Red/White to the side or just Red?

What side warning should I use?


  • Total voters
    41

tarheel3559

Member
May 23, 2010
55
North Carolina
Alright guys, adding some side warning to my Sequoia. I've got 3 options. D4 R/W/R/W, Slimlighter R/R, or Slimlighter R/W. Part of me says to go with the D4 just because I don't have any other uses for them but I figured I would ask you all here and get your opinions.
 

tarheel3559

Member
May 23, 2010
55
North Carolina
It's in the very rear side windows. I already have the listed equipment, which is why those are the only choices. I don't feel like purchasing any more equipment when I've already got good stuff to use just sitting around.
 

Doug

Member
May 23, 2010
1,151
Maryland
Really, you have the same number of TIRs there, just laid out differently. And personally, I'd go with the red/red SLPMM.
 

tarheel3559

Member
May 23, 2010
55
North Carolina
Doug I agree and realized I had the same number of individual TIR leds. I was just trying to get people's input on whether or not white would be a beneficial side warning color in addition to red or just to use only red.
 

Boss429

Member
May 21, 2010
261
Pennsylvania
tarheel3559 said:
Part of me says to go with the D4 just because I don't have any other uses for them but I figured I would ask you all here and get your opinions.

If you have the D4's already, you might as well use them, but I voted for the R/R slimlighter. I believe that would be more effective.
 

VolEms

Member
May 24, 2010
2,112
NY, USA
I have 2 R/B TIR6 slimlighters in my side windows of my SUV. I hope to switch them to Tomar 200s High power. I dont like the Slimlighters anymore. If its not head on they are useless. No off axis light at all. If you cant afford a Tomar 200s then go with an avenger. Of course if you are tight on cash and have the D4 in stock use it.
 

pdk9

Member
May 26, 2010
3,834
New York & Florida
i voted for the R/R slimlighter b/c i think that it'll consume less space when mounting it in the rear side windows; i love my dominator, but it is a bit on the bulky side (the housing and the required l-brackets to the rear) for interior mounting, whereas the slimlighter on a bail mount will probably consume less space, IMHO.


I voted R/R b/c (like some of the others above mentioned), i think white should be kept towards the front of the vehicle and intersection coverage.


good luck
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
VolEms said:
I have 2 R/B TIR6 slimlighters in my side windows of my SUV. I hope to switch them to Tomar 200s High power. I dont like the Slimlighters anymore. If its not head on they are useless. No off axis light at all.

True, but LIN thru tint is overall pitiful. So, it's a crapshoot.
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
If you do slimlighters and its purely for intersection warning i would mount them at an angle, put one side against the glass and have the other side of the slimlighter about 2 or 3 inches away from the glass if you get what im saying.
 

GaryErrol

Member
May 28, 2010
308
Indianapolis
rwo978 said:
True, but LIN thru tint is overall pitiful. So, it's a crapshoot.

I read that a lot on here. I've got High Power RECT25's in my rear glass and Talon's in my rear side windows. I think through my Chrysler factory tint they are very effective in daylight. I also have a Slimlighter MM in the rear window, get off axis just a little and its visibility disappears quickly. How many emergency vehicles park so that their TIR side warning lights are dead on for oncoming vehicles to see. With LIN's, even if you park at an angle, your light will still be seen, in my personal opinion.


Here is off axis video of mine in daylight:


aimg.photobucket.com_albums_v725_GaryErrol_2001_20PT_20Cruiser_th_DSCF1929.jpg


Ok, so it is a PT Cruiser and some of you don't like PT Cruisers. Well I don't care for CVPI's either. I have no use for one as a POV. You have to admit that the setup works and looks nothing like a emergency vehicle in any way.


