The Siren Board

Thunderbolt10031 wrote:By the way if anyone is curious as to what this would look like I whipped up a SRNB Thunderbolt in Photoshop.

Bet you can't guess where the head and rotator came from.

Thunderbolt_SRNB.png

April Fools 2016 anyone?

To stop being a waste of space, I'll throw in my two cents on the whole New Thunderbolt fiasco. I personally am mixed between it possibly happening and not happening. I mean, it would be great if it happened, since it is without a doubt the thunderbolt is one of the most iconic sirens ever made, but on the other end, there are concerns like how it will fare to other products, like Whelen 4004s or 2001s to name a couple of examples. Now, another thing I am wondering, if Federal decides to reboot thee thunderbolt, will parts between a new one, and say one from 1978 or something be interchangable? Because many places still use old ones from the 60s and stuff, and I think interchanging parts are necessary especially for the places that still have them and don't want to replace them.

If FS sells the 3 key points: 1, the single tones loudness or the dual tones uniqueness, 2, the adjustable frequency so that you don't have to pull choppers and what not and 3 the supercharged part it could defiantly be a hit. I agree to disagree that it didn't compare to other sirens. Just because it was the first big siren I remember hearing and I haven't heard one like it. Single or dual tone. It's potent and it bites hard. Just my 0.2.

Brendan I see what you mean interchangeable parts is a pretty good idea.

Coastal the thunderbolt will more than likely be dual tone because it was the most requested with the 1003 in 2nd and 1000 last.

Now I think if Federal advertises the Thunderbolt as a uni-directional, supercharged siren with battery backup options that would most defiantly get people's attention. What do you think.

We'll see what happens, i think the 1000 is most likely to happen if this even happens at all. Dual tone castings are complicated and expensive, another reason why no one makes a dual tone with a single rotor anymore.

I highly doubt it will happen. The 508 is the direct thunderbolt replacement, and it is a lot more efficient and does the same job that the thunderbolt did with only 2 motors instead of 3.

I'll add that the blower is not as big of an advantage as you think. Yeah you can select the pitch and have full volume, but SPL changes with respect to pitch. Good examples of this are with ATI and Whelen. Find a 575 Hz and 1 KHz HPSS32 and compare how the carry even at full volume. Whelen to a lesser extreme compared 435 Hz or whatever was used at the time and found that 560 Hz carries better despite being higher pitch. The 1000 running around 500 Hz will not perform the same as one running 580 Hz give or take. Say this siren does make it out and Federal sees that spinning the single toned chopper at 7000 RPM make it run the loudest. Federal may release it lock to that pitch so it will perform within the published spec, which is why Whelen sirens come in 560 Hz by default.

That's pretty much the main reason why you can't change the pitch in an FC controller right?

stormsetter4 wrote:I highly doubt it will happen. The 508 is the direct thunderbolt replacement, and it is a lot more efficient and does the same job that the thunderbolt did with only 2 motors instead of 3.

Like Cruz said here we have learned the 508 is the direct replacement for the thunderbolt and they aren't not bring it back. Federal has closed the discussion about bring it back the plant. Federal main focus right now to keep improving on the 508 design.

I know that's what the 508 was supposed to be but where did you come up with the idea that Federal dropped the Thunderbolt reboot and please provide proof of it.

Thunderbolt10031 wrote:That's pretty much the main reason why you can't change the pitch in an FC controller right?

What??? You don't change pitches in a radio controller. Pitch change is a factor of voltage control to the chopper in the RCM and just in the T-Bolt. The air from the blower forces the audio out through the variability in pitch. Dennis is right about propogation which was an advantage of the Bolt. Right pitch for the right job.

Now you start adjusting voltage to a siren which makes noise only with a rotor/stator assembly and you're going to end up slowing the motor to change pitch. Slower motor = less air chopped with less force = quieter siren = pointless.

This thread has gone so far off the rails its mind boggling. All I ask is for a little sanity and it seems that's quickly being lost.