Choose Your Mini Lightbars With Care

Emergencies can- and do- come in many forms. A shoot-out, fire, a serious road accident are all examples of situations that require suitable response by trained professionals. So also emergencies created by heavy snow or rain or earthquakes, tornadoes, mudslides etc. For emergency response professional teams to be able to do their job well, they need powerful lighting at the site. But not all emergencies occur during bright sunlight or where there is adequate artificial light. That's why portable artificial light sources such as mini lightbars are becoming an indispensable part of an emergency response team's kit.
With LED technology becoming more affordable, it is not surprising that mini lightbars too use LEDs. Of course, you can also choose strobe or halogen based lightbars. Typically, LED based units consist of an array of around 50 LEDs, each consuming 1 Watt of power. But the combined light emitted by such an array of LEDs is very bright. Far brighter than what halogen lamps or even CFLs can produce.
While intensity of light produced is a major requirement of mini lightbars, there are other features too that a good unit must possess. These features are relevant given the kind of conditions in which the unit will be used. They must be relatively small and light-weight, so that they can be easily handled by the emergency response team. They must be waterproof, not just to protect the electronics and circuitry, but also because the unit may be used in rainy weather. Not all sites may have easy access to electricity. Indeed, some emergency situations may even knock out power lines, resulting in loss of electricity in the affected area. To be useful in such conditions, the unit must have the ability to work even when plugged into cigarette lighter plugs of cars at the scene. Of course, they must also have the option of being plugged into a switch box.
Some emergency situations may last for hours. In such cases, how long the mini lightbars can continue working is important. Therefore, the longevity of the LEDs is important. This is where LED-based units score over halogen units. There is also the larger question of energy-efficiency. Decision-makers will prefer a unit that is more energy efficient to one that is less so. How easily the unit can be mounted on a vehicle such as a car or excavator is also a factor to be considered. A car needs to travel quickly to the site.
If the lightbar unit adds to drag, response times can go up. A few minutes can well mean the difference between life and death. So the unit must be aerodynamic in design- which means a low profile. It must also have the option of magnetic mounts so that it can be quickly fixed on top of a car. If the unit is mounted on a vehicle such as an excavator, chances are it will experience lots of vibration. The ability to absorb vibrations is also an important feature. Lastly, factor in the warranty provided. Most manufacturers provide a five-year warranty for mini lightbars.
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Auto Glass Cleaning - Tips for Sparkling Clean Windows and Mirrors

The windows of your car take a beating from dirt, bugs, bird droppings and other debris. But with a few simple techniques and a little know-how, you can make even the dirtiest windows sparkle. Here's a list of helpful glass cleaning tips to get your windows brilliantly clean - and without leaving behind streaks, scratches, residue or lint.
1. The first step is to choose an auto glass cleaner. Make sure your glass cleaner does NOT contain ammonia, alcohol or any ingredient that could produce toxic fumes. Beyond the obvious health concerns of inhaling these fumes, consider the impact your automotive cleaning products have on the environment. There are car care products on the market that are 100% biodegradable, non-toxic and recyclable that have the same great cleaning power as traditional cleaning products.
2. Any product containing ammonia is a definite no-no when it comes to auto detailing. Ammonia and ammonia fumes cause plastic, rubber, vinyl and leather to dry out, and will damage any tint your windows may have. Do your homework and you won't end up destroying your vehicle's interior while you're trying to clean it!
3. The type of towel you choose to clean your windows with can make all the difference. Choose a high-quality, glass cleaning microfiber towel of at least 300 GSM. Microfiber towels can hold up to eight times their weight in water, are lint-free and will not cause scratches. An electrostatic charge causes dirt and debris to be lifted up and away from the surface, rather than dragged across it. Old t-shirts, towels, socks and newspaper are not the best choice when cleaning your car's glass, and will likely cause scratches, streaks and missed spots.
4. If you are cleaning the entire interior of your car, save your windows and rear-view mirror for last to avoid getting stray spray from other cleaning products on your freshly cleaned glass. You can also avoid stray spray by spraying your window cleaner (and other applicable interior auto detailing products) onto the microfiber towel - not directly on the surface.
5. Another factor to keep in mind is the motion you buff with your microfiber towel. While a circular motion may appear to be actively buffing away any streaks from your windows, a straight back-and-forth and then up-and-down motion will ensure that the entire surface has been cleaned and wiped down thoroughly.
6. Remember when cleaning your windows or mirrors to use one towel (or one side of a towel) to wipe the surface clean, and a second to buff the surface to a residue-free shine. Not only do you need two clean towel surfaces per swipe, but per window. The last thing you want to do is spread the dirt and dead bugs that you wiped off of your windshield onto the next window you clean. Make sure you have enough clean towels to avoid contaminating one window with the last one's mess.
7. Avoid cleaning your vehicle's windows in direct sunlight or very hot conditions, if possible. This is especially important if you are using a window cleaner containing harsh chemicals. When the liquid evaporates, the fumes left behind could easily be inhaled, posing a serious health risk. Even with non-toxic window cleaners, evaporation can also mean a spotty residue before your towel even hits the glass.
8. The easiest place to overlook when cleaning your vehicle's windows is the small edging area at the top of the window. Often, this area is especially dirty from build up in the rubber lip. Be sure you roll each window down several inches to clean this area on both the interior and exterior of the glass.
9. Ever get a build up on the edges of your windshield wipers that causes blurry areas on your windshield? Wipe down your blades with a damp cloth and a bit of white vinegar. The vinegar will remove the debris that's stuck on the blades and allow them to make full contact with the windshield again. If after a wipe down, your windshield wipers haven't improved any, you may be due for a new pair. And don't forget to clean out your wiper cowl once in a while! The wiper cowl is the area at the base of the windshield where your wipers lay when not in use. Keeping this area free of grime will greatly reduce the amount of debris on your wipers.
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How to Connect the Music on Your Phone to Your Car Stereo

One common ground of people who buy mobile phones is the desire to use their new gadget not only for communication but also for entertainment, especially playing music. Many are thrilled with the idea too that these mobile phones can be connected to the car stereo, giving the driver the chance to play music from the phone's memory through loud car speakers. There are three ways to do that: through an auxiliary audio cable, Bluetooth or via the FM transmitter.
Auxiliary Audio Cable
Of the three options given, this one is the cheapest, if the car already has an Aux outlet installed. To find out if your car is indeed configured to this specific purpose, locate the Aux outlet on your car's stereo. The outlet should look like a regular headphone or speaker banana jack (about 3.5 mm) and it should be labelled with either "Aux", "MP3" or "Audio". If this outlet is not available, you have to resort to other options given below. However, there is a good chance that two options will not work for you too since the use of Auxiliary audio cables in connecting phone and car stereos is the oldest of the three technologies. If your car does not have an "Aux" outlet, then there is a very high chance that your car does not have Bluetooth too. But don't worry; you can have the auxiliary in added into your car stereo at an affordable cost.
If you have everything ready, just plug one end of the auxiliary audio cable into the headphone jack of your and the other end to the outlet on your car stereo. The connection is virtually uninterrupted because of the direct cable connection.
Bluetooth
If your car is already Bluetooth-compatible, then using Bluetooth to connect your phone to your car would cost you nothing at all. Well, Bluetooth-ready car and phone are both expensive so connection cost is actually out of the question. However, to be able to use Bluetooth in audio streaming, your Bluetooth devices should be able to access the same "profile". Bluetooth profiles allow different Bluetooth devices to interact with each other despite their different functions. If you can make them access the same "profile", then the only thing left for you to do is to pair your devices and you will be able to start playing music. The downside of using Bluetooth lies in the fact that it is a wireless connection, thus audio quality is a little bit affected. It also consumes more battery so it is almost necessary to install a phone charger in your car.
FM Transmitter
This solution is only advisable when the other two options are impossible. The problem with the use of FM transmitter is that audio quality becomes highly dependent to the radio traffic in the area where you are at. In places where the radio traffic is jammed, different interferences can occur. Interferences like static sounds and bleed-overs can really make your listening experience suffer. But if you are left with no choice, all that you need to do is to check whether your car radio is working (please be aware that your radio may seem broken just because you have a damaged antenna).
You can always check the reviews concerning how to connect your own phone to your automobile stereo by visiting the Bluetooth sites.
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Emergency Police Lights for All Weather Conditions

