Equinox: Difference between revisions

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(Background of the market the Equinox was rolled out for on special order for Nuclear power plants wanting to use FS sirens after the NRC 500hz requirement)
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{{Infobox siren
{{Infobox siren
|image= [[File:Perry NGS Equinox.JPG|thumb|A Federal Signal Equinox in Mentor, OH; part of the Perry Nuclear Generating Station Siren System.]]
|image= [[File:Perry NGS Equinox.JPG|thumb|A Federal Signal 2001-Equinox in Mentor, OH; part of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant Siren System.]]
|company= [[Federal Signal Corporation]]
|company= [[Federal Signal Corporation]]
|produced= 2011-2013 (special order), 2014-present (Under the [[2001 Siren Series|2001]] series line)
|produced= 2010-2013 (Special Order), 2014-Present (Official Release)
|neigh= 6.5
|neigh= 6.5
|hertz= 500
|hertz= 500
|output= 126
|output= 125
|succeeded= [[508]]
|succeeded= [[508]]
|type= [[Electromechanical]]
|type= [[Electromechanical]]
}}
}}


The Equinox is a rotating electromechanical siren produced by [[Federal Signal Corporation]]. It was initially a special order in 2011, essentially being a [[2001-130]] with an [[Eclipse-8]] rotor. The intake and projector design of the 2001 proved to hamper it's full potential in testing, bottlenecking it's ability to move air and sound effectively. This led to a new development to fix said issues known today as the [[508]], with an improved overall intake/projector design to increase efficiency. The Equinox can be difficult to visibly differentiate from the 2001-130 as they look nearly identical, besides the "EQUINOX" sticker replacing "2001-130" on the rotator box.  However, if you look closely, the stators are noticeably different on the 2 models. The 2001-130 has 12 individual projectors on the stator with narrow gaps between them, where the Equinox only has 8 with rather large gaps between them. In 2014, the Equinox was publicly introduced as a low tone option to the [[2001 series]] and is still available today.  
The 2001-Equinox is a rotating electromechanical siren produced by [[Federal Signal Corporation]] under the [[2001 Siren Series|2001]] series line. It shares many characteristics of its design with the 2001-130, essentially being a [[2001-130]] with an [[Eclipse-8]] rotor and 8-port stator. The intake and projector design of the 2001 proved to hamper its full potential in testing, bottlenecking its ability to move air and sound effectively. This led to the development of a new siren, the [[508]], which has an improved overall intake/projector design to increase efficiency. The 2001-Equinox can be difficult to visibly differentiate from the 2001-130 as they look nearly identical, besides the "EQUINOX" sticker replacing "2001-130" on the rotator box.  However, if you look closely, the stators are noticeably different on the 2 models. The 2001-130 has 12 individual projectors on the stator with narrow gaps between them, where the 2001-Equinox only has 8 with rather large gaps between them. In 2014, the 2001-Equinox was publicly introduced as a low tone option to the [[2001 series]] and is still available today. Despite this, only around 200 units have been produced as of 2021.


The Equinox was initially designed exclusively for the Nuclear Power Plant market for plants that had contracts for Federal Signal sirens, due to the guidelines set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that required sirens within the 10-mile EPZ (Emergency Planning Zone) to have a 500 Hz tone. At that time, Federal Signal did not yet offer a rotating uni-directional siren with this tone. While designed intitially as a prototype for the 508, these sirens were rolled out on special order to be installed at nuclear power plants. The first systems of Equinoxes were installed and ordered by the FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) in 2011 and 2012 at Perry Nuclear Generating Station in Perry, Ohio, and at Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station in Shippingport, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
Initially, these sirens were rolled out on special order to the nuclear power plant market that had wanted sirens with a lower peak pitch than a [[2001-130]] that would in theory be more powerful and have a longer range due to the lower frequency. The first system of 2001-Equinox sirens were installed in 2010 around the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, a nuclear plant operated at the time by FirstEnergy Nuclear. The next system was installed at another FENOC plant, Perry, beginning in 2012. While these are considered to be the first installation of 2001-Equinoxes, one was installed in New Carlisle, Ohio in 2010, so it is possible that municipalities were able to order the 2001-Equinox on special request as well during this period. In 2021, Lansing, Michigan, received a number of 2001-Equinoxes to replace their aging system; the largest system of 2001-Equinoxes to be installed since the nuclear plant installations.
 
