Thunderbolt with solar power, eh?

[Gil]

Saw this Thunderbolt in Barrington yesterday. What really caught my
eye was the solar panel on the pole.

Now obviously, Thunderbolts cant run on solar power. But the
controls probably could. But what is the point of solar powering the controls
when the power fails and the siren cant run???

I believe this is Barrington's newer thunderbolt.
But their other Thunderbolt does not have a solar panel!!

they really maintain these things. they just got new paint a few years
ago and looks like a new Federal Signal sticker on one of the boxes.

[Hanako]

Yeah, I can see how it would be pointless in a storm or something

Maybe as a form of emergency override or something if the Thunderbolt somehow gets out of control..ehe, as if an outdoor warning siren can ever run rampant ^^;

Anyway, seriously, maybe it's a form of emergency override to keep the setup from destroying itself if something happens or something like that.

Hmm, the idea that a piece of equipment can keep running even when it's on fire or something actually freaks me out

[Jim_Ferer]

It can keep the radio remote charged up, or perhaps it powers the remote and some form of SCADA, not that I know what kind of SCADA could be fitted to a Thunderbolt. Powering the radio remote separately may actually be simpler.

[Calvin]

Or, it could be for something else, and just be mounted on that utility pole

Just a thought...

[Gil]

Welcome to the boards, Calvin! I saw that you're in Illinois too.
What area are you from?

[quiksmith10]

It might be to power the transmitter relaying information on the status of the siren. This way, if the power does go out to a certain siren during a storm, the EMA would have an idea that that particular siren wasn't working.

[loudmouth]

why is there a yellow looking warning light on the pole i mean unlessits a warning for wene the siren is going to go off but you dont need it if the siren is going off you can kinda hear it (unless your deaf)

[Gil]

Both of their Thunderbolts and their 4 2001s have lights like that.

the nearby town of Inverness has many 2001s and they also have
those lights on them.

Im gussing its a standby light or something.


Brandon, that is a good guess and i wouldnt be surprised if thats
what it ws for! a lot of boxes and gadgets on that pole!

[Chad]

Some sirens have strobe lights such as that to warn deaf people of a pending emergency. Of course, I can't imagine that it would be effective, because the person would need to look directly at the siren itself.

The siren at http://airraidsirens.com/images/custom1 ... 40x480.jpg has a strobe on the bottom of it.

[SirenMadness]

Yes, but it has the strobe because it is special-made for an industrial area; there is plenty of background noise there, and such area is not too big for a strobe as large as that to go on, not noticed.