Question about 500 series LEDs

[Shadow-D]

OK, I've been looking but haven't found quite what I want yet...


I had this idea to use a set of red / blue each (I.E. each head has the split) and I want to have the ability to control them with an external flasher.


Do these exist? If they do, who makes them and could you point me in the right direction for them?


If they do not exist, how would one remove the epoxy protective covering from the Whelen 500's?


Thanks


D


EDIT: Basically I want to be able to use the blue side for one job and the red for another job...

 

[Medicman695]

If you are talking about Whelen's 500 series then No all the split ones I have seen have an Internal flasher, I know you can get their 400 series in a vertical R/B split and use an external flasher with that series.

OK, I've been looking but haven't found quite what I want yet...
I had this idea to use a set of red / blue each (I.E. each head has the split) and I want to have the ability to control them with an external flasher.


Do these exist? If they do, who makes them and could you point me in the right direction for them?


If they do not exist, how would one remove the epoxy protective covering from the Whelen 500's?


Thanks


D


EDIT: Basically I want to be able to use the blue side for one job and the red for another job...

 

[rwo978]

IIRC, they had the red/amber and blue/amber split dumb heads for use on the rear of the liberty. Color would flash, amber for the arrow. LEDs were interwoven:


(BABABA)


(RARARA)


However, I don't believe they're still made and I have no idea of functioning in the Liberty, like if amber would kill the color, or if you had to cut the color off. I don't believe other color combos were made.

 

[Shadow-D]

Thanks guys...


Looks like I'm going to need to make something or do some customizing...

 

[rwo978]

They'd cost a pretty penny, but Duo LIN6s?


Or, I used 2 blue LINZ6s and 2 amber LINZ6s on the dual horizontal brackets behind the grille. Each had they're own power. Going that route, or with TIR3/LIN3s, will be cheaper.

 

[Shadow-D]

I hear ya but I'm trying to get these working in my mirror beams

 

[rwo978]

Gotcha'. Duo's are probably your only bet, unless you can find some of the modules I listed. I know they existed, but I can't find any info on them.

 

[TJW]

IIRC, they had the red/amber and blue/amber split dumb heads for use on the rear of the liberty. Color would flash, amber for the arrow. LEDs were interwoven:

(BABABA)


(RARARA)


However, I don't believe they're still made and I have no idea of functioning in the Liberty, like if amber would kill the color, or if you had to cut the color off. I don't believe other color combos were made.

Ryan, is partially correct. The 500 series: red/amber and blue/amber split dumb heads for use on the rear of the liberty, are in fact not interwoven. 3 red/3 amber or 3 blue/3 amber is how the module is constructed. My service runs a fleet of approx. 150 of these bars with the split red/blue/amber traffic advisor. I'm act-ually surprised that no one has posted a video of a split liberty traffic advisor to date. Tomorrow I'll shoot a quick video of it and post it over the next couple of days.


They're still made to date from Whelen. Here is the part number for a split TA: SLX§§§00


Additionally here is a picture in the last page of the product bulletin: http://www.whelen.com/pb/Automotive/ProductSheets/Lightbars/LFL_Liberty_Series_Linear-LED_Lightbar.pdf


With regards to functionality, it'd be pretty much an even split between a Whelen Cencom Gold, or a Code 3 RLS 3999 which the bar's are controlled by. When a-ctivated by the three position slide switch it automatically activates the Red/Blue half's of the modules. On either one of the siren/controllers when one pushes t-he arrow buttons, it automatically de-activates the Red/Blue portions of the rear modules, and only activates the Amber half's.


On older bar's the Red/Blue corners of the bar's also went out when the TA was activated, but now, on all recent car's, the rear corner Red/Blue modules remain on no matter which position.


Hope that helps to clears things up. Stand by for a video.

 

[Shadow-D]

Yea that actually does help a little...


I'd be happy finding a set of dumb heads with RRBB split.

 

[TJW]

Shadow-D,


As Ryan alluded to, there doesn't appear to be any Red/Blue drone/dumb modules readily available from Whelen. The drone/dumb modules as easily available in Red/Amber or Blue/Amber. I'd recommend contacting Whelen directly to confirm this though. If you do, please let us know the end result.


Good Luck.

 

[Shadow-D]

Just talked to the good people in tech support at Whelen...


Only option I would have is using the light head out of the Liberty and they do offer them in Red / Blue split.


Problem is they are not designed to be used outside of a light bar and would need to be sealed to protect them from water. Not a big deal but just a little bit of a PITA. They list for $280 something... I guess I should expect that seeing it has the "W" word on it...

 

[NCFD43]

why not 2 LIN3's next to each other on each mirror. Looks good, and gives you the split color.

 

[rwo978]

why not 2 LIN3's next to each other on each mirror. Looks good, and gives you the split color.

Already brought up that idea above... his response...

I hear ya but I'm trying to get these working in my mirror beams

 

[Shadow-D]

Ok I guess I need to clarify this a little more...


I'm an Aux P.O. and use Red lights for that...


