Spotlight strobelight ?

[oneeyeddick]

I would love to have one on my Mutant for lighting up darkwads.
I have a 2 million candlepower handheld, how can I make this thing strobe ?

[The CO]

Well, you can't just convert the light you have straight over and have a great strobe. Strobe lights are basically a small arc generated from a capacitor, so you would be looking at some rewiring/relamping. You could prolly buy a small strobe and a big (lantern battery size) flashlight and build the former into the latter. I'll look around...

[mdmf007]

Wat CO said - plus an incandescant filament doesnt cycle well. I bet it would burn out rather quickly if you tried to cycle it on and off fast.

find some strobes with some nuts to it, and replace your incandescant bulb with it, and change the power supply.

sounds like fun/

[burnerboy33]

you could just build a box to put the light you have inside with a hole for it to shine out, then put a round disc with holes in it over the hole where your light is and spin the disc. you control the speed of the "strobe" with the speed of the disc.

[Ugly Dougly]

You can get fairly inexpensive battery powered strobes for marine use from the surplus store. In fact, they come in different colors. A trio of blinkers in red, green and blue will eventually flash every color of the rainbow.

[Teo del Fuego]

yeah, battery powered strobes at the local Army surplus run about $14 to $20

[oneeyeddick]

Yeah, I've seen those marine 12v units.
It would be cool to have a couple red on the left and some blues on the right on top
of the vehicle, DPW likes it when you streamline your flashers as such.

I am looking to make my darkwad victims literally lose thier sight for a moment with
LOTS of spots in thier eyes, not just the one that the spotlight produces without the strobe.
The spinning disk theory might have promise.........

[mdmf007]

you could just build a box to put the light you have inside with a hole for it to shine out, then put a round disc with holes in it over the hole where your light is and spin the disc. you control the speed of the "strobe" with the speed of the disc.

That would make a flashing light. The whole premise behind a strobe burnerboy is to utilize the discharge of capacitors to flash a strobe tube with hindreds of thousands of volts per cycle. Flash fast enough and its a continous beam. Ths spinning disk would be great to make it flash - but does nothing to brighten things up.

[burnerboy33]

how much is a "hindred" again?

[oneeyeddick]

Its about one tenth of a thusund.

[burnerboy33]

mdmf, the "whole premise" of a strobe is a flashing light. True, most modern strobes use a capacitor. and a zenon bulb. Voltage is in the 1000 range. I have maintained airfield lighting for a large airport and the ones we worked with got to about 50,000v to light a 300,000,000 candle power bulb.
He has a 3,000,000 candle power light and wants to make a spot strobe light out of. I think that is bright enough to shine on someone up to 50 -75 feet away.
All I did was suggest a way to simply use what he had to make what he wanted.

[mdmf007]

a flashing light is just that - a lashing light. A strobe builds a charge and discharges it through a xenon gas filled bulb or other gas. Its not simply a flashed light - but a pulsed arc. If all he wants to do is make a light blink, then a spinning disk is simple enough.

[Ugly Dougly]

What's a darkwad and why would you want one lighted up? Are you out of toilet paper?

[theCryptofishist]

Darkwad is someone who doesn't wear any sort of light (blinkies, el wire, glow sticks) at night, putting himself or herself at risk of being hit by bicyalist, or art car.

[mdmf007]

I dont know how many unlit people I almost plowed into, or was almost plowed into.

I detest glow sticks - but would love to see a simple alternative thats not made of chemical filled non-recyclable single use plastics.

[Rat Bastard]

I can totally relate to this. My MV has a car alarm on the window washer button, an air horn on the horn button and a BIG RED BUTTON that controls the mechanical siren. Also a PA speaker off the CB. I was real quick to say "get some friggin MV repelent you idiot".

Here's a thought for your spot. Wait, before I do, I must say a strobe light IS a light. AND strobe lights can be on for more then just a split second. Actually, I've worked with some in nightclubs that can illuminate for up to 1.8 seconds at 1000w. That's continuous light, not fast strobe. Longer is possible but the size of the capacitor would be huge and the lamp would overheat and explode. So...

