Suggestions for replacement lights on Fire Engine

[WhiteLite03]

Our primary engine at my main fire department has halogen / incandescent flashers, and I'm looking for some cost effective suggestions as to how to upgrade them, and what to upgrade them to. I'm thinking LED, but the pricing on those is still a little high for what I think I'd need. Pictures below.


(Thought I'd clarify, before anyone asked, I took these pictures this morning when I dropped it off at the shop to have the fuel gauge fixed. We don't park it outside. )

 

[SireLite]

I say go with pimp pods. Cheap and Have a great warranty. You could mount pimp pods3's onto the white blanks on the streethawk.

 

[philyumpshus]

Are you going to touch the lightbar or do you just want to do the body lights? Here's my suggestion:


HLF


TIR3 behind signal lights for intersection


4 TIR3 in grille in X pattern (or double them to 8 for more punch)


Replace Weldon grille lights with strobe 900s (from eewllc.com) hooked to high-power power supply


I'd keep the Mini Side beams because even if you replace them, their positioning is terrible. :weird: (Our first-run engine is almost identical to yours).


If you replace the lightbar I call dibs on the FireHawk!

 

[ark_firefighter]

Well LEDs are the way to go... a strobe system would cost just as much but will burn out over time.


I have 2 setups I would suggest.


Budget Setup:


Swap the Fire Hawk lightbar for a all light MX7000 with intersection sweeps.


$150.00-200.00


Grill lights replace them with Whelen 9x7 halogens (brighter)


$40.00 total


Swap Micromax Strobes for Whelen 400 series Liner LEDs ($80 each)


$160.00


Total $400.00


LED Setup:


7- Whelen 700 series Liner leds in the Lightbar


$770.00


2- Whelen 700 series Liner leds in the grill


220.00


2- Whelen M4 leds on the intersections (1 per side)


210.00


Ball Park Total Cost before shipping $ 1200.00


Whatever you do KEEP that code 3 ocslaser on the bumper but change it to a clear dome !

 

[Station 3]

Damn that sucks that those micro max strobes on the side are just aiming up lol. But i agree with these guys put some sort of TIR3s on the grill "PIMP PODS" those are nice and you will have a bright and cost effective set up.

 

[FireGuru]

Well LEDs are the way to go... a strobe system would cost just as much but will burn out over time.

I have 2 setups I would suggest.


Budget Setup:


Swap the Fire Hawk lightbar for a all light MX7000 with intersection sweeps.


$150.00-200.00


Grill lights replace them with Whelen 9x7 halogens (brighter)


$40.00 total


Swap Micromax Strobes for Whelen 400 series Liner LEDs ($80 each)


$160.00


Total $400.00


LED Setup:


7- Whelen 700 series Liner leds in the Lightbar


$770.00


2- Whelen 700 series Liner leds in the grill


220.00


2- Whelen M4 leds on the intersections (1 per side)


210.00


Ball Park Total Cost before shipping $ 1200.00


Whatever you do KEEP that code 3 ocslaser on the bumper but change it to a clear dome !

Even if you don't use all the ops he has suggested here, at least the bar will be upgradable to just about anything you want to add to it. just my 2 cents ...

 

[SlickTop Solutions]

Replace the Weldons on the grill with PowerARC LED210s $291.90 each, $583.80 MSRP.


Keep the Oscilaser, if you do decide to change it, I would recommend either a PowerArc M90FK $266.70 or MP13FK $273.30 MSRP.


Replace the MicroBeams with LED210s with the 2ADP adapter brackets to point the lights to the side $317.10 each, $634.20 MSRP.


The above changes will make the biggest difference in being seen from the front with the least impact on your budget, and you can do split colors on the LED210s if you like while maintaining NFPA compliance.


If you also want to change the bar, look at XT series Lightbars from PowerArc, all light bars and the the above light heads are NFPA compliant and exceed NFPA requirements for both clearing right of way and blocking right of way.


If you are interested, PM or e-mail me for better pricing.

 

[grfd711]

I wouldn't remove your lightbar. If so, the only thing I'd suggest is going LED, which isn't cost effective, which is why I say leave it be. The Streethawk has a pretty big rotator and so long as you don't have the red rotators on a high speed motor, will do alright. As far as a bit of an upgrade for more flash, you could add the inner rotators, but I've seen a new Streethawk with that same setup with new domes and LEDs on the grille and it did a very nice job of providing effective warning. Possibly look in the vintage area for tips on how to polish the domes might help increase output of it a bit, but that's all I'd do with the bar.


Concerning your grille, if you want to go LED, I'd prefer to get a larger LED to cover the same spot. Unfortuneately, used 9x7 LEDs from the major manufacturers aren't that easy to find. I have done this upgrade on the front of a heavy rescue on a Ford 9000 chassis and an engine with a Mack CF chassis, and a pair of Whelen 900 series super linear LEDs set to a simple 90 fpm with the whole lighthead makes for a massive red wig wag seen for ages.


Now, if you can't find used 9x7 LEDs (and stay away from the gen I LEDs, not gonna give you wide angle coverage), folks have already suggested placing smaller LEDs on the grille. You can get a pair of new ones from multiple manufacturers for less than $100. I do agree with the suggestion of the pimp pods. Whatever you do, stick with two red LEDs, though. If they're four or six diode, do not split the pattern, either.


