LRGJr72
Member
Agencies (other than MSP) That Have Used the Unity RV-26/46 Unibeacon
- Thread starter LRGJr72
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LRGJr72
Member
FireEMSPolice
Member
Disgusting on the aero and whale Crown Vic's!
Also, why cant people use their own design instead of copying the State Police (like the Caro, MI cruiser)? There are some agencies in Ohio using OSP's "flying wheel."
Also, why cant people use their own design instead of copying the State Police (like the Caro, MI cruiser)? There are some agencies in Ohio using OSP's "flying wheel."
Sarge619
Member
Lest we not forget the New York State Police "Sunoco Specials" of the early - late 70's (Dodge Monacos, Plymouth Gran Furys, etc. - even a dozen '73 Mercurys that were purchased to test variations of the blue/yellow paint scheme) all used twin Unitys with a FS siren speaker on a roof-mounted crossbar.
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LRGJr72
Member
otacon
Member
Local RCMP have one on a 2010 CVPI, I'll try and get a picture, they use it for inspection points
FireEMSPolice said:
Every time I see a non-Boston PD car with the Boston PD paint scheme, I throw up a little.
PJD642
New Member
FireEMSPolice said:
Geneva (Ashtabula County) uses the flying wheel logo, but they predate OSHP.
Mrlunchbox
Member
It says "POLICE STOP". There are two bulbs in it, one on the top and one on the bottom, they would alternate flash. Protocol in the 60s & 70s if the vehicle you were trying to pull over didn't stop would would drive up beside the vehicle and turn on the "POLICE STOP" light which was aimed roughly at the driver of the vehicle. I think its kinda similar to michigan's lighted signs on the hood
MikeD
Member
LRGJr72
Member
MikeD said:
I'd read many times about Henry Ford Health System cars using these but could never find any pics. Thanks for posting this one! Are these in service at just the big campus in Midtown or are they also at satellite hospitals in the suburbs, like West Bloomfield Twp? I've also heard of Ford Motor Company security cars with the same setup. Same thing, though. Can't find pics.
MikeD
Member
LRGJr72 said:
I believe they are just used in/around the main downtown Detroit campus. I've never seen them at any of the facilities/hospitals in the suburbs. Most of those are just staffed with unarmed security, not the armed Police Auth Officers.
Mrlunchbox
Member
got_ygurt said:
It says "POLICE STOP". There are two bulbs in it, one on the top and one on the bottom, they would alternate flash. Protocol in the 60s & 70s if the vehicle you were trying to pull over didn't stop would would drive up beside the vehicle and turn on the "POLICE STOP" light which was aimed roughly at the driver of the vehicle. I think its kinda similar to michigan's lighted signs on the hood
AH! I see. Thats pretty cool. I was wondering if it was the roughly the same as the Michigan sign we have all been talking about recently. Thanks for clarifying for me!
MPD 818
Member
I find it funny that the car has a full ILS in the rear, and the beacon on the roof. I love the tradition of it mixed with new technology! I would love to see that car in person for a comparison of how the halogen bulbs do with the ILS.
I've have come to the opinion that LEDs allow emergency vehicles now days to be to bright, to flashy, to much. If my department gave me a new car with a single beacon on the roof I would love it!
MPD 818 said:
I find it funny that the car has a full ILS in the rear, and the beacon on the roof. I love the tradition of it mixed with new technology! I would love to see that car in person for a comparison of how the halogen bulbs do with the ILS.
I've have come to the opinion that LEDs allow emergency vehicles now days to be to bright, to flashy, to much. If my department gave me a new car with a single beacon on the roof I would love it!
I'm with ya there, too many setups these days are too much blink, not enough synch! The car also has a pair of TIR-3s at the upper edges of the rear window, and to the front has predators in the grill, on the mirrors, and over the RVM... all in all a pretty decent setup I think. I've never seen one lit up though... there are none in my province for some reason. I've asked for one at our detachment a number of times, gets shut down by headquarters every time.
FireEMSPolice
Member
Sarge619
Member
squeeeg said:
They're actually using the exterior parts from existing Unity beacons (base skirt and dome) on their cruisers and installing new LED components inside. As I understand it, as each Unity RV26 rotator unit fails, the guts are stripped out and replaced by the custom-made Whelen four-sided LED modules. I've read in other sources that this "transformation" process is fairly expensive (some have said it's comparable to purchasing a "fully populated" LED lightbar with ancillary options like takedowns and alley lights - which the beacons don't have) and has alot of people questioning the wisdom and amount of $$ being spent to modify the beacons and "preserve tradition".
