I recently graduated High School on May 30th and my Dad got me a Federal Sign and Signal Thunderbolt with its Blower and Control Cabinet as a Graduation Gift! The Thunderbolt was originally installed in Lansing Michigan and was removed by West Shore Services. West Shore Services was kind enough to set aside a Thunderbolt for me and even include its controller! This Thunderbolt will be refurbished and cleaned up for Sirencon 2027!
Here are some photos of the Thunderbolt.
Congratulations! Not every day you get something like that for sure! I just hope you’re careful with hooking it up though: 240VAC sure as heck isn’t anything to treat lightly!
Yes. Make sure you know what you are doing with the wiring. Also, be careful with the rotator, as I’ve heard they used asbestos for something in there. Just be mindful while working on it.
Yeah, I also noticed they used Lead Paint on the Siren Head. So I gotta be careful about that too.
Oh don’t worry, I know the people at West Shore Services and they said they will help me if I have any questions on how to wire up. I will also include a Power Switch so I can turn off the controller in case I want to service the Controller, Siren, or Blower.
Oh? Oh yes: lead sure isn’t anything to treat lightly either!
Oh? Well that was nice of them! (that & saving the siren for you in the first place!)
Good idea: there’s a reason signs like this exist after all:
It’s dangerous to believe solely in switches for not getting zapped. Sometimes contacts could weld shut. Sometimes somebody unaware might flip it on for no reason. A visually clear and assured discontinuity in circuitry a.k.a. a power plug with proper current and IP rating is better - also helpful while hauling the siren around to shows and events.
That’s why my dad is gonna install one of those Junction Boxes seen on the side of siren poles so that way nobody will turn the siren’s Power on. The box will have a key so it doesn’t get tampered with.
Good idea. Perhaps a lockout tag for the box’s power switch would be a good idea too.
Nice snag!! Been almost two years since I’ve been there but I hope to return this year. There was a Thunderbolt head I was going to pickup last year, but car troubles prevented that from happening. Hopefully it happens this year! Good luck getting it going!
