Whelen Century Lightbar

[STT Installer]

Wonder if they came out with that 11 inch unit to replace the Vipod, since that was pretty much a dud?

11" is a good replacement for standard strobe beacons where size is a factor, i.e. on top of a swinging ladder rack...


The ViPOD had so much potential... All that intensity and no off axis coverage... And it wasn't particularly pretty to look at.

 

[LED]

Is that in development, or just a wishful thinking kinda thing? I think that would be a kick-ass lightbar!!!!!!

That's my little brain child!

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

That's my little brain child!

Well get on it!!! :haha:


Can't wait to see one!!!

 

[STT Installer]

I'm still patiently waiting for the Ion-based ultra thin lightbar to hit the market along with the Inner Edge version.


Back to the Century minibar - any dealers have additional information they can share or potential price points? Looking to order a 23" clear dome with vac mags in the next month or so.

 

[pdk9]

i like the multiple sizes that are offered standard here, without having to special order from whelen.

 

[STT Installer]

Anyone stocking these yet? Looking to order a MC23VCA in the next couple weeks.

 

[Kevin K.]

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I'm still patiently waiting for the Ion-based ultra thin lightbar to hit the market along with the Inner Edge version.

Is this actually happening, or just wishful thinking? An ION-based ultra-thin lightbar would be awesome. I'm waiting for a domestic version of the Rontan Attack lightbar to hit the market.

 

[dmathieu]

I count 6 diodes in each corner module. They seem to be grouped in a 1-4-1 arangement. 1 space 4 close together space 1.

 

[CACBAND]

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Anyone stocking these yet? Looking to order a MC23VCA in the next couple weeks.

Only place I've seen it so far.


Strobes N' More

 

[Abacus]

Only place I've seen it so far.
Strobes N' More

I ordered the 16 at the start of the month and it hasnt shipped as yet

 

[STT Installer]

I count 6 diodes in each corner module. They seem to be grouped in a 1-4-1 arangement. 1 space 4 close together space 1.

That rules out Justice modules... Hmm..

 

[OTFD122]

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That rules out Justice modules... Hmm..

I heard the corners are the same modules out of the L31/32 LED beacons... They do look similar, but without knowing measurements and whatnot I couldn't tell you for sure

 

[SurfCityCar2]

Has anyone bought one yet? I want to order one, but if they haven't shipped yet, whats the point?

 

[STT Installer]

Still patiently waiting... Anyone else here otherwise?

 

[Abacus]

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Still patiently waiting... Anyone else here otherwise?

Touchdown ! My Century has just landed in Sydney through UPS so i should be receiving the brown box later on today.


Videos and Pics if I can this weekend

 

[STT Installer]

Touchdown ! My Century has just landed in Sydney through UPS so i should be receiving the brown box later on today.
Videos and Pics if I can this weekend

Initial impressions when you get it please!

 

[SurfCityCar2]

Kinda odd that someone in Australia has theirs already, and I am still waiting.


I really needed this bar last weekend and this coming weekend, and am beginning to get impatient with Whelen. I know it is not the dealers fault.


Perhaps I should stop buying Whelen stuff and buy from Sound Off or some other manufacturer.....

 

[STT Installer]

Kinda odd that someone in Australia has theirs already, and I am still waiting.

I really needed this bar last weekend and this coming weekend, and am beginning to get impatient with Whelen. I know it is not the dealers fault.


Perhaps I should stop buying Whelen stuff and buy from Sound Off or some other manufacturer.....

I emailed Whelen Sales today, they said they're finally starting to ship, every bar is made to order so its taking time to ramp up...


As far as buying from SOS, I like their gear, they have significant issues with corrosion and customer service after the sale.


The slow ramp up on a brand new lightbar using brand new modules from one of the Big 3 doesn't bother me that much.

 

[SurfCityCar2]

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I emailed Whelen Sales today, they said they're finally starting to ship, every bar is made to order so its taking time to ramp up...

As far as buying from SOS, I like their gear, they have significant issues with corrosion and customer service after the sale.


The slow ramp up on a brand new lightbar using brand new modules from one of the Big 3 doesn't bother me that much.

Thanks for the info. A slow ramp up doesnt bother me either, but why show it all off and not have any ready to ship. When I order something, it is usually something I need, and the way things have been working for me lately, my luck usually goes south pretty quickly.


Hopefully I'll see my new bar sometime within the next week....

 

[STT Installer]

I agree, it sucks to have the bait out there for a brand new toy only to get dangled along as the manufacturer works out supply chain issues.


On the flip side, I'm glad I'm buying a product custom built by American workers rather than mass produced on China or Taiwan only to have to wait for the shipping container to arrive at the seaport.

 

[STT Installer]

Thanks Louis for the video


Next person to post a video with a COMPARISON against one of the "standards" wins lol

https://player.vimeo.com/video/38637937

 

[kitn1mcc]

he just need to let his Coffe Milk Drinking accent fly

 

[Abacus]

So the brown box arrived thanks to Louis at Strobes.


Bubble wrap bubble wrap and a bit more bubble wrap it arrives totally intact in its journey across the Pacific.


The first impressions are typical American Whelen reliable solid construction but some interesting observations for those considering a purchase


I had ordered the 16 in permanent mount but per the idiots guide manual all 3 sizes are pretty identical;


Only Three wire - power/ground/scan lock - NO Sync wire


17 standard flash patterns but NO Steady Burn


Action/comet/moduflash/action flash/action scan etc


You cant flash the entire bar as "one" as all patterns are HALF side by half side


Corner linears are 1,4, 1 diodes


Straight on each TIR is 3 by 2 - interesting that a SpecTIR is 4 by 2


I compared against a ION, Ghost but was overall very happy with output straight on TIR, the corner LINs struggled but were a "pass". For an amber market it works but if a version comes out for red/blue I would be cautious.


