Vision bar connection parts missing.

solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
Can anyone tell me what's missing, as there is nowhere to connect the ethernet cable from the controller on the bar. Pics attached.IMG_20200605_221020.jpg
 

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May 21, 2010
1,256
Minnesota
Also, I would think that the bar is a standard Vector. Each pulse-width modulator controller can adjust the speed of the rotator. If they did it smart they could make the rotators have a high in the low setting but it's a complete custom job.
 

needforspeed

Member
May 23, 2010
145
Massachusetts
Looks like one switch would allow power to the fuse block,
then to the individual pots
then to the lights.
looks like it is "all on" or "all off" with one switch and no controller.
 
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solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
So it's just controlled by sending 12v to each pod via a switch, and the controller will never work with this? Edit OK all on or off... got it. Controller from another model.
Thank you.
 
Last edited:
May 21, 2010
1,256
Minnesota
The external controller was never for this bar. It does look like one power wire will power it all on. The dials on the end of each little board should controll the speed of each rotator individually. It is not a factory option but nice concept for whoever made it.
 
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DLBFalcon

Member
Aug 22, 2013
112
Colorado
solidamber,

Usually in a vision lightbar are three circuit boards that look like this picture below. Like Jennifer Rose said, that lightbar you have is totally custom. Is your lightbar a Vector, Smart Vector or Vision though? (I'm just curious.) Do you have pictures of the lights? A vector will be rotators/stationary alley/wig-wags. A smart-vector will have two smart pods (usually pods 2 & 6) and then a Vision will have all 7 smart pods. Anyway, just curious! I think it's neat how it's wired.1592029857517.png
 

solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
It's a vision, I'm in the UK, the bar was on an imported crown vic, that is being scrapped, I was going to buy the bar, for a NYPD project car, I wanted the smart unit, when I found out it was a custom job I returned it to the owner, on testing it the advice was right, it's all on or off, 3 fuses are for the lamps 2 on each and one has three lamps, each motor has one fuse, the boards control motor speed, 2 boards where faulty and one motor dead.... The search for a bar continues.
 
May 21, 2010
1,256
Minnesota
A Vector, Smart Vector and Vision all look the same from the outside. An easy way to tell what it is (as long as the internal components are correct) is by looking at the rotators. Smart pods have a V shaped bracket rite at the top of the pod that the lightbulb is suspended from. A standard vector will not havr any of those. A Smart Vector will have 1 or 2 pods with them and a Vision will be every pod. The smart pods require special internal circuitry to run. A Smart Vector does not require any special controller, they made the circuitry compatable with standard switching. The Vision requires a special controller to run or is a big paperweight without it. Hope that helps.
 

solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
Vision, it said it on the side, it came with the controller see pic, it's returned now too much needed to get it working. IMG_20200605_221126.jpg
 

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DLBFalcon

Member
Aug 22, 2013
112
Colorado
Ok, thanks! I've never seen one wired up like that. I'm not sure how that would work on a Vision since Vision's have the stepper motors and home sensors and stuff. Interesting! Thanks! Sorry for being nosey, I like light bars and try to learn as much as I can.
 

solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
Ok, thanks! I've never seen one wired up like that. I'm not sure how that would work on a Vision since Vision's have the stepper motors and home sensors and stuff. Interesting! Thanks! Sorry for being nosey, I like light bars and try to learn as much as I can.
Those little boards must have been custom made to control the stepper motor
 
May 21, 2010
1,256
Minnesota
Those little boards must have been custom made to control the stepper motor
It could have started its life as a vision or the end tags could have been switched out. Those controllers could not control a stepper motor though. They are pulse-width modulators to control the speed of a standard rotator. A stepper motor requires multiple wires for the different positions, nowhere near enough wires coming from that set up to control stepper Motors.

Obviously it was some type of custom job. You can slap a Ford sticker on a Chevy but when you go to the auto parts store for parts you're still getting ones to fit your Chevy
 
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DLBFalcon

Member
Aug 22, 2013
112
Colorado
Exactly, that's why I was wondering if you had a picture of the actual lights. The standard motors look the first picture below and the "smart pods" look like the other pictures. If that light bar only had the standard motors it's a vector. If it had two of these smart pods it's a smart-vector and if all seven pods had these smart pods it was a vision. I don't see how those would control a stepper motor or run the home sensors either. Do you remember which style pods (or how many of each) it a had?
 

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solidamber

Member
Mar 29, 2017
16
cambridge UK
Exactly, that's why I was wondering if you had a picture of the actual lights. The standard motors look the first picture below and the "smart pods" look like the other pictures. If that light bar only had the standard motors it's a vector. If it had two of these smart pods it's a smart-vector and if all seven pods had these smart pods it was a vision. I don't see how those would control a stepper motor or run the home sensors either. Do you remember which style pods (or how many of each) it a had?
Sorry I gave it back, each pod had 4 wires, so so must have been vector pods, on a vision chassis.
 

jdh

Member
May 21, 2010
1,555
Geneva, FL
That was an interesting setup. I have made a vector with all smart pods. It was neat because you could program a pair to do diffent patterns, something the Vision could not do. I called it a dumb Vision LOL
 
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