Defrosters for your lightbar any one ever tried this or thought of it?

[Goodsam]

I was playing around on the web (highly unusual:crazy and I ran across this:


Frost Fighter Clear View Special Applications


So I was curious if any one ever tried it or even better yet was there a need? I know this was a concern back when LED's came out but never really saw any ideas on it so I figured I ask the group and see if they even thought it would be worth it


if you scroll on the page you should see a LED sign kit


let me know your thoughts

 

[Zoe]

I was playing around on the web (highly unusual:crazy and I ran across this:
Frost Fighter Clear View Special Applications


So I was curious if any one ever tried it or even better yet was there a need? I know this was a concern back when LED's came out but never really saw any ideas on it so I figured I ask the group and see if they even thought it would be worth it


if you scroll on the page you should see a LED sign kit


let me know your thoughts

It's funny, every year about this time someone asks this very question.... but I can't remember actually seeing someone try it.


(I can't remember the specifics, but I feel like the conversation always turns to it not being worth the effort.)

 

[Jarred J.]

let me run down the usual responses.


"thats cool"


"thats pointless"


"leds arent meant for winter uses"


"adding extra amperage for a led defroster ruins the reason of low amp leds"


"rotators dont need defrosters."


"screw leds for winter use, use a halogen rotator"


etc etc etc

 

[foxtrot5]

let me run down the usual responses.



"thats cool"


"thats pointless"


"leds arent meant for winter uses"


"adding extra amperage for a led defroster ruins the reason of low amp leds"


"rotators dont need defrosters."


"screw leds for winter use, use a halogen rotator"


etc etc etc

I swear I've seen this episode before too!

 

[boboloo]

thats cool

 

[foxtrot5]

that's pointless

 

[50theman]

I guess I'll play.


LED's arent meant for winter uses

 

[chief1562]

Long live rotors. :haha:

 

[foxtrot5]

Long live rotors. :haha:

chief fancies himself a pilot methinks

 

[Phoenix_Rising]

Wow :weird:


who uses led in the winter?

 

[Jamey@NNE]

Dont everyone run 2 lightbars? Led during summer rotator in winter.....

 

[Jarred J.]

(I can't remember the specifics, but I feel like the conversation always turns to it not being worth the effort.)

is it worth the effort yet?

 

[SireLite]

Someone send me a LED lightbar and ill convert it for winter use. :thumbsup:

 

[DJIceman97]

Not for a light bar, but I throw a towel over my windshield so if I get paged in the middle of the night, I'm not waiting 10 minutes to defrost...plus, I'm getting a remote start installed hopefully by next week. Not the most appealing idea, but just a thought...lol

 

[MESDA6]

Not to derail the conversation, but just in case anyone has the need, the repair kits for rear defrosters and other defroster items offered by that site are fantastic. I repaired the rear defroster on my van about 8 or 9 years ago using their repair tab and the gridline repair kit, and it is still going strong.

 

[Goodsam]

So when I used the search feature it failed me on this topic...... :bonk:


But it has been great to read the comments


And I now know why they make the quick disconnects for lightbar wiring harness at the roof... So they can put the winter bars (halogen rotators) in the winter and then switch to LEDs in the Summer....... opcorn:


I wonder if there are fall and spring bars?????????

 

[Jarred J.]

they're strobe

 

[mcpd2025]

Stupid me, I have an Avenger mounted in the front windshield and a 911 TD in the rear window. Between the windshield wipers and the defroster grid in the rear window, I have enough visibility in the event my lightbar is crusted over with ice. Its been my experience that even with a strobe lightbar, its not enough heat to melt through thicker ice buildup unless hte bar is on for quite some time.

 

[LED]

I just duct tape 2 propane blow torches to the roof and gently heat the lenses... isn't that what everyone is doing these days???


Then you deal with melted lenses...

 

[lafd55]

Always thought about LED bars and snow/ice. Maybe put a little heat strip in there, like engine block heaters except always on when vehicle is on.t

 

[kinnelonfire75]

Seriously, if its such a big deal (I can imagine to a cop it would be more so than a volunteer who is only driving a few minutes to the station) why not just pour a little bit of windshield deicer on it? I keep a bottle next to the house to pour on the windshield if I need to speed the melting process up and my sprayers are blocked.

 

[mjMIff]

I like might mini-led-bar covered in a dusting of snow, creates a blended when on and stealth when off look. Like a giant flashing snow man...

 

[Hoser]

Thats what they make those long handled scrapers with the brush for.........

 

[NiftyX]

I cover my LED bar if I know the weather is going to be bad so I can just uncover it after the snow/ice. If the weather is really bad, the bar doesn't get much more than ice on it and since no one is driving fast, decreased range of warning isn't too big of a concern. Still, a defroster would be interesting. Be interested if anyone gets one in and working.

 

[HILO]

I park under a roof, and swerve to avoid snow flakes.


Seriously though, even with the rear flashers/arrow stick on while driving, snow and ice would build up on street hawks and MX7000s here in Dallas. While sitting on a road closure with rotators on, snow would still build up.

 

[elite907]

I usually just park in the garage and it keeps all of the snow and ice off.


At least til I go out in it.


This past week when we had that little blizzard my code3 led bar had ice all over it, So 1 of these defrosters would be awesome.


I may try it and see if it works.


I could hook it up to the alley lights which I don't used to power it on.

 

[SireLite]

I found truck mirror heaters going cheap on UK ebay. They just stick on the back of the wing mirrors glass and you wire them up to a switch. etc.


You could get 2 and stick them to the inside top of the domes to melt the snow/ice off.


MAN G90 Truck Mirror Heating Element-12V Up to 1988 | eBay

 

[Hoser]

I park under a roof, and swerve to avoid snow flakes.

Seriously though, even with the rear flashers/arrow stick on while driving, snow and ice would build up on street hawks and MX7000s here in Dallas. While sitting on a road closure with rotators on, snow would still build up.

Guess we will have to trash everything and go back to Sealed Beam

 

[AZVolunteer]

I live in Arizona what is this "Frost" you speak of? :razz:

 

[CACBAND]

I live in Arizona what is this "Frost" you speak of? :razz:

Whatever bro, just go a couple hours North. Although I lucked out and managed to avoid the Flagstaff snow during my academy.