Emergency police lights by the sound of it need to be extremely reliable, resilient in all weather conditions and energy conserving. There are several designs which offer these advantages while looking stylish at the same time. Sleek police lights and beacons are available in multiple colors. The beacons usually comprise of a LED light source with gyrating ability. This allows for 360 degree visibility of the light. It is covered by a dome shaped casing made of thermoplastic material. The dome usually has a polycarbonate base that ensures that the light is moisture resistant. The beacons are shock proof and also come with magnetic mounting that makes them resistant to vibration as is required in case of police vehicles. The rotating signal effect is excellent and with a life duration of 50,000 hours, can be ideal for emergency purposes.
Emergency police lights are manufactured to be maintenance free, offering light intensity sometimes in excess of 70cd. The impact resistance is also in excess of 20 Joules making them highly reliable and apt for rugged usage. The magnetic mounting of some emergency lights allows you to mount them on top of any vehicle with ease, without any hassles. With 180 rpm and 120 flashes per minute, the beacons are quite popular for emergency vehicles. Other forms of emergency lighting like LED bars are also beneficial especially with a variety of mounting styles and shock proof and weather proof construction.
The emergency police lights come with several in-built flashing patterns and operational modes. The most popular ones include static, dimmer, blackout, strobe, off-angle and linear flashing modes. These modes are not only adjustable for frequency but also for the intensity of the lighting. In other words, they can be brightened or dimmed, depending upon the circumstances. The LEDs used for these emergency lighting systems vary from 1W to 30W depending on how much intensity is required. Similarly the dimensions too vary from as small as 3mm to bigger ones measuring 10mm or more. The emergency lights also come with color mixing and color changing operations allowing you to create a more attractive flashing display that will catch anyone's attention with high intensity beams.
Emergency police lights can be installed easily with the help of mounting brackets and clips, interlocking connectors, 6, 12 or 24 V cables, power supply and other mounting hardware. The rubber grommet bases of some strobe lights not only help in installation but also help in keeping the lighting mechanism steady and impact resistant. One can opt for 3 LED mini bars as well as powerful light bars with more than 2 dozen LEDs. Emergency vehicle lighting is usually cased in crystal plastic or metal. Aluminum casing for example, has a heat dissipation structure, which proves useful when the lights are on for a long time. Bright pair lamps could also be used on emergency vans on both sides. The sleek flash lights can be controlled with a wheel for slowing or accelerating the blinking and make for excellent replacement for parking lights, backup lights and brake lights.
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Where to Mount Your Car Amps

There are several places in your car to install your car amps. You can usually be mounted with just 4 screws. The screws you use will depend on what you are screwing into, wood, metal, etc. You do want to mount your car amp at least 3 feet away from your receiver though to eliminate the chance of receiving any interference in your receiver. Making sure your stereo equipment is securely mounted can help eliminate shorts and other problems with your stereo.
So where do you want to install your car amps?
1) Under the front seat
Mounting an amplifier under the front seat can be a safe and secure for your car amplifier. Another advantage of installing your amp under the front seat is that you can run much shorter patch cables to your amp. It is also nice because it will be out of the way.
An obvious disadvantage of mounting a car amplifier under a seat is that you will have to remove the seat to install the amp. Sometimes removing the seat can deactivate the air bag SRS system in your car. As with any time you work on a cars electrical system you will want to make sure to connect the cars negative battery terminal. Another disadvantage of mounting your car amps under the front seat is that only smaller amps will fit under the seat.
2) In the trunk or hatch of your car
A common place to install your car amps is in the trunk or hatch. The advantage of mounting amplifiers in the trunk is you have much more space in the trunk for larger amps. It is also closer to your sub and rear speakers. The trunk is also can be a good place to conceal your amps so you can keep them safe from unwanted eyes.
The disadvantage of installing your amp in the trunk is that you have to run longer RCA cables and usually longer power wires. Having longer power wires usually means you need a thicker wire. Be sure to research to make sure you use the right size cable for your amps. Another disadvantage of mounting your amp is that it can get in the way when it is mounted in the trunk.
One thing you want to keep in mind is that car amps can produce lots of heat. This is one thing you will want to consider when choosing where to mount your amp. The amps cooling fins will need some space to disperse the heat. Giving the amps a couple of inches is enough space to help keep your amp cool. Never mount your amp upside down. This will make the heat radiate back up into the amplifier making it very hot. Make sure you also leave adequate room for the wires coming out of the amp as well.
If you are mounting car amps on a vehicle floor or panel you will want to make sure you know exactly what is on the other side of the panel you are screwing or drilling into. You do not want to screw into a brake or gas line, or even into your gas tank.
A lot of times you can install your car amps on the back or top of your subwoofer box. This can be very convenient if you take your car amps and subwoofers out of your trunk or hatch to make room for other items on a regular basis. Before starting your install is to make a plan before you start. Never rush your install giving yourself plenty of time to install your car amps and subwoofers.
Make sure to check us out and find more car amps.
Nate
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Parrot Hands-Free Kit

A Parrot hands-free kit? What, you may ask, is a Parrot hands-free kit? Simply put, it is a Bluetooth-capable kit that can be installed in your vehicle to allow for hands-free telephone communication while driving. Because of the number of car accidents caused each year due to distracted driving involving mobile phones; it is now against the law in the United Kingdom to use your mobile phone whilst driving.
However, the benefit of this kit is that it is literally installed into your vehicle and automatically connects with your mobile phone upon starting the engine. It connects via Bluetooth capabilities in a way that avoids messing with a headset or a long, overly obnoxious, microphone wire hanging from an earpiece that you usually end up having to hold with one hand anyways so that the other party can hear you when you talk. I never understood how that could be considered hands-free when you're using the same number of hands you would be using if you were holding the phone itself.
As I was browsing the web and checking my options, I noticed that the Parrot hands-free kit comes in a wide variety of different models. For the average, everyday user, there's just a plain old run-of-the-mill standard kit made solely for telephone calls. It is compact and I really like the small design because I imagine it would probably compliment just about any vehicle interior. Of course, let's not forget the fact that it has a voice recognition feature to truly make your phone a hands-free device. You speak a name and tell it to call and, Voila!, instant phone call. It doesn't get much simpler than that now does it?
Another option I'm pretty impressed with in regards to the different models is the Parrot hands-free kits that are compatible with iPods and iPhones (although they will work with any MP3 player, SDMMC or USB device as well). The main difference with these models, obviously, would be the music. Select the music you want to hear and it's played through your vehicle's speaker system for maximum quality.
Another great feature about this system is that upon receiving phone calls, it will drown out background and interior vehicle noise, including the music, this gives you optimal phone call quality. Not to mention that the phone calls also play over the vehicle's speaker system. I'm thinking I could definitely find a use for one of these kits!
Daniel Baker is the author of this article about Parrot hands free kits for more information visit Mobile Music
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Infinity Marine Speakers - A Brief Overview

Infinity marine speakers are among some of the company's best offerings. Founded in 1968, Infinity is a well-known brand for automotive audio equipment, loved and respected by casual users and audiophiles alike. In fact, Infinity is the official audio partner of automotive brands like Hyundai and several cars in the Chrysler stable. Besides making speakers and audio equipment for cars, Infinity also produces an entire range of audio devices for boats. Infinity marine speakers are typically affordable, deliver great performance, and can withstand the elements as any good marine speakers should.
When buying marine speakers, the most important thing you should look for is durability. While any speakers can work well on a boat (though a boat's shape and design offers slightly different acoustical challenges than a car), the constant exposure to water and the sun makes it imperative that the speakers be water and weather resistant to a high degree. Also, when buying speakers, always take any specification with a pinch of salt. For instance, most buyers tend to go by the number of watts offered by a system, which is essentially a useless number unless the speaker can actually deliver clear audio and render a large range of frequencies. A 500 watt speaker will not necessarily be better than a 100 watt speaker. Always pay attention to the actual performance, not specifications.
The range of Infinity marine speakers starts off with the extremely popular Infinity Reference 612m, 6.5-inch 225 watt 2-way marine speaker. This model isn't priced low - it will set you back by at least $140 - but it delivers an impressive performance that combines the best of awesome power with crystal clear clarity. The Infinity 612m features polypropylene woofer cones that are not only lightweight but also completely sealed for marine use. The rubber surrounds are treated to be UV-resistant, which means you can keep these speakers out in the sun for hours without any risk of damage. The 1-1/4" polypropylene semi-dome tweeter reproduces crystal clear sound, while the speaker itself is specially designed to be moisture resistant. The cast polymer basket that houses the speakers is corrosion proof and will withstand a high degree of salt, water, and UV damage.
In terms of real world performance, the Infinity series has long been the choice of audiophiles and lay customers alike who want to replace their car/boat's factory fitted speakers. The audio reproduced is crystal clear; there even the bass reproduction is admirable. At 225 watt, you get plenty of power for low frequencies as well. The Infinity 612m comes highly recommended and is great for use in boats of all shapes and sizes.
Another option in the Infinity marine speakers range are Infinity Reference 6912m 6x9-inch 105 watt marine speakers. Priced much lower than the 612m, the 6912m has lower power but does not compromise on quality. The audio reproduction is still top-notch, and the speakers are more than capable of handling a wide range of frequencies. Like the 612m, these speakers are water and UV resistant to a high degree. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the 612m, then the 6912m would be perfect for your boat.
Other Infinity marine speakers include the Wakeboard 6000m 150-watt tower speaker system, which is terribly expensive at over $400, but delivers an unparalleled performance.
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Anti-Theft Technology

