Michigan state police lighting

BackYardSales

Member
Dec 5, 2011
445
US - KY
Storm4200 said:
your gonna really tell me that THIS is more effective then a Liberty bar, or a Legend, or even a VISTA SL??
well, i would take a Liberty or a Legend over this ANY day!!

Can't do a comparison since I haven't seen the others from a distance, but like I said above, the sealed beam Unity can be seen from at least 3 miles, maybe more. Remember, they're aircraft landing lights, so they're designed to be effective at long distances. Plus, when you see it, there is NO doubt about who it is. They are extremely distinctive.


I haven't seen the LED version from a distance either, so I don't know if they compare to the old version.


Light bars can be 'too much' if that makes sense. Sometimes less is better.
 

deputychief301

New Member
May 21, 2010
884
Snow Belt, Michigan
I have seen both in action many times and they had the best set by using the


seal beams with the Talons in the back window. Upon driving toward one of vehicles


on a stop ect the first thing you see is the seal beams then the talons in the back


windows. With new led bubble,first thing you see is the Talons in the back window


then the bubble.I have seen both in action during,snow and a sunny day and by far


the sealed beams out shine the led bubble with the true spit fire domes which are


not used with the new style beacon. I have alot of friends that are State troopers and


not many has mention tradition as far as the Lighting, maybe the old school troopers


that are making the lighting decisions and paying the high cost to change over.


There are some cars running around with the older sealed beam with out the spiltdomes


and this model is not effective as the spiltfire domes.The solid domes make the solid beam


look like tow truck with a bubble on top of it, so the spiltfire domes is a good reason why


the older Bubble were effective


Jim Rogers


Northern Lights
 

nluszcz

Member
Dec 1, 2011
196
Kentucky
all I can say is UGLY!!! lol Regardless if it works or not, it still looks like crap to me. :) But you know what they say about opinions...
 

factorone33

Member
Jun 13, 2010
492
Merriam, KS
We managed to snag one from the factory last year, and it's ridiculous. Imagine 3 LIN12s stacked one of top of each other, and then split them up to provide for the rotating effect. The light footprint is insanity. You'd have to be blind to not see this thing from a mile off.
 

EL1998P71

Member
May 23, 2010
704
Sterling Heights Mich
factorone33 said:
We managed to snag one from the factory last year, and it's ridiculous. Imagine 3 LIN12s stacked one of top of each other, and then split them up to provide for the rotating effect. The light footprint is insanity. You'd have to be blind to not see this thing from a mile off.

I didn't see it mentioned yet. But there is a "Rotating" Pattern in the mix of flash patterns. The light has alot of patterns.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
I have this to say to the new LED beacon:


ai.imgur.com_CabPW.gif
 

mjw357

Member
Jun 17, 2011
188
OHIO
EL1998P71 said:
I didn't see it mentioned yet. But there is a "Rotating" Pattern in the mix of flash patterns. The light has alot of patterns.
Yeah I am thinking it's a lot like a Whelen L31, just has one more 'layer' to it.
 

mjMIff

Member
Jun 2, 2010
296
Mid-Michigan
Wow! Peeps be hatin'!


I can see these LEDs before I see the WigWags! BTW If you hate this tradition, your going to not like the fact the MSP doesn't install cages! :eek:
 

deputychief301

New Member
May 21, 2010
884
Snow Belt, Michigan
I guess if I could hog tie a prisoner first I would be alot safer if I was


transporting a prisoner in the front seat, also a spit hood over the head


of the prisoner when transporting.


Jim Rogers


deputychief301
 

kadetklapp

Member
May 21, 2010
1,568
Indiana
No cage here. We had one, but the third time one slipped the cuffs in front and started tearing out our decklights we quit using them. I'd rather have him up front where I can see him and smack him if need be.


As for the light, I agree that $900 for the retrofit is stupid. I also think that they should have stuck with the spit-fire dome, should have used LIN or TIR PAR36 modules and maybe even *GASP* left ONE halogen in place to add a bit of mix to it.
 

shues

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
10,276
NW Indiana
kadetklapp said:
left ONE halogen in place to add a bit of mix to it.

There are no longer any moving parts inside; the LEDs are stationary. If they still rotated, what you're suggesting would be pretty cool.
 

LRGJr72

Member
May 29, 2010
790
Detroit, Michigan
kadetklapp said:
As for the light, I agree that $900 for the retrofit is stupid. I also think that they should have stuck with the spit-fire dome, should have used LIN or TIR PAR36 modules and maybe even *GASP* left ONE halogen in place to add a bit of mix to it.

