(circa 1990) Dash Strobe Light? Trying to identify

[chesapeakelimo]

Back in about 1990, our department purchased/installed a small, self-contained strobe with a blue filter (lens) for the unmarked unit. It was about 6" wide, and about 2" tall, squared-off black housing with a 2-volt cigar lighter plug...I vaguely recollect that the back of the unit had some kind of fins (to dissipate heat?) When it was running you could faintly hear the capacitor charging up in the unit until it flashed (kind of annoying, but definitely not as annoying as the previous teardrop incandescent light's spinning motor). It had no external adjustments for flash rate or patterns, or even an on/off switch (as I recall...we just pushed the plug into the cigar lighter socket to activate it). It flashed relatively slow, about 1 flash per second. It was a true strobe light (not an LED). About a year or so later, it was replaced with a Whelen dual strobe head unit that mounted to the top of the windshield that alternated strobe flashes (red/blue), and it had a separate power supply/control unit. Anyhow, I am trying to identify that old school dash blue strobe. I want to say it was a Whelen unit, but I cannot locate any photos of that unit performing Google searches, so I am uncertain if it was Whelen. Our Chief was a staunch Federal Signal guy, and everything prior was always Federal Signal, so I vaguely recollect I was surprised that the blue dash strobe was not a Federal Signal device. But I am trying to recall something from 30+ years ago so my memory is not as sharp as it once was. Anyhow, as I have exhausted my memory and Google searches, I thought it might be worth a try to reach out to this forum and see if my description of this little, slow-flashing dash strobe rings a bell with anyone here to help me identify the make/model of that unit.

Thanks for any and all for your feedback.

 

[EHFD_Tower_751]

To me it almost sounds like a single dashking, but whelen either made a remote or a cig plug version.

Dashmiser comes to mind also, as that was available as either a strobe or halogen version, and also an led version. (Also a remote or cig plug version, but was rounded kinda in back)

Could say dash-flasher but thats basically a square.

Good luck on search though

 

[RL1]

Sounds like a dash king to me as well.

?

 

[Abacus]

Six by 2 could also be a Code3 deckblaster.

 

[Jarred J.]

id say deckblaster cause its the only i know that had "fins"

 

[DefianceEngineCompany]

Im going with the code 3 DeckBlaster

 

[chesapeakelimo]

It took a little while and a LOT of Google image, forum, and Facebook group searches but I finally identified and found the light I was describing. According to the seller, it is a BROOKINGS INDUSTRIES dash (single) strobe.

Thank you to Defiance Engine Company, Jarred J., Abacus, RL1, and EFHD_Tower_751 for your help and feedback.

Now, I just need to find a clear lens for it.

 

[EHFD_Tower_751]

Glad to have kinda helped

good luck with your search too

 

[Abacus]

It took a little while and a LOT of Google image, forum, and Facebook group searches but I finally identified and found the light I was describing. According to the seller, it is a BROOKINGS INDUSTRIES dash (single) strobe.

Thank you to Defiance Engine Company, Jarred J., Abacus, RL1, and EFHD_Tower_751 for your help and feedback.

Now, I just need to find a clear lens for it.

That was my first dash strobe as well. Bought it in 1994 and it was sold in the UK by Premier Hazard. Hence you may want to also check the UK listings etc. Lens colours were red , blue and amber. Can't recall clear. Only had single flash and wasn't bright. We swapped out to a deckblaster from code3 and then shortly thereafter went to a dual Whelwn Dash master or miser.