Quick question regarding older California Highway Patrol decklid lighting

John Smith

Member
Oct 19, 2010
304
CO, US
In the 80s-90s, the CHP used a large number of slicktop cars. In the rear window of these cars were a single red, blue, and amber light. There were 2 lights on the left, and one on the right of the decklid underneath the rear window.


I cannot fo the life of me remember which color lamp went on which side, and how they flashed. I know one color stayed solid (Steady burn), and the other two flashed.


I've got a single red and a single blue LED module in the decklid of my car (Along with a roof-top bar), and would like to add an amber in the old CHP configuration, as my heart has a soft spot for that (Brings me back to when I was a kid). Thanks guys!
 

John Smith

Member
Oct 19, 2010
304
CO, US
AHH that's exactly what I remember! Thank you for finding that, I looked through that thread for a little but didn't find anything, I'm glad you did. That car is gorgeous, brings back some fond fond memories.


Now, best I can remember, the red stays solid, while the blue and amber alternate.


I'm really new to playing with these light bars. I figured out how to change the way each module flashes (Grounding the pins on the back of the module). More recently I figured out how to adjust when each module comes on. My bar has some flashers in it that flash a couple of the modules, my next poject is to figure out how to change "how" they flash each module. They do a stupid red times 2, blue times 2, red times 2, blue times 2, red times 2, blue times blue, both times 2 together, and it's gay. I want to change them to simply alternate. Should be easy enough.


The red/blue LED modules I have in the decklid are 4-LED, I'm not sure which company. I assume Code 3, since that what our bars are. For the time being they just cycle through their 9 or so flash patterns, and they aren't timed with each other. The red on steady burn will be easy. I'm thinking I'll just need a flasher to do the other 2. We'll see....
 

Daniel

New Member
May 21, 2010
14
Leiden, the Netherlands
Hi there,


A few years ago I asked the same question as you did, and found a lot of confusing answers. After reading a lot of stuff I arrived at the following conclusions.


CHP used a red and an amber par 46 to the rear for.. well, ever. both lights were on the left side of the rear deck.


As for the flashing I believe it to be controlled by a two position switch, with either amber or red flashing.


Around 1985 a blue par 46 to the right of the rear deck was added.


this light, to the best of my knowledge, alternated with whatever light was selected.


This is borne out in the wiring manual for 80's era cars and the control box (federal CC1).


In the book "101 road patrol tales from a chippie" by retired officer JW Tompins I found a paragraph in which he explains the system, as he uses it when stopping at a disabled vehice:


"I turn on the red spotlight for the parking exemption, put my four way flashers on and flip up the switch for the rear parcel deck flashing amber light."


Then a car approaches at an unsafe speed.:"I turn the red spot to the rear and change the rear deck light from amber to flashing red, which requires a driver to stop. It's just like a flashing red stoplight."


The California road code also states:


No one shall display an amber flashing light unless a traffic hazard exists.


and


No one shall display a red flashing light unless an extreme traffic hazard exists.


HTH, Daniël
 

John Smith

Member
Oct 19, 2010
304
CO, US
Daniel that is helpful thanks! I'm pretty sure the red stayed solid, while the amber and blue alternated, so I'll do mine that way. Maybe they had the option to flash the red, but I don't need that, a solid red would serve my purpose fine, and it's what I remember. Thanks!
 

CABARS

Member
Dec 21, 2010
22
West Coast
Chp had 2 rear flash patterns similar today on the visions and liberty light bars.


First warn pattern: amber and blue rear flash


Second warn pattern(code 3): red and blue rear flash


The rear par46 lights were controlled by the cc1


Chp never used rear steady burn lights to the rear but some patrolmen turn the red spotlight toward the rear to stop traffic.
 

EVModules

Member
May 16, 2010
864
Deer Park, WA
Amber lamp on a 552 flasher controlled by one switch


Red & blue on a 537 flasher controller by a second switch


In no shape, way, or form were the red lamps set to be steady.
 

CFD125

Member
May 21, 2010
487
Carver, Mass.
EVModules said:
Amber lamp on a 552 flasher controlled by one switch
Red & blue on a 537 flasher controller by a second switch


In no shape, way, or form were the red lamps set to be steady.


Unless that little 59 cent flasher got stuck, which they did on occasion. :p
 

EVModules

Member
May 16, 2010
864
Deer Park, WA
Of course, then it's far easier to stock those flashers at the station and replace them in the field than to swap out a lighthead with built in flashers or replace an entire sophisticated $85 flasher with 4 hrs of down time! I wonder why they try to improve something that isn't broken in the first place, and cheaper to begin with!
 

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