Back on topic, LIN lights can be very effective through tint when the correct lights are used.
 

stfd717

Member
May 23, 2010
45
Topeka, KS
While I do agree that white can be a good attention grabbing light, I assume you are mounting these lights toward the rear of the vehicle. So in this case you are no longer calling for the right of way (since your vehicle is 2/3 - 3/4 of the way through an intersection). These lights are most effective head on and you are instead going to get lights which are better for visibility/recognition. Based on that, I would go with the R/R silimlighter on a slow-medium speed pattern (60-120 fpm), it's a smaller footprint and will get the job done quite nicely.


Good luck, look forward to seeing what you decide to do. :)
 

Lt. Dino

Member
May 24, 2010
144
Georgetown, USA
I voted for the R/R Slimlighter. Like others said, I like white toward the front, but more so, with white in the back, there's bound to be a little flash back inside the car... seeing a white flash in my rear view mirror at night would bug me after a while.
 

THEFLASH

Member
May 21, 2010
276
ALABAMA
I voted for the R/W/R/W D4 because in my opinion the TIR3's in the D4 provide better off axis light than the Slimlighters (which suck off axis) and can still punch through factory tint better than some linear lights. If that is going to be the only side lighting, the more off axis the better. And also you could rearrange the modules to be WWRR so that the white is to the front of the vehicle and the red is to the rear :D
 

bfd740

Member
Jul 4, 2010
285
Babylon, NY
I voted for the R/W/R/W D4 because in my opinion the TIR3's in the D4 provide better off axis light than the Slimlighters (which suck off axis) and can still punch through factory tint better than some linear lights. If that is going to be the only side lighting, the more off axis the better. And also you could rearrange the modules to be WWRR so that the white is to the front of the vehicle and the red is to the rear

and flash it half and half
 

linemanjas

Member
May 26, 2010
115
Layton, Utah
I say sell it all and get a pair of R/W dual avengers. The avengers or slimlighters are lighter and easier to mount and aim than the dominators. And the white seems to punch thru tint better than other colors so I say use it . I second what a lot of other people have said about slimlighters losing their punch off axis. I swapped mine out for dual Avengers and am very happy with their performance even thru the dark tint in my side rear windows. Or get some DP4's ...... and mount it outside on top of your roof rack.


ai149.photobucket.com_albums_s44_linemanjas_Grand_20Cherokee_th_Blackjeepsupdatedlights005.jpg


ai149.photobucket.com_albums_s44_linemanjas_Grand_20Cherokee_newesttoys009.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

theroofable

Member
May 23, 2010
1,379
New Jersey
I also like white because it adds more variation to the light. Breaks it up alittle. Most of our fire equipment has red/clear strobes on the sides. I think they look good. Just gives the eye more variation so its stands out more. Also easier to see the flashes because of the color change. Hard for me to explain sorry.
 

tarheel3559

Member
May 23, 2010
55
North Carolina
Holy old thread Batman....Just so everyone knows, I decided to use my R/R Slimlighters for now. I'm liable to change the set up again but we'll see. For now it was easiest to repurpose them from my Ram and buy a new light for the Dodge (I wanted more light in the rear of that truck).
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Rofocowboy84 said:
It's good to know some people get it, lol....

Exactly! Not everyone will see the front of your car, and the white will grab their attention. Why else would alley lights be white and flash?
 

TX-LEO

Member
May 24, 2010
139
San Antonio
I'm very PRO white. ( insert pun here ) But it needs to be done right. Too much can be overwhelming. On my POV, I have white facing forward on my flashing alley lights on my lightbar, and to the rear over my rear LP on a slow flash ( tir3 ). I dont consider a corner strobe to be in the same category because it's much more dispersed. An LED or takedown style LED or halogen is much more concentrated.


Since my city car is quite antiquated in its E'light setup, I simply turn on my takedowns and alley lights, and hit the high beams on the headlights and drive code with it like that.:roll:


With a FF response POV, I wouldn't bother with the white to the sides unless it was off-axis or to the front. I voted R/R


Just my ramblings.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

zacmtz7

Member
May 21, 2010
682
Atlanta, GA
I like white for requesting right of way and attention getting. but i only have white to the front and front sides and the white shus off when the vehicle goes into park.
 

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