# strobe harness help



## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I just got a 12 head Whelen Edge with no control box or switches. Was hoping rather than buy a controller that I could just hardwire a bunch of toggle switches for it. Anyone know where I can find a schematic or wiring diagram that would show me what wires to hook to what? What I have is two red and two black 12 gauge (I think its 12 gauge) wires, then a seperate group of wires that are very small. I know the little wires are control wires for functions, so I know can just be run through switches. About the only thing I care about is being able to shut off the front strobes, either that or have one switch to turn on fronts and one switch for rears, just as easy as wiring cutoffs. Only other switch will be for the takedowns, which will actually be worklights as I plan on mounting the lightbar backwards. 
I have done this before but it was a much older bar with less wires, and it didn't have multiple flash patterns. I just don't know which wires control what. I suppose if all else fails I can just power it up and start checking wires one at a time. But I know there is some weird sequence to the flash patterns that I don't understand.
Thanks for the help.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

Dan, try whelen's website under installation guides and you'll probably find what you need there. If not, email me a list of colors and I can tell you what is what.


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

I actually might be able to get you a switch box at a very very decent price. How many switches are you look'n at and I'll check my contact. It'll be a used box but it should work. Money will go to my Brothers widower so it shouldn't be all that much.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

I think I'll only need three, maybe four switches depending on whether I can run front and rear independently. Basically I just want to be able to run all strobes, rear strobes only and takedowns. I don't care about alley lights, in fact the yellow endcaps I have are different than the alley lights on the 12 head anyway.

I need to think some more about how I'm going to set it up. If I just turn it backwards I won't have the end strobes on with the rears, Which is what I wanted, but I have no need of takedowns to the front either. I don't believe I can move the takedowns to the rear and leave the center strobes in front. The takedowns are in a center module, 4 horizontal lights with two linear strobes above them. Maybe I can switch things around a little. 

I saw a neat little switch panel thing at Pep Boys today, it had a black box with 4 terminals to plug power and ground into, then a remote wire to a little switch panel/touch pad with 4 buttons, you could stick it anywhere.. Looked pretty sweet.

Blueline, thanks for the advice, don't know why I didn't think of that.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Just checked out Whelens site, I found some info on which color wires do what. Not sure if that is the same as my bar, I'm not even sure what year or model my bar is. Good news is it looks like I can run any lights I want off a switch, rather than run each power supply off a switch. So, I can run 4 strobes from one power supply and two from another. I didn't know you could do that. So, hopefully I can make it run in a front cutoff mode with the 6 linear strobes all across the rear, in addition to the two linears on the side over the alley lights so I can blind everyone except oncoming traffic. Actually I like to shut the fronts off in driveways at night so I dont wake everyone, but still have rear and side warning for backing into the street. That's one thing I hated about my rotators I've been using for a couple years now. Wicked bright light and fast rotators, but it's always 360 degrees.

This thing is going to be so overkill!


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

I'll be getting all kinds of sirens, speakers and some switch panels... they're used but last known worked fine before my brother died. The switch boxes are switches in a black box. As for the take down lights... I've seen some people use them around here to add that additional high light to go way over the plow. You can always just turn the bar around if you want to light up behind your truck. Turning it around backward doesn't effect it's proformance.

You can get any diagrams for strobes and lights and stuff from Whelen for their products w/o any cost. (except maybe postage)

I'll let you know on Monday what I may have for the switch boxes.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Pirsch;422826 said:


> I'll be getting all kinds of sirens, speakers and some switch panels... they're used but last known worked fine before my brother died. The switch boxes are switches in a black box. As for the take down lights... I've seen some people use them around here to add that additional high light to go way over the plow. You can always just turn the bar around if you want to light up behind your truck. Turning it around backward doesn't effect it's proformance.
> 
> You can get any diagrams for strobes and lights and stuff from Whelen for their products w/o any cost. (except maybe postage)
> 
> I'll let you know on Monday what I may have for the switch boxes.


I've always hated takedowns on our cars at work. So completely ineffective no one uses them. All I use is highbeams and the spotlight. Alley lights are the same way, they don't work well at all. But you have a point about seeing over the plow. I bet in the snow they'd put out a decent amount of light to help see over the plow. Never really had any complaints with my plow headlights, but I'll have to give it some thought. 
I was thinking of turning it around to use the 4 takedowns as worklights, but I have some little fog lights I can mount back there on the backrack if I want. Actually, I just thought of something else: This bar has rear halogen flashers, I could lens them clear and have worklights or takedowns front and rear.
I'd really like to add stop/turn/taillights to the bar like a wrecker. I don't need them, I just always thought they looked cool. 
I'm definitely interested in seeing what you have for switchboxes. Probably will be a lot easier to use the right stuff rather than me scabbing together something myself with toggle switches. And extra switches would probably end up being useful too.
Thanks, Dan


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## Sno What (Oct 23, 2006)

You may want to check the bottom of the bar - mine has a sticker with mfg date, model, and serial number. Also, the edge bars are very modular. If you pull the endcap, you can slide everything out and move it around. I switched my TD's to the rear and it was very easy.


