any recordings of a Federal Model 77 out there?

[Siren Man]

have you made your recording yet? im sure all of us would love to hear it.

[Jim_Ferer]

Coaster sirens had a clutch and thw wind-down could be stopped by the press of a button. I believe what happened is that the clutch engaged but the motor didn't.

[Undertaker]

Under taker, Do you know where i could get my hands on a Q stator and rotor?

John Dorgan might know but I think it would cost more to convert than to find an old one and buy. My advise would be to look at small town fire departments, junkyards or small town funeral homes that might have saved one. I kept a Q1B and threw away 3 model 28's. I also gave away 3 beacon ray's that I remember just to get rid of them because we were so glad to be out of the ambulance business. I don't miss it but I do miss the bigger cars, working my way through traffic and rolling up behind someone and standing on the siren button and watching them jump out of their skin. Restore the one you have and enjoy it. You have something that is very unique. Did it have a brake on it?

[Robert Gift]

Thanks, Jim.

Our engine's Q2b has a brake.

But I have never seen any kind of clutch.

I assumed it was directly coupled to the motor shaft, and rotor and armature coast down naturally unless the brake solenoid pushes the pad against (I presume) the back surface of the rotor.

A clutch mechanism seems to be a breakdown-prone complication.

I also expected the brake to be electrical by shorting the motor, turning it into a generator. A short would impose a heavy load on the "generator" and slow it.

[q2bman]

I will record it asap.

The siren has a clutch mechanism, I know because if you spinn it by hand and then slightly angle it so the rotor is agled toward the ground, the clutch will engage and stop the rotor almost instantly. Then it is very hard to spin the rotor. When you electricly spin the rotor the cluthc dissengages and the rotor spins freely again. If you leave it mounted like it is made to be mounted the clutch allways lets the rotor free spin. This leads me to believe that maybe it works like a starter motor. When you power it up the motor shaft spins and moves foward to engage the rotor. Just a theory. This would be very reliable.

Undertaker, It does not have a brake but has the spot to mount one on the stator. I will look for one cause i have found it inconvenient to show the siren off and stop the rotor with my shoe!

That thing coast for a long while!


VIDEO SOON I PROMISE!!!!

[q2bman]

And no, Robert, there is actually a hole in the back of the stator to mount a solenoid with a little brake shoe. The hole is about the size of a quarter. The shoe rubbs the rotor to a faster stop when 12 volts is applied. I can see that a brake was installed cause the rotor has rubmarks.

Your Q siren, if equiped with a brake, has one in the pedistal that mounts to the bumper. The hole is behind the pedistal and the solenoid is actually mounted inside the pedistal. Surface mount Q's have the same hole and side mounted brake as my 78.

Reverseing the polarity would be impossible due to the fact that the Q and 78 are chasis grounded. And WOW the current draw would be huge. The damn thing allready pulls 100 amps! I have mine wired with 4 gauge on a starter solenoid and a 176 amp fuse! Spinning the thing full and then reverseing the polarity would ramp up the current due to the extreme load on the motor.

Oh, I just read you post again. You said "Short". I just don't think that will work. The motor dosen't generate enough magnetic field to produce reverse induction to slow the rotor. And the cluth prevents the motor from spinning anyway.

[Robert Gift]

Hey, why are you ruining all of my theories and speculations with FACTS?

Yes, you are absolutely correct, there is a clutch.
I was wrong.
Thank you for correcting me.

(As punishment, I shall listen to an electronic air raid siren.)

Oh, it just so happens that Auorora, Colorado tested their electronic sirens at 11 a.m. this morning.
I was going to run outside screaming "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES", but the telephone rang.

Does Aurora test twice a year?

Thanks, Q

On our next emergent run I just may needlessly sound Manual for you.

P.S. Why stifle her speech? Let your siren coast down naturally.
I love that sound. Don't bother with a brake. Wait your turn to talk.

[q2bman]

Here's why i want a brake. I was showing my wife the siren and just growled it for her. Then several mins later while the thing was coasting down a cop drove by. We were on a public street. I don't want them to get the wrong idea and think I'm trying to be a fire engine. They'll take my baby!! (siren not my wife. She's free to anyone interested!!!) I want to be able to stop it in the event of an emergency, so to speak. But your right, I LOVE THIS THING'S COAST!!!

Video tomarrow!

And, Ya, I would like that punishment for you Robert! However change the wail to yelp. Just to drive you nutts! MAybe some non-effective Phaser, Telephone, buzzer and whatever else your unitrol will do.

[Robert Gift]

Oh.
I didn't realize you had it IN your vehicle.
Never mind.

[You deserve a brake today.....]

[Robert Gift]

And, Ya, I would like that punishment for you Robert! However change the wail to yelp. Just to drive you nutts! MAybe some non-effective Phaser, Telephone, buzzer and whatever else your unitrol will do.

How about one half of Hi-Lo?
Does not do Phaser. -Unitrol don't do no garbage.