While much has been done over the years to fight back against auto theft, it still remains a concern in many areas throughout America. While this crime has actually declined over the last few years, the biggest problem is the amount of money lost by victims. To illustrate, the FBI reports that auto thefts cost victims approximately $6.4 billion in 2008.
Urban areas in particular tend to have a higher rate of theft. Thieves have a wider selection of cars to choose from in these parts, and can blend in more as opposed to being out in rural areas. However, car owners today have more anti-theft technology available to them than ever before. Not only is this technology better equipped to prevent thefts, but recovery their vehicles should they get victimized.
The latest in anti-theft technology is the use of GPS that will monitor and track your vehicle should it be stolen. This makes it much easier for the authorities to locate and recover stolen vehicles. And in the event that the thief cuts the battery cable, information can still be gathered from the system.
OnStar by GM has made some advances in the recovery process. They now have a vehicle slowdown service that utilizes GPS. With it, not only can they locate a stolen vehicle, but stop it in its tracks. It starts with the owner reporting the theft to the police. Then the police contact OnStar to find the location of the car.
When they are closing in on the stolen car, OnStar can debilitate the accelerator to eventually stop it. Also, should the car be turned off, OnStar can prevent it from starting again by blocking the ignition.
LoJack has a system that reportedly has a 90% success rate for stolen vehicle recovery. They install radio transceivers into the vehicle as well as motion detectors. Should the car be moved while activated, an alert will be sent to the owner via text, email, or phone. Because the owner is notified immediately, it can save a lot of time. The police will then be contacted quicker and begin searching as soon as possible. Law enforcement in over half the states have LoJack tracking computers in their vehicles.
While this whole operation more often than not will probably be successful, professional thieves are beginning to catch on. They are figuring out how to disable these systems so they can't track the location. Some will even try to hide a vehicle in an underground garage, where GPS won't be able to track it.
However, this latest technology still is recommended as many believe it's one of the reasons why car thefts have dropped recently.
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Bright and Powerful Emergency Light For Special Purposes

There are certain aspects of an emergency light that make it useful as well as reliable. The light needs to be intense and at the same time it needs to conserve energy. Similarly, the light should be capable of producing a high intense beam without the need for a heavy voltage source or a complicated circuit. This is because it would affect the portability of the light in such scenarios, which will affect its utility too in emergency situations. Lastly, the light should be long-lasting to make it cost-effective and should offer assistance in all kinds of conditions, outdoors and indoors.

When it is time to budget for emergency light, whether it is for the patrol cars, hospital ambulances or fire department vehicles, you can take a look at the LED strobe kits, which offer most of the features expected out of emergency vehicle lighting and much more. The strobe kits are usually made up of super bright LEDs and can be used for rescue operations as well as for construction vehicles. They can easily be used in side markers, tail lights and headlights making them versatile. In fact, their brightness and low-cost has made them popular as decorative lighting for houses organizing parties, discotheques and even exhibition halls.

You can have powerful strobes with 120W power supply or even less. In fact you can have assemblies of 1W LEDs to make up your LED modules that can be conjoined to create your emergency light. You can opt for linear and long strobes as well as U-shaped strobes. These lights also come with an amplifier and a control box. The pattern selector is another important part of the circuit designed for an emergency light. There are several in-built flashing patterns to create special effects. This will help in greater visibility. The best example is offered by flashing LED light bars on top of patrol cars plying on highways. The pattern selector allows you to choose any pattern of your choice with the rate of flashing varying between 10 flashes per minute to as many as 120 flashes per minute.

What makes the emergency light kit so useful is the modification that you can do to enhance its features. Firstly, modern strobes can be adjusted for the beam angle so that you can maximize long distance visibility. Apart from off angle visibility, you can also magnify the beams through chrome deflectors or clear lenses, which are absolutely undetectable when the lights are switched off. Moreover, you can also use these strobe lights or LED lights with colored filters to give you beams of all colors including red, blue, amber and green.

When you have an emergency light which operates on a simple 12 V DC source you can be assured of its easy installation and safety too. Mounting brackets allow you to install them on vehicles, both in the front and the rear. The flashing patterns and colored beams can be used and manipulated by the controller box to create a blinding effect that suits the uses for emergency lighting.

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Cleaning Your Car By Hand

Cleaning your car may not be the most fun thing that most people can think of doing but it has to be done to keep your car in good shape. You could take the easy route and visit the local car wash but you will get a better finish if you do it yourself.

Automatic car washes are not as gentle as a hand wash, and whilst you could pay a local garage to do a hand wash, it's not cheap. If you wash the car yourself you get to see what condition it is in and can do something about it.

To clean your car you will need specialist car wash liquid. Dish washing soap is too harsh on your rubber and it can damage the wax too so stay clear. You will also need a micro fibre car cleaning cloth or a wash mitt because they are gentler than a sponge.

Two buckets are required and a chamois leather or specialist cloth to dry off your vehicle. Remember to clean your car in the shade because the sun can dry it too quickly and leave a spotty finish and ensure the car is cold before you start.

Tough marks such as squashed bug will need pre-treatment with undiluted car wash soap. The wheels will also need tackling before the bodywork. A sponge is fine for wheels or you could use an old mitt. Don't use the same mitt as you will be using for the body because dirt from the wheels could cause scratches. Soft brushes are also fine. You can get specialist wheel cleaning products if you want a top quality finish.

With the body, rinse it first with water, removing trapped leaves as you go. Fill one of your buckets with water and the other with your soap solution and clean small section of the car working from the top down. Every time you need to get more soapy water on the mitt, rinse it first in the pure water bucket to minimise putting dirt back on the car. Be gentle with your motions because if you press too hard you can scratch the car by pressing dirt into the paint work.

A thorough rinse with pure water is now required before you set to work to dry the car. To do this you should spread out the cloth and drag it gently over the surface. You can use detailing towels to remove excess water.

If you found that the car didn't bead water as you cleaned it, it will need a polish and wax. Car polish needs to be applied carefully, as does wax but it will help protect the car from paint damage and make it look fantastic

By Rebecca G Wishford.

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Cheap Lights For Your Emergency and Decorative Lighting Needs

Emergency as well as decorative lighting have come a long way in terms of innovation and improvisation. Gone are the days when one had to worry about energy bills, longevity and cost, when it came to decorative lighting. If you want to brighten up the panels, display shelves, cupboards or cabinets in your house or beautify the corners of your restaurant with blue and amber lighting, you can simply invest in LEDs that cost very less. These cheap lights are the answer to your lighting needs, primarily because they address all the three requirements of modern lighting. The LED modules and circuits are long-lasting. They are highly cost-effective. Lastly, these LED lights offer plenty of versatility and variety in terms of blinking and flashing patterns which can add to the special effects especially when used in bars and discotheques.

The LED bulbs and beacons are coated with epoxy coating. Polycarbonate or fiber glass filled nylon bases are also used to keep them moisture resistant. You can also get LED bars which are vibration and impact resistant having been manufactured out of crush resistant plastic, making them ideal for use in emergency vehicles like fire engines, patrol cars and ambulances. The kit is usually accompanied with switch control panels, cables and connectors, mounting hardware and a power supply unit. The LED bars usually operate on a 12 - 24 V DC source. The LED arrays are made up of 1W LEDs that hardly consume any power. As a result they can be trusted more during emergencies. These cheap lights can be controlled very easily. LED bars, in fact can be made of several segments depending upon the lighting requirements, with each segment, individually controllable and replaceable.

