My one-and-only install: 2005 Ram 1500

[vonirkinshtine]

*EDIT* Nothing has changed! Webshots kicked the bucket and I lost all my pictures. A new video has been uploaded.


The background:


Just got this truck a month before going on an overseas work deployment. I ordered some blinkies from LEDguy while I was over there (he did his big "dash light for $60" sale). Once I got home it snowed, then I got some time to put the whole thing together. It took me 9hrs to figure out how to take apart the dash enough to get to what I needed, make the brackets, run the wires, and button everything up.


What I was going for with my setup was basic visibility. In NC POVs aren't "emergency vehicles" so I just wanted to make sure I could "ask for right-of-way" when traveling to a scene, and have a decent amount of rear coverage when parked. For the sides? Meh, it wasn't a priority for me. If I ever get a chunk of change that the wife will let me blow on more lights I might stick some heads on the fenders...but that would be down the road a bit.


Anywho, without further yapping...


The workspace:


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3ft section of aluminum angle for the rear bracket (painted flat black):


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"That looks like a good place for a switch..."


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Each 12V outlet in my truck is protected by a 20A fuse. This one at the bottom is hot-at-all-times. Since there's no interior fuse block in my truck I figured this would be a great place to pull power from (since I calculated I only needed 4.5A total for my lights). Here's the wires to the outlet; it took me a while to get the pigtail undone (actually...another member from the department had to help me with this).


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I snipped off the outlet connector and added a second hot and ground lead off the factory wires. Secured with a butt splice and electrical tape (please don't flame, it's what I had available...I know it's not the "best" way to do it).


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Re-connected the factory outlet pigtail for functionality...


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Hole drilled for 25A rated switch (I forgot to fuse between the outlet and the switch, so I went with a switch that could handle everything the circuit could throw at it).


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Switch installed...


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I did install a mini-blade fuse holder on the switched side of the rocker. Since the circuit is good for 20A altogether I thought it would be wise to make sure if something went wrong that I didn't send 20A to the LEDs (fused at 5A).


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The switched hot lead coming up the a-pillar...


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There were already holes in the roof support, so I just borrowed a couple to attach my bracket.


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Secured lights with the help of a close friend of mine...VELCRO!


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Mess of wires in the A-pillar. I may actually move the common ground for the lights elsewhere because those 3 wires, plus the 3 hot wires for the lights makes it a tight squeeze when putting the A-pillar cover back on.


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And a day-time video of the finished product:

 

[Station 3]

So are the lights red and white or amber and white i cant really tell but it does look sharp very simple yet effective i like it.

 

[vonirkinshtine]

Red/white split in front. Red and amber in the back.

 

[specialopsmedic]

posted a MEDIC truck many a time next to that ball field...good looking truck

 

[jonny521]

nice setup. simple yet pretty effective. you should add some grill lights if you can.

 

[vonirkinshtine]

posted a MEDIC truck many a time next to that ball field...good looking truck

You run with MEDIC?

 

[specialopsmedic]

yea used to be on a truck full time now I am in Special Operations (the ALERT truck and buses, etc.)

 

[vonirkinshtine]

ALERT truck? You didn't happen to participate in CPCC's MCI drill about a year ago did you? I know that rig was there.

 

[BlueBlood]

vonirkinshtine, did you trade the P71 in for a pickup?

 

[RES1CUE]

yea used to be on a truck full time now I am in Special Operations (the ALERT truck and buses, etc.)

Josh? that you? lol

 

[specialopsmedic]

yup

 

[vonirkinshtine]

vonirkinshtine, did you trade the P71 in for a pickup?

Yup, P71 is gone and I don't miss it one bit!


...ok, I miss having a vehicle that will fit in the garage, lol.

 

[BlueBlood]

All of mine are gone too but I do miss them. A Marauder would be nice though if I could ever find a nice one. Like you, had to have a truck. I'm 98_Interceptor on CVN. I just recognized your name here.


LOL, if you have a garage it'll soon be filled with so much other stuff you can't park in it anyway!

 

[vonirkinshtine]

Teaser video:

Gone are the 2 x Traffic Enforcer L-2's in the back glass (the new camper shell was blocking them).


Now installed: 2 x Fenix Fairies (amber) in reverse lights. Whelen UPS 690 powering two strobe tubes in tail lights.


Yet to be finished: Installing strobe tubes in front corner lights.


I have plenty of install pics (including my wiring schematic) that I will post over the weekend.

 

[E29R1]

Looks awesome and effective

 

[vonirkinshtine]

Some install pictures...


Routing for tail light wires...


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The location of the control board...


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Control board pre-assembled...


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I'll run out in a second and take a picture of the finished product

 

[vonirkinshtine]

Last set of pictures. She's all done. No future plans.


Completed control board:


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Power distribution:


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UPS 690 control wires:


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[vonirkinshtine]

Since my photo album was deleted by the album provider (apparently Webshots kicked the bucked without telling anybody).


Anywho...for giggles and grins I went out last night and shot a quick video of my complete set up. I've been running this setup for about a year now.