Dual Siren idea help. Completed-Video Added 1-17-2011

Dragon

Member
May 27, 2010
52
Mississippi
I thought my idea of adding a second 100 watt speaker to my PA300 was dead once I figured out that I had the 100 watt model siren. But a series of recent post has got me thinking again.


It was stated that 200 watt has 23% more perceived sound over a 100 watt.


Another post talked about running two sirens at one time with different tones.


This seems like you would get more attention with two 100 watt sirens running different tones. So I have access to another PA300 and 100 watt speaker.


I thought about mounting the second PA300 under the seat or in the trunk with it turned on and the tone selected that I want, run a wire from the speaker wire of the first PA300 to a relay that switches the main power to the second PA300. But then I realized that if I tried to use the PA feature of the first siren the second siren would be turned on.


Any ideas on how to get this working?


With some good advice on the board about (1)200 watt vs 2(100 watt) and how to use relays I was able to complete my dual siren project.


Video posted.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

RDT Car 25

Member
May 22, 2010
364
Milford, CT
Instead of running a wire to the relay from the siren speaker lead, why not run one from the back of the selector switch in the siren itself. This way you can still use the selector switch for the PA, but activate the second siren only when you turn on the actual siren tones.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
Why not just swith the power wire to the 2nd siren? That way the first can be used indepently of the 2nd all the time.
 

Dragon

Member
May 27, 2010
52
Mississippi
WS224 said:
Why not just swith the power wire to the 2nd siren? That way the first can be used indepently of the 2nd all the time.

Yep that is an option. I am trying not to add any more switches. And not wanting to open up the case and tap into the first sirens selector switch if I can help it. Both suggestions are good. But looking for a less intrusive fix.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Shawn L said:
use a Unitrol 80K much better tones, and they can be found super cheep..

No way. The Unitrol 80K wail tone sucks. Worst wail tone I ever heard.


Two PA300s is not a bad idea. But they'd look neater mounted in a rack or console together rather than having one hidden.
 

Dragon

Member
May 27, 2010
52
Mississippi
I just dont have the room for stacking two. This CVPI has bench seats with ashtray removed to install 2 radios, siren, switch box stacked on the hump under the AC controls. Just no room for another.


I could remote the second by installing the rotory knob in the dash and extending the leads.


OR


I think I can scrap up a 5 switch soft touch light switch. I could run a tone off of each button for the second siren that would levae me two extras to use for lights. But squeezing it in will be the trick.
 

THEFLASH

Member
May 21, 2010
276
ALABAMA
I have a PA300 remote mounted in the trunk. All I did was run the power wire to an extra switch on my switch box, and keep on the tone that I prefer (wail) and use my second PA300 to scroll through the other tones as I need. So far it has worked out well ;)
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
Wailer said:
No way. The Unitrol 80K wail tone sucks. Worst wail tone I ever heard.

Opinions are like assholes, everyone's got one.


A lot of people like the 80K tones. I think more like than dislike them.
 

Rofocowboy84

Member
May 20, 2010
1,161
Centre County, PA
Wailer said:
No way. The Unitrol 80K wail tone sucks. Worst wail tone I ever heard.

Two PA300s is not a bad idea. But they'd look neater mounted in a rack or console together rather than having one hidden.

I'm guessing you've never heard a siren made by PowerCall Sirens then, or the ones Signal (I believe) was putting out a few years ago?
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
rwo978 said:
A lot of people like the 80K tones. I think more like than dislike them.

Sorry, I don't like a screaming/bawling tone. Sounds like the thing is throwing a nasty temper tantrum.
 

VolEms

Member
May 24, 2010
2,112
NY, USA
I like the Whelen tones the best. It depends on the person. In NYC a lot of people like the FS Smart Siren and Carson. I think its a pointless argument what siren sounds better.
 

Dragon

Member
May 27, 2010
52
Mississippi
With some good advice on the board about (1)200 watt vs 2(100 watt) and how to use relays I was able to complete my dual siren project.


Video posted.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
C420sailor said:
I was wondering this too. Mississippi law doesn't allow us to have sirens in our POVs. MHP would freak.

Edit: Just realized that this is in your cruiser. Nevermind.

I have used a siren in MS for 16+ years in various places around the state. Never had an issue with MHP or anyone else.


Additionally, upon reviewing MS Code, there are indications that a siren would be REQUIRED, not the alternative:


§ 63-7-19. Lights on police and emergency vehicles; lights on rural mail carrier vehicles.


(1) Except as otherwise provided for unmarked vehicles under Section 19-25-15 and Section 25-1-87, every police vehicle shall be marked with blue lights. Every ambulance and special use EMS vehicle as defined in Section 41-59-3 shall be marked with red lights front and back and also may be marked with white and amber lights in addition to red lights. Every emergency management/civil defense vehicle, including emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, shall be marked with blinking, rotating or oscillating red lights. Official vehicles of a 911 Emergency Communications District may be marked with red and white lights. Every wrecker or other vehicle used for emergency work, except vehicles authorized to use blue or red lights, shall be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating amber colored lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way, as provided in Section 63-3-809. Only police vehicles used for emergency work may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating blue lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way. Only law enforcement vehicles, fire vehicles, private or department-owned vehicles used by firemen of volunteer fire departments which receive funds pursuant to Section 83-1-39 when responding to calls, emergency management/civil defense vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, ambulances used for emergency work, and 911 Emergency Communications District vehicles may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating red lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way. This section shall not apply to school buses carrying lighting devices in accordance with Section 63-7-23.


§ 63-7-65. Horns and other warning devices.


