# Can I add LED's to existing strobe system.



## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

I picked up a truck (in sig) that already had 4 existing strobes in it. They are the xenon gas filled tubes for the bulbs.

I want to add a strobe to the cab-over section of the dump bed for a little more forward flashing as the two strobes in the front are in the parking lights, and not the most visible from the front when the plow is up, and barely visible when the plow is down.

My question is, can I just use an LED light strip and wire into the existing system.

I haven't looked at the controller box yet to figure out the voltage/wattage and such. I'll take a look tomorrow and post that info.

I just want to save a few bucks if I can.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

LED's are totally different then strobe. Unless you are just using the term strobe to describe what you have on the truck. 

Led's use a LED flasher that's is more old school leds most newer high quality stuff has built in power supply so no need to get a separate flasher all you would have to do is hook up the synchronization wires to get the light heads to work in unison. 

There are a few guys that do installs on a grander scale I just do it as a hobby for my vehicles that I own. I'm sure other will chime in here soon. 

Dave.


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## kitn1mcc (Sep 15, 2008)

you just wires the LEDS to power to +12vdc and groud. i would run new wires up the head board plus and negative some whelen linz6 would work great


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## Strobesnmore (Jan 31, 2007)

The only part of your strobes system that you can use LEDs on will be the on/off switch which is a basic 12 volt switch. Once you past the switch you must use actual strobes. Give our tech guy a call and he'll be glad to help you.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Basically, I have this bulb in the front parking lights, and also two Amber 6" Ovals with this bulb in it.










If I recall correctly (without looking right now), I have a box behind the seat that controls the strobe pattern.

There is three wires for each bulb, and I'm guessing that the LEDs won't work correctly with this system.

If it does, then I could just get two led strips and attach them to the dump bed, and spend minimal amount of money doing so. I was originally thinking about using a mini-bar, rotating strobe, but I want to be as low of profile as possible so I don't damage them in the off season if I have some idiot loading the truck whenever I go to get materials.

Really I need to check out the power supply box and see how many watts and if there is any more spots to connect into it.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

Get some Linz 6's or 500 series lamps or if there is room on that strobe box add strobe heads.


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

Strobeguy;1127032 said:


> The only part of your strobes system that you can use LEDs on will be the on/off switch which is a basic 12 volt switch. Once you past the switch you must use actual strobes. Give our tech guy a call and he'll be glad to help you.


As Strobeguy already correctly noted, about the only thing you can re-use from your current system is the on / off switch to trigger anything new you add. Classic strobes use a power supply with capacitive discharge to fire off the bulbs. (Hint, don't grab the hot lead.)

LEDs use a simpler (in concept) flasher to fire them. Hooking an LED to a strobe power supply would lead to one (probably extremely bright) flash, then silence. Now, if you hooked your LED flasher to the strobe power switch, that would be all together better.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks for all the responses and input.

I went ahead and found 2, 44 led lenses on-line and I am planning on mounting them facing forward on the front lip of the cab-over on my truck. I was thinking about getting 4, 44 LED lenses, but I figured that was over-kill.

There is also a controller that comes with the LEDs with 3 flash patterns.

Even though they were cheap, I wasn't looking for the best or baddest LEDs as I've already got the good strobes on my truck. These are just filler for when the plow is on, and during busy times of the day/night to be that much more visible. They probably won't get used that much honestly.

My only other question is, the LEDs come with 9ft of wire. By putting them on the cab-over, I'm going to probably end up using 20ft or more wire to go from the cab-over, to the back of the truck, and then to the cab. (Hinge point for the dump bed.)

My next question is, do I need to add a relay in there to get a good power supply to the LEDS with that much more wire? Basically I don't want too much voltage drop with that much wire, or is the LED efficient enough that I don't need to worry about it?


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## kitn1mcc (Sep 15, 2008)

16gauge should work fine


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

kitn1mcc;1130184 said:


> 16gauge should work fine


That's what I was thinking.

Thanks.


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## kitn1mcc (Sep 15, 2008)

and run the negative wire all the way down and ground inside the cab. check out waytek wire good proces


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

I haven't got the system yet, but there is two wires that run from the control box to the lights.

Without having it in front of me, I'm guessing the control box is going to be grounded in order to ground the lights and control them.

Thanks for the heads up on the wire, that stuff isn't cheap, so saving a few bucks will help.


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks kitn1mcc ! :salute:

That's some good pricing on wire. Especially getting a 4 wire that's jacketed.


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## kitn1mcc (Sep 15, 2008)

actually i just get the wire and loom it myself


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