One of the best things about these cheap lights comprised of low-wattage LEDs is that the light is not very harsh on the eyes unlike in the case with neon or halogen bright lighting that we come across. Whether it is for the display boards in the exteriors or for interior lighting, one can pick from an array of LED colors without worrying about the heat around the bulbs or the excessive brightness. The beams are intense though and the beam temperature is impressively low. This gentleness on the eyes is what makes them favorite for interior lighting too, as much as they could be used externally for emergency purposes. With the high intensity beams, these LED bars can be used on roads at spots where there have been incidents like spillage, car crashes or landslides. The high intensity beams can be seen by drivers far away too. LED light can be enhanced through the use of lenses and deflectors too.

When you are purchasing these cheap lights, you would also get a handy warranty. A lot of LED strobe light kits come with a 3 - 5 year warranty, which ensures that there is no anxiety around their performance or promised longevity. The strobe lights will also be useful for tow truck drivers, bus companies and those who organize car shows.

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How To Wax Your Car Properly

Learning how to properly wax a car is a skill that every auto owner should have. There is a lot of value in this skill, and it goes beyond the simple enjoyment of doing the job and stepping back to see the finished result. Of course, that feeling is pretty awesome too, but there is a real long term value in this job especially when you do it regularly.

An effective wax job appropriately applied, safeguards any car from certain minor scratches and hides others, as well as aids in preventing rust especially during the cold months

Showroom Finish For Your Car

That completely new showroom finish is one thing that we all would like to accomplish with our cars. The day you bring an automobile home from the car dealership is often the first and last day it ever appears like that. But this doesn't need to be. Take time to really learn to wax your vehicle the proper way and you will ensure that it stays looking almost showroom new for much longer time. Obviously, one method to accomplish this look would be to pay to have your vehicle detailed, but where's the enjoyment in doing that? For this reason, Do-it-yourself, cut costs and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Researching Car Wax Brands

You will find a variety of brands and designs of automotive wax items available on the market. Take some time to check out the items which are available and find out which of those you believe you may like the best. Often times, consumer rankings value the few less costly brands the most. So, investing in more expensive car waxes, will not necessarily accomplish anything.

Regardless, make certain you stay with a non-abrasive wax to provide the best results.

Preparing Cars for Waxing

Next, perform a thorough cleaning and washing job on the vehicle. Clean it two times if needed to make certain you remove all of the spots you skipped the very first time. Don't clean it in direct sunlight if it's hot out, since you really do not want it to dry too quickly. Once it's clean, you are now prepared to wax. Towel dry any excessive wet areas, especially around the hood.

Waxing a Car Right

Obtain a moisten sponge and squirt a little bit of wax on to the sponge. Give it a try and find out how that amount works best for coverage. Don't cover much more of a space than you are able to and definitely, don't too much that it dries before you have completed that area. Make use of a circular motion to rub the wax into the surface of the vehicle. Cover the entire vehicle moving in order surface by surface throughout the entire process so that you won't miss anything.

Removing the Car Wax

When you return back around to the original surface, the wax you applied is going to be dry. Cloth diapers really are excellent tools for getting rid of excess wax for those who have any available. A terry cloth will even work nicely if it doesn't have any fresh paint or any other abrasives onto it. Remove the wax using a circular motion in the opposite direction in which you used to apply the wax.

Make certain to remove all the wax by putting sufficient pressure during the wipe off process. Make certain to change towels as frequently as necessary to prevent putting wax back onto the paint surface throughout this activity. This avoids any chance of swirl marks occurring and also any damage to the paint the old wax could cause.

Use only clean towels and make sure to be thorough all the way through to avoid damage and to get the best result. From the preparatory wash to completing the waxing itself and being thorough, creates that showroom look you were after from the very beginning. These represent helpful starting tips for a successful car wax project.

You may obtain more information by visiting the Nano-Diamond Shield site at http://nanodiamondshield.com/
Lin Ford is Vice-President of Crystal View Chemicals, Inc.

http://EzineArticles.com/6491296

How to Choose Your Car Mount for iPad?

I use my iPad everyday as it is such a great gadget. I have good experience to use iPad for rear seat passenger entertainment when I drive till I find one very reliable headrest car mount for iPad. I believe many families have more than one iPad or iPad at home. To bring the iPad for a journey in car is a growing trend.

Having the right, safe and reliable car mount for iPad is so important that the rear passenger no matter a kid or an adult could really enjoy the great iPad for internet browsing, private cinema, own music on the Go! Nowadays, there are really a lot of different iPad car mounting products in the market. Based on my own searching experience on many different kinds with brand name or without brand name car mount in the market, I would like to voice my suggestion as follows:

Find out what sort of material the mounting kit is made of especially when the mount is mostly for use in car. You do not want your mounting unit to break so easily when you are driving which may hit the passengers.
Check if the mounting could hold the iPad firmly. You do not want your iPad falls out from the mounting kit when it is being used during driving.
You have to choose a mounting that could be fixed into the car headrest pole firmly so that your iPad will not vibrate vigorously when the car is moving.
Choose a car mount for iPad that could serve multi-purposes so that you are not required to pay twice to purchase another mounting device for use at home or in your workplace.
Pick a slim and strong mounting unit so that it is easy to carry around and serve as a protection case & keyboard stand too.
Find the mounting that is equipped with charging function for iPad. It is important when you have a long journey.
Find the mounting that the installation is easy and without the need of other tools.
Find the car mount that can fit properly your iPad unit. Some of the mounts will not fit universally for both iPad 1 and iPad 2.
Find the mounting kit that does not have sharp corner and it is mounted strongly in the headrest so that you energetic kids will not easily break it and be hurt.
Pick the brand that you trust.
Last but not least, Value for Money is the key.

I have already used different car mounts for iPad. Finally I find the one from inCarBite that meets most of the above criteria. I will recommend it to all of you if you are going to find one.

Ray Yeung invites you to visit these sites: http://www.incarbitestore.com/ for iPad car mount products.

http://EzineArticles.com/6423555

List of Ten the Most Expensive Cars Ever Insured

The ten most expensive cars ever insured are certainly some of the most expensive cars in history. Auto insurance doesn't cost much for regular cars, but could the same be said for high-end luxury cars? Naturally, there are always limited edition cars that would have to be insured for a lot of money, because there are limited cars that might be when equated with them. These facts make this list somewhat inexact, as one couldn't possibly define just how much some cars in this list would be insured.

Insurance businesses have no universal standards in insuring a car, and various cars would have different insurance costs and cover depending on the value of the motor car being talked about. It may be hard to define what amount of a car maybe insured for. But in the interest of discussion, here are the that have even been insured:

Top 1 - Rolls Royce Silver Ghost

Whoever stated that modern cars are the only costly cars ever insured? The Rolls Royce Silver Ghost is a car produced between 1906 and 1926. This is an antique car that has been insured for $50,000,000.

Top 2 - Ferrari GTO

The Ferrari GTO has been purchased at an auction for $28,500,000. You could only guess for how much this car would be insured.

Top 3 - Bugatti Type 41 Royale

You could buy a Bugatti 41 Royale for $40,000 today. But the first ever insured car of this kind has been bought for around $12,000,000.

Top 4 - Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR

This has been in the record in the Guinness as the most costly car at the time. For what price, you say? Records say that limited editions have been bought for around $2,000,000.

Top 5 - Bugatti Veyron

This is easily about the most costly cars in the world, and it is only logical that it is also one of the most expensive cars insured too. Insurance companies would need to consider the rarity and the repair costs of these vehicles, since there are just 240 of these globally.

Top 6 - McLaren F1

If there were only some things that would be considered to get insurance rates, the appearance, the ability and the amount of the motor car would be on the top three. Selling for more than $1,000,000 this car is certain to have high insurance premiums.

Top 7 - Ferrari Enzo

The Ferrari GTO maybe in comparison to about 14 Ferrari Enzos, but this is no reason for its insurance to go lower. Limited edition of this vehicle was sold for a million dollars.

Top 8 - Koenigsseg CCX

This less expensive brother of the most expensive car globally - the CCXR version - is still expensive at around $700,000.

Top 9 - Porsche Carrera GT

A Porsche Carrera costs $440,000. It is still one of the most pleasurable cars in the world, though the plan could now be thought to be traditionally modern, if it isn't too ironic.

Top 10 - Pagani Zonda C12

There was once a man who crashed a Pagani Zonda C12 on a test drive has resulted to an insurance payout of around $428,000.

