SignalTraffic Forums

Super light.

C-Phase wrote: I applied 7.5 volts DC to the magnet end which in turn closes the AC fused circuit and contacts allowing the flow to light the beacon.

Yes, Judging from the few online references to that system, that makes perfect sense.

C-Phase wrote: My question is does anyone know if there would have been a DC circuit on the pole or some sort of DC signal line or battery???

Yes, This device was intended to attract the beat officer to an associated callbox. The city likely had dedicated or leased phone lines for the call box and to operate the "flashlight" system. (Educated guess; They probably put 48 VDS at their end of the phone line. Most of that voltage would have been dropped in the resistance of the phone line.)

C-Phase wrote:Also unless there was some sort of interupter via flasher or relay, it would be a steady burning, and not flashing. Any idea's?

This wasn't a traffic control device, but I wouldn't be surprised if it flashed the beacon. Following old phone company practice, I would guessthat there was a single rotary "interrupter" at the central office to provide pulsating 48 VDC. for the "Flashlight" system. This would have had the effect of flashing the light. (Above is only a guess! Until yesterday I never heard of this system. I do have a little background in police callboxes and old phone practice.)

Vaughn

vaughnsimon wrote:

C-Phase wrote: I applied 7.5 volts DC to the magnet end which in turn closes the AC fused circuit and contacts allowing the flow to light the beacon.

Yes, Judging from the few online references to that system, that makes perfect sense.

C-Phase wrote: My question is does anyone know if there would have been a DC circuit on the pole or some sort of DC signal line or battery???

Yes, This device was intended to attract the beat officer to an associated callbox. The city likely had dedicated or leased phone lines for the call box and to operate the "flashlight" system. (Educated guess; They probably put 48 VDS at their end of the phone line. Most of that voltage would have been dropped in the resistance of the phone line.)

C-Phase wrote:Also unless there was some sort of interupter via flasher or relay, it would be a steady burning, and not flashing. Any idea's?

This wasn't a traffic control device, but I wouldn't be surprised if it flashed the beacon. Following old phone company practice, I would guessthat there was a single rotary "interrupter" at the central office to provide pulsating 48 VDC. for the "Flashlight" system. This would have had the effect of flashing the light. (Above is only a guess! Until yesterday I never heard of this system. I do have a little background in police callboxes and old phone practice.)

Vaughn

Thanks Vaughn, That's GREAT stuff (info)

Do you know of any current modern flasher/relay that I might be able to use to interupt the DC and make this flash if I wanted too?

*Note* Before using the 7.5 volt transformer I used a 12 volt trans. It worked, so I wanted to try a lower votage so not to burn out anything (just in case) so I tried the 7.5 It migh even work with lower voltage, but only went a low as 7.5 for this test.
I was thinking a simple car turn signal flasher would work if I used a 12 volt transformer. Any thoughts about this? Not sure how to tell if 12 volts DC to too much when 7.5 works, but would need 12 volts if using the modern car flasher.

Would an ohm reading on the magnet wiring tell me what it could/should take or handle, if so what would I expect to read for correct voltage usage?

Thanks

The turn signals flasher is a workable idea. (Caution: the old mechanical type need a load to work, you want an electronic one)

12 volts may be perfectly safe but... Keep going lower on the voltage to see what works. Flashlight batteries are 1.5 volts each, so see how many batteries it takes to reliably energize the relay. Then, if you measure the resistance of the coil, we can use Ohm's law to tell you what resister to add to reduce the 12 volts down to a known-safe voltage.

Vaughn

C-Phase wrote:Got it, Thank you !!

The light I have in a ad from 26 and another ad from 40-41

The light, I have an ad from 26 and another ad from 40-41

vaughnsimon wrote:The turn signals flasher is a workable idea. (Caution: the old mechanical type need a load to work, you want an electronic one)

12 volts may be perfectly safe but... Keep going lower on the voltage to see what works. Flashlight batteries are 1.5 volts each, so see how many batteries it takes to reliably energize the relay. Then, if you measure the resistance of the coil, we can use Ohm's law to tell you what resister to add to reduce the 12 volts down to a known-safe voltage.

Vaughn

Thanks,
I'm using wall chager type tansformers. I have a box full from when the appliances crap out. All different voltage ranges.

Anyway your post about the phone line powering it makes perfect sense and got me to thinking.

How cool would it be if I wired the controller to my phone supply ringer line? Then the beacon to the controller on the AC side. I have many empty phone wall jacks available.

I didn't measure it yet, but i think the phone line is roughly 15-18 volts DC ??

Everytime the phone would ring the magnet would pull closing the light circuit and the beacon would light !!!

If only powering for a short duration such as this, I doubt ths voltage would hurt a thing.

Crunge98 wrote:The light, I have an ad from 26 and another ad from 40-41

Not sure what that means ?

C-Phase wrote:

Crunge98 wrote:The light, I have an ad from 26 and another ad from 40-41

Not sure what that means ?

That is ok, I speek "JAY"......
The Light =

I have an ad from 26 = A paper with info printed in 1926
and another ad from 40-41 = A paper with info printed on it from 1940 or 1941, I do not remember.....

C-Phase wrote: Mine was in the middle of the 4 way intersection clamped to a guy wire strung caddy corner from pole to pole. The feed wires were lashed to the guy wire and connected to the controller mounted up on the pole.
It still has two insulator spools and two bolt guy wire clamp attached

Would you happen to have any pictures of it hanging up???

C-Phase wrote: Anyway your post about the phone line powering it makes perfect sense and got me to thinking.
How cool would it be if I wired the controller to my phone supply ringer line? Then the beacon to the controller on the AC side. I have many empty phone wall jacks available. I didn't measure it yet, but i think the phone line is roughly 15-18 volts DC ?? Everytime the phone would ring the magnet would pull closing the light circuit and the beacon would light !!! If only powering for a short duration such as this, I doubt ths voltage would hurt a thing.

Sorry. None of those ideas will work unless you build some special interface hardware. Normal open-circuit phone line voltage is about 48 VDC. The ringing voltage is 90VAC 20 HZ. As any phone guy will be able to tell you first hand, ringing voltage will give you a very unpleasant shock.

Further, the DC path through that coil would capture your line. Your line would always be busy!

Vaughn