# Affordable minibar



## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

i am looking for and afordable mini bar for my 04chevy, now by afordable i don't mean cheap. i learned along time ago you get what you pay for. i would like a strobe over a rotator. last year i had a cheap plug in rotator that i picked up at a truck stop and almost got backed into countless times. this year i want to be seen!!! i have looked at the whelen guardian permanint mount and found a strobe version for 140 and the rotator for 85, are this a good lights? would this rotator be as bright as the strobe? any suggestions would be appreciated on these or other lights as well i would like to stay under 150 if possible. thanks


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## deere615 (Jun 1, 2007)

Ecco sells some pretty nice ones, and I know tractor supply sell a targtec magnetic mini light bar for like 70-80 bucks, they only sell them this time of year.


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## Pearcelawn (Nov 6, 2006)

Look at Strobes-n-More for a Nova Micro Bar 360. It is a dual stobe mini bar. I bought the mag mount for $159. It works very well. Has selectable flash patterns. Also has a black top on the outer lens that really stops washout during the day.

I have used it during the day and evening and find it to be very effective. Strobe-n-More also gave quick service. I have a thread here about it but do not know how to post a link.

It is on the first page though.Just one other comment from someone else who likes it too.


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## BlueLine Ent (Nov 28, 2005)

The Whelen Guardian G7 is a nice strobe mini bar for about $150.


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## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

can you adjust the rotating speed on the whelen guardian rotator?


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

I just bought a whelen guardian dual strobe light bar from one of the guys here on plowsite. Havnt used it yet but anything Whelen makes is great.


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## YardMedic (Nov 29, 2006)

I've been looking at this one listed here on Plowsite:
http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=50967


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## Omaha Plowboy (Feb 11, 2007)

I'm a Ebay shopper. I've found very good deals on light bars, and parts for light bars, both mini and fullsize.


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## SteveR (Sep 24, 2003)

*Bar*

Galls has a new whalen LED for $299.00 I think it looks like a good deal I think it was 4 or 6 heads mag mount


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## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

Gicon;435988 said:


> I just bought a whelen guardian dual strobe light bar from one of the guys here on plowsite. Havnt used it yet but anything Whelen makes is great.


anybody have a video of the guardian, either strobe of rotator?


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## NoFearDeere (Nov 7, 2005)

03mossy;437983 said:


> anybody have a video of the guardian, either strobe of rotator?


Go to www.awdirect.com for videos. Also, if you want a cheap, bright rotator that has a very high speed check out the Code 3 "420".


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## Eclipse (Dec 9, 2004)

SteveR;437583 said:


> Galls has a new whalen LED for $299.00 I think it looks like a good deal I think it was 4 or 6 heads mag mount


The Whelen Responder CON3 that is sold on Galls for $299 is a great light and is very bright however Galls pricing is a bit steep. You can buy the same light for $240. IMO it is the best mini-LED lightbar out there for the price.


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## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

more questions, what type of mount. i like the idea of a permanent mount cause i don't want a wire hanging around, but what if i don't like the light after a season? can you turn a magnetic mount into a permanant mount? do i have to worry about amp draw with a rotator or strobe(mainly looking at the whelen guardian line). ive looked at the led lights but a little more than i want to spend with owning a new company and having a second little girl due in janurary.


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## DodgeGuy (Mar 9, 2007)

03mossy;438572 said:


> more questions, what type of mount. i like the idea of a permanent mount cause i don't want a wire hanging around, but what if i don't like the light after a season? can you turn a magnetic mount into a permanant mount? do i have to worry about amp draw with a rotator or strobe(mainly looking at the whelen guardian line). ive looked at the led lights but a little more than i want to spend with owning a new company and having a second little girl due in janurary.


To answer some of these questions, Yes, you can take a magnetic mount guardian and turn it into a permanant mount. Just order the lightbar as a permant mount and then order the magnet kit for it. Some places like 32PSP do it for you, by taking a permant mount bar and adding the magnets, but in this case it would appear the magnets bolt on in the same holes used to permant mount it. Here is the install PDF for the strobe Guardian bar:
http://www.whelen.com/install/140/14011.pdf

Amp draw shouldn't be a problem, the strobe bar only draws less than 7.5 amps, which is what the fuse is. Especially if the truck is running, which I imagine it would be while plowing.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

what about this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

03mossy;437983 said:


> anybody have a video of the guardian, either strobe of rotator?