Here's my thought. 1.) Put a stop on the wheel so when it spins you get one flash. Or make or buy a shutter system like the marine vessels have. They look like louvers of miniblinds and have a spring loaded "trigger" to open and close. Might be more durable then the wheel.

Better yet, help all the other MVs out and just bring a paintball gun with glow-in-the-dark ammo. "Phap, phap, phap. Congratulations, your not a darkwad in my way anymore". The second part of that would need a PA. Saves your voice.

Got pics of your MV? I do.
www.flickr.com/photos/libidolounge

[oneeyeddick]

Sure thing, Rat Bastard. They are on this page and the next
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36379536@N00/

Here is a vid someone else posted
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=xPaXbOuW08k[/youtube]

[stargeezer]

I am a bit surprised by the tone of this thread. It sounds like those with MVs should have the right to run over people enjoying the darkness, simply because they are not protecting themselves with lights. Being one that appreciates the stars without light pollution, I would have to disagree. If a MV driver cannot see what he is doing well enough that they do not endanger others, they should park the thing until it is safe to operate! The driver is always responsible for any accident, and if you really want to see a bright light, maybe one staight into the driver's eyes would be appropriate. Self expression does not give you the right to totally ignore the safety of others.

[Rat Bastard]

And yet another burner speaks from no experience. Stargeezer, we totally understand our responsibilities. However, if you read the newbie guides you'll find that night illumination is suggested as a safety issue not only for MVs but for bicyclists to see peds too. Bikes go faster too! The big problem is this:
Your driving along the open playa at 4mph. Hell, even 2mph. Your watching a field of view of 180 degrees or more. You see nothing around or infront of you. Then WOOSH, someone that's unlit bikes or runs in front of your MV. They appear out of nowhere. Now the driver has the dificult task of slamming on the brakes with 20 people on board. Hmmmm? So avoiding someone that didn't follow the survival guide and the suggestions of thousands can cause injury to others. Imagine a city bus slamming on it's brakes to avoid the clueless jaywalker. People can get hurt.

So, the moral is, if you can't mark youself with a simple blinkie or two, don't get pissed at others. It's you that's causing the dangerous situation for others. If you want to see the stars, go out to deep space along the fence. Or no mans land where MVs can't go. But for Darwin's sake, don't put everything on the MVs. Your ticket says death and dismemberment like the rest of ours. Please do your part to help keep that out of reality.

If you drove along the highway at night and saw a bicycle with no reflectors or lights what would you think of that person's common sense?

[stargeezer]

4 MPH is only 6 FEET PER SECOND. If your headlights are not good enough to give you several seconds of reaction time, you have a problem. I do agree that being lit is a good idea, but the tone of this tread is that motorized vehicles have the right-of-way, even if they don't put off enough light to be a reasonable warning. Some people believe it is great fun to drive blind. I only suggest that people are not fair game just because they do not light themselves, and any driver that does not agree should not be driving.

[mdmf007]

I wouldnt agree with the statement that MV's think they have the right away - but they do have unique problems like 20, 30, 40 or more people on board, that may be a little more than buzzed.

Bicycles absolutely appear out of nowhere and when in a crossing situation, they will cross only feet in front to get to the other side. 4 MPH is damn slow - but is plenty fast to upset every person stability when the brakes are applied in a panic stop.

Lights are also required on bicycles by BLM i believe and i dont think it was merely a suggestion either.

So IMHO - i like lights on bikes.

[Rat Bastard]

StarGeezer, I think you missunderstood my example. Yes, had headlights. The lit up anything 20-30 feet infront of me. However, no one wants an MV blinding everyone with tons of headlight power. So we keep it dim as safely possible. When someone on a bike rides 6' infront of my moving MV across my direction of travel is the problem. I'm 8' wide. (do the math) This happened a couple times this year. They were unlit or barely lit so I didn't see them periferially and they basically jumped out infront of a moving bus with 23 people riding on it. Some 10' in the air. The other situation is art and people that are lying down on the playa unlit. I don't care what headlights you have when there is a low cloud of dust maybe 1'-2' high at ground level due to normal traffic and someone covered in dust cause their rolling around in it is lying there unlit. I've heard of many people getting ran over by bicycles due to this.