Unity quit making the SpitFire domes 2-3 yrs ago. They wouldn't have worked well anyway since these LEDs project all red light. $900 is actually not too bad considering the fact that this is a custom product with four years of trials. The MSP is saving a moderate fortune by not having to replace the halogen beams, which have an average lifespan of 70 hours. The LEDs are rated for 10,000 hours of life. And they draw FAR fewer amps. As for using LED Par36s with a rotator... I would've loved that. I think most of us would have.
 

CPDG23

Member
Oct 17, 2011
835
Ohio
You are not going to be sneaking around with that on your roof.


A thin clear lightbar has the benefit in that department.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BLUELIGHT

car54

Member
May 24, 2010
494
michigan
CPDG23, being in michigan I can tell you even with a clear lens lightbar on MSP blue cruiser you are not going to be sneaking around. Even with their slick top cruisers its easy to spot, now some posts have different color cruisers that are slick top as well for traffic enforcement duties and are very effective. How about MSP if they put a clear dome on top with red leds, that would help? Not really because of the blue cruiser and shark fin on the hood.
 
I guess I am old school, but I really like that single light on top of the car. I got into Law Enforcement in August of 1980 down in Florida so I grew up with the single 4 beacon blue lamp. Most agencies in Florida at the time had the 4-beacon single Federal Signal blue light with speaker housing under the light on their roofs including most Sheriff agencies, many local, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The new Whelen retro-fit LED lamp for the Michigan State Police is actually a pretty bright lamp assembly and I think it uses 16 individual heads mounted in stacks of 4 x 4 in a 360 degree configuration. I agree with a few other posters that with that roof lamp (either the traditional beacon or the new LED retrofit model) and the additional deck, dash, hide-a-way, and grille or push bumper mounted LED warning lights, the Michigan State Police cars are incredibly bright. If I could, I would use a similar style set up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BLUELIGHT

mjw357

Member
Jun 17, 2011
188
OHIO
Radarcop290 said:
The new Whelen retro-fit LED lamp for the Michigan State Police is actually a pretty bright lamp assembly and I think it uses 16 individual heads mounted in stacks of 4 x 4 in a 360 degree configuration.
It uses 12, 9 LED heads.
 

KFRDtondout

Member
Jan 9, 2011
31
WI
I love the MSP cars, many yrs ago (15yrs) or so we were leaving a car show in Detroit and heading back home to WI well my buddies car started on fire on the side of the interstate and all I can remember is when unloading the boxes of alcohol from the car into the bushes is seeing that pretty red dome coming south bound in the northbound lane as we stood and watched the car burn and hoping they wouldnt find the alcohol since we were underage haha, MSP treated us like kings and that officer gave us a ride to his dept for some food and then back to the shop to check out the car and I remember we got to have fun and mess with his lights and radar it was a blast. If I could do the single beacon I would but its not the same as a good ol MSP car. Do have to say I like the halogens alot better though.
 

JediTalen

Member
Jun 19, 2011
162
Bummertown, WA
To be honest I am ambilivant on the trouble bubble, at least they won't be using ambush revenue gathering tactics with that thing on the lid (Traffic Patrols should always be conducted by fully marked units). What I REALLY don't get and kinda troubles me about those cars is the silly sign on the hood (can you say projectile!)! If you can read it it's too late to miss the cruiser that just busted the intersection in front of you, or you are already stopped and you don't care about the light up signage as the reflective shield on the door already told you what you needed to know. It's strikes me as a hazard in a collision and a superflous waste of dollars, in addition to being two more holes to plug when the car gets surplused.
 

dmathieu

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 20, 2010
8,766
S.W. New Hampshire, USA
JediTalen said:
To be honest I am ambilivant on the trouble bubble, at least they won't be using ambush revenue gathering tactics with that thing on the lid (Traffic Patrols should always be conducted by fully marked units). What I REALLY don't get and kinda troubles me about those cars is the silly sign on the hood (can you say projectile!)! If you can read it it's too late to miss the cruiser that just busted the intersection in front of you, or you are already stopped and you don't care about the light up signage as the reflective shield on the door already told you what you needed to know. It's strikes me as a hazard in a collision and a superflous waste of dollars, in addition to being two more holes to plug when the car gets surplused.

It's actually 6 holes, and I believe that item is pure tradition.


Dan
 

MeefZah

Member
Oct 6, 2011
123
New Philadelphia, OH
I like the look of the hood light and the single "rotator", and I respect the tradition.