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

you can place red filters on the flashers, wire them into the turn signals by either direct or if you have a trailer hook up you can always hook them into that wire'n then you'll have brake light also depending on how you run the plug.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Pirsch;423273 said:


> you can place red filters on the flashers, wire them into the turn signals by either direct or if you have a trailer hook up you can always hook them into that wire'n then you'll have brake light also depending on how you run the plug.


I have plenty of red filters, but I was going to put a socket for an 1157 in there so I have stop/turn/tail functions. 4 wire flat trailer wire for the connection.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

All flashers and takedowns use independent, but the same model circuit board to control them. They both have the option of flashing or steady burn, so you could just put clears on the flashers, and hookup the steady burn wire on the flashers circuit board.


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## daplowman (Oct 28, 2006)

if you still need help let me know, i built a wire harness for my whelen edge 9000. Take downs, alleys, work lights, flashers, strobes both high and low power as well as selectable flash.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

BlueLine Ent;423297 said:


> All flashers and takedowns use independent, but the same model circuit board to control them. They both have the option of flashing or steady burn, so you could just put clears on the flashers, and hookup the steady burn wire on the flashers circuit board.


Right, and since they are on the back they will end up on the front. Probably never use front takedowns, but these bars look funny without them IMO. I suppose I could put them on the back as flashers for when I want to kill the strobes, but probably wouldn't need them with front cutoffs.

Havent had time to mess with it, but I did check the tag, it just says Whelen Edge series, model #9622, date 05/2001. Can't wait to mess with it, I want to get the lenses off and fit mine up to see how much more yellow I need to get. Right now I have old stlye endcaps with the wrong clear cutouts for alleys lights. They're going to have to be good enough, I'm not buying more endcaps unless these ones don't fit. I also have two long and two short sections, plus a pile of clear and red. The strobe bulbs are all linear, none of the little curly ones in small housings. So I don't know what kind of room there is between them.

Thanks for all the offers of help! Once I get a switch panel I'll be checking back with you guys.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Update, I just got to play around a little bit with it. What I found is that all the lights work, and I can run either front or rear cutoffs, and the end strobes work with both the fronts or the rears. Which is cool because that's exactly what I want to do, run the six across the rear plus the two on the ends. I didn't realize it at first, but the takedown/strobe module in the center is much wider than the black panel on the other side, so I won't have any room for taillights. I can't move the housings for the flashers back there. So, I'm going to leave the flashers where they are, which will be the front, and make them takedown lights. Maybe I'll get some little LEDs or a Line of Fire to put just below the bar for taillights instead.


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

Hey DetroitDan... Got the electronics today, my brothers widow gave some guy building a sandrail 3 switch boxes FREE! I could have shot her. Anyway I did get a couple strobe packages and sirens and alot of speakers. Sorry I couldn't help you out.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Pirsch;424940 said:


> Hey DetroitDan... Got the electronics today, my brothers widow gave some guy building a sandrail 3 switch boxes FREE! I could have shot her. Anyway I did get a couple strobe packages and sirens and alot of speakers. Sorry I couldn't help you out.


okay, thanks anyway Pirsch


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

Switch Boxes from Galls run between $50 and $180 depending on what you want. They have a nice 6 switch with a cigarette plug female for $70. They come with 40 titles, Back Lit, measures 2"H x 6 1/4"W x 4 3/4"D

www.fireauthority.com

Page 55 if you have their catalog!


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

BlueLine Ent;422540 said:


> Dan, try whelen's website under installation guides and you'll probably find what you need there. If not, email me a list of colors and I can tell you what is what.


Hey, Blueline, I did that and printed out a how-to. I checked all my wires and made all the functions work, so I know all the bulbs are good. I couldn't find the place to change the flash pattern, maybe I need to pull some strobes out to get at it? But it looked a little different from their picture. Anyway, I definitely want to change it, it looks lame now. Comet flash with all the bulbs working left then right. Boring. Can you tell me what patterns were available in 2001? I'd like something fast and modulating, like the comet/single that they used to have. I recently saw a Whelen that was doing single flash, but changing speed up and down. It was awesome!


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

If your using a Whelen Strobe pack you can just switch the plugs that go into the pack and you'll get a different pattern that won't harm the pwr pack.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

I'm not really sure what the post above means, but switching the plugs around isn't how you should be changing the patterns on any power supply.

Dan, is there any chance you can get me the model number off the supply thats in that bar? Typically you have to get inside the bar to change the pattern, but not always, it depends on the age of the supply. Depending on the history of that bar, it may have had the supply upgraded, and may have more patterns. The one you mentioned is very unique and identifiable, and it's called moduflash. Let me know if you can get that number.

