Roof Light Bar Whistle Solution for < $4 (DIY)

[paton.h]

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT ALTER OR INSTALL ANYTHING ON YOUR LIGHT BAR, COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT OR SERIOUS INJURY TO PERSONNEL

Sorry, don't want anyone to cause a fire..anyways, lol

So a couple of weekends ago I painstakingly installed my 52 inch light bar on the roof (6 hr + job) and I was kindof expecting a whistle from but not that loud (sounded like a pot of water boiling from a tea kettle whistler). Was looking for a cheap yet effective solution..I found a couple online but ended up going to Lowes and I bought a 1 inch diameter copper pipe insulator and zip ties. The aft fins (I think they're cooling fins) are what makes the whistle so I attached the insulator to it and the noise is gone..wonderful quietness once again.

On a side note how hot do these bars get while they're on or what the purpose of the aft fins are? I don't really plan on running it sitting still or for very long periods of time.

I wish my hood wasn't white in color but also the picture doesn't justify how much light it really puts out compared to the stock headlights I'm running

 

[Avgas]

zip ties look like ****

 

[paton.h]

zip ties look like ****

Yeah I agree. I would rather have zip ties that I hardly look at than a noise I constantly hear tho

 

[darthdzl]

The purpose of the aft fins is cooling. I don't know how hot that specific bar will get, but in general, the more power it draws, and the brighter it is, the hotter it will get.

Unless that stuff is fireproof, if it gets hot enough, if it's a really bright bar and you leave it on for a while, you could have a problem.

 

[Wandell]

I've never understood the cooling fins on these LED bars. What I mean is this, one of the great thing about LED's is that they don't draw much power and they don't create much heat. I wonder how long you would have to run one of these light bars for it to get hot?

 

[gassersarentdead]

zip ties look like ****

Agree

 

[Road King]

Turn em on for 30 min and see how hot they get...

 

[Rzrman328]

zip ties look like ****

Concur.

 

[paton.h]

Lol, you guys would rather have the noise than the look? F that

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[gassersarentdead]

Over that, yea. 3m the **** or something. Do you not listen to music?

 

[paton.h]

I might consider that..like a command strip type of thing. And I do but in a week or so I'm moving from Alaska to Georgia and I'll be driving it so yes, I don't want the noise for that 4300+ mile trip

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[Rzrman328]

I like the idea but would find an alternative to the zip ties.

I use zip ties just not to the naked eye

 

[Skrap]

Anyone with a good quality LED light like a Surefire or Olight that has a lumin output of 300+ should leave it in high for 20 minutes and then feel the housing of it. It get pretty hot to the touch. Keep the cooling fins exposed so it can dissipate heat.

Look at what truck lumber rack manufactures to to the leading edge of the rack that sits over the front, top part of the cab. They typically make a "wing" to change the airflow,so it doesn't whistle while at fwy speeds. I'd do something similar but attach/rivet a strip of sheet metal to the top cooling fin on the back of the light bar. The entire length of the light. Almost sort of like a spoiler on the rear of a sports car. On the light bar it should disrupt the air flow enought to not make it whistle anymore. Would take some minor fab work but I bet it would work well.

 

[Hootbro]

I've never understood the cooling fins on these LED bars. What I mean is this, one of the great thing about LED's is that they don't draw much power and they don't create much heat. I wonder how long you would have to run one of these light bars for it to get hot?

LED's still get hot, they just do not get as hot as a incandescent light bulb at a given lumen output but they are still drawing some amperage to generate that heat.

 

[SilverStreak88]

Anyone with a good quality LED light like a Surefire or Olight that has a lumin output of 300+ should leave it in high for 20 minutes and then feel the housing of it. It get pretty hot to the touch. Keep the cooling fins exposed so it can dissipate heat.

That's no joke, I sometimes bump my PD22 on when I'm crawling or working it tight spaces. I never know it's on until I feel my hip starting to get warm and then HOT, I look down and my pocket is lit up.

 

[SilverStreak88]

I don't need to put any of that crap on my light bar as I have mud grips and a nice sound system to over power the howl. I think you could have done it better for sure instead of using zip ties... I have to agree with (Rzrman) in that they are all out of sight on my truck. I'm a function over form kinda guy so I would do this in a pinch because it would work, but not long term. If anything I would run a bead of black RTV down the channels on each side to do away with it.

 

[tsc]

Just thinking outside of the box (as I don't have a light bar).


So the whistling is from air going over the fins. But the fins are needed to cool the lights.

What about a piece of black aluminum threshold trim? Off set it back a little on the top of the light bar, attached by 3M tape(maybe). It may work as a spoiler and redirect the airflow away from the fins and reduce the whistling?

 

[SilverStreak88]

Just thinking outside of the box (as I don't have a light bar).


So the whistling is from air going over the fins. But the fins are needed to cool the lights.

What about a piece of black aluminum threshold trim? Off set it back a little on the top of the light bar, attached by 3M tape(maybe). It may work as a spoiler and redirect the airflow away from the fins and reduce the whistling?

You would have to have one on the top and the bottom, but the resonating would just transfer to the trim pieces.

 

[Batram]

Just don't cover up the cooling fins. Heat is the biggest enemy of LED drivers. They can do cold without issue, but heat is bad! It typically won't cause problems anytime soon, but it will definitely shorten the life of you light bar. LED's put off very little heat, but the driver actually put's out quite a bit.

 

[BOONDOCKER]

Buy windshield washer hose and stuff in the cracks. No ****** zip ties! Looks good can't see them and no whistle.

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