Whelen Vertex or other HAW installation method

Jake Duda

Member
May 19, 2013
96
Columbia, SC
 
Nice video, thank you. I do have a few questions.


1). Do you not predrill the screw holes? How do you keep that from flaking into the lense when you screw it in.


2). Can you provide more info on the silicone?


Thanks
 

Harbor Patrol

Member
May 22, 2010
301
NY
i like that idea of heating up the drill bit to avoid getting plastic pieces in the housing, +1


on another note, i thought mounting above the factory bulb was a no-no, due to melting of the vertex or hide-a-way dome, is that correct???
 

Jake Duda

Member
May 19, 2013
96
Columbia, SC
Harbor Patrol said:
i like that idea of heating up the drill bit to avoid getting plastic pieces in the housing, +1

on another note, i thought mounting above the factory bulb was a no-no, due to melting of the vertex or hide-a-way dome, is that correct???

Sorry about the late response, I'm not notified when a topic I post in is replied to.. gotta look into that.


Where I mount the Vertex in the reverse light, it's really a non-issue, since the reverse lights are rarely on. I would tend to agree with that statement when it comes to headlights or other long-use light.


Thanks for bringing this subject up!
 
Jan 19, 2012
304
Normal, IL
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
 

Andy L.

Member
Jun 16, 2010
282
Michigan
Great method..I'll be putting my heat drill bit together soon. Do you use the same method for double walled housing? I would assume it works but I am more curious what methods you use to seal the double wall units after installing a HAW?
 

Harbor Patrol

Member
May 22, 2010
301
NY
Jake Duda said:
Sorry about the late response, I'm not notified when a topic I post in is replied to.. gotta look into that.

Where I mount the Vertex in the reverse light, it's really a non-issue, since the reverse lights are rarely on. I would tend to agree with that statement when it comes to headlights or other long-use light.


Thanks for bringing this subject up!

true about the reverse lights,


ive learned my lesson early on, aka burnt holes in the vertex domes due to poor placement. wont make that mistake again
 

Jake Duda

Member
May 19, 2013
96
Columbia, SC
Andy L. said:
Great method..I'll be putting my heat drill bit together soon. Do you use the same method for double walled housing? I would assume it works but I am more curious what methods you use to seal the double wall units after installing a HAW?

I do use the same method. I use a 2" hole saw, same method, to gain access. Keep in mind you're only making access to the inner reflector housing, so if your bit drops off an edge, you can use it like a hinge and not take the whole plug out.


Any time I am installing in dual-walled lights, I save the 2" plug that is removed from the outer casing, make a slit from the center out for the wire to exit, and silicone the edge of the plug so it will somewhat sit in the hole while the silicone tacks up, or utilize gorilla tape to seal the hole (was recommended by the lighthead manufacturer, believe it or not) then cover with silicone.


I won't use screws in that style housing to hold the lighthead in, because screws are ugly :p Instead, once the HAW is in place, I made a tool to hold it tight until the silicone dries. Basically it's a strip of metal, not unlike a backstrap without holes, cut slightly larger than my access hole of 2", and a 3" self tapper driven through the middle. Once the HAW is in place and siliconed well, slip the tool into the hole, and use the screw to apply pressure to the lighthead while curing. I can get a pic if someone wants it, I have an old charger headlamp with the access holes cut that I replaced because an employee dropped the 1" hot holesaw into the lighthead after making the hole. :duh: so I can use that as a mockup for a quick demo.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Harbor Patrol

Member
May 22, 2010
301
NY
Jake Duda said:
, once the HAW is in place, I made a tool to hold it tight until the silicone dries. Basically it's a strip of metal, not unlike a backstrap without holes, cut slightly larger than my access hole of 2", and a 3" self tapper driven through the middle. Once the HAW is in place and siliconed well, slip the tool into the hole, and use the screw to apply pressure to the lighthead while curing. I can get a pic if someone wants it, I have an old charger headlamp with the access holes cut that I replaced because an employee dropped the 1" hot holesaw into the lighthead after making the hole. :duh: so I can use that as a mockup for a quick demo.


would love to see a pic or demo of this!!
 

Jake Duda

Member
May 19, 2013
96
Columbia, SC
As promised, better late than never, eh?


Here's the tools I use, same 1" as the video, and a 2"


CIMG0061.jpg


Breaching the outer layer (this time I left a hinge, as I touched on earlier)


CIMG0067.jpg


At this time, I made the 1" hole, and I installed the vertex, made a notch for the wire to pass through, then closed the flap


CIMG0065.jpg


The vertex fit looser than I'd like, and being that I don't like to use screws in clear housings, I used this tool I made...


CIMG0068.jpg


...to hold the vertex in place while the silicone dried


CIMG0069.jpg


Once the silicone set, I closed the flap with an aid of a heat gun on the hinge so it wouldn't pop up and compromise the seal


CIMG0066.jpg


This method was used on both headlamps, so pictures were used from both.


Here's the Charger headlamp that was damaged last year because of improper technique using this method, however


CIMG0072.jpg


CIMG0073.jpg


CIMG0074.jpg


CIMG0075.jpg


Thanks everyone!


-Jake
 

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