It's not like they are being made to carry Colt SAAs when the rest of the world is using Glocks or something... this doesn't put them at any disadvantage and it is an effective and simple system.
 

JediTalen

Member
Jun 19, 2011
162
Bummertown, WA
MeefZah said:
I like the look of the hood light and the single "rotator", and I respect the tradition.

It's not like they are being made to carry Colt SAAs when the rest of the world is using Glocks or something... this doesn't put them at any disadvantage and it is an effective and simple system.

I get the tradition thing but to be honest in the case of the hood sign I have to question the cost to taxpayers for a tradition that serves no real function, increases the cost of both comissioning and decomissioning a unit, and actually presents a hazard to the Trooper driving the car. Let's not even discuss the cost of a one-off custom LED "beacon" to replace an obosolete, and out of production unit for the sake of tradition. The 1873 Colt was superceeded by the 1911 because it was the better combat handgun, the '03 Springfield was replaced with the Garand over the protests of the "traditionalists" because it gave our Soldiers and Marines and advantage in combat. Tradition has its place, but in the real world practicality and economy must often take precedence.
 

car54

Member
May 24, 2010
494
michigan
The hood ornament is functional, cost effective maybe not but it does not cost that much. To for the safety aspect of it, its bolted down and not likely to come off in the event of an accident as there as not been one in the many moons of service. As far as the beacon its not out of production, now if you're talking about the spitfire lens yes you are correct. However I've seen some MSP cruisers with red/blue lightbars running around and let me tell you, it should be a federal offense to use or do such a thing on an MSP car. I don't like the looks nor care for change. I personally love the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) way and tradition of our great state and hope they never change. Thanks for listening.
 

Hoser

Member
Jun 25, 2010
3,704
Ohio
car54 said:
The hood ornament is functional, cost effective maybe not but it does not cost that much. To for the safety aspect of it, its bolted down and not likely to come off in the event of an accident as there as not been one in the many moons of service. As far as the beacon its not out of production, now if you're talking about the spitfire lens yes you are correct. However I've seen some MSP cruisers with red/blue lightbars running around and let me tell you, it should be a federal offense to use or do such a thing on an MSP car. I don't like the looks nor care for change. I personally love the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) way and tradition of our great state and hope they never change. Thanks for listening.

If you get a chance grab a pic...
 

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
One of the best videos I've seen where all but one of the MSP cars have the LED beacon mod, and in the daylight even! Not bad for going 21st century with a traditional single roof beacon. Some will like it, others won't, but at least they stay with their unique heritage overall.

 

MeefZah

Member
Oct 6, 2011
123
New Philadelphia, OH
JediTalen said:
I have to question the cost to taxpayers for a tradition that serves no real function. Tradition has its place, but in the real world practicality and economy must often take precedence.

Tradition is a very important component of a public safety entity.
 

CPDG23

Member
Oct 17, 2011
835
Ohio
CrownVic97 said:
One of the best videos I've seen where all but one of the MSP cars have the LED beacon mod, and in the daylight even! Not bad for going 21st century with a traditional single roof beacon. Some will like it, others won't, but at least they stay with their unique heritage overall.



At the 1:05 mark does the spotlight also have LEDs in it?
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
CPDG23 said:
At the 1:05 mark does the spotlight also have LEDs in it?
Doesn't look like it.
 

plybeep68

Member
Aug 29, 2011
976
Jonesborough TN
Nice Video, i enjoyed it. It's good to see that some agencies will use newer cars to train with, I was caught off guard when i seen they were using Dodges. I bet they go thru alot of rotors and brake pads!! Good thing the transmission is officer friendly,meaning it is harder for the officer to break it.
 

mjw357

Member
Jun 17, 2011
188
OHIO
JediTalen said:
Let's not even discuss the cost of a one-off custom LED "beacon" to replace an obosolete, and out of production unit for the sake of tradition.
It's not a replacement, it's a retrofit. Life of the beacon is extended almost indefinitely.
 

11b101abn

New Member
Jun 10, 2010
549
Georgia, United States
badge22 said:
3. Lightbars have takedown and alleys lights that are more reliable than the Unity Spotlights.


.



Um, no.


Spotlights are able to be aimed from inside a vehicle. The Spotlight is brighter and all around more flexible in its application. Takdowns and alleys can be usefull, but the Unity pillar mount is the all around better light.


I could care less what MSP puts on the roof of their cars. a single pod from the new LED vector in red, blue and white would be cool. It would cover the warning light issue and provide takedown and alley light funtions too.
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,964
Messages
449,809
Members
19,103
Latest member
Safetylight5

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.