There are many unusual reasons why the ten most costly cars ever insured could cost differently. Their value could very well depend on the editions that they belong to, since there are invariably limited editions of vehicles that would cost more than those that are not.

Looking for more information on expensive car? Thesupercars.org houses some of the most useful information and data on cars, including the most expensive cars in the world!

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Attributes of Emergency Light Bars That Make Them the Best Lighting Solutions

Emergency light bars have witnessed a lot of innovation in recent times. Super bright and linear light fixtures are commonly used these days in a lot of places where there is a need for bright and attention seeking lighting. You can use these light bars on top of emergency vehicles, be it patrol cars, cop cars, vehicles belonging to administrative officials who need a clear way on the road or ambulances that need you to help out by offering them a clear path. It is obvious that emergency vehicle lighting needs to be intense to catch everyone's attention and should be able to flash and blink to send signals to others around. Moreover, these should be easily installable and you should find it easy to mount them on the front, rear or sides of a vehicle.

Emergency light bars come with both steady output as well as flashing output. There are built-in LED drivers which can ensure a uniform output of light. Similarly, some light bars also come with dimming circuits which allow you to adjust the intensity of the lighting based on your needs. In other words, depending on your usage and the time of the day, the lights can turn from bright to dim and vice-versa. This also helps in saving some energy if needed, not to mention that dim lights in bright areas are more soothing than bright beams flashing on the rear view mirrors of a passenger car ahead.

Emergency lights bars vary in length from as small as 3 inches to longer than 50 inches. The number of LEDs used by these lights also varies from half a dozen to more than couple of dozens. The super bright LEDs consume very less energy and with 12 V DC source, the 1W LEDs are capable of emitting strong beams of light with low beam temperature. The light bars are usually available along with plenty of accessories which make installation and use very easy. There are power cables, cigarette plug switches for turning them on and off and interconnect jumpers if you need to connect several lighting fixtures together. You would also get DC power supply, mounting clips, brackets and magnets, which could be useful in offering vibration and impact resistant installation of emergency lights on the roof of a vehicle. There are switch board panels, controller box and pattern selectors as well in order to vary the flashing and for other functions.

Emergency light bars are not only scalable but also extremely versatile. This is because you can easily replace one LED module with another. You can separate out one segment of LED arrays from a light bar and replace with another. This way you can always be prepared with backup. Moreover, you can add or remove modules depending on how much lighting is required. Obviously, one can never be sure of the amount of lighting needed in case of a car crash or spillage on the highway, especially on winding and treacherous roads. The lights are usually water, dust and corrosion resistant.

Extreme Tactical Dynamics is a one-stop shop for Emergency Light bars and many other items like Flashlights, Deck Lights, police lights, etc. Please visit the site for more details of various items available - http://www.extremetacticaldynamics.com/

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Safe and Stylish HID Bulbs for Your Car

In the United States of America and Canada, conventional halogen headlights are gradually being replaced by HID bulbs as more car owners are looking to enhance the look of their vehicle as well as giving it a performance boost.

Composition of HID headlights

HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and refers to the manner in which light is produced by the bulb. HID bulbs have no metal filament but instead, around 20,000 volts is used to ignite the xenon gas and metal halide held within a sealed glass tube between two electrodes above the base of the bulb. A car's normal voltage is twelve volts so a ballast is used to generate the extra initial power to illuminate the bulb. The light produced is three times brighter than a halogen bulb.

Advantages of using HID headlights - safety and efficiency

Not only do HID kits improve the look of your car, they are also a safety feature. HID lights are three times brighter than ordinary halogen headlights. This gives a significantly clearer view of the road which is especially useful for travelling at night and in the rain. According to statistics, sixty percent of accidents which occur at night are caused by poor lighting. Studies conducted on drivers' reaction speed to roadway obstacles using halogen lamps and HID bulbs found that drivers were faster and more accurate in responding to obstacles when their vehicles were fitted with HID headlight bulbs.

The bulbs are also very durable, being designed to last up to ten times longer than conventional halogen headlights. HID lights have an average life span of three thousand hours compared to a halogen bulb which lasts around three hundred hours. They are also shock-resistant as there is no filament in the bulb since the light emits from plasma material. The ballasts also prevent dust and water from entering the HID bulb. HID kits are also energy efficient since less power is needed compared to normal halogen bulbs. Reduced power consumption means less fuel is being used and so vehicles with HID light bulbs are more environmentally friendly as they emit less carbon dioxide.

Size, brightness, color and cost considerations when buying HID headlights

Before buying a HID kit, you need to find out the H number of the halogen bulb used in your vehicle. Bulb fitment plugs come in sizes from H1 to H12. They refer to the sizes of the bulb holders in cars and differ to ensure the HID bulb you buy fits.

The letter W represents watt which is the unit of power. The higher the wattage, the more power the bulb will use. Since HID bulbs are already very bright, a 35W bulb is sufficient and gives greater illumination than a conventional halogen bulb of 55W.

There are several color options which are determined by the temperature at which the xenon gas inside the HID bulb burns. The temperature is denoted by a K on the bulb which stands for Kelvin as the unit of measurement. Therefore, a 6,000K HID bulb means that the gas inside the bulb burns at 6,000 degrees Kelvin. Hid kits range in color/temperature from 3,000K - 10,000K. The higher the Kelvin (K), the dimmer or bluer the light will be. 3,000K produces golden yellow, white with 4,300K - 5,000K, diamond white with 6,000 K; higher than this gives ice burg blue at 8,000K, brilliant blue at 10,000K and an exotic violet at 12,000K. The most popular range for HID bulbs is from 6,000K - 8,000K as they most closely resemble sunlight.

HID bulbs cost significantly more than halogen bulbs but then this has to be balanced against their increased durability and the advantages they offer drivers as well as their stylish appearance.

There are obvious advantages when replacing your halogen lights with HID bulbs. These HID headlights are well worth your time and investment when you see the difference they can make to night driving. For outstanding deals on all HID kits visit this website!

http://EzineArticles.com/6501053

Pressure Washer Options for Car Detailing Businesses

Car detailing machines should be high capacity, high quality, and durable. They should increase productivity while reducing risks of harm to the vehicles or the operators. Additionally, car detailing pressure washers should be able to reduce costs and waste to help businesses save more.

When buying car detailing pressure cleaners, the buyer is faced with many options. Here is a list of what these options are and how to select equipment that suits your requirements.

Pressure Level

The pressure level is one of the most important factors when choosing pressure cleaners for car detailing. While intuitive thinking suggests higher pressure levels result in better cleaning, this is not true in all instances. Car detailing, for example, requires cleaning dirt from car exteriors without damaging the surface. Scratched paint is one of the results of using car detailing machines with very high pressure levels. Ideally, power washers for auto detailing should have pressure levels between 700 and 1500 psi to provide the best cleaning without harming the vehicle.

Heat

Investing in a hot water or steam pressure washer is a smart idea, particularly as these machines offer more powerful cleaning than simple cold water pressure washers. Hot water temperatures can be as high as 330°F.

Hot water pressure washers remove grease and accumulated dirt that unheated machines cannot. Heat breaks down the chemical bonds between dirt molecules, and the dissolved dirt is washed away with the powerful water spray. Plant sap, bugs, chewing gum, grease, carbon black, and a variety of road grime are washed away once hot water is used in the cleaning process.

You can invest in machines that generate 100% wet steam, which have moderate pressure levels, and combined with the high temperature of steam, remove grime fast and effectively. Such car detailing pressure washers are more effective than steam cleaners for cleaning car exteriors as they do not require scrubbing, which often scratches paint.

Flow Rate

Usually, car pressure washers have flow rates of 1 to 5 GPM. However, these flow rates are unsustainable if you are working in an area with water scarcity. Mobile car wash equipment is helpful when transported to work on locations facing water use restrictions. Purchase low flow car pressure washer for saving water and reducing the cost of water disposal. These car wash machines have flow rates as low as 0.5 GPM. They reduce the risk of fines resulting from improper water capture and disposal because there is less water input in the process.

Mobility

Mobile car wash equipment should be easy to transport. This is possible only if the machines can be secularly fitted on trailers. These car pressure washers should be compact in order to save space on the mobile car wash station. Non-mobile car wash businesses can choose either mobile car wash equipment or stationary car wash machines.

