Whelen 2XXX Control Boxes

[Notre.Dame1003]

Ok, so many of you all probably know that Cook Nuclear Plant has a system of Whelens, ranging from 2700s to 2900s. The 2700s were installed in the early 90s at public beaches and such, while the 28s and 29s were put up between 2007 and 2010. Almost every Whelen seems to have a different style control cabinet. (Not really, but they do vary a lot considering most were put in between 2007-2010.) Now my question is, is there any way to tell the age of the siren by looking at the cabinets? Also, is there any way to tell if it's 440hz or 560 also by looking at the cabinet? Here are some examples.

Type 1: (excuse Austin getting in the way )


Type 2:


Type 3:

[uncommonsense]

Can you tell the type of boxes apart based on what frequency they'll put out? Well, yes and no.

Yes in the fact that different boxes reflect different eras Whelen produced said box. The #1 box above is an earlier box...totally rectangular. I'm guessing the first picture is at a 2700 and there's an -864 in there.

The second one you post has the battery box inset with one door. This is the kind of cabinet Whelen is currently using on its sirens, and the electronics cabinet is elongated regardless of how many amps are in there (it used to vary based on if it had 1-5 amps or 6-10 amps). Given the logo has bleached off, I'm guessing this one has been up for a few years and is at the end of the 440 hz period/beginning of 560 hz period.

The third one is the squished box with inset battery cabinet introduced around 2001. I'm guessing that's a 2800 installed 2007 at 440 hz. BTW: If you've got 28xxs installed around 2007, those were easily some of the last to come off the production line as the first 2900s went up summer of 2007. The VERY first 2900s sounded at 440hz, but those are few and far between.

The current Whelen cabinet can be easily seen in their catalog: http://www.whelen.com/pb/Mass%20Notific ... cation.pdf

But anyway, that's the yes. The no is in that's by no means an indicator of what you'll see since the frequency is aligned with the controller and the cabinet is not really aligned with the controller. Especially with that second pic, its difficult sometimes to tell if those are 440 or 560s with 6-10 amps (though the 1-5 amp 440s will look like the third picture almost always). Also, the -864s came were frequency adjustable. Whelens lowered the frequency of the analog controllers several times in its lifespan (from 800+ hz down to 460 hz), then had the digital -864 (what we equate to the 465 hz controller). Those controllers are easy to tell because they were really brought around for the 2806-2810s (so you have a box that is elongated with two separate battery cabinets to accommodate the 6-10 amps). But the 1-5 amp box on the digital -864...you really can tell them because the battery boxes aren't inset but the metal on the boxes appears more...refined...not like the first picture where the doors are so offset from the cabinets (hard to put it any better than that).

And of course, none of this takes front panel upgrades into account...

I hope this makes sense and isn't one big ramble.

[Mysterious T-Bolt 111]

My theory and also an observation on the first one photoed is that the cabinets that you can barely see a Whelen logo and is really faded are the original 864s, while the same looking cabinets that you can see some red-pinkish color to it are usually have the "second revision" should you call it that of the 864 and has the 465hz tone generators. This is from personal experience, so it may not be totally correct or if not at all. Age wise for the first cabinet photoed in general should be anywhere from 1988-1995, and the latter mentioned from 1995 to somewhere in the early 2000s.

[uncommonsense]

My theory and also an observation on the first one photoed is that the cabinets that you can barely see a Whelen logo and is really faded are the original 864s, while the same looking cabinets that you can see some red-pinkish color to it are usually have the "second revision" should you call it that of the 864 and has the 465hz tone generators. This is from personal experience, so it may not be totally correct or if not at all. Age wise for the first cabinet photoed in general should be anywhere from 1988-1995, and the latter mentioned from 1995 to somewhere in the early 2000s.

I can assure you the 2nd and third pictures are dated from when I said. None of the -864 controlled sirens of any revision have right inset battery cabinets.

Also, I lied above. You can tell apart the newest cabinets from the newer 440 hz cabinets. The battery cabinet has a door that looks more like an outset door than a panel covering it. Nota bene:

https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!da ... !2e0&fid=5

[Mysterious T-Bolt 111]

I was referring to this photo, the first that appears in his post:

Type 1:

[uncommonsense]

Oh I got it. My bad.

[Notre.Dame1003]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Matter of fact, the head on the 1st photo is a 2800. Does that throw a wrench into things or what?

The second and 3rd cabinets both belong to 2900s. About half the sirens are 2900s, half 2800s and just a couple 2700s. All but one of the 2900s that I've heard are 440hz. I guess this means they were installed during the "transition" period so we have some of the last 2800s that rolled of the line, and some of the first 2900s.

[Stevan Z]

Our 4004's have the first box shown and were installed in 1997.

[uncommonsense]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Matter of fact, the head on the 1st photo is a 2800. Does that throw a wrench into things or what?

Not at all. I just got a wee bit turned about . The cabinet looks right.

[DJ2226]

I think type 1 boxes are used on the Vortex, Hornet, ect.
http://www.whelen.com/pb/Mass%20Notific ... Hornet.pdf
OK. Our sirens here in the city have type 2 and 3 cabinets. They mostly run at 435, followed by 560Hz. Now there's an oddball one in the system that runs at about 450Hz in alert and has a slightly higher pitched wail and air horn mode like the 560Hz controllers do.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fQ7JqOXjYk