(1) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet. The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn but shall not otherwise use such horn upon a highway. No horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.


(2) Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred (500) feet and of a type approved by the department. No such siren shall be used except when such vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which said latter events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren when necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof.


(3) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section. No bicycle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.


(4) Any vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal.


Enjoy your new siren!!
 
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RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
gman021 said:
But I didn't know some depts. allowed officers to alter their vehicles.

I added dash, deck, and side and top of push bumper lights to my car, plus a different siren. We can do just about anything to ours as long as it keeps the car legal and doesn't change the dept owned stuff too much (so no making it a slick top or changing the bar from red/blue to just blue).
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
RL1 said:
I added dash, deck, and side and top of push bumper lights to my car, plus a different siren. We can do just about anything to ours as long as it keeps the car legal and doesn't change the dept owned stuff too much (so no making it a slick top or changing the bar from red/blue to just blue).


Now if you were fired, do they let you take them off?


And do you only use that car, or do officers share their cars for the most part. Like MA state troopers keep their cars, but town/city cops don't. Im guessing sheriffs keep them.
 

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
gman021 said:
Now if you were fired, do they let you take them off?

And do you only use that car, or do officers share their cars for the most part. Like MA state troopers keep their cars, but town/city cops don't. Im guessing sheriffs keep them.

I'm (well, soon to be 'was') a city cop (just turned in my notice, going to a smaller, but better paying college pd... oh, and the free tuition doesn't hurt). We are assigned cars and those who live in the county get to take theirs home, while the two of us who don't leave them at the station. When you turn in your notice, you can take them off at your leisure, or sale them to whoever will be getting your car. If you are fired, you can either take your personal stuff out before you leave, sale it to the next person, or try to get someone else to take it out for you.
 

ffemt601

New Member
May 28, 2010
8
MS
WS224 said:
I have used a siren in MS for 16+ years in various places around the state. Never had an issue with MHP or anyone else.

Additionally, upon reviewing MS Code, there are indications that a siren would be REQUIRED, not the alternative:


§ 63-7-19. Lights on police and emergency vehicles; lights on rural mail carrier vehicles.


(1) Except as otherwise provided for unmarked vehicles under Section 19-25-15 and Section 25-1-87, every police vehicle shall be marked with blue lights. Every ambulance and special use EMS vehicle as defined in Section 41-59-3 shall be marked with red lights front and back and also may be marked with white and amber lights in addition to red lights. Every emergency management/civil defense vehicle, including emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, shall be marked with blinking, rotating or oscillating red lights. Official vehicles of a 911 Emergency Communications District may be marked with red and white lights. Every wrecker or other vehicle used for emergency work, except vehicles authorized to use blue or red lights, shall be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating amber colored lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way, as provided in Section 63-3-809. Only police vehicles used for emergency work may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating blue lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way. Only law enforcement vehicles, fire vehicles, private or department-owned vehicles used by firemen of volunteer fire departments which receive funds pursuant to Section 83-1-39 when responding to calls, emergency management/civil defense vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, ambulances used for emergency work, and 911 Emergency Communications District vehicles may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating red lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way. This section shall not apply to school buses carrying lighting devices in accordance with Section 63-7-23.


§ 63-7-65. Horns and other warning devices.


(1) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet. The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn but shall not otherwise use such horn upon a highway. No horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.


(2) Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred (500) feet and of a type approved by the department. No such siren shall be used except when such vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which said latter events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren when necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof.


(3) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section. No bicycle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.


(4) Any vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal.


Enjoy your new siren!!


In MS , a POV is not considered an emergency vehicle and thus it is illegal to use a siren in a POV.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
ffemt601 said:
In MS , a POV is not considered an emergency vehicle and thus it is illegal to use a siren in a POV.

Wrong. Read the statute. In part:


63-7-19 Lights on police and EMERGENCY vehicles......


......Only law enforcement vehicles, fire vehicles, PRIVATE or department-owned vehicles used by FIREMAN of volunteer fire departments.......


Doesn't POV mean privately owned vehicle? See above. Your Chief may be blaming it on state law, but you can read can't you?
 

Dragon

Member
May 27, 2010
52
Mississippi
WOW how this tread has strayed.


As far as I know there is no one statute that says what an emergency vehicle is and therefore all other statutes referring to emergency vehicles are understood.


What is happening here is using one law 63-7-19 to establish what vehicles 63-7-65 talks about when it says “authorized emergency vehicle”.


But that can’t be done.


Without the all encompassing emergency vehicle description law then each one has to lay out what vehicle they are referring to like 63-7-9 does. 63-7-5 does not describe.


Ffemt601 is correct for this area at least. It is generally accepted in my area that volunteer fire fighter vehicles are NOT considered official emergency vehicles so they DO NOT use sirens.


Other parts of the state may interpret the laws different and allow them.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
Dragon said:
WOW how this tread has strayed.

As far as I know there is no one statute that says what an emergency vehicle is and therefore all other statutes referring to emergency vehicles are understood.


What is happening here is using one law 63-7-19 to establish what vehicles 63-7-65 talks about when it says “authorized emergency vehicle”.


But that can’t be done.


Without the all encompassing emergency vehicle description law then each one has to lay out what vehicle they are referring to like 63-7-9 does. 63-7-5 does not describe.


Ffemt601 is correct for this area at least. It is generally accepted in my area that volunteer fire fighter vehicles are NOT considered official emergency vehicles so they DO NOT use sirens.


Other parts of the state may interpret the laws different and allow them.

Fair enough. Like I said, I have never had an issue in North Mississippi.


I like your install by the way. Very clever use of the trunk button location!
 

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