HHS2200 or any siren/light control - constant or switched power or toggle switch?

[minig0d]

I'm not asking how to wire this siren up... I'm just curious whether y'all tend to use a physical switch for the low power input or tap it to an ignition switched wire or leave it on a constant 12v or a combination of both?


Reason I'm asking is I just installed it and hooked it to 12v ignition switched wire, and then thought about it more... with it like this you can't run lights without the ignition being on.... so I'm kind of thinking about leaving it like this and also having a 12v toggle switch so I can optionally turn it on without the ignition being on.... but then that creates its own issues... so I'm just curious as to most of y'all set them up.... particularly how y'all set them up for volunteers (not for vehicles that the siren is used daily as those installs it would probably just be ok to leave the siren powered up all the time...)

 

[Jamey@NNE]

We run a toggle on the demo so it can run at shows but for department installs a timer works well so it stays on a preset time after the ignition is turned off and also kills it at a preset voltage to not kill the battery.

 

[minig0d]

Interesting idea. What timer do you use and how long do you generally set it for?


I'm just thinking if I'm going to block traffic for a while I can leave the car on safely at least a couple hours with the HLF off running just my LEDs so that toggle would be useful for that. But maybe something like that in combination with something to kill them if the voltage drops too low? Decisions decisions!

 

[Jamey@NNE]

We use kussmaul and copeland timers. For you I would use a copeland and set it for maybe 2 or 4 hours and if the battery goes low before that it will kill it. Also kussmaul sells a load sheading timer as the battery gets low you could have it kill things in sequence say the hlf, then whatever next.

 

[minig0d]

We use kussmaul and copeland timers. For you I would use a copeland and set it for maybe 2 or 4 hours and if the battery goes low before that it will kill it. Also kussmaul sells a load sheading timer as the battery gets low you could have it kill things in sequence say the hlf, then whatever next.

Just googled it... even that Copeland one looks a bit more expensive than I want to put into it... with all the damn programmable functions this thing has, why doesn't it just have an on off switch lol...

 

[TX_Mark]

Just googled it... even that Copeland one looks a bit more expensive than I want to put into it... with all the damn programmable functions this thing has, why doesn't it just have an on off switch lol...

Pm inbound!

 

[Jamey@NNE]

The copeland power tamer vs which would do like I discribe runs about $80

 

[minig0d]

The copeland power tamer vs which would do like I discribe runs about $80

Haha yeah at this point my budget for this is about $2 for the toggle switch... oh wait I have plenty of them already

 

[Jamey@NNE]

I just saw one on ebay looks used for 25

 

[minig0d]

I just saw one on ebay looks used for 25

It'll still have to wait for a few months... I lost use of an air conditioned garage and its been getting well over 100 degrees :/ I'm drained from working in the heat today already!

 

[rwo978]

You can find Chargeguards used cheap for anywhere from $15-$30. The timer can be set from 15 mins to over 4 hrs via dip switches. Plus, the older ones have an override button to reactivate the power if needed. I've installed one in my vehicle and one in my brothers. Both were used, both work like a charm.


The other option, which I too had installed in my vehicle, and is currently installed in my brother's (SS2000SM) is a DPST switch. One side for constant power, one side for ignition power. Keep it on ignition until the constant power is needed.