tsquale
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Just stumbled across your post. FYI and everyone else, the Circle Beam had a flasher built into the unit. Vernon McDermott, Julians son, said they still make them and get a call or two a year for the part. Likely the ones with the 2 wires hanging out of the bottom were rewired after the original flasher broke. See photo's below. They also made a revolving light with two PAR 36 bulbs, but Vernon said they didn't last, the motors went after 500 hours, which he felt was not a lot of time on a police car.The lights do alternate - once you hook them up to an alternating flasher. There should be two wires that come out of the bottom. They are are both positive, and should be attached to the two output terminals of an alternating flasher.
By the way, the orange paint in vintage condition suggests it may be ex-Nassau County (NY) PD.
Very interesting. I had no idea, but it makes sense. Thanks for the information!Just stumbled across your post. FYI and everyone else, the Circle Beam had a flasher built into the unit. Vernon McDermott, Julians son, said they still make them and get a call or two a year for the part. Likely the ones with the 2 wires hanging out of the bottom were rewired after the original flasher broke. See photo's below. They also made a revolving light with two PAR 36 bulbs, but Vernon said they didn't last, the motors went after 500 hours, which he felt was not a lot of time on a police car.View attachment 221032View attachment 221033
Not to sound silly but is it possible it was used at an airport as a marker light or something similar with lights that bright on it??Hi. I just found this CircleLight in VA. It is in good shape besides missing 2 sealed beams. The two lights in the light are GE4509 100 watt aircraft lights. What bulbs are suppose to be used. Are they all the same? What would be the best way to clean up the metal? Lens has no cracks. Not sure the top nut is correct? Maybe an acorn nut?
Still works perfect !!That flasher was made before the adoption of ZIP codes, which came along in 1963.
Interesting as mine has no internal flasher, so presume it failed as mentioned and was removed or never installed to being with.Just stumbled across your post. FYI and everyone else, the Circle Beam had a flasher built into the unit. Vernon McDermott, Julians son, said they still make them and get a call or two a year for the part. Likely the ones with the 2 wires hanging out of the bottom were rewired after the original flasher broke. See photo's below. They also made a revolving light with two PAR 36 bulbs, but Vernon said they didn't last, the motors went after 500 hours, which he felt was not a lot of time on a police car.View attachment 221032View attachment 221033
I’ve now obtained anotherThis is the one I just restored. Came off an old tug boat. I installed a Tridon electronic flasher.
The base and cap were powder coated in bright chrome, fully re-wired, new gaskets. The lens is typical thin plastic with one small crack near the seam.
this is the second or third Model 806 Circle Beam I've restored.
my first fire department was on Long Island, New York (1968-1972) had the circle beam as the roof beacon on all our apparatus. None of us younger guys never liked them. Everybody had Federal Signal, Dietz etc and was better lighting.
We got a Pittman Young snorkel in 1970 and had some cheap revolving beacons on the cab which made us happy. Our fire chief got a new car which had a Dietz 2-11 beacon and a PA-15 electronic siren.
now those lights we hated are not collector items!