Whelen Responder LP2 Hi/Lo power setting

bearshark

New Member
Aug 27, 2012
5
Pennsylvania
I have a Whelen Responder LP2, magnetic mount with a cig adapter. I'd like to be able to control the brightness (depending on day/night use), and it appears that, even though this function isn't wired to the adapter switch, there is a violet wire inside the device that controls this when power is applied. Has anyone else wired in this function and does anyone know if this violet wire runs through the entirety of the power adapter, or does the wire terminate inside the light enclosure?
 

lightguy256

Member
Sep 18, 2010
19
New Jersey
The violet wire does not connect into the power cord. There is only Power, Ground and Pattern wires in the cord. If you do not need to change patterns you could switch the pattern wire with the low power wire inside the bar and use the pattern switch to switch into low power.
 

fire1

Member
Jun 5, 2011
621
Michigan
lightguy256 said:
The violet wire does not connect into the power cord. There is only Power, Ground and Pattern wires in the cord. If you do not need to change patterns you could switch the pattern wire with the low power wire inside the bar and use the pattern switch to switch into low power.

You need consent power, not a momentary switch. You need a duel switch, or put one in to control HI/low.
 
May 25, 2010
7,072
Tunkhannock, PA, USA
fire1 said:
You need consent power, not a momentary switch. You need a duel switch, or put one in to control HI/low.

Incorrect... As with EVERY Whelen LED flasher, you can use either method for putting it into Low Power


A direct quote from this Instal Guide: http://www.whelen.com/install/141/14106.pdf

Hi/Low Power:





Allows user to step the unit down to low power for nighttime use.


Latching Mode:



By applying +VBAT to the VIOLET wire for less than 1 second, thelightbar is “latched” into low power. The unit must be turned off and then back on torestore normal high power operation.


Level Mode:


Applying +VBAT to the VIOLET wire for more than 1 second holds thelightbar in low power mode until voltage is removed.


 

bearshark

New Member
Aug 27, 2012
5
Pennsylvania
lightguy256 said:
The violet wire does not connect into the power cord. There is only Power, Ground and Pattern wires in the cord. If you do not need to change patterns you could switch the pattern wire with the low power wire inside the bar and use the pattern switch to switch into low power.

I actually really like this idea. I don't change up the pattern too often. Alternately, I'm considering adding a toggle inside the lightbar enclosure that would switch between functions. In the rare instance I want to change up the pattern, open up the enclosure, hit the toggle, find another pattern, then switch it back. Now, to find a good toggle switch...
 

mjw357

Member
Jun 17, 2011
188
OHIO
bearshark said:
Alternately, I'm considering adding a toggle inside the lightbar enclosure that would switch between functions. In the rare instance I want to change up the pattern, open up the enclosure, hit the toggle, find another pattern, then switch it back. Now, to find a good toggle switch...
Federal Signal has a cool feature on the new HighLighter bars. They use a reed switch inside the case, you just hold a magnet near it to switch patterns.
 

mjw357

Member
Jun 17, 2011
188
OHIO
Hoser said:
My Responder has a monster cable out of the light to a cigar plug with a dual switch. Havent removed the cigar plug to see what wires actually run thru it....Anybody?
Sounds like it is a permanent mount fitted with a cig plug.
 

bearshark

New Member
Aug 27, 2012
5
Pennsylvania
Hoser said:
Thats how it came when I purchased it, everything looks stock just bigger cable than Ive ever seen on a magnetic light. Heck of a lightbar just way to many patterns.

My Responder LP2 also has an extremely thick cable with the cig adapter. It's probably stock. In fact, as a result of this thread, I had a look last night. The cig adapter can actually be taken apart without any cutting. It has a screw on it that can be undone, then unscrew the tip where the fuse is, With a razor blade you can carefully pry the two sides apart. I found that the wiring for the on/off and the pattern switch are the only thing running through the thick cable. It's thick because its protecting the wires and you're probably slamming a door or trunk on the cable (a Dremel is your friend).


I had another idea for wiring that might be a fun solution. Wire the hi/lo to a remote radio device that is powered and housed inside the enclosure. Associate it to a remote control that you keep in your glove box. Idk how that would work, exactly. But it sounds cool.
 

Hoser

Member
Jun 25, 2010
3,704
Ohio
bearshark said:
My Responder LP2 also has an extremely thick cable with the cig adapter. It's probably stock. In fact, as a result of this thread, I had a look last night. The cig adapter can actually be taken apart without any cutting. It has a screw on it that can be undone, then unscrew the tip where the fuse is, With a razor blade you can carefully pry the two sides apart. I found that the wiring for the on/off and the pattern switch are the only thing running through the thick cable. It's thick because its protecting the wires and you're probably slamming a door or trunk on the cable (a Dremel is your friend).

I had another idea for wiring that might be a fun solution. Wire the hi/lo to a remote radio device that is powered and housed inside the enclosure. Associate it to a remote control that you keep in your glove box. Idk how that would work, exactly. But it sounds cool.

What wires did you find in the cable?
 

bearshark

New Member
Aug 27, 2012
5
Pennsylvania
Mission accomplished. I rewired the toggle on the cig adapter to the hi/lo pin. There actually isn't a wire for this in the lightbar harness so I figured out which pin it was and soldered it down. I also wired in quick disconnects so I can switch back to the pattern select wire later on.


Finally I made a short video (sorry for the quality) for anyone who wants to see the difference between hi power and lo power. Thank you all for the various suggestions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfLroW7BUqo
 

shues

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
10,276
NW Indiana
Hoser said:
Thanks just curious to what wires were there.

I believe this has the same cable as the R10 (Responder HD) has. My cable has three wires: red for power, black for ground, and white/violet for pattern change. I removed it when I purchased the little tiny 6-pin plug to fit the flasher from rwo978. I ran a 4-wire cable into the truck. Let me know if you want a spare cable to hack up. It's complete from AMP plug to cigar plug.
 

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