Real edge 9000 diagnostix?

Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I finally got pictures of the potential "diagnostix" edge 9000 I've been gandering on getting.
Pictures show typical model tag, but I see there is no serial number or model number written on it. Lol. So what now? I have a separate thread on here about this bar. It has the control head with it exclusive to the diagnostic edge 9000.

Closest clue I have to it being a real diagnostiX bar, is the wire coming out the bottom. The pictures are really bad and dark, but can anyone tell me if this thing might be real before I drive three hours to get it? I have a separate thread in here about this bar. I made this thread so I can't get answers quickly, because I have only today to get this thing or not. Sorry being so forward.
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
I assume it _is_ a diagnostix lightbar because it seems very unlikely that someone would take a PCDS-9 controller and use its option outputs to control a low-current bar. The PCDS-9 would be blinking all the time as it would see the lack of communications as a total fault. I suppose its possible but it just seems so much more likely that someone with a non-diagnostics lightbar would use a conventional controller.

Next, as you observed, details line up in that its located very near VT and that it outwardly looks like a known example of a VT SP diagnostix lightbar.

Also, I just checked my CT SP diagnostix lightbar (from www.jperrylighting.com) and remembered a detail I'd forgotten: It actualy had a multi-connector cable coming out of it but only two conductors (blue and gray) were used...and they connected to the PCDS-9. For whatever reason, Whelen evidently did use multi-conductor cable even though only two-wires were actually employed.

However, if this isn't a lightbar you fundamentally dig, I think you should just walk away. Even if it is a diagnostix, so what? I really really dig the two-wire technology so I know why I think it is cool. If you don't "feel" it (you prefer oval/rounded shapes) then keep on walkin', man: "this is not the lightbar you seek" :)
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I do prefer the rounder rotator bars, but this edge really attracts my eye for some reason and having a "one off or special version of it" would be kinda neat. I just feel this need to save it from destruction, and being a bar that only runs on that particular controller, whoever gets the bar without knowing about that, would most likely trash the whole thing out of frustration of not getting it to work.

I guess I'll take the chance and drive three hours and spend 175.00 like you said and I have thought, why would anyone use that controller on a normal 9000, it wouldn't work.

If it turns out to be a major failure, miss matched, waste of time, I'll just stay positive, sell and recover what I can. There are worse things in life to worry about. Plus the trip might be enjoyable....it's pretty up that way, it would be a nice drive.
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Well I still didn't get it today, lol.

Originally I passed on this, but she finally sent the pictures I wanted last night. So I reconsidered and sent a text asking a good meet up time. She never got back to me until late and being three hours away, it was too late for me to head out. She said if I'm still interested she will sell the whole thing to me for 75 dollars.

Obviously she is not a light bar enthusiast and just wants it gone, so I agreed and we both agreed on me sending a money order for 75.00.
I can now go get it when it's a good time. With the big snow storms, her work schedule and the distance, it is not the easiest bar I have purchased.

For 75 I can't go wrong, even if it is not what it seems. She said it does work, so ... It is what it is. It would be cool if it's an actual Vermont Police edge 9000 diagnostix bar tho... It would be the most interesting bar in my collection.
 

Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I'm going tomorrow at 11 for a 6 hour round trip for that edge 9000 and having sorta bad feeling about it. Not really the price, but the long drive and finding out the whole thing has been hacked and re wired, harness cut to one foot length, stuff like that.

I have researched these bars and found some cool things about them.. one being they were the first so called smart bars and they could steady burn or flash the takedowns depending on the
program and send realtime trouble light indicators for problems. Also they didn't have a long run due to compatibility issues like if the control box died, the bar was junked and you had to use the specific box that was programmed for that exact bar. It said many were parted out because of this and Whelen pretty much discontinued the whole idea. Being an edge 9000 it was one of the first bars take technology from the rotator age into the low profile, strobe, led age. And being a diagnostix version, it makes it a little more rare and collectable. So I guess for those reasons, only a person like me or you would take a chance on saving a piece of light bar history like that.

From the pictures it does look to be in typical shape, has scratches and some fading, but that's ok. I just don't want a cheap of cobbed up junk with half the wires cut up. I will be taking a chance, but I think it's a good gamble seeing the history of those bars.

They would have to gut the whole bar of it's diagnostix circuits and put in normal ones...seems like a lot of B.S. to do all that and it does have the PCDS-9 box.....soooo.. I'm not sure, even if they put in normal circuits in the bar itself, they could still use the PCDS-9 for control.

So I am taking a chance....the good thing if it turns out to be a disaster, it s, I only have 75 into it and....I could use it to help people on here with whatever they need ...circuit numbers, wires ....if people need parts off this thing, I'll sell cheap. If it turns out ok, then I'll see if it works as it should and get it all polished up and keep it.

