Technical Bulletins
technical@byrumsequipment.com

 

Peerless Handcuffs:

Important Peerless® Handcuff Safety Notice

Re: Peerless®700 Series and 801 Series Handcuffs, Leg Irons and Waist Chains.  Peerless is conducting a voluntary program to repair certain of its 700 and 801 series restraints. Peerless has received reports that a spring in certain units identified below has failed, which could cause the locking mechanism to malfunction. Peerless is replacing the spring to ensure that the restraints meet Peerless' rigorous standards.

The 700 series restraints that are included in the repair program were manufactured from September 2005 to December 2005, and have the following serial numbers:

Model 700: Chain Link Handcuff: 453501 to 485060

Model 7030: Oversize Chain Link Handcuff: 099251 to 105200

Model 710: High Security Handcuff: 011501 to 011550

Model 703: Leg Iron: 098851 to 106000

Model 705: Oversize Leg Iron: 011476 to 012615

Model 7002: Waist Chain: 026526 to 027260

Model 7003: Waist Chain: 032101 to 033025

The 801 series restraints that are included in the repair program were manufactured from May 2005 to December 2005, and have the following serial numbers:

Model 801: Hinged Handcuff: 110201 to 134000

The Model Number and Serial Number are located near the key holes on the restraints. Also included in the program are any restraints sent for lock-related repairs from May 2005 to December 2005.  Only restraints with the serial numbers identified above or that were repaired from May 2005 to December 2005 may contain the potentially affected spring. Therefore, other restraints are excluded from the repair program.  Please check your restraints/inventory for the affected Models and Serial Numbers. These units should be returned to Peerless for service. All shipping and repair will be free of charge.  To participate in the repair program or if you have any questions, please call Peerless at 800-547-4914 - 9:00AM to 4:00PM EST. Information is also available at www.peerless.net.

To check a Serial Number at our website click here.  For online registration and instructions to return effected product click here.

You can download a safety notice suitable for posting here.  For more than 90 years, Peerless has been committed to supplying the finest restraints available. We continue to be so committed and we apologize for the inconvenience this notice causes you.

Sincerely,

Peerless Handcuff Company
95 Sate Street
Springfield, MA 01103

SAE Certification:
What does the SAE Certification mean?  Here is what each of those numbers mean:

SAE J578         Color Specification: SAE defines color limits for every color that is used on a vehicle. Products must fall within those limits.

SAE J595          Light output - The lightbar has to have enough light output to pass this rigorous test specification.

SAE J1113/41    Conducted Emissions/Radiated Emissions: The product has limits on the the amount of electronic noise it can generate on the power leads and the product of electronic noise it can radiate in free air.

SAE J1113/21     Radiated Susceptibility - The product has to not fail while under extreme magnetic and electric fields.

SAE J1113/11     Conducted Transients - The products must not fail while being subjected to electrical spikes.

SAE J1113/13     Electrostatic Discharge Testing

SAE J1211          Thermal Cycling and Stress Test

SAE J575           Vibration, Dust and Corrosion Testing

SAE J994           High Pressure Water Spray

 

Able-2:
Intermittent Flashing Strobe Tubes
Intermittent Flashing Strobe Tubes Sho-Me strobe power supplies are designed with a special feature that shuts down the circuit when arcing or a short circuit occurs. These power supplies produce up to 450 volts DC. At this voltage even a small amount of moisture can cause arcing or a short - resulting in intermittent flashing.

To determine if a strobe tube or cable is causing a problem, unplug each cable, one at a time. (Remember to wait 5 minutes after shutting off the power supply.) If one strobe tube or cable is the source of the problem, all others should flash correctly when the defective one is unplugged.

Follow these steps to check for moisture:

   1. Turn off the power supply. Wait for at least 5 minutes for capacitors to discharge.

   2. Unplug each connector, both at the power supply and at the strobe tube. Look for moisture or corrosion. (Any green film is evidence of moisture.)

   3. If any evidence of moisture is present, dry and clean thoroughly. Before re-connecting, you may want to use some dielectric grease on the connectors.

    4. Re-connect all cables and strobe tubes.

    5. Turn power supply on and check.

If moisture is a constant problem, use of waterproof connectors is recommended. If the problems still occurs after this check, then your power supply will have to be returned to the factory for repairs. Contact your dealer for more information. Normally repairs can be done in one day.

 

Federal Signal
Audible Products Alert Due to recent court litigation where Federal Signal was a party to resulted in a warning to be given to all siren users. Several emergency workers filed suit against Federal Signal about hearing loss due to the loudness of a siren. Federal Signal believes that its products are not defective and that, when used as intended, its products do not create any risk of harm to hearing. The following is the warning that will be given to all siren users:

WARNING: Sirens produce loud sounds that may damage hearing.

