Help with install of Emergency Lights and Siren

[Stimpy911]

Hello, I am a volunteer EMT and respond directly to the scene. I was recently given a Whelen Mini Edge 9000 Strobe light bar and a Whelen Siren. I have a couple of questions.

I need to drill a hole in the roof of my 2004 Explorer to run the wire. I may permanent mount the light as well but have not made up my mind yet.

Has anyone ever done this before?

I need to run wire from the battery to my console for the siren. Will I have to drill a hole or is there a hole big enough to squeeze some wires through already in place?

Thanks

 

[bizzs]

Stimpy,

I was in the public safety world for 20 years and installed lights and siren in my 2003 Explorer. I would not recommend drilling into the roof because of the potential of a water leak unless you get the sealing kit. Taking apart the interior is a pain too. I used the LED interior light bar for the front and 2 small interior light bars for the back. They are very bright and noticeable to the public. I used 2 led lights in the grill along with wig wags for the front head lights and rear backup lights. I ordered a center console that was customized for my year explorer. I mounted the radio, switch panel and siren inside of the console and ran the wires out through and behind the brake peddle. I fed the wiring harness through the firewall where the hood cable is mounted and up to the power box that holds some of the fuses. There are a lot of hot connections in this box that are not being used. From there I fused every accessory for safety reasons. The siren speaker (federal) was a little difficult and I had to take apart the front grill and to mount it. The radio antenna was a small UHF antenna and I bought a small bracket to mount it inside of the front fender. None of this equipment was noticeable and it lit the explorer up like a Christmas tree.

Good luck.
bizzs

 

[Stimpy911]

Thanks for the reply. I was given the light bar for free from one of my deputies I dispatch for so that is why I am using it. Lights up real nice and also has 2 amber led lights in the back. Iwould love to go all LED iinterior but with the kiddos at home I have no money for all the neat stuff.

How could I manage the thick cable if I don't run it through the roof? How do I find a sealer kit? I was just going to use silicone caulk around it.

What console did you get? I am looking for a used one to save some money.

Thanks again for your help.

Steve

 

[bizzs]

What year is your Explorer? My console was for a 2003 and is sitting in my shed with the switches. If your interested in it, PM me and we can discuss it.

Check galls for the installation kit. I used to install these things on my patrol cars years ago. There is no way around hiding the wires if you use the light bar. You have to be careful and make sure that the silicone seals the hole or it will leak. Installing a light bar is a time consuming process, especially when taking the interior apart and fishing the wires.

Bizzs

 

[Stimpy911]

Mine is a 2004. I'll send you a PM soon.

 

[Stimpy911]

Mine is a 2004. I'll send you a PM soon.

 

[5spdman]

I do not have an 04, but I do have a 91, and I am a Volunteer FF (well, FF1&2, FR)....my code lights are interior (all custom made), but for my offroad roof lights, the hole I drilled for the wire was in the B post. I got two of those "snap in" rubber grommets, ran the wire through, and then threw some silicone over that to ensure nothing leaked. The holes are also hidden when the door is closed. For the siren speaker (and I don't know how your pillars are) there was a rubber "disk" halfway between both hinges. I ran it through the drivers side, drilled two holes in the disk, lubed up the wire, and fed it through. the wire continues behind my fender and then enters the engine bay, where I snaked it through an opening for the headlights. Powering everything was rather simple for me as I already had a 4awg cable running through the firewall to power my subwoofer. That connected to a 9 terminal distribution block (one running to the amplifier) and then to an aftermarket fuse block. From there, wires went to switches and lights, code lights, siren, CB, you name it!

Like bizzs said, it is a time consuming process. Lucky for me, I had just bought the rig and didn't need it for about a month, so I had already completely gutted the interior to wire everything and clean out all the dust...took about 2 weeks. I can get you some pictures if you'd like some ideas.

 

[Stimpy911]

Where did you end up running wire from the cab to the battery and how did you do it?

 

[5spdman]

For me, I ran a 4 gauge wire through the firewall using a 4 gauge firewall bushing.

I used a 4 gauge wire (should be using a 2 or 0 gauge) as, from the battery, the wire supplies power for my sub amp, CB, power splitter, and off-road lights as well as my emergency lighting and siren. Not sure how it would be for your Ex, but another option I had was to run the wire behind the front fender, and through a rubber cap near the hinges for the doors. If all you're supplying power for is a light bar and siren (I'm guessing on that one), you'd be ok with using a 10 gauge wire (which they don't make a firewall bushing for...just checked), but if you're adding on more than that, I would run an 8 gauge wire running through a firewall bushing to a power block, running 12-14 gauge from the block to a fuse block and then to your lights/siren/controls...

Hope that helped...