Car detailing pressure washers commonly run on electricity. However, many car detailers, particularly mobile detailing businesses, may use gas, diesel, or propane-powered machines to deal with electricity supply problems. These machines, unlike electric machines, are best used outdoors due to the fumes associated with burning fuels, but that is not a problem because a long hose can be extended to indoor areas for cleaning cars.

Daimer Industries is a leading supplier of car detailing equipment. Daimer provides a complete range of auto detailing machines including pressure washer, steam cleaner, mobile car wash equipment and many more.

http://EzineArticles.com/6502833

What Is Car Detailing and Auto Detailing?

Car detailing is the extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of a car, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. It is big in America where it is called auto detailing but it is catching on in the UK.

Car detailing is essential if you are planning to show your car. However, even if you are not taking your vehicle to a show it is still a worthwhile activity if you are planning to sell your car or if you just like it to look its best.

When the exterior of the car is being detailed, the paint, chrome, wheels, trim, windows and tyres are all thoroughly cleaned and shined. Everything needs to be cleaned, polished and protected. Car detailing products are available for all of the processes - from specialist detergents, waxes and cloths to detail clay.

For the exterior, mechanical polishers are also available for the process of correcting, to produce a top-quality polish. A very thin layer of clear coat will be removed to get rid of fine scratches and swirls.

Clay is used to clean dirt such as bugs and tar from the clear coat. These will not come off with weekly washing. The clay is gently moved across the car as it picks up all of the dirt, leaving a smooth finish.

The waxes are the one of the most expensive products in the detailing process but they protect the car and make the fantastic finish that you achieve with the polishing last a lot longer.

The interior detailing involves cleaning the dash, seats, windows and panels. If possible, the seats are removed to allow greater access. It is best to start with a thorough vacuum to remove the worst of the dirt and the finer cleaning is done with brushes, cotton buds and upholstery cleaners.

Engine detailing is also possible and involves the use of detergents and de-greasers to spruce up under the bonnet.

Detailing a car can be done by the owner or a specialist company can be used. Given the amount of time it will take to do it is obviously far cheaper if you can do it yourself.

Trusted products should be used and they can easily be found online. You will find car detailing forums where people can help you out and recommend techniques and products and if you find a great new product you can share it with the community.

Compared with the price of a car re-spray, detailing is good value for money and helps preserve the value of your car.

A good day's detailing will leave your car with a stunning looking finish and in pristine condition. You will be able to see vivid reflections in all of the surfaces, the paint will be glass-smooth, the leather will have an even matt finish and the glaze and wax combination will have deepened and enriched the shine. Your car will never have looked so good...

By Rebecca G Wishford.

Car detailing products are available from Car Skin Winning Formulas - the car detailing and car cleaning products specialists.

http://EzineArticles.com/6497596

Lamborghini Reventon: $1.6 Million Car

There are expensive cars and there are non expensive ones. Some buy them out of need, some buy out of fondness. And maybe there are other types as well. But not all cars are similar. Many car lovers like collecting expensive sports cars. This is certainly a very expensive habit. Not everyone can follow it though. Such a habit becomes all the more difficult to follow when you want to have a Lamborghini Reventon. This is not because it is an ultra expensive sports car, but also because it is a limited edition car. Of course this is one of the major factors that add to its price though. Lamborghini manufactured only 20 Reventon cars and only one additional car which got manufactured for Lamborghini museum. It was produced in 2007 and now, you can buy just from some previous buyer.

Lamborghini Reventon is one of the most powerful cars in the world. The engine is a 6.5 liter twelve cylinder V12 engine that cranks up a whopping 661 horsepower at 8000 rpm and can generate maximum torque around 660 NM at 6000 rpm. It comes with a 6 speed manual transmission. Reventon can zoom from zero to 62 miles per hour in a just 3.4 seconds which is unbelievably awesome. It attains a top speed of 340 kilometers per hour. The displacement it provides is powerful 6496 cc.

The interiors of the car look like a cockpit of F 22 fighter jet. The looks and feel of the interiors are strikingly similar. Of course being a car it does not have all those sci-fi gadgets and meters inside though. The front and rear ends are extended because of which the car gets a unique feel. The seats and other elements have two tone high-quality Alcantara materials which gives it a classy and posh look. It is also loaded with an interesting and unique gadget, the G Force Meter which makes it stand out in longitudinal acceleration. If you thought the resemblance of the interiors is just a coincidence, think again because the exteriors are simply inspired by F 22 Raptor. The body shape was available in 2 body forms; one is simply Reventon and other is the Reventon Roadster.

2012 Lamborghini Reventon has arguably the greatest looks for a sports car. The various acute and obtuse angles that it has give it a unique appearance. This appearance exudes power, strength and performance which are at the core of a Lamborghini vehicle. It is interesting to know that Lamborghini Reventon was named after a fighting bull (a tradition with Lamborghini though) called Reventon who killed the famous bull fighter Felix Guzman of Mexico. Its looks do exude the strength symbolized by the bull. The exterior has majorly carbon fiber which is the reason behind the comparatively less weight. The design is simply stunning and a sure head turner.

Talking about the pros and cons, we figure the biggest con may be the price. It is one of the priciest cars around. It has a number of pros, be it the power, speed, looks, technology and even the brand itself which is known for best-in-class sports cars.

Lamborghini has a record history of introducing only the powerful machines throughout their journey where Reventon was one of them which got a lot of attention at the time of introduction.
- Thefundu

http://EzineArticles.com/6510293

Commercial Vehicle Paint

In these times of austerity following the recent recession and economic crunch, (the effects of which are still gripping the economies of the world today) businesses are being required to 'tighten their belts' in order to save costs. In some cases this has meant making large numbers of workers redundant and in others it has meant a severe cut in spending and a drive to become more efficient (i.e. make the maximum possible use out of the resources that are already at their disposal). One important result of such cost cutting activities is that businesses are spending considerably less money on advertising than they were doing in previous years before the recession.

Although cutting down on advertising expenditure may result in a decline in short term spending, such an action will naturally do little if anything to increase the revenue of a business in the long term as there may not be any other opportunity left for the firms to attract attention to themselves or the products or services that they supply. However, there are other ways in which a firm is able to draw attention to itself and its products or services. Smaller businesses such as restaurants or hairdressers, for example, could introduce a series of vouchers and special offers as an effective means of advertisement and drawing attention to themselves and attracting customers. However, for other firms such as haulage and removal businesses involved in transporting goods with Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), offering 'buy one get one free' vouchers or other such offers are not suitable methods of attracting attention and custom.

For such companies, Commercial Vehicle Paint is an ideal method to draw attention to a firm that uses commercial vehicles and the services that are provided by the business. A good example of such an advertising technique being effective is the example of Eddie Stobart because everyone is able to recognise the lorries operating on behalf of the business due to their unique painted design: a combination of dark green, red and white.

If a company that uses commercial vehicles was to invest in painting their trucks in bright colours or painted in a unique design, it would undoubtedly draw attention to them and (considering that such haulage firms operate several trucks travelling across the country every day) more people are likely to see and recognise the designs of these trucks and realise what they advertise and who operates them, than the number of people who are likely to hear, see and let alone take notice of advertisements for such firms in the newspapers or on the radio or television.

If you are interested in finding out more about commercial vehicle paints, or want to know more about Black Country Paints, visit http://blackcountrypaints.co.uk/

http://EzineArticles.com/6509622

Learn How HID Kits Work

HID kits are headlight conversion sets which contain all the components that enable you to change your car or motorcycle headlights from traditional halogen bulbs to xenon or HID bulbs. HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and xenon is the gas contained in the bulbs.

What are HID kits?

There are several components contained in a HID kit consisting of two bulbs, dual or two single ballasts, starter, holders, wires and connectors. Each kit contains an instruction manual as most people are able to do the conversion from halogen to HID bulbs themselves. Most of the new HID kits contain slim digital ballasts, which replace the older magnetic ones. You cannot use your ordinary light system with xenon bulbs as a HID kit uses a very different mechanism.

Installing the kits

When installing HID kits you need to use latex gloves so that you do not touch the glass of the bulbs with your fingers. This is because oil from your skin can shorten the life of the HID bulb. You need to ensure you fasten the ballasts and starter securely to the vehicle in a suitable mounting spot so that all the wiring can reach without fitting too closely. Once you have unplugged the halogen bulb and removed it from the headlight holder, take the plug and plug it into the starter. Then plug the starter into the ballast and plug the new HID bulbs into the headlight housing, which should fit in the same way as the halogen ones you removed. Lastly, the ballast needs to be plugged into the bulb to complete the circuit. You may need to adjust the headlights before the kit is fully functioning.

