cory y said:
everybody excludes corners from dim mode
Actually, no. FedSig and SoundOff both allow dimming of corner modules. On the FedSig stuff, dimming mode is overridden by mode3 to provide a fail-safe. Whelen and Code3 are the ones I know of who do not permit dimming of the end corner modules. The do allow for cruise lights there though.
Code4Services - Code 3's new auto-dimming option is for the Defender and RX2700 lightbars. I just finished a new products piece on Code 3 that will be published in the next Police Fleet Manager magazine. For more info on the Code 3 product, click here:
http://www.code3pse.com/pdf/autodimpr.pdf
I personally think cruise lights are the answer to much of the question. They are very versatile lighting at night, often all that is needed. In most states, flashing lights in the authority color are only required for emergency vehicle operators when they are requesting right-of-way, operating under an exception to motor vehicle laws (like speeding) , or signalling a violator to stop. In other instances, especially at night, flashing lights do not always offer any benefit beyond visibility from long distances and tactically they can be a detriment. They call attention to a scene, impair vision, gather bystanders, confuse motorists, and raise stress levels of low-threat violators. This is where I feel cruise lights come in. I use mine for several things: marking helicopter LZs at night, marking a command post, marking a rally point, marking an address for
EMS responses, visibility during patrols in high-traffic parking lots, visibility when patrolling subdivisions (makes homeowners happy and they remember seeing the car), increasing visibility during traffic enforcement operations (when parked running radar, observing an intersection, etc.), even when patrolling in our recent winter weather to keep motorists back and alert them to problems. They are a great tool.
As far as low power/dimming modes, I think all manufacturers ought to leave the configuration/head selection up to the installer and end-user. I do think that auto-dimming features are going to be more common. Think about it...how else can an agency standardize its fleet and lighting use? If you write a policy that says officers will dim lights when _____, how can you control it and prevent boo-boo's? And you need a policy,
IMO, for use of lights beyond just turning them on and off. For most cops, training on use of lights is non-existent; they are taught by example only, not reasoned presentation with an understanding of what the lights do, how they can be used, what message is being sent and to whom. Just on or off. How much training on appropriate light use has anyone here received?
One problem with dim modes is the risk that an operator selects it at an inappropriate time. There are ways around this, such as integrating it into a park-kill circuit, but few installers take the time or effort or worse, even understand how lights are used, officer and agency needs, and few care. Agencies may be stuck in "HOW WE ALWAYS HAVE DONE IT" mode and not aware of the capabilities of newer lightbars. And few agencies have ever done a serious internal evaluation of their lighting needs beyond thinking "more must be better." Whelen has a good idea in their new CANTROL systems, but again, there are so many features and capabilities in the system that it WILL absolutely require agencies to write new policy.
Any way, back to the dimming..."Auto-dimming" could be accomplished in current set-ups by tying into the parking light or DRL circuits. Or using relays to create a if-then logic function to control it. Either way, I think it needs to have operator override, kinda like the flash setting on a camera. Say a three-way switch with ON - AUTO - OFF positions for the dimming feature.
I have wired FedSig ROC lightbars to take advantage of it's low-power features as follows:
Since the three modes, 1/2/3, are progressive, 2 overrides 1 and 3 overrides 1&2. Also, the low-power mode is overridden in by mode 3. Using a SS2000Sm I set it up as:
Slide position 1 : Rear only lightbar mode 1 set up as all lights on bar in medium flash rate warning pattern.
Slide position 2 : Front & rear lightbar mode 1, plus grille/deck/strobes.
Slide position 3 : F&R lightbar mode 3 (faster flash rate) plus grille/deck/strobe, plus wigwags and flashing
TD/AL.
Then, I take a seperate push button and mark it as low power. This gets the low-power trigger and lightbar mode 2 trigger. Flash pattern is set to a slow endcap alternating pattern (pattern #1 of the 26 available,
IIRC). I could have used the SS2000SM relay E to set-up a park-kill enable for the circuit, so it would only be able to be activated when vehicle was stationary, if I wanted. Anyway, using this set-up, officer can turn on a low power mode that will override switch positions 1/2, but that switch position 3 will override.
Make sense? Cause typing all that sucked.