Nice Surprise

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
Had a nice surprise today. Bought a Grote 4 bulb beacon last week for $44. Couldn't read the tag and there was no information on the item except it worked. Figured it was a 7620 and thought for the price why not. The bulbs and dome was worth more than that. Well it arrived today, miraculously undamaged with very poor packing. The surprise is that it's actually the larger 7624 beacon! It is in fantastic shape except for the factory faded tag and the top of the dome is dirty from sitting on a shelf in a shop. This is a full size 4 beacon light, that I didn't even know Grote made.

216864

216863

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216865

216867
 

gtpts27

Member
Jul 1, 2017
579
Virginia
Ditto @Pete L.
I love when I receive an item that has almost no packing, arrives damaged, and then the seller blames it on the shipping company.

Either way, nice find/good surprise.
 

kerry4951

Member
Mar 10, 2014
825
Central Pa
The earlier model # for the same light was the Model 54. The tags tended to fade out over time. You got a good deal. I had to find two of these for a police light bar project that I was putting together. They arent that common. When they do pop up its usually with an amber dome. Both of mine were amber but I found a guy on Ebay who was selling NOS red domes for the large
Grotes216869216868
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
Also the Model 54s used a different motor.

The motor in this one looks like a Federal type 3 but about a quarter size smaller.

You made a nice looking bar. This dome is 10-1/2", but isn't exactly the same as a Strat 80 or Federal dome for a 184. Inside is just a tad smaller. But it is exactly the same as a Sireno 44660 dome. Not that that helps since they are harder to find than anything.

Also is there any way to tell a date on one of these lights?

Well a light I thought I was buying for parts will have to be a keeper I guess. Don't know where I'm going to put it.. I"m out of room.
 
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kerry4951

Member
Mar 10, 2014
825
Central Pa
The closest way that I could tell is that the motors are stamped with a date. One of mine has a year of 1974.=, assuming its the original motor. Not sure what the other one is. So atleast thats an estimate. The Model 54 motors are the similar to the older FS motors.
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
@Skulldigger
If you look att the SAE approvals you have an estimate of from after when the lights was made if you do not have any manufacturing date of the motors.

@kerry4951’s model 54 have a SAE approval from 1968 and I believe that is the earliest date of these lights.
His seems to have been made in 1974, which I think is a correct date.

Yours have a SAE approval from 1986 which means yours is made after that date.

Grote’s lights was available in red, blue, amber and I believe also clear.

The last years of this light’s sale it was only available in amber.

I can not say exactly what years it is but it should be about maybe 10 years since this light was out of production and maybe about 15 years since the red and blue was out of production.

I remember that when I heard that the large Grote light was not sold in red and blue I remember that I had seen one in an emergency equipment retailer shop in Bangkok.
I went to this shop only to realize that it was a SVP four sealed beam light I had seen and not the Grote light I thought.
This must have been in about 2003-2004.

Someone might know the more exact dates.

Michael
 

cmb56

Member
May 22, 2010
746
Norrköping, Sweden
I am not so sure that K-D Lamp was marked with SAE numbers.
Unfortunately my K-D’s are very difficult to reach at the moment so I can not check.
I have the usual problem with space as many collectors have.

I know that Dietz had SAE approval on their 240 in 1966 but I can not say for sure when the use of SAE approval started.

Michael
 
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kerry4951

Member
Mar 10, 2014
825
Central Pa
I use the mid 50s as a point for when many of the 6 volts were replaced by 12 volts. Atleast Ive seen that formula work out pretty well for the lights that I have. My guess is most all 6 volts would be pre-1960 as an estimate
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
My guess is most all 6 volts would be pre-1960 as an estimate

first issued in November, 1960


I think that is a good guess. I was researching cloth covered wiring and it looks like ti stopped about 1955 as well. So I think this light is probably early to mid 1950's. The earliest Ad I can find with a 4 bulb beacon is a 1957 Sireno ad for the "New" No. 194.

217023


It may be hard to see on that shiny chrome but the logo looks like this
217024
 

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
I got the Grote 7624 all cleaned up and on the shelf. This thing is like brand new, just had a lot of shelf dirt on it. Not sure why the tag was so faded, must have been getting direct sunlight somewhere.

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Definitely one of the larger beacons in the group.

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