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Strobes

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yorkphotog

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I've got a guy doing an install on the car, and part of the deal will include strobes for pulling over in precarious places, etc. I'm trying to find a few strobe sets on the net to make sure I'm getting a decent deal from this guy. The strobes will be mounted in the tail lights...so they aren't strobe bars, just LED's that can be easily hidden.. of course, the power supply, controller, etc has to be included as well.

Any ideas?
 

unpltd

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Wow those are kind of pricey, look for a kit called "MAX4000" I think it is. It comes with 4-30v strobes transformer and a small single button controller for pattern and on/off.

I paid a little over a hundred for mine, have had them in the car for a little over two years no problems.. Everyone loves how bright they are...

Oh and so everyone doesn't get a hard on over it, they're for show purposes as I enter car in many shows a year... I know how you guys get over people that listen to scanners and have strobes...


I just looked and there is two sitting on Ebay for a bill....
 

fineshot1

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yorkphotog said:
The strobes will be mounted in the tail lights...so they aren't strobe bars, just LED's that can be easily hidden.. of course, the power supply, controller, etc has to be included as well. Any ideas?

This statement is confusing. Are they Strobes or LED's?

I'm guessing you mean strobe bulbs installed in the tail light fixtures.
 

af5rn

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Just be aware that hide-a-way strobes in your tail lights are pretty ineffective. Drive down the highway at night and take a look at the cops on the side of the road. Their stock tail lights are bright enough to almost completely obscure the rapidly flashing strobes. The only real benefit to hide-a-ways is that they give you some visibility from the side. They are almost useless from the rear. If you're serious about trying to protect yourself, you'll need to either stick something up in the rear deck or on the roof. Even through tinted glass, deck lights are many times more visible than hide-a-way strobes.
 

SAR923

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Although...those HAW strobes in a large enough back-up light are pretty good at night. Since it sounds like this isn't for an authorized emegency vehicle, a white strobe to the rear may be better anyway. I agree that HAWS in taillights are pretty much a waste at night. You can replace the standard stop/taillight bulbs with an LED version and get more rear warning power than the strobes.
 

af5rn

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Very good point. They are definitely much more visible in a back-up light than behind a fluted red lense! I can't speak for many states, but at least in Texas, you are more likely to legally get away with them being red than clear though. State law very specifically prohibits white light visible from the rear unless you are backing up. That's one of those little chicken-shyte tickets I used to write to pick-up truck drivers with their rear cargo light on at night. :lol:

Probably the best place for hide-a-ways is inside an amber turn signal lens. Much brighter than red, still legal everywhere most places, and more recognisable than clear.
 

mjthomas59

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If you really are worried about being hit by "stopping in precarious places" as you put it, then buy this:

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=DR040

The corner strobes are a joke in terms of actual warning power, which is why more and more police vehicles aren't having them installed. They sound cool, but wig-wags and a good traffic advisor are much more effective.

Also check your state laws, there are tons of deck and dash lights available, and if you don't mind halogen, can be had for a very reasonable price. Heck even LED's have come down in price. Either way, stick with yellow and white, and follow your state laws! Couple that traffic advisor with a cheap dash light and you have warning lights front and rear.
 
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Anand

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I'll agree with all the comments about the HAW strobes in taillamps not being that effective; I had a set of 20w (per bulb) strobes in my rear fog light spots in my taillamps wired to my reverse lights for a while and they worked VERY well (rear fog was a concentrated not fluted lens).

As for where to get them, I've always used www.strobesnmore.com ; they offer a LED deck light for as little as $80 or so, which, as stated above, will get you much more visability.
 

jhooten

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When are strobes in the back-up/red tail lights to bright, you ask? A driver of the lead car at last weeks race said he couldn't close up behind the pace car because my strobes hurt his eyes. Poor Baby.
 

38ffems

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I don't know where you guys are hearing that hide away strobes aren't bright but you must be using or seeing cheap systems. If you invest the amount of money required to be effective you won't be disappointed. Many guys on my home dept use them and they are extremely visible and bright even when the lights are on in the assembly. I wouldn't spend less than 200$ for a system and would purchase a whelen, federal signal, lightning x, or other big name.
 

SAR923

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A lot depends on the reflector and lens in the tail lights. The new Crown Vics have a much more opaque lens than previous models and the same power strobes are just not as visible in older Crown Vics. The Dodge Charge, OTOH, seems to have a really good reflector for the normal angle of insertion for a strobe and it's really bright, even with the same 20 watt strobes we had in the Crown Vics.
 

af5rn

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Very true. The Crown Vics have some really thick lenses, and the angle left for mounting HAWs doesn't allow for much reflector space. Same holds true for a lot of the vehicles with corner mounted tail lights. It's going to be specific to your vehicle, but even then, the HAWs simply don't allow for a lot of effective light in most vehicles.
 

swstow

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http://www.campsafetyinc.com/id58.html

yes this is a selfish plug but the company i work for part time but we sells whelen and other lights
we build police cars and fire trucks / not saying you cant buy else were but this should give you a good idea of what professional lights run,and yes low dallor equials low quilaty
 
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rcvmo

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Romulus, Mi.
When are strobes in the back-up/red tail lights to bright, you ask? A driver of the lead car at last weeks race said he couldn't close up behind the pace car because my strobes hurt his eyes. Poor Baby.

I wonder he says when there are red blue strobes in his rear view mirror and the officer behind the wheel of the car behind him with the red blue strobes ( or led in most cases today) wants him t pull over??????
rcvmo
 
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