Need Help! - Vehicle Light/Siern Configuration

[thowle]

Hey I need a little bit of help from you all if at all possible. I’m trying to find lights and possibly a siren for my truck (I’m a volunteer firefighter, and soon to be law enforcement, DES (rescue)).

I have a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado Z71, 4x4, extended cab (3-door), long bed. It has a 6” suspension lift, with 35” ground hogs on it… so it does sit up fairly high.

What I think would be idea (correct me if I’m wrong, or inform me if there is something different you had in mind) would be a inside mount light bar (something like http://www.code3pse.com/productdtl.a...lyid=18&id=188) in the inside front, and something identical to it that would fit in the back glass. And then go back and get lights that could mount inside/behind the front grille.

My goal here is to get enough lights that will make it possible to be easily seen during the day and night, but yet when the lights aren’t energized that they remain unseen.

I can send you picture of the inside of my truck if you need me to. I just need help with the configuration so that I know what I get will fit and work perfect.

Also, as far as the color combination; I’m not sure if I should go with red/blue, solid red, or what.


Please advise, and thanks for the help.

-Travis


PS: The LED lights such as http://www.code3pse.com/productdtl.a...lyid=18&id=188, what is the flashing pattern on them? Or do they just stay on as shown in the picture? If at all possible, would you be able to make a short film possibly of the lights and the flashing pattern?



Also, keep in mind; this is my first time ever buying, using, and installing lights of this such. I don’t entirely know what all I need to make them work. I assume I can buy one control box and wire all lights together, but this is also something I’m emailing you about.


Again, thanks for your help.

[2andfrom]

I think this subject or certainly something very similar, may have been covered before. Be an interesting thread anyway

[thowle]

Well, yes I've seen a few around the forum but none of them really covered my exact situation. That's why I posted another topic

I'm really looking for someone out there that would be knowledgable of what works, and what doesn't work -- especially on this vehicle.

Anyway, thank you.

[rschultzjr]

Well, let me start out by saying that if you haven't read your state's laws governing "Warning Systems"; make sure you do and that you clearly understand what you can and cannot have.

One question that I feel is important and should be asked is; if you install those lightbars inside the vehicle will they give you true 360 degree coverage? In my state we are required to have 360 degree covereage. If not then maybe you should also look at purchasing some LED's for the side windows of your extended cab portion of your truck.

If this were my vehicle and I was trying to stay as low-profile as possible and wanted to be sure people see me; I would probably also look into purchasing either a wig wag system for my head lights or a nice strobe package, 1 in each head light (clear) and 1 in each tail light (clear).

I hope this helps you.

*****REMEMBER USING LIGHTS AND SIRENS DO NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, IT IS MEARLY ASKING FOR IT!!!!*****

[thowle]

Alright, thank you very much for the information. I've just looked at the law under KRS.189-00.959:4, it states "Any person who is a regular or voluntary member of any fire department furnishing
fire protection for a political subdivision of the state or any person who is a regular
or voluntary member of a rescue squad may equip his vehicle with red flashing,
rotating, or oscillating lights and a siren, bell, or exhaust whistle if he has first been
given permission, in writing, to do so by the chief of the fire department or rescue
squad. He may use such lights and equipment only while proceeding to the scene of
a fire or other emergency or to a location where another emergency vehicle is on
emergency call in the performance of his official duties as a member of a fire
department or rescue squad."

- http://www.lrc.ky.gov/krs/189-00/950.pdf

I know that red/red and red/white are designated for fire vehicles, but this law doesn't state whether I should use red/red or if I may use red/blue. I would like to get red/blue, but what are your opinions on this?

Also, if someone would have the time to help me find the best of the best (at a low price) LED lights for my vehicle. For now I beleive I will try to find lights that will fit in the following places on my truck (1999 Chevy Z71, Extended Cab).

- Inside, Front, Upper LED or Strobe (Something small, but noticable only when energized)
- Inside, Rear, Upper LED or Strobe (identical to front if possible).
- Outside LED or Strobe mounted inside the grille (hidden until energized)

Possibly....
- LED or Strobe lights to mount inside by the extended cab windows (intersection lights).

