Whelen LIN3 + Programable flasher = Wow!!!

[DingusKahn]

Well Judge - You just cost me about 70 bucks. Thanks a lot. :dribble:

Parts ordered.

DK

 

[MT home]

Whelen makes two similar LED light heads [their terminlogy] in that size: the TIR3 and the LIN3. The TIR3 is much more directional; the LIN3 is wide angle (approaching 180 degrees). I personally use the TIR3 for a brake light, and the LIN3 for warning lights [hazard flashers] on my old BMW airhead that I have set up to using while providing mechanical support for group bicycle rides (events/races). I believe that the directional function of the TIR3 head makes the light brighter [due to the focus] and keeps it "aimed" at those more directly behind you.

The TIR3 are available in vertical and horizontal styles. LIN3s are available only in a horizontal style.

There are similar "house brand" light heads that appear to be made by Whelen that reportedly are about 20% less intense, and $40 each instead of $50. The less intense ones seem to be coming with a grey housing, instead of the black plastic housing on the Whelen. The house brand versions I've seen are available through StrobesN'More and Galls. The folks at StrobesN'More tell me that their house brand are made in the USA. Whelen designs and builds their products in the USA (for those who care about such things, as I do.)

If you need even more LED power, Whelen offers the LIN6 [six LEDs] in a housing that is virtually the same size as the TIR3/LIN3 unit. You can select a 3x3 alternating flash pattern from the many options. There is a LIN4 available, but it is somewhat wider than the others.

 

[DaSpyda]

Excellent find!
...maybe one on each saddle bag? Anyone? ... anyone...?

The only thing about that is you'd have to rig a quick disconnect if you want to take off your bags anytime, plus I don't believe there's a flat vertical plane at the rear. You'd have to do an "L" bracket below, which will put the unit right above a hot muffler.

 

[Patriot]

I'm kinda partial to hyperlites:

I notice that all 4 of the stock tail lights are lit. Did you change the turn signals into combined brake and turn? I've been thinking of changing them into brake/running lights and moving the turn signals down and further out - I just haven't figured out how I want to mount them yet.

I have the four way flashers activated...I just kept taking pics until the all the amber lights were illuminated

I have a rubber band holding the front brake lever in to light up the brake lights

The red hyperlites are on as running lights and flash for brake lights (continuously in my case, states like CA only allow like 5 flashes then solid on when brakes applied)

 

[DaJudge]

Well Judge - You just cost me about 70 bucks. Thanks a lot. :dribble: Parts ordered.

DK

Just doin my part to stimulate the economy.

 

[Fred W]

Well, DaJudge (is that a reference to "Laugh-in"? Here comes Da Judge...) It seems that I have gone your entire route now after having attempted to use the Programmable 3rd Brake Light alone (with incandescent) on 2 of my bikes, and then trying to find a decent LED 1157 retrofit bulb for the tail lights, I'm now waiting for one of the Whelen units, which I just ordered from your link.

I have one question about your videos. You seem to have picked a fairly slow flash for the programmable flasher when hooked up to the Whelen. Was there as reason for that or just personal preference? It seems to me that the fast strobe would be the most attention getting, at the risk of stimulating epileptic seizures in those so inclined...

Anyway, I ordered 1 to test it out, since with the free shipping there is no penalty for ordering more later. If this works as well as it appears to in your video, I'll be ordering at least one more, maybe more.

 

[DaJudge]

I have one question about your videos. You seem to have picked a fairly slow flash for the programmable flasher when hooked up to the Whelen. Was there as reason for that or just personal preference? It seems to me that the fast strobe would be the most attention getting, at the risk of stimulating epileptic seizures in those so inclined...

It's a matter of personal preference I suppose. After having seen it operate at different flash rates, I chose the medium as the one I thought was the most attention-getting :clapping: . The most rapid flash rate just seemed to fast to get a nice strobe effect.

Either way, it is a tremendous improvement over the stock brake light.

 

[Fred W]

So, after trying to install just the programmable flasher module, I was somewhat underwhelmed with how eye catching it is to flash the incandescent bulbs. The slow response time of the bulb's filaments means that you can't use the strobe or faster flash modesd and have to back to the slowest of the 3 flashing modes. Yeah, it's better than nothing. Kind of similar to flashing the brakes by flicking the brake lever a few times.

Video of Flasher and Stock lights

Next I tried ordering replacement LED 1157 "bulbs", which do allow you to run the brake light modulator in a faster flashing mode due to their faster response time, but the amount of light output from the tail lights in "running light mode" (when the brakes aren't depressed) is completely inadequate. The next video shows the stock light in the left side and the LED "bulb" in the right side.

Video of Stock lights vs LED replacement bulb

So I finally rewired the tail light back to stock (no flashing) and installed one of the Whelen Lin-3 accessory brake lights in parrallel, per Da' Judge's original recommendation. It is superb.

The lamp mounts very neatly right under the tail light of the 1st gens. There is a little flat area that is perfectly sized and drilling through it puts the wires just in the correct place to be hooked up behind the passenger seat. The Whelen does not block any of the plate light as there is a "batwing" mask in the tail light that blocks the light near the fender anyway.

And here is the final video of the Whelen Lin3 light being driven by the programmable brake light flasher.