 1. Roll up windows.

 2. Wear hearing protection.

 3. Use only for emergency response.

 4. Avoid exposure to siren sound outside of vehicle.

Contact your dealer if you need more information about this.
Premium Vision Warning System Programming pattern 32 within the Premium Vision Warning System to include a steady-on, front or rear facing, stationary rotator is NOT RECOMMENDED. It has been determined that this particular feature combination exceeds the capacity of the products microprocessors and can cause the remaining rotators to operate at improper speeds, shut down and restart. Effective as of 3-26-2001, the Premium Vision instruction manual will include the update that recommends that the steady burn red feature should not be used while operating pattern 32. Please not all other programming combinations remain available, keeping Premium Vision the ultimate in programmable warning systems.

CONTACT YOUR DEALER FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Website Items Available The following items are available at www.fedsig.com for all installers or fleet management personnel:

1. Technical Manuals for most products.

2. Authorized Service Centers list.

3. Service Drawings and parts index.

These items are in a .pdf format.
Daytime Running Lights/Flasher Update Ford: The Crown Victoria will not have a DRL system in the 1997 model year, however, they will include this equipment beginning with the 1998 model year. The DRL circuitry will be on the high beam circuit and, therefore, it will require a relay flasher with additional circuitry to turn the DRL system off when the flasher is on.

G.M: The non-police package Tahoes come with DRL circuitry with the 1997 model year and the Lumina came equipped with DRL circuitry in 1996. Production for the Police Package Tahoes are not scheduled to begin until mid-year 1997. Chevrolet products will be using DRL circuitry on the low beams until the year 2000, which means both 100% solid state and relay flasher products can be used on them because the flasher system will be operating independently on the high beams.

Chrysler: Currently does not offer a DRL option.
Dodge Dakota/Dodge Durango Currently, no Federal Signal headlight flasher is suitable for use on 2001 Dodge Dakota and Dodge Durango vehicles. Severe damage to the vehicles electrical system may occur if any Federal Signal flasher is installed on these vehicles for the purpose of flashing the vehicles headlights. Federal Signal does not recommend any of our flasher products be used on 2001 Dodge Dakota and Dodge Durango vehicles and will not be responsible for any damage to the vehicle caused by such an installation.
Unitrol - UTM1-UTM3-UTM4-UTM900-Omega 8000-Omega 9000-"K" with AC Packs containing a "3" designation series: Connecting the "Black Out" feature of these sirens to the brake light circuit of a vehicle to disable the vehicles brake lights will disable the brake shift interlock on the vehicle. Failure of these critical safety features could result in property damage, serious injury, or death of you or others. Disabling the brake lights on a vehicle also violates the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Touchmaster UTM4 Siren: The previously published instruction sheet indicated that fusing of the Master Switch Outputs was not mandatory. Even though the Touchmaster has a circuit breaker in line with its input power line, in the event of a short circuit, this breaker may supply excess current to smaller gauge wires and low current devices connected to the Master Switch outputs. This excess current may cause further damage to that device or to the wires connecting that device to the siren relay output. In existing installations, install fuses in all lines connecting to the Master Switch Outputs.
Economaster Lightbars: As of July 1, 2001, Federal Signal can no longer accept orders for the Economaster custom domes or service parts. They will continue to offer single color domes until further notice.
GS5 Electrical Leakage: GS5-R, GS5-A, GS5-C, GS5-B, GS5-G, 280701-02, 280701-05 Units with a date code stamped on the outside of reflector and a QC tested label on the back are safe and need not be inspected. All other units should be inspected unless your vehicle supplier has confirmed with you that the units on your vehicle have been inspected.

Federal Signal's Fireray strobe light lights are typically produced with a housing molded from a non-conductive, polycarbonate material. We have discovered that our vendor for the housing has supplied some number of housings to us made from an electrically conductive material. The use of this material can pose a safety hazard in that a person who comes in contact with a vehicle operating the FireRay strobe lights could receive a SEVERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK. The consequences could be life-threatening should a small child or a person with a heart-condition experience a severe electrical shock as a result of this condition. This condition poses a fire hazard as well as a risk of severe injury should someone working on the vehicle fall as a result of a shock. Currently, the 2001 production year of these items are known to have this problem but other years are being investigated. If you have one of these lights, contact your dealer to see if you have one of the affected units.
SW300, SW400 Switchboxes: Due to a possible fire hazard, all 20 amp fuses must be replaced with 10 amp fuses. This is due to the switches being rated at only 10 amps. With customers overloading the switchboxes of auxiliary systems, at times will cause the switchbox to get hot and in some cases catch on fire.