ATV LED installation advice needed?

[BlueLine]

Looking for a little advice on a ATV installation, Lights & Siren.

[EOppegaard]

It still baffels me why people need to install a Siren on an ATV...what do you need to warn? Deer off the trail?

Anyways, what are you looking to use? LED would be a pretty good choice in my own opinion. You can get some of the 911EP items that are sealed, as well as some of the Whelen products which I am sure someone will chime in with soon enough.

With Strobe and Halogen you need to worry about hitting a good bump and cracking the fillament within the lamp.

As far as a siren...I will let someone else handle it!

[Matt]

Above photos are of the 4 wheeler I use. 2 Power supplys, each 30 (?) wattts, 3 heads, made by Able 2 / ShoMe I think, it's been a while since I've checked. We havent had to replace any lights yet, and we've had it well over 50mph on a logging road up in Maine. they've also survived the ATV being stolen, taken up a rocky / woodsy hill, and getting stuck in a rut.

As for a siren,:

It still baffels me why people need to install a Siren on an ATV

[alex]

It still baffels me why people need to install a Siren on an ATV...what do you need to warn?

Having a mobile PA and airhorn where a vehicle can't go can be very useful. Also, Airhorn people out of the way when they happen to miss a large off road vehicle coming at them.

Matt - nice ride.

-Alex

[apco25]

Plenty of agencies put warning equipment on ATV, quad runners, golf carts etc etc from urban and suburban PD's to wildland firefighting and parks conservation enforcement.

I just did a waverunner for the coast guard with marine radio, TIR3 LED's and next week in goes the siren/pa

[Adam]

There was a guy on another forum who used Whelen TIR3s and installed lights and wigwags ON A SCOOTER!!!!!!!!

I doubt you need much advice with installing TIR3 or 911ep LEDs.. they are stick em somewhere.. wire them together.... give em power.

[Station House Products]

Well, the siren thing is a catch 22, I have to admit. Most times there really is'nt much use for them, BUT, if you are going through the trouble to put visual warning on the vehicle, you may as well put audible on it too. The nice thing about audible warnign is it reduces the liability of someone not hearing you coming with it (though if you can't hear a quad coming up the road, you need to have your ears checked) The other nice thing about it is if you get a system with a PA on it, they are EXCELLENT during searches in the woods for missing hunters and kids to tell them to stay in one spot, help is on the way, etc.

Regarding the lighting, I have to agree with Eric on the LEDs. We have been converting some ranger bikes in this area to them from strobes for the very reasons mentioned. Back wood roads and trails can be VERY hard on filaments and tubes. The other thing is overloading the charging/electrical systems. I've seen bikes with enough strobes to light up a UFO and then heard the owners complain that they're replacing altenators or batteries at a more frequent rate.

The LEDs I reccomend are from Sho-Me as you can order them by the inch (from 1 " through 48") which is nice for custom application since you can order them in the most appropriate length to look custom fit for the space you are trying to put them into. Also, they are water proof (Yes, water, not weather) Toss them in the pool for the next 20 years and it wont hurt them! They are schock proof and EXTREMELY bright. They are relatively inexpensive as well. A pair in either blue or green with a multi-pattern strobe effect flasher and switch kit is about $125.00. Red or amber pair with the flasher and switch kit is about $90.00.

As for the siren, the Sho-Me hide away is nice. The amp is remote mounted and VERY compact making it easy to hide in a small box on the back of the bike with only a pair of switches on the front. Price new is generally about $130.00. If you need any or want pics of them, eithe PM or e-mail me and I will be happy to send you more details.

[spareparts]

I just did a waverunner for the coast guard with marine radio, TIR3 LED's and next week in goes the siren/pa

This I have to see! Any pictures available?

Martin

[Adam]

But does anyone want to be outside, as they will when on the ATV, when a 100w siren is going off?

[EC-7]

Sirens are good, but 100watts is LOUD, wire it for 58 watts. We use them around here with PA at our parks. Good for audiable location in the woods for letting someone know where you are. A good portable rechargable 1,000,000 candlepower spotlight is a must also.

[POVoutfitters]

After working a large outdoor event, this past weekend, I found my 4-wheeler to be invaluable. We were working parking and security at a motorcycle club's annual drag-strip event. We probably parked about 4000 cars. I put over 30 miles on the 4 wheeler this weekend.

I had wrapped a Whelen LED Visor light onto the front rack. Worked like a charm, with the factory velco holding it into position. Especiallly when I was trying to get through the crowded pit area.

Next, for my ride is a radio and dedicated lights and siren. My question is, where do you control the switches. I'm using a Honda Foreman 4X4, and it has a blank panel on top of the bar mounting point (in between the bars)... However, I would like to mount a siren/airhorn switch near the handgrips. That would make it easier to break through the crowds. Is there a place I can buy the controls, like those that are used on the police motorcycles? I guess I could just add on a small bracket or mounting plate on top of the left handlebar's controls. If it's not too expensive, it sure would look better with professionally made controls, though....

I was in Panama City Beach, FL over the 4th of July holiday. I saw one of their Police Officers patrolling the beach roads on 4 wheeler. They had a metal bar that came from the rear rack area, and had a round blue strobe that was about 3 feet in the air. Didn't get a closer inspection, though....

Thanks for the tips....

Rob