Got my Ultra Bright Lights Z-Flash Today!

bbrett

Tremoraholic
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Just got my Z-Flash module I ordered on Black Friday. It was pretty easy to install. Wired the On/Off to my up-fitter, and put the mode button in my upper glove box.

Here's a couple videos.


 
Wow, those are really bright! Laughing that your tailgate light even flashes, looks great.
 
I that an OEM Third Brake light?
No its GJ Motorsports one with Baja Designs Lights, they just came out with a housing to add back in the factory cargo cam too. I should have that by monday.


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PTT Arod on a livestream a couple weeks ago (with Limitless on the stream) mentioned that BCM based flashers aren't recommended. Not sure if it's a profit based reason or a technical one. @Modman Any ideas?

 
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I like that livestream with PTT and the others. Good info there.
 
No its GJ Motorsports one with Baja Designs Lights, they just came out with a housing to add back in the factory cargo cam too. I should have that by monday.


View attachment 43300
I might be interested in that with the fact that the camera can stay
 
I might be interested in that with the fact that the camera can stay
Quote from site: "Super-Duty Fitment: This light will eliminate the high mount camera in the 3rd brake light of equipped vehicles."
 
Quote from site: "Super-Duty Fitment: This light will eliminate the high mount camera in the 3rd brake light of equipped vehicles."


It’s a new product
 

It’s a new product
So you also lose the center S2 lamp? If so, will the cost of the 3rd brake light remain the same (it appears so). Not making sense to me for the cost if you ARE losing 1/3 of the S2s.
 
So you also lose the center S2 lamp?
Unfortunately yes, but I don’t really use it because I have bed lights and a retrax. If I need more light I’ll turn on my other S2’s. They’re nice and bright!
 
No its GJ Motorsports one with Baja Designs Lights, they just came out with a housing to add back in the factory cargo cam too. I should have that by monday.


View attachment 43300
Look forward to some pictures showing the new housing that allows the camera to be kept. I had the three light set up on the Raptor. For how I intend to use the truck two lights is enough.
 
Look forward to some pictures showing the new housing that allows the camera to be kept. I had the three light set up on the Raptor. For how I intend to use the truck two lights is enough.
Agreed. I won't be running this rig on any Raptor Runs anytime soon.
 
Look forward to some pictures showing the new housing that allows the camera to be kept. I had the three light set up on the Raptor. For how I intend to use the truck two lights is enough.

I’ll post pictures once it’s installed!
2400B398-BFFE-4080-9D6A-F9414E868443.jpeg
 

It’s a new product
Great find sir. Thank you! :D
 
PTT Arod on a livestream a couple weeks ago (with Limitless on the stream) mentioned that BCM based flashers aren't recommended. Not sure if it's a profit based reason or a technical one. @Modman Any ideas?


It is probably a combination of both. Although I do like his channel and regularly watch many of his videos, you can tell much of what he pushes are for profit. In this case, someone offering a competing product to the BCM flasher is on the podcast, so it wouldn't be wise of him to praise the competition of his guest.

Despite that, what he said does have some merit. When I was installing mine today, I was thinking to myself how sensitive the BCM is to putting extra pigtail extensions on three of the connectors. Most likely, it won't be a problem, otherwise this product wouldn't be so popular. Also, if the system was really that sensitive to extra pigtails, we'd be seeing more trucks with electrical gremlin issues from the factory.

Keep in mind too that PTT is a Ford tech. He's going to see a ton of problems. His availability heuristic is vastly different from most of ours here. So yeah, he sees more electrical gremlin issues in his neck of the woods than is reported on this world-wide board. There will be some bias.
 
Oh, for the three of you on this board with the Morimoto XB LED headlights, yes, this BCM flasher does work with it. You may want to convert the tail lights to LED first, though. All of mine are swapped out with Sylvania LED bulbs.
 
I know PTT is probably getting sponsorship and he’ll see more issues. I think he does put our good info, you just have to ignore some of the “commercials”.
He has one video that shows how to turn off the seatbelt reminder come and it also turns off the warning light. I have some land that I drive and don’t need a seatbelt on for that area, so that info was good for me.
 
So you also lose the center S2 lamp? If so, will the cost of the 3rd brake light remain the same (it appears so). Not making sense to me for the cost if you ARE losing 1/3 of the S2s.
It looks like you do trade the cost of a 3rd BD light for the Camera Mount. The actual base is likely still the exact same.
 
PTT Arod on a livestream a couple weeks ago (with Limitless on the stream) mentioned that BCM based flashers aren't recommended. Not sure if it's a profit based reason or a technical one. @Modman Any ideas?

@BroncoHooves TBH I haven't really looked into these options at all for myself so there may be obvious flaws in my logic below - open to correction!

First, I think I will make a distinction between the different systems out there per my brief research and understanding... There appear to be some that intercept the signals from the BCM and override/process them before sending instructions to the lights. Others feed into the BCM and then to the lights. Since I am a visual learner I made this simplistic model to represent this:

1641569939039.png

I don't see any issue with the modules that are placed post-BCM. (Alternative 1). One may argue that the farther downstream the better which would favor the Limitless version over the Z-Flash but I cant think of why that would matter, other than removing the need to physically break and reconnect the BCM module connections. It would seem that from the perspective of the BCM everything is as-designed - with the lights on the vehicle is commanding a constant signal. Creation of the flashing happens after the fact.

I think Aaron's statement about BCM flashers refers to the ones plugged directly into the OBD port to interface the vehicle electrical "grid" (Alternative 2). I agree that seems a bit more intrusive. I don't like anything permanently plugged into that port, but that is just my preference. I can only surmise that the light signals are processed prior to the BCM in this scenario and thus would require additional binary/on-off switching from that module, rather than from a standalone module dedicated to that purpose. This is outside the design intent of the module so maybe it's ok, maybe a long-term issue only, hard to say.

So, the short answer to your question, in my opinion, is that his response is based on a potential technical issue and was not for profit or marketing reasons.
 
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