MFG date changeover from ballast to passive LEDs

[grfd711]

My paid dept is going to upgrade our first out engine to an Whelen Freedom. One firefighter on my dept has a Whelen Freedom on a company vehicle of his, and he's willing to take the pair of white six over six modules out to install in the engine's bar. His Freedom was manufactured somewhere in '04 to '05. Due to not being able to take a look at that vehicle yet, I can't confirm this, but I do know the vehicle was bought in '04 with the bar added in '05, so I know it's gotta be close to that time.


Is there anything I can look at (aside from if a mfg date sticker is on the exterior/underside of the bar) that would indicate to the naked eye that it would be a ballast bar?


Would the bar make the high pitched noise when on if it's ballast like a Talon would make?

 

[rwo978]

Had a 4-over-4 ballast white 400 module a while back. It made the noise. So, it should make the noise as well.


Only the 400s would be a visual indicator, as the 4-4 is a ballast module.

 

[grfd711]

OK, I'll check to see if they're 4 over 4 or 6 over 6.

 

[shues]

Presuming you can, take one of the lightheads out, and apply +12v DC to the colored lead, and ground to the black lead. If the lighthead lights up, then you have a passive lighthead. If the lighthead does not light up, then you have a ballast lighthead.

 

[grfd711]

Can't disassemble the bar yet, that's why I was trying look for any clues/giveaways before we reach that point. Also, I've done that method with ballast heads, and they will light up, but not by much (as I believe they require somewhere around 27v). Gotta make a call over to that shop, but will probably have to wait for it to stop raining, as I'm sure they don't feel like checking blinkies in the rain. :lol:

 

[grfd711]

Was able to check a lil while ago. They're six over six lightheads.

 

[rwo978]

Those are passive.