This a very aggrivating thing for MV owners. We appreciate and respect our priviledge to be out there and be the public transit for BRC. The risks we take to improve not only our own burn but all others that ride and enjoy us are huge. The amount of stress that goes into carting around a ton of strangers on a MV that is navigating through thousands of people us huge. It is a tradeoff for the joy we experience by not only being that cool guy with the MV but also the little things like being told by a vet burner that I made their burn cause I let them ride. I don't think there's an MVer out there that wants to run anyone down. Even though we joke about it. However, it still aggrivates our stress level when someone jumps out infront of a moving 8,000 lb truck screaming "I have the right of way, nya nya." Yes, we know that. Doesn't mean your gonna walk infront of a moving bus does it?

My MV gives me rather good visibility. More then 180 degrees. However, passengers sometimes hinder my full view. As I drive, I plot out EVERYTHING I can see for as far as I can see. I plan my path, speed and potential need to stop by this mental map. As I scout what's in front, to the sides and behind me it is easy to see the stuff that's lit up. Add some dust in your eyes here and there. Distractions from passengers. Other MVs. People etc. The possibility of a darkwad up ahead going un-noticed is quite high. When we do notice them it's at that close to too late point. Which speaking from personal experience, scares the shit out of me.

So as a penalty for scaring us MVers, darkwads get to recieve some karmic payback by getting blinded with light or heckled by the now axiety over-ridden MV driver.

Does that make more sense to you about my point of argument?

[oneeyeddick]

Yeah, everything Rat Bastard said rings the truth about driving an MV.
In the 7 years I have driven out there, I have only hit one person with the front of my MV, and that was on purpose (a friend).
However, just this year I had these two punks trying to play a modified form of "chicken" by coming up from behind me and intentionally cutting in front of me
in a diagonal fashion. For them and anyone else that cuts directly in front of the MV with the obvious intention
of forcing thier right of way upon myself and everyone else atop the MV, they get a complemetary blast from my flamethrower. I can't aim it, it's stationary, but if you are
directly under it in front of the MV, it's heat and suddenness will startle the hell out of you.
I had one person wreck thier bike into his friends riding next to him (now that's funny)
I have , however, had several bike riders run into the side or the dangly parts of the MV while it
was sitting still. Poeple assume too much and they seem to forget that some of the artcars actully can fuck you up if hit the wrong part.

But the reason I want to blind the darkwads is purely for my own
recreational purposes. If I see a group of these shroudy folk tooling
along, nailing them with a rapidly strobing spotlight while chastising them through my bullhorn is my own little way
of letting go by letting them know that there momma dresses them funny.

Also, not all MV's have headlights. The only real requirements from the DMV is that your MV has to be lit up brightly from all 4 or more sides.
Headlights are optional.

[stargeezer]

Unfortunately, the laws in this country do not take into account the intentional actions of ignorant individuals. A motorized vehicle is always required to yield to non-motorized, rather it be pedestrians or bicyclists.

However, just this year I had these two punks trying to play a modified form of "chicken" by coming up from behind me and intentionally cutting in front of me
in a diagonal fashion. For them and anyone else that cuts directly in front of the MV with the obvious intention
of forcing thier right of way upon myself and everyone else atop the MV, they get a complemetary blast from my flamethrower. I can't aim it, it's stationary, but if you are
directly under it in front of the MV, it's heat and suddenness will startle the hell out of you.
I had one person wreck thier bike into his friends riding next to him (now that's funny)

But the reason I want to blind the darkwads is purely for my own
recreational purposes. If I see a group of these shroudy folk tooling
along, nailing them with a rapidly strobing spotlight while chastising them through my bullhorn is my own little way
of letting go by letting them know that there momma dresses them funny.

Also, not all MV's have headlights. The only real requirements from the DMV is that your MV has to be lit up brightly from all 4 or more sides.
Headlights are optional.

I have been trying to be subtle in my comments, but maybe I should be more direct. This event is on public land, so any requirements imposed by DMV are in addition to existing laws.

Operating a motorized vehicle without sufficient lighting to be safe demonstrates gross negligence.

Shooting flames or blinding light and enjoying any accident it causes is assault with intent to cause bodily harm.

Discussing it here in advance demonstrates premeditation.

