Whelen Liberty II series help.

aebm

Member
May 21, 2010
80
Dania Beach, Broward FL.
Hello,
I was given a few of these Whelen Liberty II and a couple of the Legacy Series Lightbars, I do have a few controllers but not the harness wires, My question is would these lightbars work without those controllers? I mean at least in one flash pattern?
When I power to the Legacy I only see one red led module steady on.
When I power the Liberty Iget nothing.

Thanks for your help and your replies.
 

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tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
If I'm remembering model numbers correctly, both require a WeCan control point to work at all. That said, I may be interested in one with the colored filters.
 

shues

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
10,295
NW Indiana
The photos leave me wondering: besides the heavy gauge power cable, is there another much smaller cable coming from the bottom of either lightbar?
 

Sparky_911

Supporting Donor
May 15, 2013
2,659
Central Illinois
What tsquale said. You will need a WeCan control point or compatible siren/lighting control system a la cencom core. Photos of the controls?

Screenshot_20231109_075236_Google.jpgScreenshot_20231109_075312_Google.jpg
Yes there is another 2 core cable (green and grey) according to the manual it's communication cable.
 
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aebm

Member
May 21, 2010
80
Dania Beach, Broward FL.
What tsquale said. You will need a WeCan control point or compatible siren/lighting control system a la cencom core. Photos of the controls?

View attachment 247285View attachment 247286
Yes I'll post pics of the controllers I have, which btw I don't have the wiring harness, my main question is if I have the controller which has so many cables (I know each cable has a function in the lightbar) but why these lightbars only have a green an a Grey wire for communications? I'm lost there, what I am missing.
Thanks again for the replies.
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
Yes I'll post pics of the controllers I have, which btw I don't have the wiring harness, my main question is if I have the controller which has so many cables (I know each cable has a function in the lightbar) but why these lightbars only have a green an a Grey wire for communications? I'm lost there, what I am missing.
Thanks again for the replies.

Putting this on over simplified terms, think of the lightbar as having no brain. The WeCan control point or compatible siren and light control is an external brain. They send and receive signals from the lightbar via the green and gray wires. The external brain uses all of the function wires to detect 12 volt positive input for a particular function then communicates that with the lightbar.
 
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aebm

Member
May 21, 2010
80
Dania Beach, Broward FL.
Interesting, but I'm still lost at where the Wecan connects to these ightbars like the ones I have, I see the molex connector from the Wecan has so many cables and this lightbar only has that Grey and Green cable. (Sorry, Just trying understand Whelen for dummies)
I'll look for a few videos to see what cab I learn
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
The green and gray connect to the green and gray on the 6 pin molex on the right side of the WeCan.

screenshot_20231109_075236_google-jpg.247285
 

aebm

Member
May 21, 2010
80
Dania Beach, Broward FL.
The green and gray connect to the green and gray on the 6 pin molex on the right side of the WeCan.

screenshot_20231109_075236_google-jpg.247285
Oh ok Isee, so once I have the Wecan module and I connect 12VDC to the main power cable, and I connect my grey and green wires to the module I'll be able to make it work and switch patters? Or I will need another Step?
Thanks
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
Oh ok Isee, so once I have the Wecan module and I connect 12VDC to the main power cable, and I connect my grey and green wires to the module I'll be able to make it work and switch patters? Or I will need another Step?
Thanks
Correct for making it work. Some programming of the WeCan module may be required to get the bars to work to their full potential, as typically they are programmed to the specific bar. Patterns are changed through programing the WeCan via computer software as well.
 
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Scoot163

Member
Nov 15, 2013
850
Tacoma, WA
Correct for making it work. Some programming of the WeCan module may be required to get the bars to work to their full potential, as typically they are programmed to the specific bar. Patterns are changed through programing the WeCan via computer software as well.
Glad I found this thread as I have the same questions as the original OP. I received two Liberty lightbars and being an old school lightbar guy couldn't figure out why it wasn't working.

Do I have to use a Whelen specific switchbox? And how does the WeCan module connect to the switchbox? Any info or photos would be appreciated!

Rich
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
Glad I found this thread as I have the same questions as the original OP. I received two Liberty lightbars and being an old school lightbar guy couldn't figure out why it wasn't working.

Do I have to use a Whelen specific switchbox? And how does the WeCan module connect to the switchbox? Any info or photos would be appreciated!

Rich
You can use any switchbox to connect to the WeCan, so long as the switch provides 12v + when active. The larger harness on the WeCan module has multiple trigger wires to activate the functions that are programmed (ie, takedowns, alleys, arrowstick, front/rear warning etc).
 

Scoot163

Member
Nov 15, 2013
850
Tacoma, WA
You can use any switchbox to connect to the WeCan, so long as the switch provides 12v + when active. The larger harness on the WeCan module has multiple trigger wires to activate the functions that are programmed (ie, takedowns, alleys, arrowstick, front/rear warning etc).
Ok So I have a Federal Signal SS2000 switch and brain. Do I just connect the switch to the WeCan module with the phone cord? or do I just program with the WeCan and then connect the trigger wires to the Federal Signal brain box?
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,537
Minnesota, USA
First you would need to program the WeCan module to your specific lightbar. In the programing you choose what each of the 18trigger wires controls.

You would then use the wire harness that has 18 wires on the plug of the WeCan to connect to the SS2000. You would only need to connect the triggers for the functions you want.

IE. For SS2000 light relay 1, connect the WeCan trigger wire that activates the rear only lightbar warning. For SS2000 light relay 2, connect the WeCan trigger wire that overrides rear only to a front and rear warning pattern. For SS2000 light relay 3, connect the WeCan trigger wire that overrides 2 and also connect the trigger wire for flashing TDs and ALs.

For your aux triggers you would connect the trigger wires for independent AL or TD activation, arrowstick, etc.

You would not be using a phone cable to connect the WeCan to the SS2000.
 

Scoot163

Member
Nov 15, 2013
850
Tacoma, WA
First you would need to program the WeCan module to your specific lightbar. In the programing you choose what each of the 18trigger wires controls.

You would then use the wire harness that has 18 wires on the plug of the WeCan to connect to the SS2000. You would only need to connect the triggers for the functions you want.

IE. For SS2000 light relay 1, connect the WeCan trigger wire that activates the rear only lightbar warning. For SS2000 light relay 2, connect the WeCan trigger wire that overrides rear only to a front and rear warning pattern. For SS2000 light relay 3, connect the WeCan trigger wire that overrides 2 and also connect the trigger wire for flashing TDs and ALs.

For your aux triggers you would connect the trigger wires for independent AL or TD activation, arrowstick, etc.

You would not be using a phone cable to connect the WeCan to the SS2000.
Thanks, Tony! I think I've got it now. Just have to find a couple of good used Modules. Or buy new on Ebay.
 
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