Thanks,
Travis

[chiefengineer11]

Don't know where you are or how much $$$ you have to put into this, but people like Havis Shields in Warminster, Pa. make megabucks doing installations like that. I'm sure if you snoop around a little, you'll find someone more local. Who do your police departments use? Bring money!!!

[sfdffemt17]

Travis,

I can not even take this thread seriously? You are a Firefighter, and are going to be in Law Enforcement, and actually get on these forumns and ask all these dumb questions about lighting. I have a hard time believing you are even a fire fighter, there is no one at your station you can ask these questions to? If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on lighting your truck, the first thing you ought to do is set it back to factory height. With it being as high as it is no one is going to see those lights anyways, unless you are way way behind them. I just have a hard time believing that someone asking questions, and asking them in the way you have is actually serious? The "tone" of your post, and other posts that you have made, just make me wonder if you are serious, or just trying to spark flame wars.

jon

[SHATTEREDDREAMS]

Guys, lets keep this clean.

This has been a Shattered Dreams Production

[2andfrom]

I think this subject or certainly something very similar, may have been covered before. Be an interesting thread anyway

I told you so!

[N2DFire]

KRS.189-00.959:4, it states "Any person who is a regular or voluntary member of any fire department furnishing fire protection for a political subdivision of the state or any person who is a regular or voluntary member of a rescue squad may equip his vehicle with red flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights and a siren, bell, or exhaust whistle if he has first been given permission, in writing, to do so by the chief of the fire department or rescue squad. He may use such lights and equipment only while proceeding to the scene of a fire or other emergency or to a location where another emergency vehicle is on emergency call in the performance of his official duties as a member of a fire department or rescue squad."

I know that red/red and red/white are designated for fire vehicles, but this law doesn't state whether I should use red/red or if I may use red/blue. I would like to get red/blue, but what are your opinions on this?

Actually the law is quite clear - it says red - didn't mention blue, green, clear, amber, or purple.

I will also second the opinion that given your truck's height that 95% of your lights will be wasted. When you are far enough away for them to be visible to smaller cars, you'll be to far away to be noticed & when you're up close the lights will be well above the other drivers line of sight. (FWIW - I drive a '97 Tacoma w/ Factory 31's and the one light on my dash is often to high for some smaller cars - esp. at closer ranges)

Try this - position a car (one of yours or a friends - smaller the better) about 350 feet in front of your truck - then sit in it & look in the mirrors and see what areas are most visible to you and then consider mounting your lights there.

In case you're curious as to where 350 feet came from - at 60 MPH you are covering ground at 1 Mile/Minute. 1 Mile = 5280 Feet so 1 Mi/Min = 88 Feet/Sec.
352 feet = a rough 4 second cushion between you & the car ahead (assuming that the car ahead is also running 60 MPH). If you think that this is too much just remember that on average it takes between 3/4 to 1 full second for you to recognise a problem and begin to react to it (THEN you have to decide WHAT to do and still have time enough to do it).

PS: The LED lights such as http://www.code3pse.com/productdtl....ilyid=18&id=188, what is the flashing pattern on them? Or do they just stay on as shown in the picture? If at all possible, would you be able to make a short film possibly of the lights and the flashing pattern?
Different makes/brands of LED's have different flash patterns. You'll have to look at the literature for each one to see what it's specifics are.

With regards to mounting:
- Inside, Front, Upper LED or Strobe (Something small, but noticable only when energized)
- Inside, Rear, Upper LED or Strobe (identical to front if possible).
unless you're using perfectly clear glass or special "Limo" tint - then the amount of warning light that will escape from inside those tinted windows will be greatly reduced. It would be a shame to spend big dollars on a lighting system and get minimal performance from it.

- Outside LED or Strobe mounted inside the grille (hidden until energized)
Again - most likely will be too high unless you mount them very low in the grille

- LED or Strobe lights to mount inside by the extended cab windows (intersection lights).
Waste of time unless you mount them at a pretty hard angle to point forward - pointing them directly to the sides for intersection warning - you'll already be half way through the intersection before they are visible. If you want them to simply fulfill the side portions of a 360 Degree requirement then go ahead but see previous comment regarding window tint.

With regards to prices - try strobesnmore.com - ebay - or pick a specific light you want and use the Froogle portion of the Google search engine to find a cheap(er) price.

Good luck on your project & be safe on the street.