Anyone else think Code 3 PSE stuff just SUCKS?

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 10:22 pm

After spending the better part of 2 days fixing the remains of a blown up code 3 V-CON light/siren controller (damn thing had a relay go bad and burned through the board) and replacing the entire control system with reliable federal signal equipment i am finally fed (no pun intended) up with junk from code 3. Complete and utter crap! Nothing but frustration. I had intended to replace the defective V-Con with another. The replacement was no better than the original. I should have just thrown out the code 3 junk and gone with FS to begin with.

I will NOT install code 3 in a personal or professional vehicle again! I'm just dismayed we still have a lot of it in service in the city both police and fire ( I don't have control over the entire fleet)

If it does say Federal Signal on it I am just not going to deal with it.

EKS · Post by **EKS** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 10:27 pm

All of the stuff we had that was melted/charred/just-plain-dead was code 3 stuff. But the price was right.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 10:32 pm

Believe me, after today I'll glady pay for FS equipement. I won't put my life or anyone else on anything of lower quality.

The relay that died actually burned completely through the light control board, wasn't overloaded either. Just failed!

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Fri Sep 20, 2002 10:38 pm

I had the Code 3 DashLaser (I think that's what it's called) - a light that you put in your dash, popular for un-marked cars and volunteer cars - it was turned on for 30 minutes, by the time I left, the bulb had blown and the motor was hot as all heck..

Definatly not the kind of quality I was hoping for.

Mike

Jaqx · Post by **Jaqx** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 1:22 pm

Federal Signal all the way, until you get to strobe stuff..............

mavericknet · Post by **mavericknet** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 3:16 pm

I think the different vendors have there strengths and weaknesses, Code 3 definatly loses the console war... BUT, I love the MX7000 bar don't want anything else. Federal signal has decent LED offerings, good consoles, excellent sirens, and the Vision is good. However, I don't want to see a streethawk on any car we paid money for, their big, and ugly as sin. Whelen has the strobe market down to a science, their consoles aren't have bad either. Able2 isn't that bad either. Of course, most of this stuff all boils down to: Cost, preference of the purchaser, and durability. Only one unit that I've seen that was flooded with coffee has ever survived and that was a custom swith/relay job.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 6:09 pm

Overall I think Federal has the stronger product line. I'll be the first to admit the vision light bar was a hack and never should have been built. 911ep is it for LED, period. I agree whelen strobes are great, never been fond of their switch boxes or siren units. I'd take a FS Vista bar over just about anything else if its a conventional halogen bar. Tomar has good stuff too, neobes are cool!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Sep 21, 2002 6:14 pm

NorthYork20 wrote:I had the Code 3 DashLaser (I think that's what it's called) - a light that you put in your dash, popular for un-marked cars and volunteer cars - it was turned on for 30 minutes, by the time I left, the bulb had blown and the motor was hot as all heck..

I burned one up too. Then I switched to a Federal Signal Firebeam. It's a little larger, but with 175 FPM and a seven flash mirror behind it, it throws more light than just about any other halogen dashlight on the market. And I haven't burned one up yet

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 12:01 am

911ep is it for LED, period

In case you weren't aware, they filled for bankruptcy about a month ago.

Federal Signal all the way, until you get to strobe stuff..............

Take a look at the new Federal Signal Ricochet strobe power supply and tubes. Multiple patterns, selectable heads, higher output.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 4:04 am

apco25 wrote: 911ep is it for LED, period.

Not anymore. I guess you haven't seen the new Whelen TIR "M" Series and Linear LED Libery Bar. They blow even the 911EP stuff away. I have been told 911EP is kind of self-recovering from bankruptsy wth new manegement right now and should be back on their feet again soon. However their product that was once the top of the market has been far surpassed.

spectragod · Post by **spectragod** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 5:41 am

They actually didn't file for bankrupcy, the company was sold....... big difference. I have seen the new Whelen LED stuff, it's bright, till you get off to the side, then it's non-existant. Comparing what I can buy 911EP for and Whelen for (master distributor pricing), Whelen is still higher priced, in these days of low bid and cost counting, which do you think you will see more of on the road. Not to mention I don't see any volunteers buying any of the new LED stuff, unless its a windshield light. Just my .02.

SG

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 7:01 am

I read that they declared bankruptsy AND were sold. I belive Armor Holdings is taking the operation over.

You haven't seen the new Linear LED Liberty bar if your saying it goes away to the sides. And yes it does cost more than a millenium bar. Most of the time, when something is better than another, it costs more.

Post by **alex** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 9:16 am

Matt,

I think SG is trying to make a point specifcly about the actual dash lights. LED's are made in such a way that you do have to be just about head on to see any light. This is great for the traffic infront of you - but how about intersections?

Granted, most Dash lights don't account for this, but if you have a dash rotator, you have a better chance of getting some light out to the sides than you do with an LED dashlight.

I've seen a couple of the light bars made from LED's, as well as some dashlights. The only one i've seen that I've actually liked was my friends red/white light above the mirror in his mustang. You can't really see it's there unless it's on.

Personally, LED's haven't proven themselves to me yet. I'm still a huge strobe fan.