How they work

Taking the signal from the starter, ballasts supply the necessary voltage to ignite the HID bulbs and control the current to the bulb. When the bulb receives the power from the ballast, it energizes the xenon gas in the bulb creating a white/blue light, the color being regulated by the Kelvin color/temperature of the kit.

The cost involved

The price of HID lighting varies according to the type and quality. The cost is mainly affected by how high and low beam is achieved. Single HID headlight kits cost less than $100 but they only supply low beam from one HID bulb in each headlight holder. When they are installed it is not possible to obtain high beam.If you want high beam, HID/halogen kits use HID light for low beam and halogen for high beam. They cost around $150. Flexible HID kits have one hid bulb which can switch between high and low beam and cost between $150 and $180. The most expensive are the bi-xenon kits which contain two HID bulbs and two ballasts per head lamp. One bulb is used for high beam and one for low beam. These more sophisticated HID headlight kits cost over $200.

There is a great variety of HID headlight kits on the market and each one is not suited to every type of vehicle so it is important to know your car model and the HID bulb size you need. It is also crucial to ensure the quality of HID headlight kits as cheaper options will not last or give the same performance. Always choose HID kits which come with at least one year warranty on all the parts.

Fact: HID kits produce 300 times more light than a regular halogen headlight! For the best deals on Hid bulbs stop and shop at this site.

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Bluetooth Speaker for Car - Bypass the Phone and the Headset, Receive Calls Directly in Your Car!

Most modern day cars already have some form of Bluetooth integration. What this means is that instead of strapping on an earphone, you can receive and make calls using the car Bluetooth speaker. But in case your car is slightly older or doesn't have an in-built Bluetooth, you can always invest in a Bluetooth speaker for car that will free your hands and help you concentrate more on the road, less on the phone.

Here's how this works: if you get a call on your cellphone, you can use your Bluetooth headset to answer it. This is comparatively less distracting than answering a phone directly. But a lot of people either don't like using headsets, or find that it distracts them from driving. Consequently, most modern cars come equipped with car Bluetooth speakers. These are typically built into the steering wheel. When you receive a call, you can either press a button (located on the steering wheel), or use a voice command to answer or reject it. This frees your hands completely, and distracts you even less from driving than a standard headset.

If your car doesn't already have Bluetooth integration, you can buy these speakers separately and hook them up to your steering wheel. Most of these speakers will feature a microphone and a speaker (for calls), a LCD display (to show you who is calling), a SD port (to save MP3s) and a USB port (for storing anything else). A Bluetooth speaker for car can also double up as an MP3 player or USB drive. Some also have a FM transmitter built in.

Many Bluetooth speakers for cars are battery operated, while others depend on a power source (typically the car's cigarette lighter). The latter is not a highly recommended option since you will essentially be tethering your steering wheel with a wire, which, despite whatever precautions you may take, is definitely a safety hazard.

If you are the busy professional who can't afford to miss out on calls when on the road, investing in a Bluetooth speaker for car should be a priority. It significantly reduces the risk of accidents and makes for a far smoother and seamless experience. No more fiddling around with headsets and cellphones; simply speak directly into the steering wheel to answer calls. Plus, your speakers can double up as a USB drive, a MP3 player, and a FM transmitter as well. If that isn't high-tech, then I don't know what is.

Motorola's T505 ROKR Bluetooth in-car speaker comes highly recommended. It has everything you would want in a Bluetooth speaker for car. It fits right on to your steering wheel and lets you make and receive calls directly. It announces the name of the caller, features a full-fledged FM transmitter that announces the name of the station, is rechargeable (can be charged in the car itself), and also includes a MP3 player. Another device to consider is the Jabra S500, which is a cheaper alternative to the Motorola T505.

Can't figure out which speaker to buy for your living room? Do you keep struggling to understand the difference between wireless and Best Bluetooth speakers? Get all the answers, without any of the BS at my site given below:
http://www.wirelessspeakershub.com/

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Understanding the Need for Multifunctional Car Strobe Lights

The first thing one must know about the car strobe lamps is that they can be installed almost anywhere, whether it is in the front of the vehicle, the rear or on the outer edge. Wherever they are used, these strobe lamps can be of great utility flashing highly intense beams to light up the road ahead. These strobe lamps are amongst the most fashionable modern accessories for a car, especially the SUVs. They have a fresh sleek design that would look breathtakingly attractive especially along with flashy bright colors and designs on the car.

The multi-function flash controller car strobe lights in a car can function with a 12V DC source with almost negligible current ensuring that there are no dangers whether it is due to reverse polarity, short-circuit or high voltage. They can also be purchased in pairs with 12 - 24 LEDs on each flash light. One set of LEDs can glow in one color, while the other set can glow in another. This way, strobe lights in flashing red and blue can be used to make the cars look attractive. The flashy bright lights also add to the visibility in harsh weather conditions when it is very hazy. Usually a cable of about 8 - 10 feet is provided along with the strobe lights. The power consumption is about 6W, with 1W or sometimes 0.5W LEDs which preserve a lot of energy too. These flashing lights can also be used for emergency purposes especially when a wrecked car or truck is being towed on a dark highway.

The car strobe lights add to the charm of the car, and you can get a sense of novelty by changing the colors of the LEDs as often as possible. This is not just because the LEDs are inexpensive but also because you can get colored filters to modify the beams to the color you want. The controller box can vary the flashing pattern and flashing speed too. Generally, high flashing speed of about 120 flashes per minute could be really alarming and hence can be used in case of emergencies to alert others. The strobe lamps are easy to maintain. They are usually made of crush resistant, high impact plastic which is not only durable but also aesthetically beautifully. The casing structure allows for easy heat dissipation which is usually kept to a minimum when LED strobes are being used.

You can buy an entire kit of car strobe lamps thus increasing the number of mounting locations. You can even have them installed in 1-inch holes in tail lights, side markers and headlights thus greatly adding to their utility. a Polycarbonate base or a base with epoxy coating can be rock hard. These are ideal to enhance resistance to vibration or high impact. Installation of the strobes is also quite easy either with the help of mounting brackets, rubber grommet bases or even powerful magnets. With the switch control panel, handling the lights is very easy. Thus, strobe lamps, which are ultra-bright, can be used for decorative and emergency purposes.

Extreme Tactical Dynamics is a one-stop shop for Car strobe and many other items like Flashlights, Deck Lights, police lights, etc. Please visit the site for more details of various items available - http://www.extremetacticaldynamics.com/

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A Custom Wiring Harness for Enhanced Manufacturer Output

Cable manufacturing and assembly has become a very large industry in the past few decades. Its widespread growth is due to the ever-increasing demand for high performance machinery that is advanced in technology and generally more compact in size. Though standard harnesses are available for many different industries, a custom wiring harness may be helpful for manufacturers that have more unique and specific needs and want to be able to produce the maximum possible output for their machinery.

For the past few decades, industries like the automotive, aviation, and more recently renewable energy have become reliant on wiring harnesses to make their vehicles and machines operate more efficiently. The advantages of using a wiring harness over just placing loose wiring inside their machine are many.

With automobiles, airplanes, medical equipment and other kinds of large machinery, often several miles worth of cable and wiring is required to make them operate at maximum output. Without a cable harness, these loose wires would take up far too much space and force builders to make their machines much bigger. Furthermore, the installer can put in the harnesses in far less time than a pile of loosely connected cables and wires. The process has been revolutionary for many industries and helped bring about several breakthroughs that benefit consumers worldwide.

When it comes to which type of wiring harness to choose, manufacturers generally select either a standard or customized harness. Some builders choose the standard harness if they are constructing machinery that is more general in nature. Others decide to order a custom wiring harness when they feel they have more specific requirements that cannot be met from the standard variety.

Harnesses are popular in the automotive, aviation and electrical engineering industries, among others. These industries are continually coming up with more unique designs that are not as conducive to a "one size fits all" group of wiring. For example, because the military is known to be on the cutting edge of aviation technology, they have a constant need for customized harnesses to fit their newly designed airplanes and tanks and give them the output they need.

The automotive industry is another place where new designs are being conceived every year. There are always new passenger cars and trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, and many more. There are also a growing number of hybrid and electric cars coming on the market today. With the global trend toward meeting sustainability standards, this trend is expected to continue.

