Whelen Hide a way question

Firecar96 · Post by **Firecar96** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:31 pm

I have a 2003 Impala, and I have two strobes in the headlights and two in the taillights. They are the rubber base ones. The kit came with the 60 watt power supply.

Is it true that if I were to upgrade to the 90 watt power supply, that it will melt the rubber grommets on the strobe tubes.

Post by Pj » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:11 pm

You can use a 90 watt power supply with them. The biggest issue is heat dissapation of the housing in general. If your using them in a headlight fixture with the lights on and the strobes going...and the heat cannot escape quick enough, the tube will fail quicker than say...a brake strobe light.

Some of the plastics in use (Chevy included) do not perform very well under high(er) heat enviroments. For my Chevy, I was told by Whelen that my 180 watt power supply and the plastic wouldn't hold up well, as some of the reflector plastic tended to melt or become soft. YMMV.

With that in mind, in my Suburban, I used a 180 supply with the HA238's and HA239 (rubber based and flange base) for years without a problem. In fact, those same tubes are in my new ride.

However, no matter what you do in the Impala, the strobe location and lack of optics make for a very sucky location. I have yet to see a tube in there that really looked "good" compared to a corner reflector (Crown vic, et al) location.

kg4ere · Post by **kg4ere** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:24 pm

Pimpala03 · Post by **Pimpala03** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:09 pm

If you can, go with the flange mount. Oh, and on a side note... don't attempt to put them in the reverse lights. I managed it... but, I've got some melting. (Mine's a 2003)

Jayce · Post by **Jayce** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:51 am

The rubber grommet style should be used with the heatsink ring that comes with it. On occasion I have ran a screw thru the heatsink into the lens to help hold it in place.

Jay G. · Post by **Jay G.** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:05 am

i always add a wrap of silicone. Keeps the water out and the bulb in!

Firecar96 · Post by **Firecar96** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:24 pm

So if I put the silicone on the bottom of the bulb, will that allow me to use the 90 watt power supply without anything melting.

FireCpt809 · Post by **FireCpt809** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 3:34 pm

If your using a whelen power supply. They are regulated at 22.5 watts per head. Its best to use a strobe tube with a screw in base. Depending on the size of the housing and the location its not always possible. You can use the pop in tubes. Ive installed hundreds without melting one. I always use a bead of silicone around the base to keep it from popping out and on the connector end with the wires to keep the moisture out and shorting out the connection.

thebigphish · Post by **thebigphish** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:01 pm

Firecar96 wrote:So if I put the silicone on the bottom of the bulb, will that allow me to use the 90 watt power supply without anything melting.

FireCapt809 is right, you're not gonna melt the rubber, as you are still not going over the rated power capability of the bulbs with your 90 watt supply. I think you are confusing what the silicone will do, it will not prevent the heat from destroying anything, it will just keep the dust and crap out of the housing. It's not a heat-dissipation agent. Your 90 watt (probably six head) power supply won't get anywhere near the 22 watt rating on the strobe heads, it will probably be somewhere around 18 watts if i remember what the little sticker on the top of the unit says.

Firecar96 · Post by **Firecar96** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 9:54 pm

I forgot to say that I already did seal the strobe tube in with silicone, to prevent it poping out and moisture from getting in. I did that when I first installed them, I just forgot.

The reason I ask about the power supply, is because I have heard that if you switch from the 60 watt power supply to the 90 watt, that it could ment the rubber in the grommet of the strobe tube. I mounted the tubes in the turn signal part of the head light, I drilled it in from the bottom. "But I did not use the heat sink rings".

So will I still be ok using the 90 watt.

Post by Pj » Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:50 am

Yeah, the actual power to the head depends on the actual power supply used. Depending on the models, one 90 watt supply going supply more power than another model 90 watt supply.

I believe that the flange tubes will take up to 25 watts, with the rubber ones at 22.5 (or something like that).