The 2001-Equinox is currently sold as a low tone version for the 2001-130.
 
[[File:BB5B6DD9-D412-42C6-B202-DF4BEB5B6073.jpeg|thumb|Equinox ID tag from damaged 2001-Equinox (fell during a windstorm), part of the system for Beaver Valley Power Station in Hookstown, PA. Photo taken by Tyler Davis.]]


==Examples==
==Examples==
* {{Link-inline-video |link=q-mv4XlSWLg |name=An Equinox sounding a steady 'Alert' signal during a test of the Perry Nuclear Generating Station Siren System}}
* {{Link-inline-video |link=q-mv4XlSWLg |name=An 2001-Equinox sounding a steady 'Alert' signal during a test of the Perry Nuclear Generating Station Siren System}}


[[Category:Rotating Sirens]] [[Category:2001 Series]] [[Category:Electromechanical Sirens]] [[Category:Federal Signal Corporation]][[Category:Single Toned Sirens]][[Category:Sirens]]
[[Category:Rotating Sirens]] [[Category:2001 Series]] [[Category:Electromechanical Sirens]] [[Category:Federal Signal Corporation]][[Category:Single Toned Sirens]][[Category:Sirens]]

Latest revision as of 17:42, 7 April 2024

Equinox
A Federal Signal 2001-Equinox in Mentor, OH; part of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant Siren System.
Company Federal Signal Corporation
Produced 2010-2013 (Special Order), 2014-Present (Official Release)
Type Electromechanical
Sound output 125 dBc at 100 feet
Frequency 500 Hz
Horsepower 6.5
Succeeded by 508


The 2001-Equinox is a rotating electromechanical siren produced by Federal Signal Corporation under the 2001 series line. It shares many characteristics of its design with the 2001-130, essentially being a 2001-130 with an Eclipse-8 rotor and 8-port stator. The intake and projector design of the 2001 proved to hamper its full potential in testing, bottlenecking its ability to move air and sound effectively. This led to the development of a new siren, the 508, which has an improved overall intake/projector design to increase efficiency. The 2001-Equinox can be difficult to visibly differentiate from the 2001-130 as they look nearly identical, besides the "EQUINOX" sticker replacing "2001-130" on the rotator box. However, if you look closely, the stators are noticeably different on the 2 models. The 2001-130 has 12 individual projectors on the stator with narrow gaps between them, where the 2001-Equinox only has 8 with rather large gaps between them. In 2014, the 2001-Equinox was publicly introduced as a low tone option to the 2001 series and is still available today. Despite this, only around 200 units have been produced as of 2021.

Initially, these sirens were rolled out on special order to the nuclear power plant market that had wanted sirens with a lower peak pitch than a 2001-130 that would in theory be more powerful and have a longer range due to the lower frequency. The first system of 2001-Equinox sirens were installed in 2010 around the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, a nuclear plant operated at the time by FirstEnergy Nuclear. The next system was installed at another FENOC plant, Perry, beginning in 2012. While these are considered to be the first installation of 2001-Equinoxes, one was installed in New Carlisle, Ohio in 2010, so it is possible that municipalities were able to order the 2001-Equinox on special request as well during this period. In 2021, Lansing, Michigan, received a number of 2001-Equinoxes to replace their aging system; the largest system of 2001-Equinoxes to be installed since the nuclear plant installations.

The 2001-Equinox is currently sold as a low tone version for the 2001-130.

Equinox ID tag from damaged 2001-Equinox (fell during a windstorm), part of the system for Beaver Valley Power Station in Hookstown, PA. Photo taken by Tyler Davis.

Examples