Old Fire Truck Lights

[jeremysterling]

It's a pumper truck for large group baptismals.

The local Tex-mex restaurant wanted me to get the headlights working on the 50's Chrysler Nacho Bar. I found the tag of the welder/artist who created it. I looked him up and found a phone number.

When he picked up, I explained who I was and that I was working on a "car bar." He told me has made many of these as Chuy's has expanded all across the South. He asked which location I was at. I told him and I will never forget his reply. He said, "Well, I reckon that was the first one I ever made!"

I asked about the chassis electrical. He said his next-door neighbor wired it up for him. The neighbor used a Tripplite DC power supply. After that first one, he had an actual electrician use a lighting transformer.

The DC power supply would shut down because the circuit impedance was too low with the headlights in parallel. I rewired the headlights in series and the manager was happy.

 

[kwired]

The local Tex-mex restaurant wanted me to get the headlights working on the 50's Chrysler Nacho Bar. I found the tag of the welder/artist who created it. I looked him up and found a phone number.

When he picked up, I explained who I was and that I was working on a "car bar." He told me has made many of these as Chuy's has expanded all across the South. He asked which location I was at. I told him and I will never forget his reply. He said, "Well, I reckon that was the first one I ever made!"

I asked about the chassis electrical. He said his next-door neighbor wired it up for him. The neighbor used a Tripplite DC power supply. After that first one, he had an actual electrician use a lighting transformer.

The DC power supply would shut down because the circuit impedance was too low with the headlights in parallel. I rewired the headlights in series and the manager was happy.

Chances are they don't want full rated brightness anyway on something like that, anything bright enough to be noticeable is probably fine.

 

[markebenson]

This applies to this or any similar project.

Most old emergency lights use standard vehicular light bulbs such as # 1157 or similar. A 12v retrofit led bulb can be put in its place. 12vdc power supplies are very inexpensive as well.

If you can post model or photo of light bulb, socket, etc. I can lead you in the right direction.