ASC T-135/ACA P-50 Being Refurbished in Memphis

[Andys Live WX]

Just ran across this picture from the City of Memphis Emergency Management's facebook page from back on January 23rd. One of the first siren recordings posted to YouTube was back in 2006 when FirstSiren2T22 recorded this T-135 downtown.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG-SWaU2RJU
Now this siren has been taken down and is in the process of being restored. Look how big that rotor is compared to that guy's head :wtf:

[siren fan]

Really puts it in perspective how big those monsters are!

[Andys Live WX]

I know right??? I've never gotten to see the innards of one, even though it's basically a horizontal Cyclone that rotates. The 50 HP motor is what amazes me too. It must pull massive amounts of current when it starts up!

[sirendude2012]

It must pull massive amounts of current when it starts up!

Oh, it does. It pulls shy of 1000 amps to get the rotor turning, after that, it's around 300 winding up and 100 running. Enough power to kill a man.

On topic- Anyone notice the exposed rotation drive? Very interesting. The size of the rotor makes me really want a Cyclone now for some reason.

[Andys Live WX]

No you are on topic 50 amps would be plenty to kill a man if he's grounded well. I suppose it would make sense to run this on 480v will would mean less current and be able to use smaller wires. You would need a 30KV or better transformer just to run this one unit. Yeah I posted a question to the topic where that T-135 has half of its horn removed and asked how the rotation drives were setup. I'd like to see what the motor looks like for the rotor.

[holler]

Actually just 1 amp will kill you.

Those motors only pull 900 on startup if they are on 208. On 480 the running amperage is actually less than 100 amps.

[Andys Live WX]

Yeah I was trying to figure out how much less current it would draw on 480v. So then what do they draw on start up 480v? Or would that depend on what delta setup they are using? That must have a pretty hefty contactor to start that big of a motor. Did they ever make these in single phase, or were they always three phase?

[holler]

Three phase only. Don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head since I don't have a manual in front of me.

[Trevor]

Just ran across this picture from the City of Memphis Emergency Management's facebook page from back on January 23rd. One of the first siren recordings posted to YouTube was back in 2006 when FirstSiren2T22 recorded this T-135 downtown.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG-SWaU2RJU
Now this siren has been taken down and is in the process of being restored. Look how big that rotor is compared to that guy's head :wtf:

Actually...the siren in that video is the one that is being restored. Not downtown, in fact, about 20 miles from downtown.

There was a mention by Tommy at the EMA of this siren being painted yellow.

[Andys Live WX]

Yeah... and partridge in a pear tree? That is why I posted the video right above the picture because they are both of the same siren. I said "downtown" because that is what was in the video description.