Please tell me you are kidding. A video of a low end, cheap mini bar? We arent talking an LED set up here, we are talking your basic strobe or rotator. What do you want to look at? The one flash pattern that it has that blinks amber?


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## DodgeGuy (Mar 9, 2007)

03mossy;437983 said:


> anybody have a video of the guardian, either strobe of rotator?


Since you asked, you shall receive, it is of the Whelen Gaurdian 2 Halogen model:
http://www.sirennet.com/whel2rotdiam.html

Video is embedded in page, scroll down and click to watch, not much to see, but you get the point.


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## DodgeGuy (Mar 9, 2007)

yamaguy;438585 said:


> what about this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget


I've heard good and bad things about that bar, it is 2nd gen LED's and is a chinese made bar. What I seem to hear is that it is not as bright as the video makes it seem.


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## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

Gicon;438715 said:


> Please tell me you are kidding. A video of a low end, cheap mini bar? We arent talking an LED set up here, we are talking your basic strobe or rotator. What do you want to look at? The one flash pattern that it has that blinks amber?


no sorry i wasn't kidding. i unlike you am not an expert and do not have experiance with any warning lights, i just wanted to see how bright they are and the speed of rotation. and sorry this thread is a joke to you cause i didn't ask about an expensive led. but if you notice the title of the tread is "afordable minibar", to me that means under 150. thanks dodgeguy for finding that video thats what i was looking for.


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## Eclipse (Dec 9, 2004)

On a budget I would opt for a halogen rotating bar over a strobe. Strobes get washed out during the day more than a halogen light. Granted most of our plowing is at night but there are times when we are out during the day.

A Code 3 420 is the a great 2 rotator mini lightbar. They are about $110 and are effective.


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## ultimate plow (Jul 2, 2002)

mini 420's with highspeed rotators with magnet mount and cigplug. Only $89. EBAY it


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## Eclipse (Dec 9, 2004)

Ultimate knows where all the good deal are.


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## ultimate plow (Jul 2, 2002)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Code-3-Inc-lightbar-AMBER-Police-Beacon-HI-SPEED_W0QQitemZ260186911627QQihZ016QQcategoryZ396QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## DodgeGuy (Mar 9, 2007)

Your welcome 03mossy.

I completely agree with you Eclipse, go for halogen over strobe. The Code 3 420 is a nice bar, just get the dome Amber, I have seen one with a clear dome and blue filters(was for police work) and honestly it washed out too much during the day. At night it was awesome. I think with a darker color dome/anything other than clear, it would look good.

In case no ones mentioned it, rotator bars tend to be noisy, and the noise does seep into the cabin, but you will grow used to it.


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## DodgeGuy (Mar 9, 2007)

ultimate plow;439327 said:


> http://cgi.ebay.com/Code-3-Inc-lightbar-AMBER-Police-Beacon-HI-SPEED_W0QQitemZ260186911627QQihZ016QQcategoryZ396QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


That looks like a very good deal.


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## ultimate plow (Jul 2, 2002)

The highspeed rotators have cylinder filters which completly surround the rotator, and isnt mounted to the rotator in anyway. Code 3 high speed rotators require cylinder filteres because they melt off or flyoff. The clear domes with filters arnt that bad but do lose some effect if you want to get all scientific. Not that big of a diffrence though. They just look better than a solid dome color too.


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## Jim Karns (Nov 26, 2007)

Greetings,
Whelen Mini-edge with work lights (take downs mounted rearword) $476.
Try: www.awdirect.com

Good people to deal with.


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

I think I am going to buy this tonight or tomorrow: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...Track=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us


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## Pirsch (Jun 1, 2007)

Gicon;441719 said:


> I think I am going to buy this tonight or tomorrow: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...Track=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us


Decent Price for a Decent Mini-Bar and it's got a switch on the plug!


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

I just found out ive had that bar on a truck for 6 years now. I didnt think I bought a Code 3 but I do. Bar works great. I dont like the sounds of the rotators, but thats why I have a full size Whelen LED Bar. I just bought another Code 3 rotator.....for one of the other trucks of course!


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## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

That link where I bought it from on ebay seems like the cheapest around. I briefly checked a few other sites, but $100 is cheap for a dual rotator


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## 03mossy (Nov 14, 2007)

i ended up getting a Star 9200 duel rotator. it is very bright at night and able to be seen at a good distance during sunny times. so far its been just what i was looking for.


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## lecjec (Nov 27, 2007)

*warning lights*

Gardian Vs Code 3, Which One Is Better/brighter. Looking To Purchase One Soon.


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