Whelen Lin3 flashing brake light (Warning - 13Mb File)

I currently have the light flashing 4 times and then solid at it's fastest rate as I think this is the most eye catching. Sorry, the video doesn't seem to capture the flashing very effectively in its compressed format (Tip: wait for the advertisement to finish playing before viewing video). But as you can see the light is quite bright even from an angle. I am very pleased with the result. I'll install a switch to disable the Whelen for when others are riding behind me or at night, as it may be somewhat blinding after dark.

I bought these components from the same place that Da Judge linked to earlier. Highly recommended.

 

[puppychow]

Did I get a programmable flasher which is defective?

I checked and rechecked all my connections (used posi-connectors), nothing is loose. However the programmable flasher seems to be changing the flashing modes by itself.

The two white wires which change the flashing modes are insulated and not contacting.

Yet, I set it to a particular flashing mode when I leave for a ride - at the end of the day when I am back in the garage the darn thing is flashing in some other mode...

Am I the only one?

Below is my diagram - help a brother see something obvious here. I am usually blind to my own mistakes..

P.S. - There is an inline 3A fuse between the brake bulb power line and the Flasher. It's not shown in the diagram below.

 

[TomInPA]

For the time I was following you, it seemed like four fast flashes, then constant. Very noticeable pattern and intensely bright light really got my attention. Seems like a good safety upgrade.

As I understand the Whelen, the pattern is changed by briefly applying 12-volt current tot he white/violet control wire. Is there any way that wire is able to touch another live circuit?

 

[puppychow]

For the time I was following you, it seemed like four fast flashes, then constant. Very noticeable pattern and intensely bright light really got my attention. Seems like a good safety upgrade.

As I understand the Whelen, the pattern is changed by briefly applying 12-volt current tot he white/violet control wire. Is there any way that wire is able to touch another live circuit?

Nope Whelen stays at always on (if there is power). If the issue was with the Whelen, then it would never go constant after a few flashes (as there is only 1 constant on mode for the Whelen). I was checking how the diagnostic LED in the flasher was flashing and it would be different in the evening on the return home than from the morning when I do my pre-ride check.

I have no idea what is going on with the flasher. It is definitely cycling through the flash modes as I ride along, but why? I have the white wires which change the flasher's modes wrapped in electrical tape with an additional heat shrink tube on top of it. There is no way they are contacting (unless there is an intermittent short somewhere inside the flasher itself).

 

[bramfrank]

Based on what you've written, it sounds like a defective flasher module to me.

 

[puppychow]

Based on what you've written, it sounds like a defective flasher module to me.

Yea. Probably just my luck to get a defective module.

I considered ordering another one of the same kind to see if it behaves the same way, but decided against it and ordered a Back Off XP modulator instead. We shall see..

 

[Fred W]

I'd have contacted the seller and got another sent (on his dime).

I have two of the 3rd Brake Modules and they both work flawlessly.

 

[wabill]

Just finished my Dual LIN3 install in time to watch the Super Bowl

 

[midnight rider]

<!--quoteo(post=620684:date=Jul 30 2009, 02:03 PM:name=sportsguy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sportsguy @ Jul 30 2009, 02:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=620684"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=620550:date=Jul 30 2009, 07:12 AM:name=DaJudge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DaJudge @ Jul 30 2009, 07:12 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=620550"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->...and wire it into your stock brake lights?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It's this part that'll get folks to skip it for plug-and-play things like those from Kisan. Costs more, but takes minutes to install, requies no cutting & splicing, and works very well.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I use Posi-Tap connectors <img src="https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yahoo.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" :yahoo: " border="0" alt="yahoo.gif" /> , so it's not an issue. Those neat little things allow you to tap into a power line in just a few seconds. It's really much easier than getting to and disconnecting/reconnecting the wiring plugs.

Thanks for the info and pics will order them as soon as I get my IRS refund

 

[Dr. Jekyll]

Just finished my Dual LIN3 install in time to watch the Super Bowl

Can you please post pics of it lit during the day and at night please?

 

[wabill]

Just finished my Dual LIN3 install in time to watch the Super Bowl

Can you please post pics of it lit during the day and at night please?

It may be awhile before I can get any good pics. But these are the same lights that used on many police and emergency vehicles, so they are bright. Pictures that I've taken are crap because the lights overload the sensor.

 

[Dr. Jekyll]

Just finished my Dual LIN3 install in time to watch the Super Bowl

Can you please post pics of it lit during the day and at night please?

It may be awhile before I can get any good pics. But these are the same lights that used on many police and emergency vehicles, so they are bright. Pictures that I've taken are crap because the lights overload the sensor.

Cool no worries. I know it's difficult to photograph at night but was still curious whether I should go with 1 or 2.

Just finished my Dual LIN3 install in time to watch the Super Bowl

Can you please post pics of it lit during the day and at night please?

It may be awhile before I can get any good pics. But these are the same lights that used on many police and emergency vehicles, so they are bright. Pictures that I've taken are crap because the lights overload the sensor.

Cool no worries. I know it's difficult to photograph at night but was still curious whether I should go with 1 or 2.

 

[dsmack]

We have these units on our later patrol cars.

You will find the light output from a single unit to be more than sufficient as a warning/attention getter when you apply the brakes. Two units would be overkill in my humble opinion... YMMV of course.

Too much light can in and of itself be a distraction. We have had close calls, especially from impaired/drunk drivers who exhibit the "Moth to Flame" response and fixate on the bright lighting. Not a good thing of course!!

I'll be installing one unit above the license plate as outlined in this thread... probably put in a shut off switch to minimize aggravation for fellow riders following, especially after dark.

Ride Safely!

Don