Matt


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

BlueLine Ent;444101 said:


> I'm not really sure what the post above means, but switching the plugs around isn't how you should be changing the patterns on any power supply.
> I know what he meant, I will switch the plugs around to get away from the left to right flash. So not the flash mode, but the pattern, or order in which the lights flash.
> Dan, is there any chance you can get me the model number off the supply thats in that bar? Typically you have to get inside the bar to change the pattern, but not always, it depends on the age of the supply. Depending on the history of that bar, it may have had the supply upgraded, and may have more patterns. The one you mentioned is very unique and identifiable, and it's called moduflash. Let me know if you can get that number.
> 
> Matt


I'll take a look when I can for that number. Is there only one power supply in the lightbar? It's an 01 bar, pretty certain it never had any work done to it. When we had it on a cruiser it was set up to Comet flash, but there was also a "pursuit" mode that activated a rapid rate single flash.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

I believe you said it was a 12 head bar, so it I believe should have three 4-outlet supplies, most likely hooked up to synchronize though. 

I understand now what he meant by changing the plugs, but that will only change it temporarily if the power supplies are not synced, because they eventually get out of time and it is constantly changing. I could def help more if I had the bar # on the bottom, and the supply #s.

Matt


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

BlueLine Ent;444101 said:


> I'm not really sure what the post above means, but switching the plugs around isn't how you should be changing the patterns on any power supply.


I was thinking on the strobe packs... We changed the plug slots all the time on the pwr packs just to change the flash pattern/locations. I admit I was wrong when it comes to the led pwr packs.


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## streetfrog (Dec 9, 2007)

Send an email to the guys at whelen. Tell him the model number and also list all the colors of the wires. He will email you the right schematic within 24-48 hours.


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## 84fordman (Dec 18, 2007)

*sequence of flashing lights*

I had this problem the other day.In order for your lights to flash you have to make sure that the positive and negative wires are the same on the switch and the strobe light. If you flip flop the wires on the switch the light will stay on and not flash. All you have to do is switch them and then it should flash.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

BlueLine Ent;444246 said:


> I believe you said it was a 12 head bar, so it I believe should have three 4-outlet supplies, most likely hooked up to synchronize though.
> 
> I understand now what he meant by changing the plugs, but that will only change it temporarily if the power supplies are not synced, because they eventually get out of time and it is constantly changing. I could def help more if I had the bar # on the bottom, and the supply #s.
> 
> Matt


Matt, what are the possibilities for me to wire up switches to run lights in pairs, or even sets of four? The way I've tested it, I can run either all twelve, all rear plus both end strobes, or all front plus both ends. This is kind of how I'd like to set it up.

1) a switch to run both end strobes and two or 4 rears, with the fronts cut off.
-can do this now.
2) a switch to run both ends, all four fronts, four of the six rears.
-can do this now, if I unplug the two blue center strobes.
3) a switch to independantly run the two inner strobes over the center mounted takedowns. 
-these are behind a clear lens, and have wierd little blue lenses. Can't really see the blue when they're off, so I'd like to keep them since I am authorized to have them. And since I don't have amber lenses for them anyway. 
4) a switch for the dimmer. 
-it works, and this bar will be ******** at night, so I want it hooked up.
5) a switch for the rear takedown/worklights.
-easy, can do this now.

The bar is going to be mounted backwards, so the four takedowns will be worklights. The halogen flashers will be facing front, probably won't even hook them up, I don't see me ever using them, even if I made them takedowns. But I'm always needing worklights. If I had room for the flashers on the back I'd use them. But the problem is I want everything on the back of the bar, strobes, flashers, worklights and taillights. PITA

I think I've figured a way to make some taillights out of 1157 sockets. Need to decide if I want them inboard or outboard, before I start cutting.
If I ever get a free minute to work on this, I'll get some pics to show you what I'm trying to do. I'd like to show you the mount I'm making, see if you think it's going to be good enough.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Quick wiring question. I have two power and two grounds coming out of this bar, plus the control harness with the tiny wires. Do I run 1 pair of power and ground to the battery, and the other pair to the switch panel? Or do I run both pairs to the battery, and take power for the switch panel from the little brown wire in the control harness? While testing it I hooked both pairs to a battery and just touched control wires to the little brown wire.
The switch panel I have is all prewired with six rocker switches, and 12" leads for each function switch, plus a power and ground. So I don't know if I need to run yet another pair of wires from the switch to the battery for the panel, or it makes more sense that I could use one of the two from the bar to power the panel. If that's the case, how do I know which pair to use? One pair has a white marker on it, other is just plain red and black.
The wires coming out of the switch panel are about a 12 gauge wire, any special way to connect them to the tiny little control wires? I can solder, it just seems wierd hooking a tiny wire to a pretty large one, especially a signal wire.
Thanks


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