I know MSP's opinion has always been that a single beacon has always sufficed for them and until there is substantive and irrefutable proof that lightbars are any safer or more effective, they'll continue the tradition. I can understand that argument - and fully respect the importance of tradition (especially being an avid enthusiast of vintage emergency lights) - but it begs the queston; does tradition trump cost, especially when it's taxpayer dollars being spent "preserving the tradition" - and when for the same or similar outlay of taxpayer dollars they could get a significantly more complete emergency package with enhancements such as alleys and takedowns, sequential lighting patterns such as directional "arrow" functions, etc. that would benefit their officers more? Yes, a beacon will provide an adequate warning signal and a pillar mounted spotlight will illuminate the violators vehicle you have stopped, but, speaking from experience (my department did not invest in lightbars with takedowns until 1995), I'd prefer the options over tradition.
Beacons do have limitations, that is for certain, and lightbars do have the advantage of built-in take down and alley lights. I think what makes beacons effective is that they are no longer the standard, so they tend to stick out from the sea of lightbars. When it comes to cost, I agree, if it costs less to replace a beacon with a lightbar, then a lightbar should be installed.
LRGJr72
Member
stansdds said:
These retrofits are $900 per... about half as much as a lot of LED bars. On top of that is the considerable fuel efficiency savings. I've also been told that a car gets an additional 4-5 MPH in top speed with the single beacon over those with bars. The MSP will save $250k annually by not having to replace the sealed beams used in the rotators. Most Troopers insist that the "takedown" lighting provided by a pair of teardrop spotlights is more than enough.
I sure would like to see this format (The RV-26 beacon housing) with a giant version of the FedSig Vision SLR pod. Then you'd maintain a rotating light WITH modern LED technology. And it would likely cost a lot less than these $900 retrofits. Studies show that motion-lighting is noticed by the eye quicker than just a stationary blinking light.
Sarge619
Member
LRGJr72 said:
Thanks for the clarification and info update! Sounds like the savings is considerable over the long run. I also concur about the cleaner roof and increased top end. Studies have shown that the real speed-sapping addition to any cruiser (moreso than lightbars) is the pillar mounted spotlights though as they disrupt the airflow at the base of the windshield before it even reaches the roof (where a beacon or lightbar further disrupts it causing more slowing turbulence). With two spots, you have double the disruption, so even "slicktops" suffer if they're spotlight-equipped.
I appreciate the trooper opinions, but as someone who operated dual spotlight-equipped cruisers with no takedowns for the first 13 years of my full-time career, I respectfully disagree. IMHO the spots are great for specifically-targeted light (like at the violators rear-view mirror) and disorientation because of their more bright narrow beam and throwing a powerful beam of light great distances, but don't provide as effective overall scene lighting. Takedowns, because of their higher position on the cruiser and ability to cast a more "general" pool of light, illuminate alot more overall than spots do, especially down into the violators vehicle. Of course the perfect solution and one I prefer is using both... the spot for the more disorienting and blinding directed beam and the takedowns to provide more overall lighting.
Henry Ford Health systems security police have cars at the West Bloomfield Hospital too. As for the unity light, the Genesee County Sheriff had them on there EMT station wagons. Also the Genesee Valley Regional Park Authority had a single red light on black cars for the rangers, before switching to Whelen light bars.
LRGJr72
Member
Detroit VAP said:
Anyone have pics of those Genessee sheriff wagons, Genessee Park Authority or Ford Motor Co security police vehicles?
LRGJr72
Member
There are a whole bunch of Henry Ford Health System Police Authority vehicle photos on the web. I didn't realize they were Unity beacons. Several have also had LEDs added around the base of the beacon.
jph2 said:
Two questions.
1. What's with the LED's added to the base of the beacons, takedown/alley lights or color LED's?
2. What the heck are the health system police authority? Are they going to arrest me for eating junk food?
Well, I guess that's technically three questions. Perhaps the math and grammar police should investigate me. :haha:
7d9_z28
New Member
Just another note on the Michigan state police and the Unity lights, theres an MSP Charger at the post in my town, with a rotator Unity on top, but a couple of the 'Vics have the LED upgrade. Also, I believe one of the Tahoes just got the LED upgrade, I dont much care for it. Prefer rotators.
