Two Whelen CenCom questions

[Tango7]

Finally getting a chance to post this - been a loooong day.

I've been looking at an all-in-one system for lighting control and siren. Looked at one of the Brookings/SoS 9-switch mini-panels, as well as some others like the Whelen PCCS9RW, but I don't want my truck overrun with farkle gear. I've driven enough marked units over the past decades to not have to have my POV look like one anymore.

The Whelen Cencom system seems amazing, but I have no practical experience with it, and although I've seen several for what seem to be good prices, I don't want to buy one until I can figure this out. Before I call Whelen direct, can you folks who know about it answer a few questions?

Issue 1: Color Choices.

When I last ran lights, I had an old school Unitrol slider in my POV set up like this:

SL1: Dash Light
SL2: Dash Light & Rear Deck Strobes
SL3: Dash Light, Rear Deck Strobes, headlight wig-wag and Tailgater (brake/backup flasher).

The warning lights were all blue, so it was relatively simple. I still have that switch somewhere now that I think about it...

Now, 25 years later, I'm trying to design a dual-color LED system for my F150, which is used for both Fire Department response (blue) and my electrical contracting business (amber) (as I've posted in other threads). I'm planning on buying an interior bar for the rear window of my cap that can function as a warning bar or a Traffic Advisor.

I'm trying to avoid an "all or nothing" switching arrangement.

I know that there will be different needs depending on what I'm doing (parked in an alley installing a fixture versus responding to or parked at a fire incident), but I'd like to arrange different switching for two sets of lights on a single control panel.

If I can, in addition to the Blue (only) or Amber (only) modes, I'd love to be able to alternate Blue/Amber as well.

I know the Cencom (Gold, Sapphire or Carbide) can perform the following:

Function 1: Rear Interior Bar, Exterior Corner Lights (inside fog lamp cutout and under rear bumper)
Function 2: Rear Interior Bar, Exterior Corner Lights, Interior (Visor) Bar, Grille Lights, Side Lights (inside cap side windows)
Function 3: Rear Interior Bar, Exterior Corner Lights, Interior (Visor) Bar, Grille Lights, Side Lights, Tailgater, WigWag

Is there a way to designate one of the buttons (SWx) to select which color would result? Or would I have to assign the SLide switch position to Color A, and use button SWitches to activate Color B? Is this something that only the newer products like Sapphire or Carbide can do?

Edited to add:

I downloaded Whelen's Command software, but I can't tell if I can used the SLider switch to activate/enable the SWitch buttons, and I can't find much in the way of literature. Using this as an example:




It looks like I could set up
SW9 as Function 1 (blue)
SW10 as Function 2 (blue)
SW17 as Function 3 (blue)
SW20 as Function 1 (Amber)
SW21 as Function 2 (Amber)
SW22 as Function 3 (Amber)

Which might not be bad if I could program
SL1: power to SW9; power to SW20
SL2: Power to SW9 & 10; power to SW20 & 21
SL3 Power to SW9, 10 & 17; power to SW20, 21 & 22

But I'd much rather have the functions determined by the SLide switch and the output color(s) by a single button for each {Blue} or {Amber}..

Issue 2: Non-Whelen parts.

The only information I've been able to glean off the Whelen manuals relates to installing Whelen lights (duh), and all their programming prompts seem to be preset for various Whelen P/N's (2nd duh)

How would I program it if I'm using Feniex or another brand product? Is there a {generic} output device? I know it's possible, but would appreciate a "how-to" before I drop the coins on a system.

Edited to add - after playing with the software it looks like I just route power to generic outputs. Easy enough. The CenCom allows for the programming of flash patterns. If I run the heads as "dummies" (don't connect the sync wires and program them to steady burn), will the CPU control it?

I also know that how I connect anything but a Whelen TA depends on how the TA function in whatever rear bar I wind up buying is wired.

Should I consider an option other than the CenCom? (I'm not wedded to it,. just saw it as convenient and reasonably affordable). - Wondering if the Feniex Typhoon might be a viable option.

Thanks!

 

[Da-Sarge]

This is an interesting topic im sure you could probably configure the buttons for amber so its like a toggle switch and use the slider for blue then use position 3 of the slider for dual color i dont have a dual color setup myself but you are able to set up buttons to do pretty much what you want you just need to set the event commands for the button i am not sure if theres an option to change colors by a button for the slider though you could use the park kill function on the concom to set to what you need for on scene

I'm sure someone on here will give you a better understanding then i can

 

[carguy411]

First I think we would need to know what cencom you are going to get and which lights( brand and type Single or dual color)
The Cencom gold and sapphire won’t give you flash patterns that would be the Cencom carbide.
but the easiest way I would do it is each section(ex rear light). You would run the Amber trigger wires to one switch output the blue trigger wires to another switch out put. And that button to either turn on the amber leds and another button to turn on the blues.
you could then select the slide switch outputs to control which ever burins to turn on you want and still have individual controls with out the slide switch aS well

you can also look at the 3200 when handheld controller. Same concept littlecheaper and easier to mount in POV
Plus don’t have to context with the slide switch Turing in the first to functions before you get to the third
Just an idea

hope this makes sense to you.

 

[Tango7]

First I think we would need to know what cencom you are going to get

Well, I know the Red and Grey are pretty limited. Golds are plentiful, but if they can't do what I want they're useless. If I can get a Sapphire cheap I'd love that, but again, only if it can do what I need.

and which lights( brand and type Single or dual color)

Right now I was looking at Feniex in Amber and Blue, but I'm not wedded to them, so I'm keeping an eye out for any and all deals I can find from reputable companies (Feniex, Whelen, FedSign, SoS, Star or Abrams) . This picture shows what I'm thinking of - while the lights are shown in blue or amber, they would all be duals.

It would be so much simpler if I was just doing an all-or-nothing single color install, but noooooo...

The Cencom gold and sapphire won’t give you flash patterns that would be the Cencom carbide.

Yeah, I tried finding a chart that compared the capabilities of the Red, Grey, Gold, Sapphire and Carbide but no joy.

but the easiest way I would do it is each section(ex rear light).

I was thinking of assigning the slide switch the following activation pattern
SL1 - perimeter lights (the ones under the rear bumper and in the fog nacelles),
SL2 - SL1 plus grille lights, rear window and side window lights
SL3 - SL1 & SL2, plus ILB, wig wags and backflash

You would run the Amber trigger wires to one switch output the blue trigger wires to another switch out put. And that button to either turn on the amber leds and another button to turn on the blues.
you could then select the slide switch outputs to control which ever burins to turn on you want and still have individual controls with out the slide switch aS well

That's what I kind of thought.

SL would control which set of lights was powered, and the color would be selected by Button 1 (amber) and Button 2 (blue). I was wondering if I might have to use a series of relays to achieve that - SL would turn on R(elays) based on the position, and the buttons would provide power to them based on colors
R1a = amber perimeter lights, R1b = blue perimeter lights
R2a = amber grille & window lights, R2b - blue grille and window lights
R3a = amber ILB, R3b = blue ILB

But while I understand the theory, my experience with them and the CenComs is limited, so I've been reading like a fiend.

you can also look at the 3200 when handheld controller. Same concept littlecheaper and easier to mount in POV
Plus don’t have to context with the slide switch Turing in the first to functions before you get to the third

I looked at that just now, and found the CCMIC option. While I like the slide switch (it's what I had in my POV back in the day and in the buggy at the FD) that might work.

Just an idea

Hey, I'll take it - that's why I signed up here. Thank you!