KD5NRH

Anybody built a set of side marker lights that flash in sync? I'm thinking of something like the amber hazard lights used on farm equipment: near-360 degree visibility, placed at the outside edge of the vehicle, (I'd want a bar that would mount to the back edge of my rack to hold the lights just outboard of the panniers.) and flashing about 1-2 times per second.

Unsynchronized lights tend to look like multiple objects, or worse, like a turn signal, (though the ability to put one on solid while blinking the other as a turn signal would be nice) so I'd want them both running off a single controller. I know there are LED versions of the double-sided lights commonly used on tractors, but I'd prefer something in a 6V (or lower voltage) design so I wouldn't have to find somewhere to put a SLA battery or a huge lump of AAs.

xizangstan

As a pilot and marina manager, I am forced to think about red and green side navigation lights. Even police cars typically use the same color scheme on their rooftop light bars, as required under the International Rules: Red on the left (port), and green on the right (starboard).

Then again, amber for the forward sides of road vehicles, and red on the rearward sides, may be in order.

Man, we could end up looking like a Christmas display moving down the road, couldn't we?

KD5NRH

The tractor lights sometimes come in a red/amber combo design, so that's a possibility. I guess I just need to find a set of the LED ones, crack them open, and see if they run the LEDs in series to handle 12V, or if they just use a dropping resistor that could be removed to get them to run at full brightness on 3-5V

mechBgon

You could use a pair of Whelen TIR3s, I believe they have a sync wire like my similar Nova BULL. Mucho power. Hitch them up to something in the 8.4-16 volt range and off you go.

xtrajack

I realize that this isn't exactly what you were asking about, I have been using Winkkus now for about 9 months. They are about 90 bucks a pair,well worth it IMO.
I would rather buy something of this nature, than try to DIY it, as, I don't have the requisite knowledge.

They function as mirrors, turn signals and marker/running lights. I bought mine primarily to use as turn signals. As turn signals, battery life is extremely good. I also feel that where they mount to the handlebars, it helps them work better as turn signals, because they are far enough apart to make it easier for other road users to realize that you are signaling a turn. As marker lights, I don't think the battery life would be all that great. They don't flash as marker lights, unless you activate the switch for a turn.

As marker lights they throw white light to the front, red to the rear. When you hit the switch, the red/white LEDs go to amber and they blink. When you are using them as marker lights and signal a turn, the change from solid red to flashing amber is very noticeable.

I also put reflective tape on the front side of each unit. I felt that where I don't use them as marker lights the added reflectivity can't possibly hurt.

As Always YMMV
I have no connection to the company, other than as a satisfied customer.

rumrunn6

that sounds cool. I've mounted two of the same rear facing strobes on my rear rack and left drop bar and even though they don't flash in unison there same flash pattern going at the same time provides, I think, the effect that they are both on the same vehicle, kinda like an ambulance