just passing the question along...whelen edge bar

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KuhnElectronics
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just passing the question along...whelen edge bar

Post by KuhnElectronics »

one of my buddies and I were talking about a whelen edge lightbar he has..

its one of those that uses the serial comm instead of low current switching.

it was taken out of service because the communication was very intermittent between the bar and the controller even after changing cable, controller, ect...

at spontanious times the bar would shut off and the lights on the controller would flash...

he was wondering if it could be possible to convert this bar into an analog control bar with low current switching?

i havent opened one of these up yet, but is the computer built into the power supply or is this project even feasible?

-nick
Nick Kuhn - Communications Technician/Technical Manager
AMP Electronics - Chillicothe, OH
http://www.amp-electronics.net
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Pj
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Post by Pj »

You would have to throw everything out but the lights themselves.

HOWEVER

If its an Edge Ultra SC bar, I think the power supplies can be reused. I think the parts book lists the supplies as the same part number between the SC and LC models.

If so, then you may be able to just get the LC controller, control cable and power cable and you should be good to go. On the flip side, it may be quicker just to send the existing board into whelen for repair.

If its a BL10000 bar, then you definately would be chucking everything but the lights. I think its easier and better just to have the board replaced. The only other thing I can think of is that the bar isn't getting enough juice.
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KuhnElectronics
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Post by KuhnElectronics »

so basically the serial comm is built into the power supply, correct?

i have yet to rip one of these bad boys apart and take a look, but someone told me that the control came from a i/o board that was inderpendant of the PS.

this bar was a used one from an auction, and the power cable was cut at about 1 foot away from the bar...and my friend extended that with 10awg cable from the roof of a CVPI directly to the battery...but is 10awg capable of loading this bar with all strobes and halogens flashing?.i am just wondering if before i go tearing it apart i should consider replacing the wiring harness with all new wire from the inside of the bar direcltly to the battery, but what awg cable would you recommend?


it was strange, i played a little with it today and it does kinda seem like a current issue...

in pursuit switch 1, the rear strobes lit fine.
in pursuit switch 2, the front strobes lit fine.
in pursuit switch 3, the whole bar, halogens and all strobes lit fine for 15 seconds, then everything shut off, and the controller flashed all of its status lights.

now after cycling power to the bar and the controller, the rear strobes came on for a split second on pos 1 and then everything shut off again and the controller flashed...

do these have an internal circuit breaker or protection device?

i wish we could wire this bar for LC switching,
this b-link controller i have gives me the option of low current switching as well...

thanks,

nick
Nick Kuhn - Communications Technician/Technical Manager
AMP Electronics - Chillicothe, OH
http://www.amp-electronics.net
KuhnElectronics
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Post by KuhnElectronics »

im tearing it down today, let you know what I find...

-nick
Nick Kuhn - Communications Technician/Technical Manager
AMP Electronics - Chillicothe, OH
http://www.amp-electronics.net
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Post by TWL911 »

sounds like a current issue to me. BL10000's are NOT known for there efficiency. I'm not sure, but whelen recommends either 6 or 8ga for the power and ground.
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Post by Pj »

How are you using to power the bar?

The 12 strobe bar will draw at least 35? amps.

The BL10000 p/s are intergrated with the whole serial system. The Ultra p/s's seem to be universal. What I gather is that the I/O board sends + commands to the p/s to switch the patterns etc. I haven't tried it. I did try to tap into some of the + at the p/s connectors to power an auxillary function, but I wasn't getting enough amprage or voltage off of the plug. I didn't meter it, but all the connections according to my pin layout from whelen looks the same between the LC and SC bars.
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KuhnElectronics
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Post by KuhnElectronics »

so i tear the thing apart, and find that the i/o board is seperate from the PS's....but before I jumped into converting it over I decided to replace the power and data cable...all new of 20 feet 6awg power cable and a new data 2 conductor cable....

all worked fine on the bench, started putting things back in and then i get the same freaking flashing controller....so i start checking connections, moving wires, ect and bam it comes back on....

if I press on the female push-on connector soldered to the i/o board it works. so i reflowed the solder and slid it back on, buttoned it all up, and it works like a champ.....

dont get your hopes up just yet....


mount it back on the cruiser and it works great again for about 3 minutes, until it starts skipping flashes, ect...until it finally shuts off.

i pounded around in the general area of that i/o board and it started working again so i figure its the same problem...lucky for me i think that there is a couple of those laying around somewhere.......

so hopefully this will fix the prob for good...
Nick Kuhn - Communications Technician/Technical Manager
AMP Electronics - Chillicothe, OH
http://www.amp-electronics.net
KuhnElectronics
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Post by KuhnElectronics »

new serial communication board fixed the problem...thanks for the help!
Nick Kuhn - Communications Technician/Technical Manager
AMP Electronics - Chillicothe, OH
http://www.amp-electronics.net
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