I just purchased and installed a Backrack for my '06 Supercab, and it looks really good (pics to come soon). I will be plowing this winter, like always, and am looking for a new Amber Mini-lightbar.

Two questions for fellow members with lightbars:

1.) Does anyone out there have a preferance as to what they run on their trucks?

2.) How/Where did you run your wiring to the light and to the switch? (i'd like to make it as less intrusive as possible)

 

Come on.... no one in here is a Vol Firefighter, EMT, or plows snow??? Just looking for some advise on mini-bars out there.... Thanks.

 

Seek and ye shall find.

Also, several regular members have lightbars.

2stroked
tiny1
drpaul84 (hidden strobes)

 

I prefer the hide-away style lights, something you cant see until you need them. I also like the LED's over strobes as they pull so much less current and less heat. I have installed them both and if you dont have enough room around the strobes, they can actually melt plastic light housing. If you are going to go with a light bar, check out these:


These are great little light bars and can be magnetic mounted for temporary use. They are also priced very reasonably.

I built some LED tailights for my street legal golf cart and wanted something to grab attention if someone messes with it. I installed an alarm on it and hooked the light flash output of the alarm to a SHO-ME LED flasher, here is a short vid of me playing with it showing the flash patterns:
http://www.studmonkeyracing.com/v2/vids/ledflash.wmv
(right click, Save As)

I hope this helps....

 

I am a firefighter and I got a bunch of leds on my truck, but not a lightbar. The first thing you need to decide is how much do you want to spend? The lightbar above is a first generation led. It is bright head on, but its not as bright off axis.
There are many different ways to go. I plow as well, but not with my truck. Strobes are terrible when its snowing. LEDs will not draw much power at all. If you got any other questions, let me know? Eric

 

Just remember a light bar, even a small one will cause wind noise and a drop in fuel mileage.

 

I had a fullsize lightbar on my old truck. Never hear any wind noise. Then again, I had Magnaflow on my old truck.

 

i AM A VOL FIRFIGHTE RI HAVE A DASH LIGHT AND VISOR LIGHT AND HIDE A WAY STOBES BEHIND THE GRILL BUT I KNOW OF SOME WEBSITES IF YOU NEEDS A MIN LIGHT BAR LET ME KNOW

 

If you want something easily removable, a magnet mount mini bar is a good option. If you look at Tiny1's Star mini bar, you'll see the setup we use on our fleet of (all Ford Super Duty) plow trucks. (Tiny's got my old bar.) I convert the factory wiring over to a two prong quick connect. I then run wiring back through the 3rd brake lights and to a lighted switch on the dash and fuse panel. The beauty of this system is that we have the ability to quickly remove a light for either height restrictions or repair purposes.

If you go bigger than a mini bar, you can still use a similar system. I now run a Star Interceptor light bar with a few more options. Here's how I ran the 8 wires to it using standard trailer plugs.

 

Here are a few other words of advice on emergency lighting in general. As you’ve seen, there are a number of opinions on what type of lighting works best. In general, you have 3 choices: 1) Halogen rotators, 2) Strobes, and 3) LEDs. Each have advantages and disadvantages as follows:

Halogen Rotators: Been around for quite a while and are relatively inexpensive. Any name brand will give you a pretty decent attention grabbing effect for the money. The down side is the noise and current draw.

Strobes: A little newer and a little more expensive, but great attention getters with relatively low current draw. They also cure the noise problem found with rotators and generate just enough heat internally to melt ice and snow.

LEDs: The new kid on the block with a wow factor that’s hard to beat. They really get your attention, but so will the price. (Better be sitting down when you price this stuff.) LEDs also have the lowest current draw of any of these lights. One big negative for where we live though. LED’s generate next to no heat, so snow and ice will not melt off.

 

As 2stroked mentioned, I have his old mini bar and it is wired as he stated. For wiring purposes, it is very simple. Power is tapped off of the fuse block, runs to a lighted switch in the dash next to the steering wheel. Then the hot wire runs along the gasket along the doors and the headliner to the third brake light where it passes through the groument for the brake light wiring. The ground is attached behind the brake light using a sheet metal screw.

As for lights, personally I like a halogen/strobe combination. The halogens are easily visiable at all times. Strobes are difficult to see during the day unless it is overcast, but are great at night and inclement weather. Generation 3 LED's are very bright, but are also $$$$$$$$$$$$ depending on the color and do not generate enough heat to help melt snow off from the light.

Also if there is any wind noise or loss of gas mileage with a light bar, it is very minimal

Here is picture of the rear of my setup:


If you have any questions, post them up

 

The next thing you have to do is teach you rotators to all come to a rest perfectly aligned. See, not only did I set Tiny's light up, I taught his rotators!

 

2STROKED AND TINY1 THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR WIRING GUIDENCE... I WILL BE RUNNING MY WIRES THE SAME WAY WITH THE QUICK CONNECTS. FOR A LIGHT BAR I'M THINKING ABOUT THE WHELEN RESPONDER HD W/ 135RFP (540 FPM TOTAL) OR 175FPM (700FPM TOTAL) ROTATORS. ITS MORE THAN ENOUGH WARNING POWER SINCE I ONLY NEED IT FOR PLOWING. YOUR WIRING IS GREAT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE IT AT THE END OF THE SEASON. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE GREAT INFO!!

 

Here is my feelings on rotators. There are 'normal' speed which will give you around 70-90 'flashes' per minute and 'fast' speed rotators that will run anywheres from about 100-140 'flashes' per minute. I have seen a few guys that have had the 'fast' ones in their lighbars and they spin around so fast that you do not get the 'flash' effect that helps to catch a persons attention.

Pesronally, I perfer the 'normal' speed ones. With my current bar, it has 2 rotators with a diamond shaped mirror in between. So if you were to stand in front or in back of my truck, you will see 4 flashes per revolution. 2 from the rotators and 2 with the refelction off of the mirror. So I think that you should be okay with either of the lights that you are considering. Good luck and again if you have questions let us know.




2stroked: We do have to worry about people that have 'taught' their rotators to line perfectly up. I know that I have few screws loose to go into burning buildings while others are running out. So what is yours??????? lol.

 

Tiny1... Vol Firefighter Here Too... I Use A Rear Hide-a-way Strobes In The Tail Lights, And A Dash Light, Dual Head Strobes, When Running To The Fire House. We As Volunteer Firemen Definitly Have A Screw Or Two Loose...

Anyway, I Have A Code 3 420 Mini-bar Now With 95rpm Rotators With The Diamond Mirror... In My Opinion Its Too Slow For Winter Plowing... Do You Think That The 135fpm With The Diamond Mirror Will Be A Significant Enough Difference Or Go With The 175fpm; Difference Of About $30-40?

Thanks Again.