I'm also a Volley Firefighter and use Blue lights for that...


I can NOT use red and blue together for either of the above


I have a set of Whelen Mirror Beams that I want to use.


I also want to use grill lights as well as my dash lights.


I have a ULF44 flasher to control these lights.


What I want to do here is get a set of "500 series" type of lights that have a red / blue split. Doing this will allow me to flip a switch in 1 direction and it will turn on all red lights then flip it in the other direction and it will turn on all the blue lights thus giving me dual purpose lighting without the need for more real estate being used on the vehicle.

 

[FDNY 10-75]

Don't split lightheads!

 

[Medicman695]

Ok I guess I need to clarify this a little more...
I'm an Aux P.O. and use Red lights for that...


I'm also a Volley Firefighter and use Blue lights for that...


I can NOT use red and blue together for either of the above


I have a set of Whelen Mirror Beams that I want to use.


I also want to use grill lights as well as my dash lights.


I have a ULF44 flasher to control these lights.


What I want to do here is get a set of "500 series" type of lights that have a red / blue split. Doing this will allow me to flip a switch in 1 direction and it will turn on all red lights then flip it in the other direction and it will turn on all the blue lights thus giving me dual purpose lighting without the need for more real estate being used on the vehicle.

I don't know of any 500 series that are split like the way you want (independent control of each color). The 400 and 900 series (to my knowledge) are the only ones that offer independent control of the different color lights. How are you planning on hooking up the flasher to the lightheads?

 

[cory y]

I don't know of any 500 series that are split like the way you want (independent control of each color). The 400 and 900 series (to my knowledge) are the only ones that offer independent control of the different color lights. How are you planning on hooking up the flasher to the lightheads?

Whelen does make some split 500 series that went into Liberties that were independant controlled

 

[Medicman695]

Whelen does make some split 500 series that went into Liberties that were independant controlled

Knew somebody would correct me lol

 

[Shadow-D]

Whelen does make some split 500 series that went into Liberties that were independant controlled

Yes they do... I talked to them on the phone and was told they are what I need but are not designed to be used outside of a bar because they are not sealed. Also they are quite expensive, in the $280ish range each head.


They do NOT need to be Whelen by the way. As long as they are the correct size, thats why I say "500 Series" TYPE.

 

[rwo978]

I think for what you want to do, you're stuck with the 500s. You could go with the 5 wire axixtech chameleons in R/B... They're roughly the same size as the 500s. You'd have to fashion an ABS cover for the MBs to cover the hole to mount them to.

 

[SireLite]

Do they have to be whelen?


How about a pair of Axixtech xtreme chameleons or a pair of 9200/9210 split color micro-lite made by able2. http://able2products.com/pdfs/11_9000_9210_instructions.pdf

 

[factorone33]

If you're ambitious enough, and want to use 500 series heads to fit the MirrorBeams on your vehicle, you could always get two pairs of Liberty heads (500 series passive), unsolder three diodes from the board of one head, and put them in place of three diodes on the opposite color head (e.g. 3 red to 3 blue). At that point, you'd have to make your own leads and redo the circuit itself, but you could engineer it to get what you want.


But good luck with that. I consider myself a semi-decent solder-er, and I can't even get an iron small enough to get in there, yet hot enough to get them off the board...

 

[Shadow-D]

If you're ambitious enough, and want to use 500 series heads to fit the MirrorBeams on your vehicle, you could always get two pairs of Liberty heads (500 series passive), unsolder three diodes from the board of one head, and put them in place of three diodes on the opposite color head (e.g. 3 red to 3 blue). At that point, you'd have to make your own leads and redo the circuit itself, but you could engineer it to get what you want.

But good luck with that. I consider myself a semi-decent solder-er, and I can't even get an iron small enough to get in there, yet hot enough to get them off the board...

That seems like a lot of work. I'm not sayin I can't do it but I did talk to Whelen Tech Dept and they told me that the Liberty heads are the way to go, I just need to seal them... Again it's just a matter of $$$.


If I could do what you say and use the normal 500 series heads, remove the epoxy coating and rework the board, I'd be fine. I just don't know the best way to remove the epoxy.

 

[shues]

Don't split lightheads!

He's not, in the traditional sense. The red will be completely independent of the blue.

Ok I guess I need to clarify this a little more...
I'm an Aux P.O. and use Red lights for that...


I'm also a Volley Firefighter and use Blue lights for that...


I can NOT use red and blue together for either of the above

 

[rwo978]

Some of the 500 heads have that grey seal where the lense goes. There's also small seals that go in the wire holes on the back. The orange ones go around the wires and the green ones fill any open holes (if any). Anyone else know what I'm talking about? I can try and find one of my modules that have this and take a pic later if no one else has one handy, or their camera.


For the cheaper/easier route, I'd get some heads with that grey seal and just silicone the holes on the back.

 

[shues]

Some of the 500 heads have that grey seal where the lense goes. There's also small seals that go in the wire holes on the back. The orange ones go around the wires and the green ones fill any open holes (if any). Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

I know what you're talking about.