Whelen LFL liberty blink programing

[Braeden488]

First time posting looking for help, I have a whelen lfl liberty light bar I am trying to get working and have no clue how to program I have the bar and we can controller just do not know how to get the bar to light up and flash, thanks

Bar Model number SL8BBBBS

 

[shues]

That appears to be an older Liberty, which I believe requires an MPC01 style controller. The WeCan controller is much newer than what is required to operate your Liberty.

 

[RS485]

How many conductors do you see in the smaller black cable coming out of the lightbar? If only two, then as shues mentions, you have a "serial controlled" lightbar.

"serial controlled" aka "B-LINK" preceded WeCan.
B-LINK was based on RS485, an electrical standard for serial communications.
WeCan is based on CANBus, an entirely difference electrical standard.

If you have more then two conductors in the smaller black cable, then you may have a "low-current" controlled lightbar which doesn't need a special controller. +12VDC applied to individual conductors will activate specific lightbar functions.

 

[Braeden488]

How many conductors do you see in the smaller black cable coming out of the lightbar? If only two, then as shues mentions, you have a "serial controlled" lightbar.

"serial controlled" aka "B-LINK" preceded WeCan.
B-LINK was based on RS485, an electrical standard for serial communications.
WeCan is based on CANBus, an entirely difference electrical standard.

If you have more then two conductors in the smaller black cable, then you may have a "low-current" controlled lightbar which doesn't need a special controller. +12VDC applied to individual conductors will activate specific lightbar functions.

I have a gray a blue and a shield coming out

 

[RS485]

Okay, that confirms @shues 's assessment. You have a "B-LINK" serial-controlled bar.

You'd need an MPC01 (or MPC02 or MPC03) controller and get it programmed to work with the bar you have.

You can program it yourself but it can be tricky.

The programming software "SC Programmer" is still available for free here:

https://www.whelen.com/downloads

but it is officially "incompatible" with Window 7,8,10

Search ELB for more details...I know there here somewhere.

Whelen BLINK / B-LINK / Serial thread

Back by popular demand and a work in progress...sticky maybe? Whelen Serial Communications Primer Here and there, the topic of the Whelen serial controlled products comes up. I am writing this to provide as much information here as possible to make it a little easier to understand what it...

elightbars.org

is probably the mother of all thread for Whelen's serial communications.

 

[Braeden488]

Okay, do you know what bars use the control box I have, and then what is the new control I will need?

 

[RS485]

You can use the controller you have with any "WeCan" bar (not "WeCanX") - you can browse Whelen's website to see examples of what they're making today and get specific model numbers. Just click on the "MODELS" to get the exact model numbers that do "WeCan".

There are a ton of them in the "Justice", "Liberty", "Legacy", "Freedom" families as well as "Inner edge"

As far as the control box you need for the lightbar you have, as I mentioned, it is an MPC01 or MPC02 or MPC03.

@Ranger-Services.com (aka jperrylighting.com) has MPCxx controllers and I believe, he will program them for you.

 

[Braeden488]

You can use the controller you have with any "WeCan" bar (not "WeCanX") - you can browse Whelen's website to see examples of what they're making today and get specific model numbers. Just click on the "MODELS" to get the exact model numbers that do "WeCan".

There are a ton of them in the "Justice", "Liberty", "Legacy", "Freedom" families as well as "Inner edge"

As far as the control box you need for the lightbar you have, as I mentioned, it is an MPC01 or MPC02 or MPC03.

@Ranger-Services.com (aka jperrylighting.com) has MPCxx controllers and I believe, he will program them for you.

I’m seing he has this in stock (the photo attached) it’s the mpc03 with that work or does it have to be? The mpco1 or mpco2

 

[RS485]

I’m seing he has this in stock (the photo attached) it’s the mpc03 with that work or does it have to be? The mpco1 or mpco2

Any one of the three (MPC01 or MPC02 or MPC03) will work. They all will do the same thing w/r/t to making the lightbar work. My understanding is that:
MPC01 has an audio interface (i.e. Microphone/radio-repeat) - MPC02 does not -- they both require a serial interface to program them.

MPC03 has a USB interface for programming...that's nice/easier than the MPC01/MPC02.
I *think* it also has an audio interface but I'm not sure.

BOTTOM LINE: if all you want is to get the lightbar you have working...any one of the three will do the job. The audio stuff only applies if you're building out a larger B-LINK system (with a BL627 siren).
HTH

 

[Braeden488]

Any one of the three (MPC01 or MPC02 or MPC03) will work. They all will do the same thing w/r/t to making the lightbar work. My understanding is that:
MPC01 has an audio interface (i.e. Microphone/radio-repeat) - MPC02 does not -- they both require a serial interface to program them.

MPC03 has a USB interface for programming...that's nice/easier than the MPC01/MPC02.
I *think* it also has an audio interface but I'm not sure.

BOTTOM LINE: if all you want is to get the lightbar you have working...any one of the three will do the job. The audio stuff only applies if you're building out a larger B-LINK system (with a BL627 siren).
HTH

thank you, I am only putting this bar on a work truck so don’t need siren or any of that

 

[Braeden488]

I made a previous post on here about this bar and was told I need the b link MP03 1 or 2 to run in, so I have just revived my MO03 controller and was wondering how I wire and program it to my bar

 

[RS485]

The explains basic wiring:

https://www.whelen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/13993.pdf

As far as programming, I suggest reaching out to jperrylighting.com to ask him to program it for you, or post a WANTED here on ELB requesting a service.

if you want to program itself, you'd need:
1)
The programming software "SC Programmer" is still available for free here:
https://www.whelen.com/downloads
but it is officially "incompatible" with Window 7,8,10

2) this trick to allow you to install the above software on newer Windows machines.

Messenger (+all Serial?) on Windows 10 solution

Whelen Smart Arrow Messenger program would not install on my Windows 10 machine: "This app can't run on your computer." According to the Whelen website: "Compatible: Windown 98 & XP. Non-compatible: Windows 7, 8 & 10." The same for BetaBrite Prism. I assume this might be true for a new SC...

elightbars.org

3) Run the software and sort of follow instructions, and try things out. You'll spend most of the time here in the the Equipment, Characterize, and Operations panel:


HTH

 

[C17LVFD]

If you’re programming yourself you also need a rs485 converter

How to make Generic Whelen Transporter for B-Link & Smart Messenger

Good Afternoon All, I recently got a new to me Whelen Smart Messenger. I didn't want to spend 200-800 dollars on a Whelen Transporter and didn't want to send the unit out to be programmed. After doing some research I stumbled upon a post by Michiel Sanders who found a way to use a RS232 to...

elightbars.org

Seth

 

[RS485]

If you’re programming yourself you also need a rs485 converter

How to make Generic Whelen Transporter for B-Link & Smart Messenger

Good Afternoon All, I recently got a new to me Whelen Smart Messenger. I didn't want to spend 200-800 dollars on a Whelen Transporter and didn't want to send the unit out to be programmed. After doing some research I stumbled upon a post by Michiel Sanders who found a way to use a RS232 to...

elightbars.org

Seth

for an MPC03? (USB-enabled)

 

[C17LVFD]

Haha. Good call RS485. Brain hiccup. Forgot about the mpco3…

Disregard my previous post.

Seth