-Alex

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 9:30 am

For barlights and dashlights I think Code 3 wins hands down. I have an MX7000 that was on my truck and it is the greatest barlight I have ever owned. I used to have a Federal lightbar and I was CONSTANTLY replacing peices(motors, gears, reflectors{the silver reflector flasked off 3 days after I got it}, wiring that was pinched or cut....nothing but a headache). I currently have 2 Dashlasers(one in my car one in my wife's car) Both are extremely good lights. The one I've had for about 4 years and never had a stitch of trouble. Federal I will agree is the Siren and Switch king. I would love to get another MS3000 siren for my car. Their lights are big ,bulky ,and not really too desirable looking. Although they do have some very good strobe heads. Whelen is definately the source for hideaways and strobe power supplies. Just my opinion....

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 9:54 am

I'm not arguing that LED's are not very directional. What I am saying is that the 911EP Millenium bar has been overstepped by leaps and bounds by the Whelen Liberty bar. It has incredible light output AND IT DOES HAVE OFF ANGLE LIGHT COVERAGE. The 911EP does as well, but not as good as this. The thing is just incredible.

The 911EP LS15 dashlight has also been surpassed by the TIR "M" Version Slimlighter. At once point, before these new Whelen ones came out, the 911EP ones WERE the top of the market LED's. But, they aren't anymore.

And most dashlights that would accept and LED are not intended to be an intersection device. Even a strobe dashlight isn't too great for intersections. The new style TIR LED's that Whelen also has now have very wide angle, but like ANY square dashlight, it isn't going to shine to the side.

spectragod · Post by **spectragod** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 4:17 pm

nmfire10, where would you suppose I stand on the food chain since I get master distributor pricing? I know that 911EP had financial problems with some of the investors, the investors sold the company. Past that, I cannot say any more about the company, not because I don't know, because we were told not to.
Technology is a wonderful thing, it changes on a very frequent basis, the whelen unit is bright, but the proto I saw did not impress me that much, neither did the 911EP bar, you must think I like those 2 units, I personally prefer a all light MX7000, it beats any strobe/LED bar hands down..... period.

SG

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 6:52 pm

From what i have Seen Code 3 stuff is JUNK.
There 360 degree self contained stobes are junk. They just can not get the Lenses Just right. The way Whelen ones are. Cause u cant Copy what u dont See.

we took a mx7000 towmans off a trucj got the Video camera out, and i will give u 3 guess what we did to it.

As for led. u can all see my new whelen liberty if you are goning to be at the Gurham fair in Durham CT this weekend

Post by Pj » Sun Sep 22, 2002 7:53 pm

I am not too sure if its the same bar or not, but Whelen had a new pre-production ALL LED bar at the New England Chief's show early this summer. They had LEDs in a liner tube like the strobes, but it threw light out at an even 90 per refelector on the corners. It was pretty cool as it eliminated that directional problem with the LEDs. Not sure how they did that, and they weren't telling.

Don't remember if it was code 3 or FS but they had that dual color reflector bar there, and it was pretty neat.

If I was ever to go rotator, I would look at the all light MX7000 (loaded of course). Not sure about the reliability, but that would be my choice (for the moment).

My old PD is all Whelen. They tried a Vision and a street hawk. They determined that the cost of replacing a strobe tube once in awhile (with a high cost) was cheeper than replacing the lower cost halogen bulbs more often. The only thing that I have replaced on my bar have been the halogen bulbs, but I have a bad set from the factory, and most of them were replaced for free. I just replaced one last week that was installed 7/97, so I think I can afford the $7 cost of the bulb.

Post by **Code3Response** » Sun Sep 22, 2002 8:33 pm

Yes, the LED bar at the NE Cheifs show was the new whelen Patriot linear LED bar. Check out some pics and a video of one on a brand new Lotus we did at http://www.code3response.com/lotus.htm

As far as the dual color rotator, that is Code 3's neew (well, about a year old now) D-TECH system. Its a good idea in theory, but could be revised a bit. Sometimes a red/blue rotator mix turns out baby blue and pink. Oh well.[/img]

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:02 am

Actually, the new LED bar is called the "Liberty Bar". That was the on on display at the NE Chief's Show.

SpectraGod- I have no idea what your talking about with the food chain distributor thing. I also never said you like one product or another. You said that no LED product had off angle warning. That may have been so 2 months ago. But Whelen's Liberty Bar they just released DOES and it does it very well. And what does volunteers not buying the bar have to do with it. It was just released a month ago, and most volunteers don't need or don't want to spend that much money. Most don't even use lightbar in the first place.

kc8svs · Post by **kc8svs** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 8:36 am

LED lightbar OVER the sunroof? Come on, move it back so you can still open the thing! Now that would be "light coming into car through sunroof" directional for you guys arguing about it.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:45 pm

As for a Rotar Bar the Centurion Rocks. If you have ever seen a Fully loaded one with rotars on top with strobes under neath. That is a whole lot of Damn what the hell is that

Anyone else think Code 3 PSE stuff just SUCKS?

Anyone else think Code 3 PSE stuff just SUCKS?

I have a priority system