Substituting lights

[CrystalPistol]

Below is a post I made in response to a question about strobes. It probably is better placed here. It's just food for thought, and it's not just about placing strobe bulbs in a turn signal alongside the stock bulb.

Anytime you add lighting or think about modifying stock lighting, get past what just "looks cool". Think about it's effect on traffic around you, think about the fact that the next person to pull up behind you may be another Winger, or a 16 year old kid who has just added driving a car on the road to their list of lifetime accomplishments, or a 87 year old gentleman and his 85 year old darling wife of 68 years and all that.

Signals, be they brake or turn, mean nothing if not properly deciphered. be careful how you add / augment lighting. You want a clear signal in either case, and you want it easily understood. You don't want confusion. You also do not want to be sending false signals.

Also, consider that what makes a signal light of any kind stand out is "contrast" between the moments of "burn" time against a backdrop of "off" time.
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I would think again before substituting a strobe for an incadescent bulb in a signal light.

The signals are pretty easily seen on the 1200. Part of the reason is the longer "on" burn time of the incadescent bulb, it comes on, goes off, comes on, goes off.

A strobe has a short duration "pop" or momentary flash.

You also don't need it in the same housing with the stock bulb.

My 2006 Ford Crown Vic has strobes in the corner lights (it's a police car), and that means the rear corner lights which are also brake and tail and signal lights. The strobes are a fast "pop" as described, (and not as bright as a slower burning incadescent bulb either), and I have noticed my coworkers cars ... if the strobes are on and a signal is activated, the strobes tend to fill in the "off" times of the stock signal bulb and the effectiveness of the signal is deminished. I've noticed it when following one in a response, I've noticed it when they are finished a traffic stop and are signalling to re-enter traffic while the emergency lights are still on. It's a police car, the strobes are intended to enhance safety for a car sitting along side the road, but it's drawback is as I describe when installed in a light already in use.

Besides all of that, certain lights like signal lights, brake lights, tail lights, etc .... require approval for use on a roadway. They are submitted for approval as a complete unit, which includes the bulb.

A strobe is not an approved signal lamp ...
... it is an emergency lighting device like seen on some wreckers and highway maintenance vehicles (which maintain their factory signal lamps).

Just food for thought from a different perspective.

[admin]

Well done CrystalPistol. Any info that goes to help safety is always welcome at this site. Thank you.