You are leaving yourself defenseless in a criminal or civil case and the disclaimer on the back of the ticket does not protect one when there is either negligence, intent, or premeditation, and you have all three!

Freedom for self-expression is great as long as nobody gets hurt. One injury can remove that freedom and require LEO to intervene when they would otherwise look the other way. Discussing issues on this board is great, but it is open to the public. I am simply suggesting that you consider any remarks and how they could impact individuals or the event in the future, such as elimination of all motorized vehicles other than for entrance and exit of the event.

[Rat Bastard]

Gee, what to say here. I guess this thread is over. Stargeezer hit the nail on the head. He's right, we're wrong. Maybe I should stop volunteering with the DMV and hand my position over to him too. Fuck it, let's end the DMV, MVs and all. No bikes either. Lets all just wander around in the dark.

Not sure whether your looking for a fight, friend or an enema dude.

Do you own a Mutant Vehicle? Thought not. Don't knock someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. Until then, keep the red bottle warm.

Flame yet ye be flamed. And blaming a potential event shutdown on someone expressing fun ideas is a flame. Shit, ever heard of Saftey 3rd? It's fucking burning man for Darwin's sake.

[stargeezer]

I have nothing against MVs, althought I may consider using them only during the day or early in the week before the jerks arrive. My point is simple, laughing about flaming a biker and causing an accident is not beneficial on a public board. This behavior makes it very difficult to call it an "accident". I know that information flows very freely on this board, and most negativity is ignored, but showing such outright disrespect for the safety of others goes a bit far. I personally don't care what you do, I just hate seeing someone putting themselves in such a negative light, pun intended.

[mdmf007]

hmmmmm I though mayhem was a part of BM? I just dont want to see mayhem at the expense o injury. ArtCars are huge and slow, why people want to fuck with them is beyond me. A group or individual busts their ass to put together a gift only to have to deal with asshats.


i am looking forward to buying old Oneeye some lunch, and hooking up with him on playa to get tossed.

Long live Dick. - and thanks for all of the artcars all of you artcar owners.

[oneeyeddick]

I have been trying to be subtle in my comments, but maybe I should be more direct. This event is on public land, so any requirements imposed by DMV are in addition to existing laws.
-->A lot of laws are overlooked by the LEOs at Burning Man, like public nudity, open containers on vehicles, and driving at night without headlights in street legal vehicles, just to name a few.

Operating a motorized vehicle without sufficient lighting to be safe demonstrates gross negligence.
-->Actually that would just be negligence, it's not gross negligence till someone or something gets hurt

Shooting flames or blinding light and enjoying any accident it causes is assault with intent to cause bodily harm.
-->if you are referring to the boys on thier bikes, the reason that he wrecked was because he was riding too fast to handle the little "bump" in the road that he hit (my flamethrower's thud). He swerved away from the course they were on(failure to maintain lanes) and after he picked himself up he yelled at me and called me a name or two (road rage, which is a felony in some states), as his friend lay on the ground rolling in his own laughter. As I stated before, the flamethrower is stationary, and besides,nobody was hurt... not even the bikes.

Discussing it here in advance demonstrates premeditation.
Premeditation to scare the hell out of someone ? Ya kinda lost me here.....

You are leaving yourself defenseless in a criminal or civil case and the disclaimer on the back of the ticket does not protect one when there is either negligence, intent, or premeditation, and you have all three!
Who is responsible for the little dents on the side of my truck from bike riders running into it then ?

Freedom for self-expression is great as long as nobody gets hurt.-->no one did.
One injury can remove that freedom and require LEO to intervene when they would otherwise look the other way.
There has been accidents, we still have freedom

Discussing issues on this board is great, but it is open to the public. I am simply suggesting that you consider any remarks and how they could impact individuals or the event in the future, such as elimination of all motorized vehicles other than for entrance and exit of the event.
-->The crap we talk about here in this has absolutely no impact on anything, except maybe your blood pressure

[oneeyeddick]

Thanks for the personal bump, mdmf007, but don't you think it's about time you stopped picking your nose ?
After all, you don't want some old geezer to think you are immature, do you ?

[mdmf007]

im just scratching it I swear. My brain itches, but seriously dick am I good enough to hang on the dickmobile this year?