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Whelen Flatlighter Mod...

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:26 pm
by jedi_saber
Ok, so here we have a nice Whelen flatlighter visor strobe. Unfortunately, as many of you guys know, this light absolutely blows with the internal comet flash powersupply and hardly pumps out any juice...

My question and mission, if you choose to accept in answering to this post: How difficult would you think it is to either rip out the intern P/S and replace it with, say the CS240 (2 outlet, 40watt supply with all all the selection of flashpatterns and stuff), or simply screw the new powersupply onto the flatlighter and have the strobes run of this power supply?

Any insights, experience and advice much appreciated!

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:56 pm
by alex
Since I don't own one myself -

My suggestion would be to crack one open and take a look at the insides. You'll probably find that you can easily remove the whole strobe tube assembly for purposes of replacing the bulb. With this in mind, it's probably got those wonderful 3 pin nomex connector. I would run out to your closest whelen distributor and get yourself a replacement dual strobe cable for the dashmiser. This has 6 wires and comes with the appropriate connectors. Install that and run the strobes remotly off the PS.

Also, make sure you check the rating on the bulbs... you probably don't want to give them more power than they should have. However, knowing you, if it's not pushing the limit, than what's the point?

:)

-Alex

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:03 pm
by jedi_saber
alex wrote:you probably don't want to give them more power than they should have. However, knowing you, if it's not pushing the limit, than what's the point?
YOU GOT IT!!! Light it up baby!

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 3:11 pm
by Tech225
I mounted two of them in the rear window of a Dodge pickup and ran them off a 4 outlet 60 watt power supply. They work good in this application because they don't protrude into the interior very far. I think what hurts them is the shallow reflector which affects the focus of the beam.

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:21 pm
by Gerbil
anyone ever see mr wilson's strobe/led flatlighter?

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:28 pm
by jedi_saber
Tech225 wrote:I mounted two of them in the rear window of a Dodge pickup and ran them off a 4 outlet 60 watt power supply. They work good in this application because they don't protrude into the interior very far. I think what hurts them is the shallow reflector which affects the focus of the beam.
Interesting - so I guess it can be done then. I thought that the strobeheads including reflectors are the same as the 500 (?) series grille lights, dashmiser heads etc etc...

And no, never seen one of 'Mr. Wilson's LED/Strobe' units...got a pic?

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:48 pm
by Gerbil
been looking for it. Matt or Matt may have a picture, or know where it is.

he mounts two 500 series LED heads over the strobe heads.

If i ever decide to get one, i'm going for white strobes with red outboard half filters, and TIR 500 heads. Keep the TIR's on steadyburn, you get white strobes to the front (overpowering the red half filters) but the red flashes outward to intersection angles

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:51 pm
by Gerbil
heres a pic:
Image

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:43 pm
by x1sspic
alex wrote: However, knowing you, if it's not pushing the limit, than what's the point?

:)

-Alex
Exactly. What is the point???? :lol:

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:07 pm
by Pj
That's actually pretty snazzy. I remember seeing those some time ago. Not hard to do, as you can get the 500 series (as well as others) in almost any mounting style.

A mod like that would take very little time to do. Just screw them in straight! I receently did a plow truck with two non-sync 500 series LED's set to "Action scan" on both heads, and it looks pretty damn neat.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:27 am
by KitN1MCC
the flat lighter hs a set of linear 500 series modules gte the 2 outlet supply and ram it in there

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:43 am
by jim
Easy solution:

Sell it to a wacker and buy a light that works! These lights never were any damn good. You'll put a big power supply on and probably overheat the lamp anyway in its small housing.

No re-engineering, no work, no new power supply.

There's NEVER a problem finding somebody to buy a light like this.