Help with ideas

[WigWag75]

Hey guys, have a question. What is your opinion on retrofitting the rear "school bus" lights on the rear box of one of our rescues.


Currently 4 Weldon halogen heads with a Federal FA 3 flasher (X flash pattern) and a Whelen DX responder on top.


Maybe a complete change or fitting in some HAW led (i.e. Cannons) in the weldons?


I've always wanted a TA where the DX is or maybe a mini liberty (R/B).


Also desperately need reflective markings but that's for later.


Any and all suggestions are welcome.


Thanks!

 

[chief1562]

PM sent

 

[MtnMan]

As long as the reflectors ares good, those big old stationary halogens are still very effective. I'd say polish up the lenses and keep them. Maybe try a different flasher and pattern.

Up top, I agree an LED warning/TA bar would be an improvement.

 

[WigWag75]

As long as the reflectors ares good, those big old stationary halogens are still very effective. I'd say polish up the lenses and keep them. Maybe try a different flasher and pattern.


Up top, I agree an LED warning/TA bar would be an improvement.

They (flashers) do washout in the sun. I haven't opened them up to check interior condition.


I have noticed debris and moisture build up inside the lens.

 

[Brendan11]

We currently have a Sutphen Platfoorm in the shop getting paint and lights. It had the same style lights on it and we are replacing them with Power Arcs.

 

[acala91]

Is it in the budget to replace them with LEDs? If so I would swap them for whatever the biggest Whelen LED surface mount will fit there. Set them to steady burn and flash them with the halogen flasher. 

 

[Storm4200]

BEST Case Scenario IMO:

Whelen TANF85 Traffic Advisor up top.

All 8 Linear heads. All Amber. 

4 Whelen M9s.

2 red 2 blue with colored lenses.  Reds up Top, blues on bottom. Nice big, SLOW, single flash 'X' pattern. This set-up will give you huge foot prints of light with great color separation, It will give also give you unrivaled off-axis warning, and ability to DIM all the rear light heads ( theyre so bight its almost mandatory at night).  IMO this is quite possibly the safest, and most effective rear end you could put on that truck, But its gonna cost you.  

Remember, when you upgrade the truck in the future, ALL of those lights can be taken off and re-purposed. 

if you wanted to go crazy, you could swap out the lower M9s with a pair of M9V2s. They are a pair of warning lights that would dual purpose as a rear step/ground light. Im sure theyre not cheap, but its two lights in one. 

here is the pattern im referring to :

 

[Rusted413]

Lots of options with a truck that size. You could go a cheap/quick route and look for some led school bus style lamps and just replace what you already have. You could also look into one of the large, edge-style T/A's either halogen or led. M9's or any other 7-9 size light would look good back there. I also agree with MtnMan that those big old halogens can be pretty damn bright and effective, but understand that you are looking to update things. 

All of that said, if you stick a mini liberty up there you will be more than covered, but wheres the fun in that? 

 

[Storm4200]

Certainly nothing fun a about a mini liberty

 

[pdk9]

I vote for whelen 900s or Fedsig 9x7 quadraflares with colored lenses: 2 Amber and 2 red (or 1 Red & 1 Blue).


An economical option for the TA is a SNM Duo Color E66 (flashes red &/or blue during response, with Amber TA override on scene).


Also, depending on what the side warning is like (and if plans to improve that) a pair of whelen L series beacons on the rear corners of the box provides good side and rear warning.


As for the decals/striping, I'm a big fan of the NFPA yellow/red chevrons. However, if you foresee that taking a while to transpire (since we all know that projects always take longer than they should), I'd recommend (in the meantime) getting a single stripe of reflective white 3M tape (as wide as possible) & running it horizontally on the doors (below "fire rescue"), just as sometime temporary. It won't cost much or take a rocket scientist to apply it (since there isn't anything to remove or work around), but it will greatly increase nighttime visibility, which is really needed here (especially b/c that strip of DOT tape looks like it's seen better days)

 

[WigWag75]

We've had our quarterly commission meeting and been approved to improve the rear warning. Cost being an issue, small budget of $300. I'm thinking this will be adequate amount.


I've now been tasked to also install equipment. I'm pretty decent at installing but not confident enough in my skills to work on an apparatus. Especially having to wire in and install a new piece. Retrofitting something is different.


I'm loving all the options you guys have come up with. I'll be in touch in a few.

 

[Storm4200]

$300? There goes my idea.

 

[WigWag75]

Yeah, mine too. But it's something.

 

[pdk9]

We've had our quarterly commission meeting and been approved to improve the rear warning. Cost being an issue, small budget of $300. I'm thinking this will be adequate amount.


I've now been tasked to also install equipment. I'm pretty decent at installing but not confident enough in my skills to work on an apparatus. Especially having to wire in and install a new piece. Retrofitting something is different.


I'm loving all the options you guys have come up with. I'll be in touch in a few.

Well, it shouldn't be too bad to wire, since you'll have plenty of juice running to those 4 lightheads for power (an average LED lighthead only draws about 0.5-1 amp & the large ones draw 1-2 amps).


For $300, it sounds like cannon retrofit is the way to go (although I'm not personally a fan of LEDs behind that kind of lens). Since this won't leave you with much left, maybe just leave the halogen minibar in place (but just touch the inside up with some WD40 and polish the lens a bit)

 

[acala91]

Or another option would be leaving the surface mount halogens as is and replacing the minibar with a 44" Microman stick. This is probably the route I would go. 

 

[Storm4200]

2 feniex apollos and a Cobra800?

 

[WigWag75]

This truck is going out of service for box repairs. Whilst it's being worked on I'll disassemble the halogen heads, look them over and give them a good shine. Test it and go from there. That mini needs replaced, I'll concentrate on that.

Well, it shouldn't be too bad to wire, since you'll have plenty of juice running to those 4 lightheads for power (an average LED lighthead only draws about 0.5-1 amp & the large ones draw 1-2 amps).


For $300, it sounds like cannon retrofit is the way to go (although I'm not personally a fan of LEDs behind that kind of lens). Since this won't leave you with much left, maybe just leave the halogen minibar in place (but just touch the inside up with some WD40 and polish the lens a bit)

I'm not worried about fitting into something that's already there. (I.e. The heads or wiring leftover I could use for the mini) it's adding and wiring a new addition. Mounting the stick and running/mounting the control head. I know it's not as hard as I make it sound but since it's not my pov I can't really screw up. If this makes sense. [emoji3]

Also, depending on what the side warning is like (and if plans to improve that) a pair of whelen L series beacons on the rear corners of the box provides good side and rear warning.

The side warning is covered. It has 2 Star DLX3 light heads above front and rear wheel wells on both sides. Also has 4 in grille of truck, though they are not synced. A later fix. [emoji6]

 

[WigWag75]

As for the decals/striping, I'm a big fan of the NFPA yellow/red chevrons. However, if you foresee that taking a while to transpire (since we all know that projects always take longer than they should), I'd recommend (in the meantime) getting a single stripe of reflective white 3M tape (as wide as possible) & running it horizontally on the doors (below "fire rescue"), just as sometime temporary. It won't cost much or take a rocket scientist to apply it (since there isn't anything to remove or work around), but it will greatly increase nighttime visibility, which is really needed here (especially b/c that strip of DOT tape looks like it's seen better days)

Hitting on this real quick, which company has the best quality of stripping? What would be the best way to go about the application, full sheet app or the dots?

 

[WigWag75]

Chief decided on replacing the DX responder w/ an led traffic advisor. So now I begin shopping! [emoji28]

 

[Storm4200]

Feniex Cobra800