So I have been lurking these forums for a while and decided to share my custom light bar build.
First I'll share a little background info, I am a college senior and a former police explorer from Seattle, I am planning on testing in a few years after I graduate in May. For my thesis I am shooting a short cop drama of sorts and wanted to build a custom light bar to use on a personal vehicle for the production. I am also using the light bar as another class project so in effect I am killing two birds with one stone so to speak.
Anyway, for the first version I am using an Arduino as the primary controller with several custom patterns based off of other popular light bars, but because I am limited to inputs and how many different sequences I can run this will probably be replaced with something better down the road.
While my current setup is more impressive then the high school seniors build posted some time ago it is still a work in progress and I am waiting on some parts to power all my LEDs properly. It's going to be a split visor mount since I don't have to worry about weather proofing or attracting attention from local
law enforcement in between shooting locations.
The front bar is going to be made up of 40 1 Watt LEDs, these will make up 10 modules of 4 LEDs each, 4 Blue, 2 White and 4 Red the rear bar is going to be made up of 32 1 Watt LEDs making up 8 Modules of 4 LEDs like the front 4 Blue and 4 Red. I'm also planning on having side intersection modules of 2 Blue LED's and 2 Red LED's.
If I have spec'd everything correctly the front bar should be pushing 2000 lumens when all 10 modules are lit, but will probably operate closer to 1000 lumens the way my patterns are set up.
The only videos I have are with it plugged into a 5v source running off my laptop, but if there's enough interest maybe I'll upload them. I should have the parts I need to start running everything off a 12v source next week.
Let the feedback / flaming commence.
Little bit of an update. I picked up some materials to mount the LEDs too and got my MOSFET transistors and lenses yesterday. I'll post some pictures of the mock up tomorrow.
Planning on putting it in this.