Just found it pretty interesting that one of the local Chargers has a rotating Unity on it (the other is a slick top, but IIRC, has the STOP sign on the hood)
Just found it pretty interesting that one of the local Chargers has a rotating Unity on it
(the other is a slick top, but IIRC, has the STOP sign on the hood)stansdds said:Two questions.
1. What's with the LED's added to the base of the beacons, takedown/alley lights or color LED's?
2. What the heck are the health system police authority? Are they going to arrest me for eating junk food?
Well, I guess that's technically three questions. Perhaps the math and grammar police should investigate me. :haha:
No clue what the LEDs are for as I've not seen them on. They don't appear like they'd be effective as takedown/alleys to me. Besides, there's a set to the front, to the rear, and each side, which suggests that's not their purpose.
Henry Ford Health System security is one of several "arrest authority" security agencies. Most security guards/companies have the same powers of arrest as a private citizen, that is limited to felonies. Employees of arrest authority agencies may also arrest for misdemeanors but that authority is limited to while on duty, in uniform, on the employer's premises.
The LED lights are amber lights. They use them when they want to be seen driving around the lots, but not on an emergency run. On the back deck, they have traffic advisors, with the end lights being red and blue. They have a few SUV's at some of their hospitals/clinics. The SUV's do not use the single revolving light. I have seen the Federal Signal highlighter led in red and recently saw one in amber on Ford Escapes. They used to have regular light bars on all their patrol vehicles in red and a few with red/amber.
LRGJr72
Member
Can anyone tell me what type of sealed-beam (item number / wattage / candlepower, etc) were used in the original Unity RV26 beacons? I just bought two RV26s online (one red Spitfire, one blue spitfire). One of them has a burned out bulb.
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pdk9
Member
I know they're very traditional, but I think those oversized beacons on modern patrol vehicles look stupid. As LED technology is allowing lightbars to be slimmer (ie legacy), I honestly don't belueve that the fuel economy & speed is affected that much anymore (in comparison to vehicles that have older bars, such as MX7K, edge, etc). I'd honestly rather have a Slicktop but (if my state law required a beacon of some sort for 360) I'm sure something along the lines of an L31 beacon would do the job just fine in place of one of those giant beacons
I also personally think the front fender lights look silly; you could put something crazy bright like a pair of M9s facing each side (not that it'd be practical) and plenty of people still wouldn't stop for the vehicle, so I find those signs and the MSP signs just as useless
I also personally think the front fender lights look silly; you could put something crazy bright like a pair of M9s facing each side (not that it'd be practical) and plenty of people still wouldn't stop for the vehicle, so I find those signs and the MSP signs just as useless
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JohnMarcson
Administrator
LRGJr72
Member
I'd TOTALLY prefer an SLR-type of setup.
JohnMarcson
Administrator
I have been thinking and I'm not sure an SLR would cut it here without some significant size related design changes. The footprint of the SLR is not sufficient as a single roof beacon, IMHO. I feel like the SLR is better as a group of synched multiple pods. The Rotabeam LED isn't huge either, but I have been more satisfied with the single head units I have seen in regards to their ability to stand as a single light. I also think (again just my opinion) you are more likely to get a custom sized version of the rotabeam LED out of Whelen than a resized SLR out of Federal. That's both based on company history and on the way the products work. Also, MSP is trying to replace failed moving parts. No matter how low the failure rates of SLR motors, replacing a failed motor driven beacon with another motorized rotating beacon is what the are trying to avoid. That said, I'd like to see both and SLR and a rotabeam retrofit side by side. Get cracking people! :lol:
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dmathieu
Lifetime VIP Donor
Correct me, if I'm wrong, but I have seen advertising for the SLR, and they are only rated Class 2, not Class 1.
The current Michigan beacons are very bright, as are the Whelen L31 (which are class 1), and the Michigan lights, as they are have many more LEDs than the L31. IMO, I like the current Michigan LED lights.
The current Michigan beacons are very bright, as are the Whelen L31 (which are class 1), and the Michigan lights, as they are have many more LEDs than the L31. IMO, I like the current Michigan LED lights.
LRGJr72
Member