wig wags on a Deuce Fire Truck

[scootertrs]

OK... Never enough lights!!! Now I want Wig Wags for my High beams, but trying to not reinvent the wheel. All of the "official" wig wags I have found are 12 Volt. To use them in a 24 Volt system I would have to incorporate relays and diodes since I still want to keep my high beams for whenever they are needed. I will make it work if I have to, but would rather use the KISS principle.

Any ideas?

 

[drgreg]

Depending on the type of load, (2) 12 volt loads connected in series will work on 24 volts.
The series loads work as a voltage divider.

 

[Crazyguyla]

What's a wig wag?? Is the the thing that makes them flash? just use a turn signal flasher.

 

[319]

I could be wrong but I thought at one time, Soundoff in Hudsonville, Mi made 24V flashers.
Call and ask 800-338-7337

 

[mattg2448]

Whats the KISS concept?

 

[Crazyguyla]

Whats the KISS concept?

Keep it simple stupid

 

[scootertrs]

Wig wags are usually what you don't want to see in your rear view mirror... it is what alternately flashes the high beam (R+L) in the headlights in a patrol car or a fire truck... Friend just called to tell me that Truck-Lites makes a gizmo that should work... but I would still need to dissassociate the high beams from the alt. flasher... using diodes... there goes KISS!!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Why not just use 2 Whelen hide-a-way strobes up front. Most of the older strobe packs were 12/24V

 

[scootertrs]

Why not just use 2 Whelen hide-a-way strobes up front. Most of the older strobe packs were 12/24V

Got several Whelen packs... but still like the look of the wig wags... just humoring my inner child

 

[tigger]

If you look at the front of my truck the fire dept. added the two lights under the headlights and had them set up to wig wag.

 

[scootertrs]

Oh man... neat stuff... wig wag white? But darn... I have 2 cpi siren/led units in front where these would mount... looks great though - gotta love that truck

 

[PackRatWrecker]

I've got one of these for my Deuce. Mine is a 650205. I'm running 12v, but the literature says 12-24v.

Intelli-Flash Flashers | Flashers & Strobe Power Supplies

 

[boomer]

Hey scoots, I seem to recall a previous post, where you were complicating things. As like this, you want to "kis(s)" - - BUT you want a lot of/more lights Well, if the latter, then you are not kis(s).
Further more, if the 530 needed or required more lights, it would have them.
Now- as far as wig wags (here's another thing) they were only used on police cars! Clause; might be that a certian F.D. had one, but again, not for that era. It seems that you are slowing going that route of that guy that took an M-530 and modified (not the word that came to mind, first) it. All for the sake of a tv show.
That's my

 

[scootertrs]

Know what? that is what is great about this hobby! I like fire trucks... I like lights... I have a business that depends on fire trucks... these trucks don't need a turbo, nor singles, nor strobes, nor sirens, but it strokes me... and I think that is what is important... at least to me... a wonderful thing about this country... The guy with the TV show? at least he had the decency of offering all of his left over parts to other hobbyists (like me) Thanks to him and M16ty, I was able to repair and finish my pumper and valves... Who am I to judge someone that wants a bobber... just because I think a 6x6 is major cool... By the time I got this truck, restoration to original was unreasonable and for my pocket, unaffordable. The pumping system from the truck in TV was trashed... totally, but you know what, between what he gave me and what I had I have a fully operational 530 pumper... and I have Ian and Ty to thank for that... and for that I am grateful... As far as Kiss goes... yeah, you are right... but as Clint eastwood used to say... Every man has to know his limitations... My 2 cents

 

[Stan Leschert]

A normal Wig Wag unit has built in diodes. It won't work otherwise, unless it incorporates a real expensive relay. Either way, your wiring harness has to undergo mjaor surgery. Done incorrectly.... keep the extinguisher handy. This may also change your fording capability, depending upon your skill and budget!

Wig Wags may look cool, but really decrease the light available to the driver. This is not a good idea for a fast response vehicle. Seperate strobes work very well, as long as they don't distract the driver. Ask me how I know! Visibility without distraction is what you need to acheive! Keep us posted.

 

[redass73]

My brother and I have been building our county police cars for a 4 years now.I think I have a basic diagram for wig wags. I will look tomorrow and try to post something.

 

[tamangel]

may want to check your local/state DMV regs and/or check with your local county LE radio/equipment shop (they may install or repair same..) re: wigwags..usually you need to have one headlight function (high or low beams) on at all times and a second function (the other side:high or low beam) doing the wig-wag operation for safety. One function, lights the road, the other function, simultainiously, is the emergency side advising motorists that you are going code.. two separate operations going at the same time. When I was in, my old agencies patrol cars/trucks had 4 lights forward, easy to accomplish. One beam set on, the other beam set doing the wig wag thing..On a two headlight setup, may have to go to additional/separate set of forward facing lights to do this..

Mike

 

[tigger]

Here is what is on the truck for the wig wags on mine i was going to throw it out but if you want it shoot me an address and i send it to you next time I'm home. Don't know if it works or not. the fire dept relay chopped the wiring harness on this truck. I see a new harness in my future

 

[scootertrs]

A normal Wig Wag unit has built in diodes. It won't work otherwise, unless it incorporates a real expensive relay. Either way, your wiring harness has to undergo mjaor surgery. Done incorrectly.... keep the extinguisher handy. This may also change your fording capability, depending upon your skill and budget!

>>>I don't do much fording, but have either repaired, updated, or improved the current venting systems of the truck including the remote brake reservoir. The wiring I do is first rate. All weather proof and 600V rated. From my years as a video cameraman...

Wig Wags may look cool, but really decrease the light available to the driver. This is not a good idea for a fast response vehicle.

>>> I was only planning on wig wagging the high beam section of the headlight and still keep the low beam working. If I wanted additional visibility I could turn on my 2 cab side spots.

Seperate strobes work very well, as long as they don't distract the driver. Ask me how I know! Visibility without distraction is what you need to acheive! Keep us posted.

>>> OK you peaked my interest>>> How do you know??? BTW, as far as war stories go... I was a local PO in Gainesville, FL on patrol responding to "Robbery in Progress call" in my zone. When the call went out, I was stopped in a line of over 50 cars on a 2 lane road (some individual was stalled) I saw that the traffic light at the end of the street had changed, giving me a gap so I could travel opposite lane... and I truned on my overheads, wig wags and siren... and trucked on cautiously... about 2/3 of the way through, I noticed my siren getting LOUDER and without any warning, from the lane of stopped cars, my Sargent swings out right in front of me with his dash light and siren wailing... I almost T-boned him... nothing happened, it was a funny moment afterwards, but if you do the wouldof, couldof, shouldof... Whew.

I do believe in visibility in emergency vehicles and also believe that almost never do you have enough. The more the merrier. Thanks

 

[John S-B]

And to further screw up your KISS method, current standards call for the wig wags to automatically shut off when you are in park so oncoming drivers aren't blinded and can see firefighters on the ground. I'd also look into LED's, a lot less draw on the electrical system, and Friggin' BRIGHT!! I can see the reflection of our new LED's off of street signs in broad daylight!