Thor Guard Voice of Thor

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Thor Guard Voice of Thor (VOT)
Company Thor Guard Inc.
Produced 1973-Present
Type Omnidirectional Pneumatic
Sound output 113 dB @ 10 ft
Voltage 12 V DC
Documentation
Product sheet

The Voice of Thor (VOT) is a pneumatic lightning warning siren system that can be found at golf courses, parks, beaches, pools, and other similar public areas. It works in tandem with Thor Guard's lightning detection systems as a way to warn the public of lightning strikes. The system is usually activated by a lightning sensor (usually next to the siren) that can detect lightning from 2.5 Miles away. Customers can also get an extra-powerful sensor known as the "Hyperstatic Sensor," sold separately, to help detect lightning from 15 Miles away. The VOT can be tested by a button, inside the small solenoid control box. Thor Guard has advanced technology, making it one of the best Lightning Warning Systems. Because of this, other Lightning Prediction System companies have a hard time selling their own products, making other Lightning Warning Systems harder to find.

Design

The Voice of Thor system was introduced in 1973. The siren unit consists of two air compressors, and a varying number of PVC pneumatic air horns (usually six). The two compressors are housed underneath the siren's large dome-shaped rainshield, which also covers the horns. Each compressor is tied to up to three tubes which supply pressurized air to the horns. Each horn, as well as the compressors are bolted to a cylindrical plate. The entire unit is held up by a PVC pipe that contains the siren's wiring and conduit, with the controller typically being mounted directly below the siren. The siren is typically paired with orange flashing Whelen 51 Series LED strobe lights to provide visual notification. The entire system runs on 12 V DC, and can be charged with 120 V AC or a 30 W solar panel.

The system can produce three signals:

Red Alert (Warning): One 10 second continuous blast | Listen here: https://www.thorguard.com/pdf/Red_Alert_Horn_Pattern.mp3

All clear: Three 5 second blasts | Listen here: https://www.thorguard.com/pdf/All_Clear_Horn_Pattern.mp3

Emergency Alert: five 25 half-second blasts | Listen here: https://www.thorguard.com/pdf/Emergency_Alert_Horn_Pattern.mp3

Generations

Although Thor Guard has an overall general design to the VOT, there is not just 1 total generation, but 3 known generations to it. The most noticable differences are the dome-shaped hood.

  • Gen. 1 Thor Guard Voice Of Thor: This design uses a large, dometop hood, similar to a average metal mixing bowl, which makes a chance that Thor Guard used recycled bowls, specifically metal bowls, for the hood since they were cheap, and they did a good job at protecting the 2 air compressors while not needing for spending extra money on newer hoods.
  • Gen. 2 Thor Guard Voice Of Thor: This newer design used a more flat, plastic hood. It also used a Hyperstatic Sensor, But it had a few differences to the newer version of the other Hyperstatic Sensor. The 2nd Generations' Hyperstatic Sensor had one, big dometop like the 1st generation Thor guard VOT used, with an almost identical, smaller 2nd dome-shaped piece on the middle of the sensors' PVC pole. The 2nd Generation VOT System was also mounted on a thick, small PVC pole. The VOT & Its Sensor would both be connected to a horizontal metal 2X4 bar, with the Strobe Light often being put on the middle of the bar mounted on a small metal square. The whole bar could then be fitted on a Thor Guard Roof Mount, or screwed onto a small circular metal pole to be put on a pole, often times being a 4X4 wooden pole that was around 15' in height.
  • Gen. 3 Thor Guard Voice Of Thor: This Generation was almost identical to the second generation, only lacking the 2X4 metal bar & extra sensor. it used the same hood as the 2nd generation, while it also used a smaller, more lightweight metal bar to which the Strobe Light would be attached to on a small metal plate. Also, instead of using a Hyperstatic Sensor, It got replaced with a high, flexible antenna. This is around when they started to sell the Hyperstatic Sensor separately.

Trivia

  • Although the Voice of Thor itself is considered a siren, it is actually made up of a bunch of air horns instead.
  • The horns are built in Stebel, Italy.
  • These sirens are often mistaken for being electronic, but are in fact pneumatic.
  • The VOT is the most common type of lightning Detection system, with the Strike Guard WAVE Siren being a close competitor.
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