Ok,
The strobe, your best option is proably to buy a new strobe, you can get a very good one for around 100 bucks. If there is a converter out there, i bet it will cost almost as much as a new strobe.
Head Lights
1. You can only use the plow lights or the truck lights. Only it must be done, so that the plow lights have their own power source from the battery, you can not make a simple tab into your head light wires, or you will draw too much current. Unless you design some complicated wiring, that uses lots of relays and has another 12 power supply to power the lights. You can use both sets of lights, it's possible to do, but I don't know why you would want to.
2. Depending on the plow set up, manufacture, age, ect, you may not have a choice of which lights you get to use. Most manufactures uses a wiring system, that when you plug in your plow lights, your truck lights are shut off. The last manufacture to convert to this system was Meyer/Diamond.
However I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't want to use your standard plow lights, most truck head lights will not be high enough to light your working area. Some one ton pick ups mostly Fords and Dodges, could get away with out plow lights for in a pinch, because of their high suspension, however the blade would only be a few inches off the ground.
3. Truck headlights are usually brighter than plow lights, I have yet to find a plow manufacture that provides as much light as a standard truck head light. All plow light systems are about the same brightness, I think. So if anything your plow lights uses amps than your truck lights.
4. Yes it saves power if you don't use your headlights, but I can't figure out how you can go with out them at night.
IMO the biggest snowplow improvement, that could be made is brighter head lights. I don't care what brand of plow you have, the plow lights aren't close to the power of the truck headlights. When your plowing, i think everyone will agree you need all the light you can get.
Geoff
[Edited by GeoffDiamond on 11-15-2000 at 12:20 AM]