Strobe light

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
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1crosscut
Posts: 877
Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Strobe light

Post by 1crosscut »

I set up a removable strobe light that drops into one of the rear stake pockets on my AA. Always worries me that someone is going to drive up my tail pipe when I'm on roads with higher speed limits. I built a box that sits just inside the grain door that has two large motorcycle type 12 volt batteries. Hopefully those will run the strobe for quite a while. Will have to fire it up and see how long the batteries will supply enough juice to run it.
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Dave
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Strobe light

Post by Stakebed »

i like it! only thing i can suggest is maybe slip a piece of rubber tubing or old vacuum line over the wires that run between the grainbox and the steel rear crossmember so they dont rub thru with all the bouncing. also wouldn't hurt to run an inline fuse right off the batteries just in case it does so it doesnt blow up a battery. :D im sure you can salvage any inline fuse holder off of something floating around the garage.

Got a picture of the setup from like a semi truck away? looks like its at a great height for standard passenger cars to be smack in the drivers face when they are following you.

If you really wanna get crafty, can get a 2 terminal connector so you just have to back in the garage and plug the battery charger into the connector to charge it, dont have to reach over with alligator clips!



http://www.ebay.com/itm/54-LED-Amber-Ye ... 1308168201

i bought this kit off ebay for the day mine is road worthy, has strobe patterns and all sorts of stuff. really bright when i hooked it up indoors! I planned to make a box that I can strap down to the rear of the AA and use a 12V deep cycle marine battery to power them, LED shouldnt draw a whole lot so should last quite awhile.
User avatar
1crosscut
Posts: 877
Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Strobe light

Post by 1crosscut »

Yes it is about the right height to be very noticeable to folks in passenger cars. Those are the ones I'm most worried about.
Good comment about a fuse in the line near the battery. Already have it in place and have a couple layers of shrink tube around the wires where it goes under the box. But I don't understand your comment about all the bouncing. Doesn't yours ride as smooth as silk like mine?? :lol:
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Dave
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Strobe light

Post by Stakebed »

Haha, Nebraska's got some bad roads but not as bad as ours in IL! :shock: Now the trick is to remember to turn it off when you park :mrgreen:
Jared275
Posts: 306
Joined: May 29th, 2009, 8:37 pm
Body Type: dUMP
Model Year: 1928

Re: Strobe light

Post by Jared275 »

Your strobe light look great. One other thought, could add a normally open (NO) relay to the circuit. Wire the relay to activate (close circuit) when the key is switched on.
oldtimetowing
Posts: 44
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 4:45 pm
Model Year: 1930
Location: Palo Alto, Ca

Re: Strobe light

Post by oldtimetowing »

Great idea. However, most states have sections in their vehicle codes that address the proper use of flashing amber lights. You may want to check to see if your installation is legal to use on a moving vehicle. Also some of the lights that are available as warning lights are bright enough to affect the night vision and depth perception of the driver behind you.
User avatar
1crosscut
Posts: 877
Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Strobe light

Post by 1crosscut »

Good point about the strobes use on moving vehicles. I suspect that there may be some regulations pertaining to using them however I think that the local law man may give me a little wiggle room in this type of application. Pretty sure it's not a jail-able offense so I'm not going to stress too much about it.
I do drive my truck at night but only on the local streets that are low speed so the strobe will not be used after dark. Although I may need to give the cover a dusting of flat black spray paint to dull down the flash a bit for day time driving.
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Dave
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Strobe light

Post by Stakebed »

it probably is illegal BUT like you said the police have better things to do. Id leave it as is and blink it at night too.
KimVanOrder
Posts: 753
Joined: August 11th, 2013, 4:25 pm
Body Type: 82-A Platform
Model Year: 1928
Location: Hamilton, Mich.

Re: Strobe light

Post by KimVanOrder »

Also in some states, Mich. you may not have the triangle ' slow moving vehicle ' signs on anything but farm equipment. not by driveways, mail boxes, etc, either. So my truck is now a 'farm' truck. :wink: now all i need is a farm to go with it. Like what was mentioned, Police have better things to do.
KVO
Dec. '28 AA
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