A Real Alarm Siren?

[LazKat]

OK, even with the best of the aftermarket sirens, the sounds are pretty much the same and are pretty much ignored. One sounds just like another and we all ignore them when they go off 'cause it's probably someone else's anyhow. I was looking through the Galls Web site and saw their sirens. How hard would it be to wire one of these (like the basic StreetThunder for $100) into an alarm system in place of the anemic siren most come with? And would it be legal to have one installed in your Av is you're not a volunteer fireman or police-related?

Any other ideas for kicking it up a little louder when someone tampers with your pride and joy?

 

[colek]

I had one rigged this way. They have a horn wire tap-in for the airhorn, which on the Federal Signal unit I had was switchable to a momentary siren. When the alarm thought it was sounding the horn, it was actually triggering the siren "rise and fall". No, it was not all that hard. Yes, it would be illegal. (In most states. For qualified buyers, Limited time offer, consult your tax advisor for tax deductability, ect, ect)

 

[james21]

Are you guys talking about that air horn that police have, because I don't think that is illegal for us to have in our trucks.
If not please advise.
Thanks

 

[colek]

Are you guys talking about that air horn that police have, because I don't think that is illegal for us to have in our trucks.
If not please advise.
Thanks ?

No, the actual siren. I would not even begin to try to determine what is and is not legal for someone to have installed or their vehicle. For that type of advice I would contact your local Law Enforcement Agency.

 

[Rsq_Av]

Good afternoon everyone...my first post on the board. Excellent job on the site!!

As far as this being illegal, I actually had a friend who had a siren in their vehicle. He was using it "irresponsibly" so I did contact the police, to give him a scare. They told me there is nothing they can do, except issue him a ticket for having an "obnoxious and loud sound" from his vehicle (or something to that effect). The ticket is $35...one of the least offenses you can do. So, to sum it up and answer your question, it would not be illegal, and if the office gave a ticket for it, then they don't understand the pride and joy people put into keeping their vehicles safe...

 

[ShapeShifter]

Using a "real" siren while driving through traffic would probably get your local law enforcement officer's knickers in a knot. I would think that most of them would take impersonating an emergency vehicle seriously.

Using a siren as an alarm when the car is parked, especially when the vehicle is empty, would probably not be an issue.

It all depends on your local laws, and the zeal of the local law enforcement officers.


Many moons ago, in '79, I hooked up a motor driven growler siren to a car alarm system I had built. It would take a few seconds to spin up, but when it got going it would really scream and sound like an air raid siren.

The sound totally blew away those wimpy speaker horn style electronic sirens.

It also melted the contacts on the heavy duty relay that controlled it.

-- SS

 

[LazKat]

Right now I have two 'screamers' inside the cabin which trigger along with the external siren under the hood. Staying inside while the alarm is going off isn't a good idea. I did it to discourage any attempts to hotwire the truck while the outside alarm is sounding and being ignored by anyone nearby. I just want something that doesn't sound like what's become background noise or 'just another false alarm', and at $100 the Galls siren seems like it might work.

Wired in place of the existing siren and with the internal screamers, it'd be impossible to use it while driving (or trying to get through a traffic jam.)