronized so that all the red lights flash against all the blue lights.


- Consider swapping out the rear-facing Avengers with two (one red, one blue) Whelen IONs, not the wide-angle version, to punch through the tint better than the Avengers. In this particular application, IMO, off-axis visibility isn't necessary because you've got the lightbar on top, as well as hideaways in the taillights, and good off-axis with the side-facing lights in the rear window. This'll also cost less.

 

[pdk9]

Great sounding setup. I particular like how they have the Red/Red and Blue/Blue dual avengers to the rear; i think it's a hell of a lot more effective than having 2 R/B units, and I'm hoping that you'll select a flash pattern where both modules in each avengers are flashing simultaneously b/c the dual avenger is truly potent when all 18 modules are flashing together.


I'm personally not a huge fan of vertexes in the interceptor utility's front light housing (I don't think they're exceptional and I'd rather spend my money on lighting elsewhere on the unit), but they got everything else covered unless they wanted to put ions or ghosts on the mirrors (which aren't necessary, but always a nice addition IMO)