Along with all this newly designed machinery is the need for customized wiring that can fit their exact requirements. There are several cable assembly engineering companies that can meet the needs of these customers. However, they are not all created equal. There are a few things a designer should look for in a custom wiring harness manufacturer to be sure they are working with one that they will be satisfied with.

First, the company they work with should be able to provide anything from a simple wiring harness all the way up to a complete customized solution with multiple leads and connectors. It is also helpful to work with a company that has been in the business for a while. Cable assembly and wiring harness manufacturing is a growing industry and there are many new companies that have popped up in recent years. Because a company is new does not necessarily mean there is something negative about them, but on balance a company with at least a couple decades in the business and an established track record of performance is usually a preferable choice for customers who are looking for some transparency in their electronic cable and wire assembly partner.

Finally, a company with a strong focus on the quality of the custom wiring harness they deliver will normally ensure that the manufacturer will receive a harness that will be built to fit their needs and maximize the electrical output of their vehicle or machinery.

Andy West is a writer on a broad variety of subjects, including electronics. A custom wiring harness is great when it comes to manufacturing and machinery.

http://EzineArticles.com/6504796

Aftermarket Navigation Systems and Car DVD Players: Save Money Without Sacrificing Performance

Navigation systems. Car DVD players. It's easy get swept away by all the latest technology when you're in the showroom shopping for your next car or truck, but it's important to remember that these features are also available in aftermarket models. In fact, choosing to install your car GPS and/or mobile video players as aftermarket equipment can actually save you a great deal of money without undermining either their performance or their appearance!

In the vast majority of cases, when you're purchasing a vehicle, selecting a navigation system or video entertainment isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds. That's because these features come as part of particular packages or vehicle models. So while you may not be interested in heated seats or self-dimming mirrors, those features may also be included in the package that contains your desired in-dash navigation system. Now, you may be thinking, "Wait, heated seats sound awesome," but consider that you're going to end up paying for a whole bunch of features that you may never actually use, just to get that navigation system. Especially if you're trying to stick to a budget, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Aftermarket navigation systems are available in both portable and installed versions, and you may be surprised at just how affordable they are. Portable car GPS are often discounted because of the risk of theft, but they do offer perks like being able to operate the nav system while the vehicle is in motion (let the passenger do it please!) and the ability to transfer the unit from one car to another (great for rental cars, too!). Or, if you're not too keen on that ubiquitous suction cup on the dash or windshield, you can go with an installed model. These types of in-dash navigation systems are often visually indistinguishable at a glance from the OEM setups that come from the factory, but since you won't be shelling out for a huge number of unnecessary features, they won't set you back nearly as much. Now, that doesn't meant that aftermarket car navigation systems are bare-bones equipment. They tend to include options like Bluetooth connectivity as well as car audio capacity (often including satellite radio, auxiliary inputs for iPods, and more).

With aftermarket car DVD players, you can also get the performance and appearance you want without breaking the bank. In all but the highest end vehicles, your options are pretty limited when it comes to mobile video entertainment: usually it's a ceiling-mounted, drop-down screen or nothing. But when you decide to go the aftermarket route, the possibilities really start to blossom. Of course, you can get the standard ceiling mount, and at a quite cost-effective price, but you can also get customized car audio video systems that include everything from headrest mounted screens to video game input jacks and more.

So when you're trying to decide whether to pick out the factory options that include the DVD player and GPS for your next car, make sure you think it through. If you'll use all of the features included in the package that has the electronics you want--and you're content with the features of the OEM DVD player or car GPS--then that option probably makes sense. But if you're paying for tons of features that you know you'll never use, or if you're looking for capability unavailable in stock options, then your best bet is to head on down to your local car audio shop. Their installers can set you up with great aftermarket components that will bring you the style and performance you want.

Maria Allen drives a Ford Mustang and is an Internet marketing specialist with Prospect Genius, using effective SEO to connect customers with local businesses.

http://EzineArticles.com/6443834

Why not install a car camera for your vehicle

Why not install a car camera for your vehicle

if you don't realize how important to have a car camera when you drive, and this article may help you a little bit. There is a decent car camera available which will record what happens outside and inside the car. It not only gives you video and sound, but the exact GPS location of any incident. Essential for police evidence, the time and date is also recorded. There are many benefits to using an onboard car camera. Not only will the system protect you as you are driving, it will also act as a car security device when your vehicle is parked.
These are extremely beneficial and even if your car does not have one, they can be purchased at online retail stores and even auction sites. The cam is something that you are interested in then you can find a range of car camera systems available online. These systems can vary and it is best to find a car camera to suit your specific requirements. There are a few important features to bear in mind. Firstly, remember that the location within your vehicle of your camera/cameras is important. A forward facing camera will protect the vehicle's front, whilst a reversing car will protect the back of the vehicle. Secondly, the size of the system is important as you may or may not want the system to be glaringly obvious. If you are reversing your vehicle out of a parking space, then making use of a car backup camera is a great way to ensure that you do not accidentally hit anything. While you can use your rearview mirror, they are often times not very effective especially if you have a truck or an SUV. These devices are commonly found on higher end models but you can easily purchase one for your vehicle at great prices. Backing out of a tight spot can be difficult but it actually does not have to be if you use one of these gadgets.
Even if your vehicle does not come with a car camera to help you when reversing out of a parking space, you can still purchase them from aftermarket companies. You might think that such car electronics is expensive, but you would be rather surprised as to how affordable they are. In fact, you can easily purchase a quality unit for under a hundred dollars. If you purchase a similar device from the dealership, they can exceed several hundred dollars or even higher depending on the company. When making the purchase, be sure to look for those wireless units as these will be much easier to install.
When most people think of car security and surveillance, they think of GPS tracking devices and dashboard based cameras. However, there are several other car cam devices and surveillance systems you can install in your car, truck or SUV to increase security. Car camera records are designed to record all the video and some can be plugged directly into your car's lighter and mounted right on your dashboard. You're doing yourself and other drivers, a huge favor by purchasing a car camera system. As long as you are buying it from a reputable retailer with a knowledgeable and helpful sales staff, you're sure to get the perfect purchase for your vehicle.

Original from: http://www.12vcity.com

http://goarticles.com/article/Why-not-install-a-car-camera-for-your-vehicle/5161066/

Safety Driving with Rear View Monitors

Nowadays, car owners who want to improve the gears of the car are not only paying attention to the attractiveness but also for the functionality and safety. Combining with funny and safety, Car rear view monitors is able to offer you wonderful car entertainment as well as practical use in the vehicle. A car monitor is indeed one of the most essential requirements if you own a car.

Generally speaking, a rear view mirror has a very important function since it is the one that allows the driver to closely monitor the cars following behind in terms of the distance. They can see everything behind their cars clearly on a screen placed inside the car without having to turn around. While reversing - they ensure you don't back into anyone or anything. It is good for checking the blind spots on the road, especially at night when there is poor visibility. This does many help for those who are safety conscious or just do not feel that their driving skills are adequate enough to properly park their vehicles without bumping into something behind them. Even skilled drivers or car owners are fond of this unit.

An enhanced edition of rear view monitors is that it has a big LCD display screen, and you can connect to the VCD Player, DVD Players, and such media players to get the entertainment value. It supports NTSC and PAL video display. A sophisticated model of a rear view monitor today is the one that includes audio capability. You can listen to what is going on in the road behind you, and you can anticipate coming cars that might come from behind carelessly, Getting a rear view mirror monitor with camera and audio for your car can allow you to travel more safety and happiness.

In addition to more help to vehicle owners to clearly see behind when reversing or backing up, Bluetooth and GPS functionality adding to the rear view monitors. With these Bluetooth units they are able to alert the drivers of an incoming call on their mobile phone as well as displaying the actual caller number and name on the mirror itself. The fancier units even provide an audible voice which will read the name and number so you don't have to take your eyes off the road. GPS enabled mirrors are popular with both families and entrepreneurs alike since they are great for personal or business road trips.

With its delicate design, stable performance, clear picture and excellent color effect, car rear view monitors seem to be the most dazzling star in the car accessories. And it is easy to install and without any damage to the car, you just only clip the monition the original one.

There are many different kinds of rear view monitors in the market from the simplest one to the high-end type Monitor. They're not that costly so investing in them is really worth it and a must for vehicle owners. (By bella2011812)

Professional and reliable car electronics and car accessories wholesaler and dropshipper in China. Your best one-stop car electronics 4S shop ,all for your car needs.

http://goarticles.com/article/Safety-Driving-with-Rear-View-Monitors/5161130/