Again....this is the craziest bar purchase I've done to date and it will mark the end of my collecting, other than finding another Jetsonic and streethawk. I have some really cool lights now and I'm happy with them ..I can't have them all
 

firebuff17

Member
Mar 28, 2011
774
CT
I will preface this reply with I have no affiliation….But
1)Like you said, you only have $75 in it
2)Working Diagnostic bar (rare)
3)Came from working environment from what you said earlier
4)I have high anticipation the harnesses are long and not hacked off
5) matching controller

I think with some cleaning up you are going to be pleasantly surprised and will be happy you made the trip.

@JohnMarcson and @RS485 have done some extensive research and investigation into the controller dip switch settings. They could be of great help if the time comes.
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I will preface this reply with I have no affiliation….But
1)Like you said, you only have $75 in it
2)Working Diagnostic bar (rare)
3)Came from working environment from what you said earlier
4)I have high anticipation the harnesses are long and not hacked off
5) matching controller

I think with some cleaning up you are going to be pleasantly surprised and will be happy you made the trip.

@JohnMarcson and @RS485 have done some extensive research and investigation into the controller dip switch settings. They could be of great help if the time comes.
If anything, I can use it to help out the cause on here(I read the diagnostix thread) like numbers, circuit board model and all that. I could also sell parts off it if anyone needs stuff. That is if the harness is butchered on mine or some sort of hack job was done to it.

I'm dramatizing this, lol I know....it won't be the end of the world to get a crappy light bar. I just had a cousin of mine lose her husband to cancer and her mom to dementia within this month, so, yes ..getting a dud light bar won't be the end of the world for me
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
So now I find these, lmao ...I can't stop.

They are local and he wants 85.00 for the pair, just wants them gone is what he said. I know one looks like an AreoDynic, not sure what other is. They look great shape however on close inspection of the areodynic it looks like it has nothing inside. I think I see two rotators, one on each end, but nothing else, except mirrors. Possible unfinished project?.
 

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Benno

Member
Jul 17, 2011
364
Germany
.... I know one looks like an AreoDynic, not sure what other is. ...
The other is a Code3 XL - looks to be an empty XL5000 (indipendent rotators) shell.
.... They look great shape however on close inspection of the areodynic it looks like it has nothing inside. I think I see two rotators, one on each end, but nothing else, except mirrors. Possible unfinished project?.
could be an (incomplete) Aerohawk.
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Ok so hit me with the truth, is this the real deal, are the wires looking right?

I just received it and have the PCDS-9 in my hand. The bar is in fair, to good shape, no scratches, no cracks, not as faded as I thought. It should clean up nice. The control box is a little beat up, but no cracks, no missing pieces and all the buttons work.

It has two wires coming out the bottom of the bar, one black, thick wire and really thin gray wire. Harness seems to be at least 8 feet long. There is an additional brown wire it doesn't seem to go anyplace.

My concern is the back of the control box, there is a wire group with a special connector on it(see photo) there is no place that plugs in. Perhaps someone did rewire things and the smart functions no longer work. Other concern is, he told me he hooked the wires to direct power to see if it works ..said it does. I thought it would not work if not through the control box.

I'm prepared for the truth from those that know these bars on here. I'll get better pictures later. Also the configuration number is worn off. I can't see it, but something is there, but I need my magnifying glass. This control box is way smaller than I expected.
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Bottom line: If you crack open the lenses and find power and control wires connect to one of the two board we identified in:

"Serial Control Receiver 01-0266955-00C"
"MC4 Serial Receiver 01-0268036-00C"

...no question this is a real diagnostix bar...if you find some other board, then this is a "jump-ball" -- we'll have to learn more about the board to figure out if its a "hack" or simply a daignostix board we haven't seen yet.

My bet is that you have the real deal...but let's see what you see there (i.e. lottsa hi-res pics!)
 
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JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
The bar will have a big red and black wire. They go to positive and ground. The small red and black from the controller go to positive and ground too. Here is the weird part, the gray and blue small wires from the controller go to the red and black small wires from the bar. Your controller will have a plug that you can ignore coming out of it. That is for "non lightbar" parts of the system.

This picture is of my bar hooked up and fully functioning. Note the blue to red and black to gray between the controller and bar (small wires) and also note the big plug is unused.
matrix.JPG
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Quick note and bathroom break, I checked and identified that this bar does indeed have bigger black and red wires and smaller red and black wires coming from the bar itself. When I get home, if I'm not tired I'll open the lenses to check the board.... Not sure I'll get to that tonight tho.

So far things seem to be checking out
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
You shouldn't need to open it up yet. Connect it like shown below and see what you get.

diagdiagram.png
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
One more hour and half of driving and home. I cross referenced the wires in that diagram to mine and they are all there. This is looking better and better. He said last time he had it working was about three weeks ago. So it does work. He had it on a back rack on his truck working as a fireman. He left the leg stands on which is nice. The whole bar is complete, only one screw missing from the controller and a decal missing. It's a little dirty, but I'll clean it up nice. Here she is in the back of my Corolla.

Thanks everyone...really appreciate it.
 

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JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
One more hour and half of driving and home. I cross referenced the wires in that diagram to mine and they are all there. This is looking better and better. He said last time he had it working was about three weeks ago. So it does work. He had it on a back rack on his truck working as a fireman. He left the leg stands on which is nice. The whole bar is complete, only one screw missing from the controller and a decal missing. It's a little dirty, but I'll clean it up nice. Here she is in the back of my Corolla.

