UPFITTER’S BENCH Whelen V-Series Wide-Angle Warning Light
WHELEN V-SERIES Wide-Angle Warning Light
By Matthew Ayers
WWW.WHELEN.COM
ARTICLE SUMMARY
The V-series of LED light heads from Whelen are capable of delivering 180 degrees of light output. The V-series is available for a number of models and mounting confi gurations.
ED warning lights have proven to be powerful, versatile and rugged. However, LED lights are very directional in their warning output and few lights approach a true 180-degree warning. While special- ized optics and lenses have helped spread light output, the problem of wide-angle warning typically required the installation of multiple lights to solve. Whelen® Engineering has over- come that limitation with the introduc- tion of its new V-Series™ light heads. T ese V-Series light heads are variants of several popular Whelen products, includ- ing their ION™, LINZ6™, M2, 400 and 500-series. T e V-Series variants diff er from the standard lights by using new HDO™ (High Defi nition Optics) technology and hard-coated lenses, which protrude from the front of the light in a semi-circle. T e warn-
L 8 Police Fleet Manager Mar-Apr 2014
ing LEDs are split into a V-shape, with two arrays facing opposite each other at 45-de- gree (nominal) angles. T is “V” arrangement is very similar to the end-caps of Whelen’s linear lightbars, providing true 180-degree warning with a very bright signal at all view- ing angles.
V-Series lights offer two additional features: scene lights and puddle lights. Whelen’s design team listened to customer requests for compact scene lighting and rec- ognized that V-Series light heads would be mounted in locations ideal for supplemental scene lighting. Each V-Series light (except the LINV2) has three to six white LEDs mounted to provide intense directional scene illumination. T e scene light function is independently switched and can be wired to work alone or in conjunction with other scene lights, including lightbar alley lights. T is dual-role versatility makes V-Series
lights an excellent solution for “slick top” applications. In addition to the scene lights, Whelen has added a small array of white LEDs, which project a low-intensity fl oodlight downward. T ese “puddle lights” function similarly to the entry/exit or running board lights off ered on newer vehicles or even as compartment illumination in some applica- tions. T e puddle light feature can be wired to activate when the vehicle door is opened or activated with an independent switch. Together with the warning and scene func-
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