Whelen Engineering Company UPS148C Installation Manual Download Page 1

©1997 Whelen Engineering Company.
 Form No.13266 (092497)

For warranty information regarding this product, visit  

www.whelen.com/warranty

Automotive:

 Power Supplies

       WARNING:

 This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or

other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Installation Guide:

UPS148C Strobe Power Supply

51 Winthrop Road
Chester, Connecticut 06412-0684
Phone: (860) 526-9504
Internet: www.whelen.com
Sales e-mail: [email protected]
Customer Service e-mail: [email protected]

®

ENGINEERING COMPANY INC.

the strobe lightheads. It is strongly recommended to make a sketch 
of the placement of the strobe lightheads and the wires that control 
the circuits prior to running wires and installing switches.

The 

yellow

 wire controls outlets #1 and #2 in an alternating flash pat-

tern. The 

green

 wire controls outlets #3 and #4 in an alternating flash 

pattern. The 

blue

 wire controls outlets #5, #6, #7, and #8. Outlets #5 

and #7 flash simultaneously and alternate with outlets #6 and #8 
which flash simultaneously. Even numbered outlets flash simultane-
ously and alternate with odd numbered outlets which also flash 
simultaneously. The 

yellow, green and blue

 control wires may be 

switched separately or in any combination. The Low Power feature 
will reduce the intensity of all lights to approximately 15% of their 
High Power intensity.

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION
IMPORTANT NOTE: The vehicle battery should be disconnected 
before attempting any electrical installation. Before making any 
power connections, make sure all control switches are in the 
OFF position.

Any switch(es) with a 3 amp rating may be used on the control lines. 
Mount the appropriate switch(es) in an area convenient to the opera-
tor. Remember, the vehicle operator 

must

 be able to operate their 

vehicle without taking their eyes off of the road! Make the UPS148C 
switching installation as easy to use as possible. All switching is done 
from a +12 VDC source. This source should be fused at 3 amps. The 
control lines are reverse polarity protected. The function will not 
work, however the circuit will sustain no damage. Any control wires 
not used should be secured out of the way and the end insulated with 
electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.

Mount the Diagnostic Indicator Panel into a 1.45 inch high x 0.80 inch 
wide cutout near the control switches. Connect the black wire to a 
good chassis ground. Plug the “telephone” style cable into the socket 
on the rear of the Diagnostic Indicator Panel and route the cable to 
the UPS148C power supply. Plug the cable into the socket labeled 

“DIAGNOSTIC INDICATOR”.

Connect cables and wires to the power supply in the following order. 
Before attaching wires to the control switches, make sure they are in 
the OFF position.

OUTLETS #1-#8.

 Connect Whelen 3 conductor strobe extension 

cables into the outlets and route them to the appropriate strobe light-
head. 

DO NOT SUBSTITUTE

 non-Whelen cable. The white nylon 

connectors are indexed to be mated only one way. Before plugging 
the cables into the power supply verify that the red wire is in position 
#1 of the connector, the black wire is in the center (#2) position, and 
the white wire is in position #3.

DIAGNOSTIC INDICATOR.

 Plug the “telephone” style cable into the 

connector on the power supply labeled “DIAGNOSTIC INDICATOR”, 
and the other end into the “DIAGNOSTIC INDICATOR PANEL” 
mounted in a previous step.

INTRODUCTION

Whelen’s UPS148C is the first remote strobe power supply with 
complete switching control of all outlets (see pages 2 and 3) as 
well as full diagnostic capability. The outputs are regulated to 
prevent over driving the strobe tubes when using only two out-
puts. Each output will receive the full power, regardless of how 
many outlets are used. This design feature insures consistent 
light output and maximum strobe tube longevity. The UPS148C 
has a low strobe intensity mode for reducing the light output and 
current consumption.

The self-diagnostic feature provides the operator real time indi-
cation of the condition of the strobe light system while in opera-
tion.

All switching function are via low current circuitry to reduce the 
physical size of switches and wiring required for a proper instal-
lation. Four single pole single throw (SPST) switches are all that 
is required for the most sophisticated operating scheme (see 
pages 2 and 3).

MOUNTING

When choosing a mounting location for the UPS148C keep in 
mind the following concerns. The power supply is not water-
proof and should be mounted in a dry location, protected from 
spray and mechanical damage. The location should allow easy 
access for wiring installation and service. Allow approximately 2 
inches clearance beyond the rear of the power supply for air 
flow for the fan. A metal mounting surface is recommended for 
superior heat dissipation.

Trace the outline of the notches onto the mounting surface. 
Note that the notches will accommodate the supplied 8 x 5/8 
inch stainless steel machine screws. Mark the center of the 
notch onto the mounting surface. Prior to drilling the mounting 
holes, examine the backside of the mounting surface for wires, 
cables, fuel lines, etc. that may be damaged by the drilling oper-
ation. Drill the mounting holes and vacuum any metal shavings 
from the mounting area. Mount the power supply, using the sup-
plied hardware.

OPERATION

It is necessary to understand how the UPS148C operates in 
order to properly install the switching system and interconnect 

SPECIFICATIONS
Input Voltage:

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 VDC

Input Current:

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14 Amps Max.

Flashrate:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Comet Flashes/Minute.

Joules Per Outlet (High Power):

 . . . . . . . . . . 5 / 3 / 3 / 3 MIN.

Joules Per Outlet (Low Power):

. . . . . . . . . . . 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 MIN.

Total Output Power:

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  140 Watts Max.

Ambient Temperature:

 . . . . . . . . . . -30 TO +60 DEGREES C.

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