# Instant Amber



## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

Okay, you guys got to me regarding light color. Last thing I need is some extra attention from  the authorities. In Iowa, only school buses run clear.
The Vertex strobes I installed are clear. I decided I better go amber just to be safe. Rather than replace them, (this is either going to sound McGyver *******) I got an orange sharpie and evenly colored over the plastic dome. The sharpie says colorfast which is a good thing. The dome now looks a bit darker than the amber turn signal bulbs. Turn on the strobes and if you're close to the vehicle, they're orangish white but anything they shine on, is a nice amber color. The further you get from the vehicle, the more orange the flashes appear.

Now I'm legal and it only cost me 1-1/2 hours total for all four and $1.59 for the Sharpie.

Believe me, if this hadn't worked or worked but not very well, I wouldn't have posted this

:waving:


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

post pics and a vid lol


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## 26543 (Jan 28, 2008)

Id like to see this!


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

*******;648840 said:


> Id like to see this!


i second that!


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## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

ok so where are the pics.


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## BORIS (Oct 22, 2008)

i I HAVE AMBER ON TOP AND WHITE AND RED IN REAR TAIL LIGHTS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LAW. THEY DON,T CARE IF YOU ARE PLOWING. THE MORE LIGHTS THE MORE THE MOMS IN VANS SEE YOU.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

why you gotta yell?


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## blueline38 (Dec 22, 2007)

THEGOLDPRO;649190 said:


> why you gotta yell?


lol............


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## BORIS (Oct 22, 2008)

i don,t know. didn't know caps were on. i can barely run this computing machine. lol


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

*Picture*

You can see a before picture by going HERE (bottom picture of post #2)
and here's an "after" picture and a close-up...


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

looks like it worked pretty good, how about a video lol


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## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

Its gonna work for a little bit but unfortunatly the bulb is going to burn up in no time if the marker doesn't wear off first. Strobe have high heat out put and need to disipate the heat and by having marker on the bulb that cannot be accomplished. It will work for awhile don't get me wrong but I wouldn't recommend doing this.


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

firelwn82;649498 said:


> Its gonna work for a little bit but unfortunatly the bulb is going to burn up in no time if the marker doesn't wear off first. Strobe have high heat out put and need to disipate the heat and by having marker on the bulb that cannot be accomplished. It will work for awhile don't get me wrong but I wouldn't recommend doing this.


These are LED's. I let them run while holding the assembly and it never got hot in the least. The LED's are set into the base. The dome is just a protective cover and it's plastic.

If these were regular strobes with glass strobe tubes, I would have never even attempted doing this.
:waving:


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## Green Grass (Dec 5, 2006)

anyone try this with Whelen bulbs?? I have like 6 clear bulbs and need some more amber bulbs and no clear bulbs


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## firelwn82 (Feb 14, 2006)

Joe Snow;649527 said:


> These are LED's. I let them run while holding the assembly and it never got hot in the least. The LED's are set into the base. The dome is just a protective cover and it's plastic.
> 
> If these were regular strobes with glass strobe tubes, I would have never even attempted doing this.
> :waving:


Oh then why did you call them strobes? lol. ok makes much more sense now.


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## THEGOLDPRO (Jun 18, 2006)

post a video....


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

The Sharpie trick work out? I'm thinking of doing the same thing to my amber vertex lights that are too canary yellow looking. Itching to bust out the sharpie.


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## Fiafighterdude (Jan 2, 2008)

! ! ! ! Friggin genius ! ! ! !


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

*Instant amber video*

OK, here's a short video that I promised regarding the clear Whelen Vertex I installed that I went over with an orange Sharpie to make them amber instead of clear. What do you think?
:waving:
http://i207.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid207.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/Radulator/Whelen%20Vertex/DSCF6200-1.flv


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## Fiafighterdude (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe Snow;673480 said:


> OK, here's a short video that I promised regarding the clear Whelen Vertex I installed that I went over with an orange Sharpie to make them amber instead of clear. What do you think?
> :waving:
> http://i207.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid207.photobucket.com/albums/bb297/Radulator/Whelen%20Vertex/DSCF6200-1.flv


Awsome !!!!!!!


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## RichG53 (Sep 16, 2008)

Those lights are loud er!! .. Or was that the TRK...


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

looks nice and amber im suprised it actually worked


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

ColliganLands;673563 said:


> looks nice and amber im suprised it actually worked


You and me too. I don't think I could be more pleased to be honest. Sharpie touts that their colors are fadeproof. Time will tell the end of that story.

:waving:


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

I think I have my work cut out for me this weekend. A while ago I bought a pack that brings about 12 different colors of Sharpies... I should have orange in there some where...My only concern is that my vertex lights are in my fog lights, my fog lights are almost always on during the night when I drive. I hope that having the lights on won't fade the sharpie. We'll see.....


I was also thinking of buying some orange transparent vinyl...You can get a 8"x12" sheet for about $3.


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## Petetheo (Sep 21, 2008)

I think I`ll try that with some white led`s.


