Help improving a CVPI

[John Smith]

Hi all, hoping to get some advice from you all as you guys are far more talented than any government agency I've been around!

I've got a fully marked CVPI with a push bumper used in an urban law enforcement capacity.  Lighting consists of the following: Standard HLF, strobing hide-aways (White up front red out back), a pair of 4 LED heads on the rear window deck, and a Code3 2100 LED bar up top.

1) I'd like to add a pair of lights on the outside of the push bumper, mounted at a 45* angle, very similar to what CHP does.  Now I realize you all hate split flash, but I feel like red/blue or red/white would be the most effective over a single color that is off half the time.  I'm thinking a quad flash red, quad blue (Or white) would be most effective.  Can you all advise on the best brand and style to go with?  They need to sync with each other, so both go red, then both blue, but aside from that the wiring is straightforward as I won't be using an external flasher.

2) The LED bar has normal bulbs for the take down and alleys.  Would love to switch to LED's to flash them when running "code."  Again would like advice on brand and style.

3) Lastly is the flash patterns to the rear.  I'm happy with my front flash patterns, but would like to maximize effectiveness to the rear.  There are 8 LED heads on the bar, the middle 6 being amber and have their own flash patterns since they are a Code3 T/A.  They on/off alternate from the middle 2 to the outer 4, which I feel is fairly effective (No crazy flashing).  The outer 2 (1 red 1 blue) aren't on a flasher or sync, they just rotate between their independent patterns.  The rear deck's are synced, and go quad flashing as they alternate red side to blue.  I was thinking setting the bar's red and blue head to steady burn, leaving the rest as they are.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  Cost isn't a huge issue, but I am on a budget.  Thanks guys, I respect the wealth of knowledge here.

 

[pdk9]

Hi all, hoping to get some advice from you all as you guys are far more talented than any government agency I've been around!


I've got a fully marked CVPI with a push bumper used in an urban law enforcement capacity. Lighting consists of the following: Standard HLF, strobing hide-aways (White up front red out back), a pair of 4 LED heads on the rear window deck, and a Code3 2100 LED bar up top.


1) I'd like to add a pair of lights on the outside of the push bumper, mounted at a 45* angle, very similar to what CHP does. Now I realize you all hate split flash, but I feel like red/blue or red/white would be the most effective over a single color that is off half the time. I'm thinking a quad flash red, quad blue (Or white) would be most effective. Can you all advise on the best brand and style to go with? They need to sync with each other, so both go red, then both blue, but aside from that the wiring is straightforward as I won't be using an external flasher.


2) The LED bar has normal bulbs for the take down and alleys. Would love to switch to LED's to flash them when running "code." Again would like advice on brand and style.


3) Lastly is the flash patterns to the rear. I'm happy with my front flash patterns, but would like to maximize effectiveness to the rear. There are 8 LED heads on the bar, the middle 6 being amber and have their own flash patterns since they are a Code3 T/A. They on/off alternate from the middle 2 to the outer 4, which I feel is fairly effective (No crazy flashing). The outer 2 (1 red 1 blue) aren't on a flasher or sync, they just rotate between their independent patterns. The rear deck's are synced, and go quad flashing as they alternate red side to blue. I was thinking setting the bar's red and blue head to steady burn, leaving the rest as they are.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Cost isn't a huge issue, but I am on a budget. Thanks guys, I respect the wealth of knowledge here.

John, pictures would help a lot!


1) for multi-color intersection warning, I'd recommend the sound off nForce on 45 degree brackets, FedSig IPX6, or the Feniex Apollo for intersection warning . Also, you definitely need grill lights (ie solid color Whelen TIR6 behind the grill or Whelen M4 mounted in front of the grill on the PB). Ideally, go with a linear lighthead in front of the grill b/c that will help with intersection


2) the simplest solution for upgrading your TDs is to go with the LED takedowns that C3 makes for the newer 2100 bars (basically, they're the same frame with their torus lightheads as the guts) but you can also do something custom mounted, like Whelen LR11's for TDs (I think they're brighter).


3) personally, I don't think steady burn or flashing will make a big difference on the flashing ends of the TA. I like the inner 2/outer 4 alternating pattern for the TA, but I've never been a fan of single flashing ends b/c they tend to get drowned out by the rest of the bar. I like how Florida Highway Patrol flashing the entire Amber likes dick slowly together one part, and then has override for traffic advisor

 

[acala91]

I'm not a fan of putting lights up front at a 45 degree angle, I prefer something forward facing with something to the sides of the push bumper. I hate split color light heads, I firmly believe they are not nearly as effective as a single color light head. If you would like a red/white or blue/white lighthead I really like the SoundOff nForce lights. They are a dual color so you still have the large footprint of flashing the whole light at once but give you two colors. The white can also be steady burned for scene lighting. 

Also, Whelen has the new Ion duo and trio available now as well. 

 

[Sigma Safety]

1) I'd like to add a pair of lights on the outside of the push bumper, mounted at a 45* angle, very similar to what CHP does.  Now I realize you all hate split flash, but I feel like red/blue or red/white would be the most effective over a single color that is off half the time.  I'm thinking a quad flash red, quad blue (Or white) would be most effective.  Can you all advise on the best brand and style to go with?  They need to sync with each other, so both go red, then both blue, but aside from that the wiring is straightforward as I won't be using an external flasher.

You need to get over the feeling that a light that has 'off time' is not as good as a light that flashes on then off.  To have effective warning, the OFF time is as important as the ON time.  If that were not the case, then all our lights would be set to steady-burn.  This is the reason that split colour ligths are so bad - they provide only half the warning (only 3 of the total of 6 lights are lit at any given time) and they have no "off" time. 

The human eye's peripheral vision is drawn to movement/activity, NOT colour.  Steady-burn (or split-flash which is about the same thing) does not do anything for peripheral vision.  That's why flashing white is so good to the front and intersection angles, and so lousy to the rear.  Your eye doesn't see colour near the edges of your visual detection range.

what you might want to consider is the FedSig Impaxx6 dual colour.  Rather than 'split' you get 'dual' colour, so the entire light head lights up red, then goes off for a moment, then blue.  You get the best of all worlds. You can even get a tri-colour version with red/blue/white so you can have some white in the flash pattern, which is very effective.

Personally I would not 45 degree them as side intersection warning is at least as important as 45 degree warning, plus your lightbar should have enough light at front and 45.  The side-facing ones are mostly when you are sticking your nose into an intersection, to warn cross traffic.  However, the Impaxx6 has great off-axis warning so will nicely project to beyond 45 degrees (unless you mount them vertically - don't).  It'll also provide good side warning for when you are turned sideways (parked) to block traffic.