My Craiglist Bargains

[MPD 818]

I just got back from a 2 hour drive to Kentucky to pick up these lights. I would like a little more info on the Dietz Lights and the Whelen Lights if anyone cares to contribute. I got a Federal Model 173, and Federal 184, 2 Dietz Model 7-11s, 2 Whelen Strobes, and a Federal Model 17 minus a dome or bulbs. The best part about it is that I got them all for $120.00


Thanks for any info yall can provide.


[Broken External Image]:http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg129/wcrs2346/DSCN0580.jpg

 

[toon80]

As I know pretty much nothing about those lights, all I can say is: NIIICE FIND!!!


Can't wait to see them restored!

 

[CrownVic97]

Wow....nice score!

 

[lotsofbars]

I love Craigslist for this exact reason… I got TWO sealed-beam XL minibars for $80. If what I've heard is correct, they tend to go for around $150 apiece. YESSSSS.

 

[MPD 818]

As I know pretty much nothing about those lights, all I can say is: NIIICE FIND!!!
Can't wait to see them restored!

Hehe they are going to have to take a number and get in line. For some reason I cannot restore them as quickly as I seem to accumulate them

 

[dmathieu]

The strobes are Model 1200, if they have internal power suplies. If no internals, they are remote "G" heads..


The 7-11s are Dietz classic 4 beam rotators. I have one, nearly mint. I've seen them sell, depending on condition, and how bad someone wants it at the time, from $20 - $250.


Dan

 

[stansdds]

You did great!


Dietz lights are usually pretty easy to determine manufacturing dates. The first clue comes if there is a brass data plate on the dome retaining band, the serial number indicates the date. Dietz beacons made after 1980 will not have the brass data plate. The second clue is the motor, it will have its manufacturing date printed on its case in ink. The year of the motor and the last two digits on the data plate usually match. The motors are heavy duty units and were not often replaced, but you may find a beacon with grossly mismatched motor and data plate dates, indicating either a motor or retaining band swap.

 

[MPD 818]

The strobes are Model 1200, if they have internal power suplies. If no internals, they are remote "G" heads..
The 7-11s are Dietz classic 4 beam rotators. I have one, nearly mint. I've seen them sell, depending on condition, and how bad someone wants it at the time, from $20 - $250.


Dan

They are internaly supplied. The red one works great, the blue does not. When I hook the blue up you hear the supply charge, but it does not do anything else. It will do it one time and then nothing else. Any ideas? I was told the strobes were originally on a pumper from Houston Tx.

 

[MPD 818]

Here is a pic of the serieal number. I am to assume that the mfg date is 07-15-1972?

 

[JohnMarcson]

Here is a pic of the serieal number. I am to assume that the mfg date is 07-15-1972?

hmmm.. each item would have it's own seriel number, and I would think they made more than one a day...


maybe nuber 715th made in 1972? I'm not sure if that corresponds to a date at all...

 

[MPD 818]

hmmm.. each item would have it's own seriel number, and I would think they made more than one a day...


maybe nuber 715th made in 1972? I'm not sure if that corresponds to a date at all...

I don't know. Both of them have the same serial number.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I don't know. Both of them have the same serial number.[/quote:5d8a0c14]


Maybe it is the date then.... interesting

 

[stansdds]

It's a 1972 production model. The other digits do not refer to a specific date as they will all be 0x15xx on Dietz's full sized beacons. Look for a date on the motor. If the motor is covered in dirt, do not wash it with a solvent as that will remove the ink... trust me.

 

[Sirenman]

The number on the motor indicates only when the motor was made. These motor and gear case sets were used on several different beacons by other manufacturers, so it may have sat on a shelf until shipped to fill an order. The closest that you are going to come is the year of manufacture by the tag on the band.


At one time, I had three Federal beacons on the shelf with the same serial number, so obviously this simply indicated a series rather than an individual item. I would imagine that Ditez/ Signal Stat did the same.


John Dorgan

 

[cmb56]

The two first digits is the month and the two last digits is the year. I have never seen digits higher than 12 on the first digits.


The number 15 in between is used on every name tag by Dietz and should probably do not meen anything.


I have one Dietz 7-41 bought new from Dietz in 1975 where the name tag says 031573 but the motor 61474.


When that light was made I do not know but naturally after the manufacturing date of the motor.


They seems to have made the name tags or lens retainer rings in batches and used them when building the lights regardless of the dates.