orange lights on motorways, how do they sync them?

GeX

GeX

GeX

Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2002
Posts
6,994
Location
Manchester
Hello all.

Just wondering how the lights you see on top of cones on motorways are snychronised so that you get a trailing light coming accross as the lane closes.

It must be something cheap and simple.. but dunno what!
 
I thought this exact same thing the other day.

Each light just flashed on and off, they are somehow synced and I cant figure out how? Unless maybe they are synced on the truck before putting them on the cones and dropping them on the road? because theres no physical link between them when they are on the road.
 
i didn't think of them doing that before they were dropped, and i deceided some sort of wireless link was daft for a light as it would bump the cost up too much
 
Maybe some kind of setup on the truck, massive charging cradle that syncs them all then they are fitted on the cone and dropped?

Someone in here must work for the Highways Agency and know!
 
OMG!! I was thinking that last night travelling down the A1.. I must have passed a rediculious number of roadworks.. (I was on the same road from the m25 all the way to newcastle and back!)

I concluded that they just turn them on at the right time :) as you can turn them off and on again to adjust...

edit: It does look rather cool when it's night time :p :D
 
seems a bit :s though, a bloke stood in the line of traffic trying to press a button at the right time - thought H&S would not allow that!
 
GeX said:
seems a bit :s though, a bloke stood in the line of traffic trying to press a button at the right time - thought H&S would not allow that!
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The cones are dropped off the side of a lorry, they would probubly turn the light on then
 
Mohinder said:
They turn themselves on when you put them on the cone, they have a button on the inside of them. I know this because I stole one a couple of years ago :/
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He's talking about the type on the motorway where the light zooms along the row of cones in perfect unison speed. There is no way the workmen sit there timing it all perfectly as they turn each one on and then hoping they all flash at the same speed indefinitely without any time differences.
 
Wicksta said:
He's talking about the type on the motorway where the light zooms along the row of cones in perfect unison speed. There is no way the workmen sit there timing it all perfectly as they turn each one on and then hoping they all flash at the same speed indefinitely without any time differences.
Click to expand...

I like to think they do! Bless 'em.

All I know is the normal standard cone light ones
 
Ive always thought it was just the way they are switched on as they are dropped from the back of the lorry onto the road. I'm pretty sure thats how I seen it being done on the A1 a few weeks back.
 
I just asked 63336.com, the response:

"There is a control box which, when turned on sends out a signal to all the cones at the road works almost instantaneously. They then turn in synchrony"

Cool :D
 
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