Thunderbolt problem

[ThunderboltFreak]

No not near as loud.

[SoundOff]

"Quiet Test" (chopper without running the blower) perhaps ?

[ThunderboltFreak]

I don't know because they wouldn't run a "quiet" test every test. They might but I don't know.

[500AT]

There was a similar problem in neighboring Wayne County, with a 1003 over 15 years ago. Apparently, the repair tech came out and somehow damaged the blower motor by mixing some wires up, and the siren was only functioning at half volume. I called up the city EMD director, explaining to him my concern about the lack of audio from the siren, and they went out and checked the unit during the next monthly test, which confirmed my initial observation. Subsequently, the repair techs came back out and fixed the siren by placing a new motor in the air compressor unit. Afterwards, the EMD director called up to thank me, mostly because nobody ever reports anything like this, until the siren fails during a real emergency.

On another occasion, the local Federal 2001 in my neighborhood sounded very strange a few months after it was installed. My county doesn't test their sirens at all between the months of October and March, preferring to only sound them during tornado season. Over the winter, the belt came off the rotor, causing the siren to only project in one direction away from my house. Here again, the EMD director had the repair tech come out and fix the problem, and it works just fine now. Likewise, I was thanked for letting them know about the malfunction, and was encouraged to report any similar problems in the future.

[ThunderboltFreak]

Sorry to bring up this old topic but I think it's a T-1000 not a 1000. Would that make any difference?

[pyramid head]

That should not make any change in what has happened at all, seems how it is the same siren. T-1000's are a single tone, along with a "1000" a dual tone is a 1000T and/or 1003. The sirens tone setup would not have anything to do with what you think is happening, happy answer hunting.

[StonedChipmunk]

To clear things up a bit and add some extra info:
(T-)1000: Single tone
(T-)1000T: Dual tone without hi-lo capability
(T-)1003: Dual tone with hi-lo capability

The 1000 was the first Thunderbolt. Only single tone. Chopper still available, as it used the same as the Model 2.
Then, the 1000T was released. Added dual tone. The chopper is not made anymore as it was custom-made for 1000Ts.
And essentially, the 1003 is a 1000T with solenoids to allow one tone at a time. (Of course, the inner workings are much different I've heard, but for non-restorers like myself, that's all you need to know.) However, I've heard of situations where 1003 users leave one solenoid open and one closed (broken, perhaps) and it sounds like a 1000 (or a high-pitched 1000, depending on which solenoid is stuck closed.)

The siren model should not have anything to do with what sounds like a blower problem. Check two things:
1.) Is the siren winding up at the same speed and/or to the same tone as it used to?
NO: There is a problem with the chopper motor. Possibly worn or running at low voltage.
YES: Continue.
2.) Is the siren simply sounding like the "volume" was lowered?
YES: The blower motor is not functioning at the right speed or at all, or there is a problem with the air pipe that carries the compressed air up to the chopper.
NO: You're boned.

However! These answers are pretty much inconclusive as there are probably many more other reasons that it's not sounding loud enough i.e. weather or intentional changes to the chopper, motor, or blower. Quite possibly, the mechanics saw it coming and changed a part before it blew out, and had to get a deformed part that doesn't function the same as the old one did.

EDIT: Did you ever find an answer to the problem? Or is it still running at half volume?

[JasonC]

There was a similar problem in neighboring Wayne County, with a 1003 over 15 years ago. Apparently, the repair tech came out and somehow damaged the blower motor by mixing some wires up, and the siren was only functioning at half volume.

Most likely, he fed three phase 240VAC and wired it into the motor as 480VAC. This will both damage the blower motor and reduce output by quite a bit. There was an old recording (I forget who made it) of a "mooing" T-1000 that had this same problem.

[Hacksaw]

Maybe the air pressure relief is stuck open.

[JasonC]

In reference to the original question, the newer controls installed on many Thunderbolts do not have the time delay controller the RCM1 cabinets have so everything shuts off at once. As for the weak sounding...what do you mean there (lowered pitch)? Maybe the wired the chopper to only 120v since the transformer would also be removed as well.