Overall I am pleased that Whelen hit a good price point at 220ish for the 16 inch - I wouldnt be happy if I had dropped 300plus for a 3 wire/no sync 23 inch model.


I have done some videos and will post when I can.


For those that wondered how I got one so quickly I did order it back in early Feb from Louis so I got his first shipment. I also got a mug !

 

[Abacus]

 

[Strobesnmore]

I know we still have some outstanding orders but received our third shipment today and lots of bars went right back out. We are told colors will be coming out soon and will keep everyone updated. The response has been very positive and these are one great little lightbar.

 

[SurfCityCar2]

Got mine yesterday and played around with it for a little bit. Nice bar at a decent price. The corner modules don't seem all that bright up close, but at a distance they do okay.


The only complaints I have up to this point is the magnets have already separated from their cups, so I had to glue them in with some quickset epoxy. I took the bar off the top of my truck and all 4 magnets were still on the truck and the bar was in my hand.


Second complaint, the top of the lense should have been darkened with a black top or something, as the sun shining in from the top seems to make the outputs of the LEDs to have a little less impact than normal. The top of mine will be painted black this weekend to help with this. A clear lense would have been nice too...


Other than that, its a fairly nice bar. We will see how it works on my next road job.

 

[STT Installer]

Got mine yesterday and played around with it for a little bit. Nice bar at a decent price. The corner modules don't seem all that bright up close, but at a distance they do okay.

The only complaints I have up to this point is the magnets have already separated from their cups, so I had to glue them in with some quickset epoxy. I took the bar off the top of my truck and all 4 magnets were still on the truck and the bar was in my hand.


Second complaint, the top of the lense should have been darkened with a black top or something, as the sun shining in from the top seems to make the outputs of the LEDs to have a little less impact than normal. The top of mine will be painted black this weekend to help with this. A clear lense would have been nice too...


Other than that, its a fairly nice bar. We will see how it works on my next road job.

You may consider HVAC silver tape on the inside of the bar as opposed to black paint - it'll add a bit of reflective property to the top of the dome and won't be as messy. I've used it in the past for a volunteer hell bent on putting a Mini LP on the rear deck of his car - killed the direct light hitting his RVM and added some additional flashes to the rear where the warning was intended.


That's pretty disappointing on the magnets - do you have any pictures you can share?


Any videos of the longer distance corner modules - the TIR inboards appear very bright a rather narrow viewing distance and the corners appear a bit dim.

 

[firedude]

It looks like Sirennet is only offering the 11in at $197.78... :crazy:

 

[SurfCityCar2]

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You may consider HVAC silver tape on the inside of the bar as opposed to black paint - it'll add a bit of reflective property to the top of the dome and won't be as messy. I've used it in the past for a volunteer hell bent on putting a Mini LP on the rear deck of his car - killed the direct light hitting his RVM and added some additional flashes to the rear where the warning was intended.

That's pretty disappointing on the magnets - do you have any pictures you can share?


Any videos of the longer distance corner modules - the TIR inboards appear very bright a rather narrow viewing distance and the corners appear a bit dim.

I forgot to Thank Louis over at StrobesNMore for getting the bar to me quickly after he got it in from Whelen.


I did consider the silver tape, but I ran out a while back. I masked it up last night and painted it with Krylon Fusion Flat Black this evening. I did a FedSig strobe highlighter like this a few years ago and it worked really well. The paint hasn't faded or flaked yet, and that bar is outside in the weather 24/7.


This is the Highlighter I modified with a diamond mirror, colored inner domes and clear outer dome








I don't have any pics of the magnets as I got aggravated and re-attached them as soon as I saw what happened. It did look funny with 4 magnets sitting on the roof of my truck and no lightbar. After the epoxy set, I had to really pull to get the bar off the roof.


I don't have any videos yet, as I have been playing around with the flash patterns on the thing, and tryign to find a way to make the front modules alternate with the corners. The corners do appear dim up close, as they are at 45 degree angles, and the inboard TIR style modules are much brighter in comparison, but the bar does light up very well. My boss wants to order a bunch of them to replace his Axixtech falcon style amber mini bars. He always complains my lights are brighter than his, and like I tell him "Buy name brand stuff and you get bright stuff..."


After the paint dries, I will post a pic of it. I just loved the older bars that had the tops painted black to block the sun, just like the very first JetSonic I had years and years ago....

 

[firedude]

 

[SurfCityCar2]

Here's my 16 inch version with a black top. Good old Krylon Fusion and some masking tape.


The black portion is the same tone/color all the way across, the light in the shop was reflecting off of it. I couldn't find any flat black so I had to settle for semi-gloss black...


Not the best pic I know, I was short on time.

 

[SurfCityCar2]

A couple of better shots taken outside.

 

[factorone33]

We have a 40" bar in our shop here with red/blue heads on it, but they're the 3-diode heads, instead of the TIR-style 6-diode heads. Still brighter than hell for what it is. I'll try to get pics up this week if I have time.

 

[Kevin K.]

We have a 40" bar in our shop here with red/blue heads on it, but they're the 3-diode heads, instead of the TIR-style 6-diode heads. Still brighter than hell for what it is. I'll try to get pics up this week if I have time.

That's getting closer to full-sized lengths. Is that Whelen's plan?

 

[nerdly_dood]

Whelen Engineering - Lightbars - Towman’s™ Super-LED® Series Lightbars