Signal Stat Duo-Com corona-chan find

Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
So as anyone can imagine with corona-chan pretty much wrecking everything as of late. Lightbar pickings have been few and far inbetween.

So it would figure that what I do eventually end up finding is a unique one..

Overall condition is pretty good after removing a protective coating of dust and dirt with some simple green.

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It does need a good cleanup.. and for those with a good eye has a very interesting.. should I say modification.

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That is a Mars/Tri whatever light beacon is it not?
Interesting repair as the original rotator probably seized.

I think I have a parts bar for this in storage.. but I may have sold it. I'd like to return it to factory so the beacon is coming out..

I need to power it up and test, was trying to track wiring and the sun was going down when I took these yesterday.. more to come.
 
May 21, 2010
2,201
Elmira, ny
Nice light.....even with the frankenmod lol.

I give the original person that had it an e for effort :) but im sure with your expertise it will be back to original soon
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
whoa so this thing is going to be a handful right off the bat.
I got some toasty wires in the passenger side rotator.. nice and melty gooey... I was able to get the rotator to spin up, but no lights.. and you can see why.

The Mars/Tri/Trip beacon does not want to do anything.
I need to play with it abit, wanna test with a meter maybe something amiss.

Flasher, and flashers all work.. and so far ALL bulbs test OK. so at least I don't need to hunt down those.

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Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
Those are 1st generation bulb cans. They only rotate one direction of which I happen to have several NOS if you are interested.

I will keep this in mind.. might be overkill for this bar but if I can't salvage any from the parts bar I dug out I might be game. I still need to repair the wiring fiasco in the one good working one I have.

With that in mind I figured out what the deal was with the Mars\etc beacon..

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If you look real close in the center there is a screw that holds down the grounding points and completes the path to ground. This was loose to the point of no contact. While I was turning I took note of the plastic cap\grommet that appears to be damaged probably due to age. The light does power up, but I would not run it until I found a repair for that cap. That and it burned up a bulb on power up.

This Mars\etc thing is available if someone is interested.. at least a parts beacon.. if not just needing a retaining band and a dome.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
I'll take your word for it then.. Off to the sale section with it.
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
Interesting Franken-mod done to keep it in service. Those first gen Signal-Stat Dual-Com rotator cans had poor ventilation. Other than the Franken-mod, that Dual-Com looks pretty complete.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
So update on this project with the obligatory pictures.. Thanks to @Maxim2Eng I acquired 2 matching 1st Gen rotators. That along with a little bit of cleanup and this bar internally at least is looking pretty spiffy.

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Rear ( I think)

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Front

Stickers on front or rear of this bar? doesn't really make a difference, its just how I install the speaker grille.

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And bonus..

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When was the last time anyone has seen one of these? This one was installed on the bar, I used to find these installed inside engine bays or elsewhere, but on the bar?
Regardless this one is dead.. so off it goes.

I'm not sure if wiring gremlins are at play or not, but one of the replacement rotators tends to only work when you coax it, and not very long. I need to dig further into it, make sure nothing came loose during shipping.

Rob
 
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Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
Remember you can get further with a kind word and a 2 x 4 then you can with just a kind word( and maybe a lil greasing??? )..
 
Rob,
Try a little sandpaper/emery cloth on the contact ring and a small file on the contact brush. I disassembled one to find out the issue was corrosion from lack of use, so I scrubbed the contact ring good and filed the brush bright. The other one I used emery cloth on a paint stick to clean up. Sanded but didn’t file the brush. Then sprayed both with a HD contact cleaner. WD40 might help as well (on the corrosion).

The DualComm sticker is on the front of the bar (drive side) and the wire grommet for power/speaker was on curbside (at least on NYPD bars). The rule for circuit breakers was to put it as close to the battery as possible—less wire to fry in the event of a short!
Ed
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
I remember seeing an amber version on a tow truck with four rotating lights (the middle lights were not stationary).
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
a couple of update videos on this bar..


and as of today..

 

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