Setup Help

[philyumpshus]

I am in a dilemma that I never though I would have faced: I can't decide what to put for lights on my truck. First, a brief overview of what I have and what I use it for:


1999 Ford Ranger extended cab (dark tint)


Volunteer FF/EMT at home (blue lights)


Volunteer EMT at school (green lights)


The truck has blue LIN4s in the grille, HAWs in the front and rear turn signals, and an amber Microman 32" stick in the back window hooked to a Whelen TACTLD controller. I also have an all-blue StealthVisor on the passenger side but I think I have that light sold.


I need more color to the rear because right now I only have amber back there. I can't run the blue and green at the same time. My FD runs about 60 calls a year and my rescue squad runs about 3000, so I will definitely be using the green lights a lot more. The only problem that I've run into is that green lights aren't very common while blue are relatively cheap. Everything needs to be LED and I'd like to keep the roof clean.


I was thinking about putting a G/G Avenger next to a B/B Avenger above my RVM, if they will both fit. I am also thinking about putting some green lights in the grill next to the blue. My biggest obstacle is the rear- I can put LAWs (Axixtech) in the backup lights but that only gets me one color, blue or green. The back window is a possibility but I think it will get confusing with the TA back there.


Any suggestions?

 

[localhero800]

Ok.. for leds i would run 2 switches.. 1 for Blue leds and 1 for green leds. i would double up on your grill lights.. either side by side, or over and under, but put blue and green, each on their own switch. for the rear, i would keep the amber, and then again.. do a set of blue and a set of green.. either tir3 or lin3.. Not to pic favorites butr i Like Pimp pods, very heavy duty, and a great price.. IIRC they are 75.00 a pair shipped.. go with that.. and then you can add your choice of dash light..

 

[localhero800]

You can put the tir3 on the plate, or on the rear bumper.. if you dont want them in the window,..

 

[philyumpshus]

Where are you suggesting I put the lights in the rear? That's really what I'm after. I really wish Axixtech would add green to their dual-color lightheads.

 

[localhero800]

Does the rear of your truck look like this???





If so i would go with tir3 on the plate, ot above or below the tail lights.. or above the back glass on that strip on metal there..

 

[Reliable Radios]

Here is the back of my 99 ranger.





I also have hide-aways in the tail lights.


The one thing I caution you on is putting the lights above the window didn't work very well for me. There is a slight incline so the lights do not sit flat so they are kinda dim from standing level. If your in a tractor trailer they are perfect.

 

[localhero800]

With that, though you could shim the top of the lighthead and point it more level

 

[philyumpshus]

I thought about lights above the back window but like was mentioned, they would point too high. What do you guys think about a headache rack? I might have just a frame made so I can mount lights to it.


If I went with a roof setup, what would be a good setup? I can get a blue or green bar but it's hard to be able to mix them and still have the lighting be effective.

 

[Tlandreth22]

Get a blue Whelen Responder for the roof and remove it until it's necessary, then have a green dual avenger and your grille lights.

 

[Alovebaby41]

If you would like you could custom order a duo liberty from whelen with green/blue. It will be expensive but it's an idea. Something else you can do is buy two half inner edges and buy one in blue and the other in green.

 

[EMT]

Volunteer FF/EMT at home (blue lights)


Volunteer EMT at school (green lights)

Literally same problem here.... I just got two dual avengers b/b and g/g.... Works well for me (HAW and HLF too).

 

[RL1]

Get ELS to make you a bar with blue/green interweave. Then put the blue on one flasher and the green on another.

 

[Fast LT1]

Get ELS to make you a bar with blue/green interweave. Then put the blue on one flasher and the green on another.

I vote for this also, plus its probably the cheapest thing you'll find to suit your needs! If you look in the equipment review section i have a few videos of an ELS bar in action!


viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1431

 

[Tlandreth22]

I'd go with Microman, because his bars have mounts.

 

[Fast LT1]

I'd go with Microman, because his bars have mounts.

That is the only complaint about the ELS bars i have, in fact i had to remount mine last night as it was really ticking me off with suction cups!

 

[philyumpshus]

I was thinking about doing a Microman bar in blue/ green. I've used his stuff before and am very pleased with it. If I have Whelen build me a custom duo Liberty I will have more in the damn lightbar than I will in my truck. :roll:

 

[VolEms]

In NYS its crazy that Vol FD is blue and Vol EMS is Green. I once heard that if you are in both you can run Blue for EMS . Im not sure your Chief will like that. Anyway I have a lot of friends who have the same problem. Tomar just came out with new Light sticks in Rect13's and Rect14. Im sure they can make it alternating blue and green and have it hooked up to 2 switches. I would put 2 LP brackets with 2 green and 2 blue. by the way what plates do you have VAS or VF? Im assuming your in NYS. You can also do 200s in Green and Blue . Green is the same price for the 200S Dash LED's.