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

lowpro;673947 said:


> I think I have my work cut out for me this weekend. A while ago I bought a pack that brings about 12 different colors of Sharpies... I should have orange in there some where...My only concern is that my vertex lights are in my fog lights, my fog lights are almost always on during the night when I drive. I hope that having the lights on won't fade the sharpie. We'll see.....
> 
> I was also thinking of buying some orange transparent vinyl...You can get a 8"x12" sheet for about $3.


only problem i see for you is that you have a colored lens on your leds already so it might not work as well


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

ColliganLands;673958 said:


> only problem i see for you is that you have a colored lens on your leds already so it might not work as well


How so? I agree that I probably won't need as much orange since the lens are already yellow but I don't think it will be a problem. Somebody stop me before Saturday morning if you don't think it will work. I plan on coloring lightly.


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

i just think it might make some weird color not sure however the only to find out is to try it


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## Duncan90si (Feb 16, 2007)

If the Sharpie ever wears off or fades, go to Michael's Crafts, or your local craft store, and get some stained glass paint. Its obviously transparent and made to adhere to glass (or plastic) and its fairly cheap.


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

Duncan90si;674280 said:


> If the Sharpie ever wears off or fades, go to Michael's Crafts, or your local craft store, and get some stained glass paint. Its obviously transparent and made to adhere to glass (or plastic) and its fairly cheap.


That is a great suggestion, thanks!


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

Duncan90si;674280 said:


> If the Sharpie ever wears off or fades, go to Michael's Crafts, or your local craft store, and get some stained glass paint. Its obviously transparent and made to adhere to glass (or plastic) and its fairly cheap.


I found that stuff while at Hobby Lobby getting my Sharpie. I didn't find a color that I thought would work. I probably didn't really look hard enough though....

:waving:


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## bltp203 (Nov 5, 2006)

lowpro..........let us know how it goes. The only thing stopping me from buying the amber Vertex is I think they are too yellow. I would think you would have an even deeper amber with a sharpie then on a clear lens.


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

bltp203;675082 said:


> lowpro..........let us know how it goes. The only thing stopping me from buying the amber Vertex is I think they are too yellow. I would think you would have an even deeper amber with a sharpie then on a clear lens.


I couldn't work on the lights today because I had a few errands to run. Sunday is supposed to be raining but i'll see if I could get it down before it pours. :salute:


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

currently crying.....was working on coloring the lights when my tail lamp slid (I don't know how) from inside my trunk right onto the ground. Local stealership wants $222 + tax for it. 

:crying:


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

check out ebay they might have some
or autotrucktoys.com
they sell oem parts maybe they have 1 for your suv


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## BOSSMAN21 (Dec 11, 2008)

Looks great JoeSnow, I bought mine with the amber lense already so I cant wait to get it.


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

Used an orange sharpie









Looks better in my opinion









You can see the yellowness of the front stobes


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

I was really bummed because I had a small costly accident. I am not sure how it happened but my tail lamps suddenly slid from inside my trunk right onto the pavement. I didn't even work on the front lights today because I was inside the house crying trying to figure out the cheapest I could get a replacement. So far it looks like the cheapest oem is going to be $156 :crying:

I took a red sharpie to it too.


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## ColliganLands (Sep 4, 2008)

the ambers look better
sorry to hear about the taillight


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

Vid of the newly vertex lights colored with an orange sharpie. Seem like they match pretty closely, I think.


Here you can see the color differences between the vertex lights (sides) vs TIR3 (middle), both are amber in color. Next week I'll attack the front vertex lights.


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## Fiafighterdude (Jan 2, 2008)

Duncan90si;674280 said:


> If the Sharpie ever wears off or fades, go to Michael's Crafts, or your local craft store, and get some stained glass paint. Its obviously transparent and made to adhere to glass (or plastic) and its fairly cheap.


Good idea.


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## Fiafighterdude (Jan 2, 2008)

> Here you can see the color differences between the vertex lights (sides) vs TIR3 (middle), both are amber in color. Next week I'll attack the front vertex lights.


The reason for the Other Leds having a deeper amber color is beacuse the led bulb it self is amber in color. With the Vertex the leds are white with a amber lense witch makes it a lighter amber almost yellow.


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

I think your lights match spot-on now, at least it looks that way from your video. Let's hope the Sharpie keeps its color! Great job:salute:

:waving:


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## Joe Snow (Oct 6, 2008)

ColliganLands;676301 said:


> check out ebay they might have some
> or autotrucktoys.com
> they sell oem parts maybe they have 1 for your suv


Ebay's THE first place to look. Now's your opportunity to upgrade your tailligts with some of them LED units. I've seen some that look like stock taillights. In my opinion, they're much better than those ones you see on some of them rice burners...

:waving:


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

Joe Snow;677065 said:


> Ebay's THE first place to look. Now's your opportunity to upgrade your tailligts with some of them LED units. I've seen some that look like stock taillights. In my opinion, they're much better than those ones you see on some of them rice burners...
> 
> :waving:


I have a fairly new car and do have LED tail lights and that's what makes it expensive. Doesn't look like I'll be finding something for under $150 (oem brand new)


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

I Sharpied the fog lights this morning and am curious to see what they look like at night. In the day time they look to match pretty good but I'll record and take some picture at night time.


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)

I'm back...Sorry, took the pics but haven't had enough time to upload the pics and videos.

The color after applying the Sharpie is close but not dead on, a lot better overall though.




























Left is the Vertex, Middle is the (2) TIR3's


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## lowpro (Dec 9, 2008)




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