Difference btw Strobes and plain Wig wags

[vegas0012]

Hey everbody,
First of all, I just want to say that by starting this thread I'm not trying to start a debate on if volunteers should or should not have lights on their POVs. That being said, as it comes to lights I dont really know much, so I'm hoping that someone can enlighten me. My question is what is the difference between having a strobe system and a wig wag set up. I know that with wig wags you are just utilizing your stock lights in the front and rear. How do strobes fit in with all of this? They go in the same place, correct? Anyways, thanks for any help and stay safe.

john rhem
SSFD

[HeavyRescueTech]

with wig wags (as you stated) you are using your stock headlights in an alternating patterns, usually by cutting wires and installing a wig wag switch.

with strobes (in the headlights or any other light), you end up drilling a hole into the reflective part of the headlight assembly, and put the strobe tube in the hole (the tube is shapped similar to a new style 60 W flourecent bulb).

[vegas0012]

Then so my next question would be why get a set of strobes? Are they brighter or more effective than simply utilizing wig wags? Sorry, if these are dumb questions. Thanks.

jack rhem
SSFD

[SSHANK42]

As far as headlight wig/wags go, get them. They are far superior than the strobes. If you choose to go with strobes your headlights will drown them out if you have both on at same time. In my opinion the headlights flashers are the most effective attention getting warning light you can have. Just remember to turn them of as well as your headlights after getting on scene. This goes for pov's and emergency vehichles.

[HeavyRescueTech]

advantages of wig-wags: uses your exisiting equipment, with the addition of a headlight flasher, cheap, relatively easy to undo, can't use them at night (if it's tied directly into your headlights)

disadvantages of wig-wags: sometimes illegal for non-police vehicles, you lose your daytime running lights when activated

advantage of strobes: brighter than wigwags, more customizable flash patterns, you can install 16 different strobe heads in your vehicle, and have 8 flash, then the other 8 flash, all in a syncronized motion.

disadvantage of strobes: more expensive, involves drilling additional holes in headlights, tough to undo.

hope this helps

[MetalMedic]

I used to have wig-wags and switched to a strobe headlight system. If you just want to put strobes in your headlights, you can find some less expensive systems that have just a two outlet power supply. The main reason I switched was that I found wig-wags significantly reduced the life of the bulbes in the headlights. Each time the lights "flash" they are turned on and off. The increased heating and cooling of the tungsten element in the headlamp reduces its effective life.

[MacInnis]

I am with SS on this. Strobes in the head lights are very hard ot see when the lights are on. I was going to do it too, but was convinced by the police officer installing the lights not too. I Did place 4 strobe in the tail lights. One in the each brake and one in each reverse light. Love them there.

On the matter of wig wags I have and love them too. But I also have grill strobes and one dash light on the front. Like DrP siad wig wags might be illegal in your state for FF. So check first befor eyou place them in.

[TillerMan25]

The difference between strobes and wig-wags is directly proportionate to the number of pagers and Fire Department Shirts the whacker owns.

[Workingfire22]

Originally posted by TillerMan25
The difference between strobes and wig-wags is directly proportionate to the number of pagers and Fire Department Shirts the whacker owns.

[Maverick9110E]

if your trying to decide on which to get, dont waste your money on the wig wags. and if your looking for something a little more concealed then a dash light (reccomened way to go) then go and get some grill mount strobes or if your sure that you want something in a housing then get the hideaway strobes, much more noticeable then the wig wags as wig wags are only as bright as your headlights, and god knows half the people never see them anyway. Not to mention you cant use wig wags at night, for the argument of putting strobes in headlights and not being able to see them i would listen to that because its 100% true, as i have some there for my car shows only. otherwise you may or may not be able to do this: put them in the turn signal housing, if you have a clear housing. then when you turn your headlights on the strobes are still visble. Galls sells the hideaway strobes, and they are the same quality that law enforcement uses so you can bet your *** their gonna be bright.

[HeavyRescueTech]

Originally posted by TillerMan25
The difference between strobes and wig-wags is directly proportionate to the number of pagers and Fire Department Shirts the whacker owns.

don't mind tiller, he's just jelous that his dept won't let him put strobes in his truck. in fact, I bet he dreams about driving around in that ultimate volunteer pickup truck that visits this site every couple of monthes...

[arhaney]

I have both, my strobes are mounted in the clear turn sgnal housings and give a good bit of light the sides as well as the front. The Wig Wags are good for use in the daytime when the light kinda "drowns out"
the strobes.

[MacInnis]

I am with ya DrP.

Hey I run light just for the Safety of it. I Vol in a very hilly curvy county and the lights help trust me.

[FF2303]

Whoever said you cant us wig-wags at night, why do you say that? They are used quite often at night... I would go with wig-wags in the head lamps and strobes or LED everywhere else. Wig wag gets you the most noticed from the front, especially during the day...

[HeavyRescueTech]

Originally posted by FF2303
Whoever said you cant us wig-wags at night, why do you say that?

for wig wags to work, your left headlight flashes, then your right headlight flashes. then your lefts ones goes on and off, then the right one goes on and then off. as one goes on, the other goes off, and the cycle continues. that's how wigwags work.

ok, so now your driving down the road, with no street lights, at 2 am and your left headlight is going on and off, then your right one is going on and off, etc. could you see why this might impair your driving? or why it would make it hard for another car to make our your cars width (as on a two lane road) when coming from the opposite direction?

see the problem now?

[TillerMan25]

he's just jelous that his dept won't let him put strobes in his truck.

Sure, I went out and bought a luxury sedan just so I could put strobe lights in the grill. Damn those state laws....

Forget that ultimate Volunteer Pickup, I prefer my Seagrave 100'Rearmount. It's faster, has more lights and sirens, carries more people and ACTUALLY SERVES A PURPOSE!

[DennisTheMenace]

Originally posted by DrParasite
for wig wags to work, your left headlight flashes, then your right headlight flashes. then your lefts ones goes on and off, then the right one goes on and then off. as one goes on, the other goes off, and the cycle continues. that's how wigwags work.

ok, so now your driving down the road, with no street lights, at 2 am and your left headlight is going on and off, then your right one is going on and off, etc. could you see why this might impair your driving? or why it would make it hard for another car to make our your cars width (as on a two lane road) when coming from the opposite direction?

see the problem now?

In a properly set up wig-wag system, only the highbeams shut on and off, your low beams can/should be able to be turned on as a constant. Since you should only be useing your high beams when no on-coming traffic is present, there should be no problem at all.

[MetalMedic]

Originally posted by DennisTheMenace
In a properly set up wig-wag system, only the highbeams shut on and off, your low beams can/should be able to be turned on as a constant. Since you should only be useing your high beams when no on-coming traffic is present, there should be no problem at all.

To take this one step further, if you have them set up properly, when you activate your "high beams" it should override the wig-wag and give you full high beam lighting. When you disengage the high beams, the head lights return to the wig-wag flash.

[DennisTheMenace]

Originally posted by MetalMedic


To take this one step further, if you have them set up properly, when you activate your "high beams" it should override the wig-wag and give you full high beam lighting. When you disengage the high beams, the head lights return to the wig-wag flash.

Yup, which is fine, since you you should not need the wig-wags when you have no cars in front of you, and should turn your high beams off when someone is in front of you.

[Maverick9110E]

or you could just not worry about any of that and get strobes