Thanks everyone...really appreciate it.
Looking promising. Let us know when you have it running or you need more help. The blue / grey to red / black is counterintuitive but once you get it is is very simple.
 

Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Finally home with big blue.

It's in really good shape now that I got a real good look at it. I believe the scratches can be polished out. I'll see about powering it up tomorrow, I'm beat, so...done for the day. I took my magnifying glass to see if I could find out what the config number is. All the numbers are there except the one I really needed, always always. It's very faint, but it looked like 403 or it could be 483.... I'm really not sure but it looked like that. I'll try again in the day when I am more awake....it's really tough to see the remains of the number.
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Finally home with big blue.

It's in really good shape now that I got a real good look at it. I believe the scratches can be polished out. I'll see about powering it up tomorrow, I'm beat, so...done for the day. I took my magnifying glass to see if I could find out what the config number is. All the numbers are there except the one I really needed, always always. It's very faint, but it looked like 403 or it could be 483.... I'm really not sure but it looked like that. I'll try again in the day when I am more awake....it's really tough to see the remains of the number.
You got yourself a pretty neat lightbar IMHO!
Thanks for trying to make out the config number.
It would be cool when you get it running, if you have a chance, to document exactly what each switch position and pushbutton does.
I'm also intrigued by your PCDS-9's model #, "PCDS9NC" (mine is just "PCDS-9").
Enjoy!
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
You got yourself a pretty neat lightbar IMHO!
Thanks for trying to make out the config number.
It would be cool when you get it running, if you have a chance, to document exactly what each switch position and pushbutton does.
I'm also intrigued by your PCDS-9's model #, "PCDS9NC" (mine is just "PCDS-9").
Enjoy
Yepp I'm going to wire it up nice following that chart. It actually seems simpler than my other bars, but going to make sure it's right. I believe it's going to be switch position 1 back
Thanks for trying to make out the config number.
I really tried to see the remains of what got rubbed off of the number using sunlight and magnifying glass, giving myself eye pain, lol. I'm kinda sorta sure it says 403, but I cannot say for 100% if there is another way to find out, I'll do it. You all been so helpful I'll help any way I can with this bars Information.
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Thanks for looking into the number but any number _above_ 256 breaks the dip-switch rule we first explored...(where the number corresponded exactly with the dip-switch inside the controller).

There's little doubt that if you change the dip-switch settings inside the controller, you get different behavior...but there are some details that are only known by Whelen (i.e. how many possible configuration "sets" exist, how are they identified? Is there any overlap among them...things like that).

Enjoy your "Big Blue"! :)
 

ur20v

Member
Feb 3, 2017
571
Northern Virginia
To view faded model and serial numbers, I use a UV flashlight or penlight..

The camera does a poor job of capturing the results, but you get the idea. Even 30 year old tags that appear to be completely blank pop with a number.

20220609_224923.jpg
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
They have them at auto parts stores with the AC leak finder dye.
Also, I would recommend against ordering them on Amazon, The ones you get at the auto parts store with AC dye are significantly better. The only reason I know is because I was trying to track a leak on an ambulance for a significant amount of time and went through several different versions of this product. The Napa branded UV trigger style light works quite well.
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Also, I would recommend against ordering them on Amazon, The ones you get at the auto parts store with AC dye are significantly better. The only reason I know is because I was trying to track a leak on an ambulance for a significant amount of time and went through several different versions of this product. The Napa branded UV trigger style light works quite well.
I got this one just now at AutoZone. I'll give it a shot when I get back home.
 

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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I used the UV light plus the yellow glasses off and on, AND a magnifying glass. It definitely did not show, but I believe I am seeing a number 2, but the rest possibly a #1 and a 3 for the last number. My guess is 213, but that is like 32% possibility. I'll try again later with my hobby magnifying glass that is on a stand, so there is no shaking.

I think it sucks that every number is there and readable by the naked eye, but the one I really needed.
 

Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
Which number are you trying to read?
The configuration number. Here is a better picture I took just now. I got as close as possible before my phone will blur and used flash. The box has a big, hand marked M on it, if it means anything
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
I know I'm the bozo that asked for the config number...but #1 thing on my mind is...does it work? How do you like it? :)
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
I know I'm the bozo that asked for the config number...but #1 thing on my mind is...does it work? How do you like it? :)
Yeah I didn't draw a crude grade school skill level diagram in MS Paint for nothing. ;)
 
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Eric2.0

Member
Jan 22, 2020
201
East Coast
I know I'm the bozo that asked for the config number...but #1 thing on my mind is...does it work? How do you like it? :)
I haven't wired it up yet.
I want to know the number also, so it's not a problem. I like finding out what I have and where it's been.

Here are some pictures of my collection, by no means organized or attractive, but there are 12 lights in here. My next thing to figure out is where what and how I'm going to deal with all these lights.
Anyways, they are safe and warm, lmao.
 

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