The Siren Board

I gotcha now!

Well I'm looking at obtaining from Cincinnati next week at some stage for this project. Would prefer a dual tone - Can anyone advise of a location for one? I have free choice of the surplus range and obviously won't be able to test their functionality.

Whilst it doesn't particularly matter is there a visual way to determine whether it is a single or three phase siren just by looking? (Other than via a plate).

Chriswg wrote:I gotcha now!

Well I'm looking at obtaining from Cincinnati next week at some stage for this project. Would prefer a dual tone - Can anyone advise of a location for one? I have free choice of the surplus range and obviously won't be able to test their functionality.

Whilst it doesn't particularly matter is there a visual way to determine whether it is a single or three phase siren just by looking? (Other than via a plate).

Without removing parts? (Side paneling, the panel on the RCM, the plate on the siren) not really... But looking at the plate there is a pretty simple way to tell... I'm on my phone and can't slap a picture of the plate up so maybe someone can slap one up for more visual detail... Telling if it's a single or dual tone... Only way I know how to do that is run it up or look at the chopper which you can do by taking the horn off. Be careful of course not to stick your fingers in the port with the chopper moving.

Just bump the chopper a little bit if it's still hooked up, that's the easiest way to tell.

if there on the ground and disassembled i would look in the chopper port on the chopper cap , if the horn is still on it shine a light down the throat of the horn. if you can visually see in the chopper slot look to see if it doesnt have a dividend in the magnesium chopper assembly, if not and it has a large port then its single tone. if it has a dividend in the chopper it self and two seperate ports then its a duel tone. Like everyone else said if its still assembled and on a pole and still hooked to power bump the chopper just a bit in the rcm panel to see if it is single or duel tone.

these are pictures from my collection of some 3 phase siren stuff that came from around the cincinnati area and what you might run into.
here is what a mid 1950's 3 phase RCM panel looks like..



here is what a 3 phase 1950s A1 blower with 3 phase motor looks like


here is what a 1960s 5m blower with 3 phase motor looks like, blower needs to be degreased and not sure of motor brand.

Is Cincinnati's system typically dual or single tone?

Eeyoreluvsme wrote:if there on the ground and disassembled i would look in the chopper port on the chopper cap , if the horn is still on it shine a light down the throat of the horn. if you can visually see in the chopper slot look to see if it doesnt have a dividend in the magnesium chopper assembly, if not and it has a large port then its single tone. if it has a dividend in the chopper it self and two seperate ports then its a duel tone. Like everyone else said if its still assembled and on a pole and still hooked to power bump the chopper just a bit in the rcm panel to see if it is single or duel tone.

these are pictures from my collection of some 3 phase siren stuff that came from around the cincinnati area and what you might run into.
here is what a mid 1950's 3 phase RCM panel looks like..



here is what a 3 phase 1950s A1 blower with 3 phase motor looks like


here is what a 1960s 5m blower with 3 phase motor looks like, blower needs to be degreased and not sure of motor brand.

The bar down the port has no influence on the tone. I was wondering about that a while back because mine has the split in the middle but it's single tone. I think only the earlier bolts had the wide port... Did we have a different conclusion become uncovered that I missed?

Chriswg wrote:Is Cincinnati's system typically dual or single tone?

I would say close to half and half, but probably more dual than single.

coastalsyrolover wrote:

The bar down the port has no influence on the tone. I was wondering about that a while back because mine has the split in the middle but it's single tone. I think only the earlier bolts had the wide port... Did we have a different conclusion become uncovered that I missed?[/quote]


No i was not refering to the port dividend on the chopper cap it self as the choppers can be junkyard swapped in many cases on those sirens, i was instructing him to look at the rotor itself through the port on the chopper cap to see if it has the dividend in it to tell if its dual tone or not.

Oh and cincinnati's Tbolts came in single tone 5 port, dual tone 4/5 port and dual tone 5/6 port. I currently own one of each.

Eeyoreluvsme wrote:

coastalsyrolover wrote:

The bar down the port has no influence on the tone. I was wondering about that a while back because mine has the split in the middle but it's single tone. I think only the earlier bolts had the wide port... Did we have a different conclusion become uncovered that I missed?

No i was not refering to the port dividend on the chopper cap it self as the choppers can be junkyard swapped in many cases on those sirens, i was instructing him to look at the rotor itself through the port on the chopper cap to see if it has the dividend in it to tell if its dual tone or not.

Oh and cincinnati's Tbolts came in single tone 5 port, dual tone 4/5 port and dual tone 5/6 port. I currently own one of each.[/quote]
Eeeeeeeeooooooo... Okay. Guess I didn't have my coffee... Sorry sorry...

Any suggestions on what is the best method of removal from a building? I know I'll need to cut the pipe but am I correct in saying the base is extremely heavy?