Whelen 90h rotators with fluted filters. Pics and Video. Now in a lightbar...

[JohnMarcson]

So whelen offered the 80/90 series rotators with both non-optic and fluted filters. Here is the set of NOS (or near) 90h rotators with fluted filters I just over paid for... I have never seen a set before.

 

[patrol530]

New to me, very unique.

 

[lotsofbars]

Oh… my… god…


That's like a vintage, non-terrible version of D-Tech rotators.

 

[JohnMarcson]

Here's where I ended up putting them.....


Also pictured is my other red/clear 90h

 

[JennyCop]

Great find, rare and very unique! :thumbsup: We all over pay sometimes John! no worries! sometimes its what it takes to have such great rare pieces in our collections.

 

[emtanderson51]

.........awesome.............

 

[tsquale]

Wow! Those are some cool looking bars! :hail:

 

[plybeep68]

Nice!! Very Nice!! :thumbsup:

 

[badge22]

John,


Could those have been designed specifically for stationary lights?

 

[dmathieu]

John,

Could those have been designed specifically for stationary lights?

I was thinking the same thing!


Verrrry nice John!!!

 

[JohnMarcson]

John,

Could those have been designed specifically for stationary lights?

Nope. Whelen offered both types for rotators and stationary lights. The non-fluted were more common than the fluted in both applications, but either could be ordered in either place. The 90h rotators pictured came this way from the factory, and the bar they are in now is correct for how they were initially ordered.


The two types of filters weren't usually mixed and matched... people usually ordered a bar all one style (again usually non fluted)... The only fluted ones I have ever seen before were amber and populated an entire bar.... there were 2 on each rotator, so no clear side on each rotator. The bar had STT and work lights, so that's the reason for the clear outer dome....


Here is the 1980 90h catalog description.


"When the outer dome is specified clear, colored spreader lens covers or non-spreader type are available for rotating reflectors and for stationary reflectors. All safety colors are available."





In typical old Whelen catalog fashion, they title it "Spreader Lens" and show the non spreader type. They often did this with strobe and halogen MAX beams and mixed rotator styles in advatedge descriptions and pics in the catalogs in the 80s and 90s....

 

[JohnMarcson]

While we are talking filters... whelen also offered two different takes on a colored internal filter for the 8000 series. Unlike the 90/80h, these two filters were not offered at the same time. The top one was the first style, the bottom the second style. After that the next two internal optics were offered in clear only.

 

[dmathieu]

Great stuff!!

 

[Richard P]

John, you gotta stop posting these, every time I see this 90h topic, I want one more and more! mostly the rotator assemblies, but even now, the bar itself is starting to grow on me!

 

[JohnMarcson]

Half the bar is still red, I "built" this bar in photoshop... I did actually add the red filter...


NYPD Style......

 

[kitn1mcc]

thats bad ass

 

[Usmc69187]

I WANT IT!!!

 

[nerdly_dood]

Did those filters come in clear? Seems like that would match better with the same flash to match the red ones... but hey, if the red ones were hard to come by, have you thought about trying out a 3D printer?

 

[NPS Ranger]

AND the NECRO-THREAD prize for 2019 (still early) goes to Usmc69187 for replying to a 7 year old thread. Congratulations! Your prize will be forwarded under separate cover, labeled "Try AOL for free!"

 

[Usmc69187]

ive had INCREDIBLE luck getting thing im looking for on posts as old as this. funny to you but works for me. Additionally i could care less what platform i use to email.. fyi picked up all that in a post from YEARS AGO. Also nominate me for the look under ever rock prize

 

[Usmc69187]

and the 4 working strobe pans in the photo i got replying to a 5 year old post.$80 shipped

 

[gtpts27]

@Usmc69187 For what it's worth, what I do in such situations (when I'm mining old threads for iso items) is pm the original poster directly rather than comment on a long dead thread. That's generally more effective and is more inline with preferred practices, as it prevents unnecessary posts and thread resurrections. Nevertheless, you are right that you can find some good stuff by checking old threads. It's helped me more than once.

 

[Usmc69187]

I do it so not only does the original poster see it but other that also may have what I’m looking for. Since we’re in the topic do you have it know anyone with whelen 80/90/8000 domes or lightbars that may be looking to sell?

 

[DefianceEngineCompany]

Are the heads between 80 and 90h interchangeable on the motors, or do they have separate motors. If I had 90h rotators and I wanted to put 80h reflectors on them, would they mount on and work ?

 

[JohnMarcson]

Are the heads between 80 and 90h interchangeable on the motors, or do they have separate motors. If I had 90h rotators and I wanted to put 80h reflectors on them, would they mount on and work ?

The motors are the same as far as I can tell, they use the same base that protrudes through the tray. I noticed no difference in speed either, making the two sided 90h actually flash more often. I might be the victim of older parts not having as easily noticed speed difference, but I see no difference as far as the motors. As far as filter types, fluted was more common on flashers and non-fluted on rotators, but that was not specifically stated in literature. You could order either on any option.

 

[dmathieu]

The motor assys are the same fit, but different RPMs, 75 for the older 80Hs, possibly 90 for newer, and 55 for 90H, IIRC.

 

[JohnMarcson]

The motor assys are the same fit, but different RPMs, 75 for the older 80Hs, possibly 90 for newer, and 55 for 90H, IIRC.

Good memory...

I have two speeds, 55 for the 90h and 75 for the 80h. I cannot find anything faster even in the 81h (newest). I believe it is motor based, not gear based but I have not fully tested that.







The way the motor in the 80/90 is retained (and the type/brand) remind me of the rota-beam commander and the "twist-lock" mount it looks like it was supposed to have. The gearbox has 3 "wings" and the skirt has 3 cutouts with little rivets that look like the whole mechanism would twist right in to. The RB commander is actually mounted on posts, it looks like the twist in mechanism was abandoned.

 

[JohnMarcson]

This is the "newest" 80h rotator I have found, it is still 75fpm.


I'm sure @dmathieu knows more about rotabeams, but I believe they are usually 33 rpm is a very common motor speed (like the records).

​

These speeds lead me to believe the speed wa motor based, because 33, 55, and 75, were common motor speeds. From what I found on the now EPA Superfund defunct Rowe Motors, that seems to fit the type of motors they made. I will tear apart a gear box when i have one to compare it to.

 

[dmathieu]

Those speeds go along with what I know for the automotive market. At one time I had heard, but can't prove that the 80H/33H had increased to 90 RPM, but never actually saw it.

 

[JohnMarcson]

Those speeds go along with what I know for the automotive market. At one time I had heard, but can't prove that the 80H/33H had increased to 90 RPM, but never actually saw it.

It's funny, I had heard that at one point (maybe from you), and considered it an early fast rotator. I cannot find one in my limited examples and search, but that doesn't mean it does not exist. Unfortunately the literature doesn't mention rotator speeds.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I found something. The Responder bars and beacon used 90fpm motors and the same gearbox. So that is where the 90fpm version comes from. It could easily be used in an 80h.

90fpm responder gearbox motor in 12vdc

Getting 90rpm by using a 9vdc motor (the FedSig method) Same model number motor as the 12vdc 90rpm


Catalog page documenting the 90 fpm


75 rpm / 55rpm description I did find in a catalog.


And a 16 rpm, again very close to half of other models

 

[dmathieu]

I've seen very low RPM motor assys being used in some of Whelen's Aircraft beacons

 

[JohnMarcson]

I've seen very low RPM motor assys being used in some of Whelen's Aircraft beacons

I am pretty sure that is where the 16 came from.