That red oscilator is just gonna keep giving you headaches. Seen plenty of them fail. Swap it out with a 7x3 LED from any major manufactuerer. Good news is you can find used deals on them in the classifieds so long as you keep checking frequently.


Concerning the micromax strobes, it kills me that E-won't mounted those facing up. Anyways, you could swap them with a 400 series LED from Whelen, but they'd be pointing up, too. I agree with leaving them as is and just adding another LED somewhere on the side of the rig where it will be perpindicular, not at an angle like the micromax is. Plenty of options, from the cheaper three or four diode LEDs from plenty of manufacturers, to something in a 7x3 LED or a 4x6 LED from any major manufacturer.


As far as a HLF, so long as you can shut it off on scene, I'd say go for it. They're cheap and effective.


I'm guessing those are the only lights you wanna replace, as I didn't see any pics of lights on the side of the body or the rear. If you're doing anymore, please post, as we'll have opinions, tips, etc to offer for the rest of the truck.

 

[calebsheltonmed23]

Like almost everyone has said, go with LED's. I would also keep the FireHawk though! :drooling:


But think of the long haul: LED's last longer, draw less amps, have better warranties, etc., equaling savings on batteries, replacement lights, and better coverage (and if you turn off your trucks, God forbid, you would have a better chance at it starting [happened to us once when we ran out of gas]). Cheaper LED's would be the way to go (Pimp Pods, MicroMan, etc.). Just my 0.02.

 

[EHFD_Tower_751]

if u keep the streethawk......re-paint the bases (I do on mine when they look crappy)


I would also recommend some lower lights (but thats my opinion lol)

 

[Peter F]

We had lower lights like yours . I took the lenses off the weldon lights and removed the bulb assemblies . I then mounted 500 series linear LED lights (red) on the plate and wired it to the power . put the lenses back on and gave the light way better output . then we put axitech lights on the side of the wheel well. They were the extreme 9's. This gave the whole truck really good lower warning at a really good price . The other thing is if you change the lightheads themselves you will have old holes unless you put something like 900 series heads on . And I agree change that code3 oscilaser to white lens and you will have a decent light show,nothing wrong with the streethawk either .Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[WhiteLite03]

Thanks to everyone that replied to this, I'm going to have to sort through everything and reply individually to some, but I will briefly clarify a couple things to everyone about the engine and what I'd like to do to it.


First, the FireHawk stays. LOL. It works great for that unit. I might consider adding LEDs to the lower pods, maybe.


Second, the lights on the fenders are micro-halo's. The sticker is mostly gone on that side, I should have taken a pic of the other one, it's not as bad. These lights I do want to replace; the one on the passenger side (the one the pic is of) won't flash and stays on steady, and the flasher unit that powers all the incadescent lights is going bad. I wouldn't be opposed to putting lower level fender warning in as well, but these lights at least need to go.


Third, the lights in the grill I'd like to replace with LEDs, they don't have to be that big but I'd like as close to the same foot print as possible, though that's probably going to be cost prohibitive.


Fourth, the Oscilaser really needs to be replaced with LEDs as well. I like those lights, but it's mounted into the bumper, angled slightly downward, and the vibrations from the engine and the road make it impossible to keep the connections inside tight, and it keeps going out.


I'd like to replace the lights on the back of the unit as well, but I already know what I want for that. I'll post some pics of the rest of the truck whenever I get a chance, maybe tomorrow if it's back from the shop.


Lastly, I'm not even sure that I can get the department to contribute to this at all, the chief doesn't have the same views on lights that I do, and doesn't view them as a priority, so I may have to try and do this out of pocket initially. With that said, I'm poor, lol, so cost effective is good. I may have to do this one step at a time.


Thanks again, and keep the suggestions coming guys!

 

[grfd711]

I've been in your position on paying out of pocket for the lights. Luckily, I got reimbursed down the road after EVERYBODY boasted about how much more effective they were.


As far as the front, that's gonna be your most expensive upgrade if you want a large LED lighthead. From time to time you will see a 9x7 LED lighthead on the forum, so keep watching. I would recommend a SOS 7" round light, like the ones used on school buses, BUT, you won't get any off angle warning due to it being a gen II lighthead. If you have to drop to a smaller lighthead, I'd say go for a 4x6 LED or a 7x3 LED.


The factory LEDs for the lower level of the Streethawks are a PITA and a decent LED. Only thing that'll be a PITA is you'll have an LED flashing right next to a halogen rotator and will look a bit weird from a distance.


Keep an eye on here, fleabay and UsedEmergencyEquipment.com - Lightbars, Lightheads, Consoles, Cages, floorpans, you name it!. Two of the guys involved with that company are members on here and I've dealt with them a couple of times. Good luck, and if I think of any other places to keep an eye out, I'll let you know either in this thread of via PM.

 

[secrestwrecker]

I have used LED hide aways to convert large halogen lights like the ones in the grille, it acutually works pretty good (as long as the correct hide away is used) and is cost effective while maintaining the same footprint.