Suction cups on my dash light wont hold

[getfirefox]

Hello, I recently purchased this light from Galls. The suctions cups on this light seem to lose their suction after about 30 minutes and then the light falls. I have been placing the light right under my rear view mirror. The light I am currently using is a replacement, since I was having this problem before and I thought it may be defective, so it is not a defective light. I have also tried cleaning the window and wetting the suction cups.

Am I missing something? Should the light be placed somewhere else? Is it only supposed to be put up for a short amount of time when responding to calls?

[ChiefSquirrel]

The light should be placed on the top shelf, way in the back, of a closet in your house. That's the best location for it.

[SPFDRum]

Use PL400.

[nmfire]

Step 1: Clean the windshield
Step 2: Clean the mounting area again with denatured alcohol.
Step 3: Clean the suction cups with denatured alcohol.
Step 4: Apply to window
Step 5: Duck and cover from the artillary fire on the forum that comes with any flashing light related thread.

[FlyingKiwi]

Elvis Costello...

"Watching the Defectives"

[Res343cue]

Another trick I've learned when doing "semi permanent" install work, you can take a drop of super glue on the suction cup and use that to help hold it on. Make sure you don't get too much... you need to be able to pull it off. A little nail polish remover injected under the suction cup with a syringe will release it.

[getfirefox]

Do you think I would have this problem with any other light?

[Res343cue]

Yeah. I don't care for that particular light though.

Doesn't perform anywhere near as well as a SpecTIR8 or Talon...

[getfirefox]

Yeah. I don't care for that particular light though.

Doesn't perform anywhere near as well as a SpecTIR8 or Talon...

Yea, I know I posted in the firefighter forum but I'm an EMT and I needed a green light. This seemed to be the best one I could find in green.

[2andfrom]

Wrong place

Do not try to place on windscreen--dashboard is best.

Go to hardware store -purchase 4 six inch nails, one in each corner usually does the trick- Large hammer --and belt the living daylights to drive the nails home this will obtain the necessary degree of attachment. Switch lights on!! Race like lunatic--beat everyone there and WAIT! You are not a one man army--besides if the general public will not move over for a fire truck/police car/ambulance what makes you think for one millisecond that they will move over for you and your Christmas tree lights?

I drove a fire truck in London for 20yrs--most drivers are like the bloke in that rock opera song Pinball Wizard"The deaf ,dumb,blind Kid"

[NJFFSA16]

Am I missing something?

Yes...you are. There are some highly insightful discussions on tactics, strategy, hoselays, firefighter arson, command objectives, apparatus innovations, drafting, communications, extrication, forcible entry, pass devices, Rapid Intervention Teams...and many more subjects.

If nothing else...remember this:

Limit the frequency of suctioning and avoid, as much as possible, catheter impaction in the bronchial tree when the patient is anticoagulated or when hemorrhage from suction-induced trauma is evident.

Now...to answer your question....The suction cup adheres to a surface when the surrounding atmospheric pressure is higher than the pressure between the suction cup and the surface of the object or in other words it creates a vacuum.

Clean both surfaces...before applying your cup.

Or better yet....IMPROVISE!

[malana1]

I had the same problem on the old Ford Escort I used to drive. I finally gave up and bought a MX7000 Lightbar from Galls. Now I do not have to worry about the suction cups coming loose when I take corners at 50 mph and slamming into my scanner.

[nmfire]

Oh yea, and just watch your head if you ever crash. Those things hurt. I went flying off the road on my way to work one morning (steep hill, black ice) and took the driver side door to a tree at about 45mph as the truck was starting to roll over from sliding sideways. Besides collapsing the whole driver side and off of the truck onto me, folding the dash in half, pushing the seat through the center console, pinning and twisting my foot under the brake pedal, getting cut up by flying glass, and not being able to walk for a month.... my old dashmiser from over the mirror hit me in the head.

Damn thing still worked through!

Have I mentioned lately how much I dislike ice? As if the crash wasn't bad enough, my scanner was still on somehow (even though it was cracked and crushed inside the center console somewhere) and I heard that town's fire & ambulance being dispatched to the accident.

[Rescue101]

Hehe,that's what they make spiked rubber for.October to May,no worries.When I gotta go,I gotta go. T.C.

[nmfire]

The studed tires would probably be too much extra drag for this truck. It was such a heap but I was still sad to see it go. I'll tell ya, it is a totally different experience when you are on the other side of the board and collar.