# Strobe light help



## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi guys, I bought a used truck last year that already had strobes drilled into the headlights and 2 amber strobes in the back of the utility body. They are controlled by an aftermarket switch on the dash that also changes the pattern of the lights. Over the summer my truck was hit and I got 2 new headlights. I opted not to drill holes and mount the strobe bulb back in the headlight because on the old headlights the seal around the strobe bulb was not sufficient and the inside of the headlight lenses was beginning to discolor. The wiring and plugs for the headlight strobes is still near the grill and I would like to replacing the headlight strobes with some type of surface mount unit. I picked up a basic surface mount strobe from a local truck supply shop and when I spliced the wires from the old headlight strobes to the new surface mount, the 2 strobes in the back of the body stopped working and the 2 new strobes seemed dim and I was not able to change the pattern via the in cab control. I've attached a few photos. I have never had strobe lighting before so this is very unfamiliar to me. If anyone has some ideas about surface mount strobes for the front end of my truck and how to tie them into the system I already have in place I would appreciate the advice.

Thanks

JP


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

The first question I'd ask is if you know the manufacturer of the original warning system / lights in your truck. Sometimes different manufacturers will use different wiring patterns to run their lights and that may have led to your current issues.

Second, I'm assuming that your use of the word "strobe" is in the more generic sense. A true "strobe light" uses a capacitive discharge from a central power supply to fire a strobe tube. You don't want to grab the wires from one of these. And generally speaking, strobe patterns are not changeable from the cab.

What it looks like you have is an LED system. These can use either a central flasher unit or the individual lights may have the flash ability / patterns built right in. The reason I bring this up is that if you mix parts from a strobe and LED system, bad things can happen. Oh, and some LED systems use a momentary hot to change patterns while others use a momentary ground. Gotta know which one(s) you're playing with first.

Finally, assuming you have an LED system and really want to add some punch for forward facing warning, a few good name brand surface mount LED lights should do quite nicely. Most of the LED warning lights I see at Truck Parts Supply places are pretty lame.

Hope that helps.


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## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks for the help. I do not know who manufactured the system. Is there a control box I should be looking for. I've attached a photo of the bulb that was in the headlight.
The only thing I see on the bulb is LD.

And just to clarify from my first post the "strobe" is the top amber lens. I've never taken the bulb out of the lens but I assume it looks just like the bulb I'm now posting a photo of.


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

That's definitely a strobe bulb and not an LED. That means that there's a Power Supply somewhere in the truck between the switch and the bulbs. The first thing I'd do is see if you have power at the switch, then at the _input_ to the Power Supply. I'd also make sure the bulbs you replaced are the same manufacturer as the rest of the system and rated for the output of the Power Supply. If you disconnect them, you should still have things going blinky-blinky at the rear of the truck where the original lights are.


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## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

Correct the ambers in the body still work while I have the front bulbs unplugged at the 3 pin connector. I will take a look for the power supply tomorrow I'm assuming under the dash as I've been under the hood of this truck and never seen anything unfamiliar there. In the mean time I should be looking for a surface mount strobe?


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

You _could_ look for a surface mount strobe, but LEDs are getting to be a whole lot more plentiful and the cost is way down. Plus, you only have to run a power and ground wire to them to make them work. You could actually run them off the same switch, but bypass the strobe Power Supply.

As for the location of the Power Supply, it will definitely be in the cab somewhere. Just follow the wires.


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## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

Any thoughts on why when I hooked up the new strobes up front that they worked and the tears did not?


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

Wrong bulbs for that particular power supply maybe? I'm much better with rotators and LEDs than I am with strobes.


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## number1fan (Oct 8, 2008)

too stroked, thanks for your help. The lights I bought at my local shop are indeed LED.


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

I'd say hooking LED bulbs to a strobe power supply would lead to some "interesting" results. Glad we could help.


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