Whelen FN55VLED User Manual

®

ENGINEERING COMPANY INC.

51 Winthrop Road
Chester, Connecticut 06412-0684

Freedom™ NFPA Lightbar

Installation Guide

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Internet: www.whelen.com
Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Canadian Sales e-mail: [e-mail]
Customer Service e-mail: [e-mail]

Safety First

This document provides all the necessary information to allow your Whelen product to be properly and safely installed.
Before beginning the installation and/or operation of your new product, the installation technician and operator must
read this manual completely. Important information is contained herein that could prevent serious injury or damage.

• Proper installation of this product requires the installer to have a good understanding of automotive electronics,
systems and procedures.

• If mounting this product requires drilling holes, the installer MUST be sure that no vehicle components or other
vital parts could be damaged by the drilling process. Check both sides of the mounting surface before drilling
begins. Also de-burr any holes and remove any metal shards or remnants. Install grommets into all wire
passage holes.

• If this manual states that this product may be mounted with suction cups, magnets, tape or Velcro®, clean the
mounting surface with a 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and water and dry thoroughly.

• Do not install this product or route any wires in the deployment area of your air bag. Equipment mounted or
located in the air bag deployment area will damage or reduce the effectiveness of the air bag, or become a
projectile that could cause serious personal injury or death. Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual for the air bag
deployment area. The User/Installer assumes full responsibility to determine proper mounting location, based
on providing ultimate safety to all passengers inside the vehicle.

• For this product to operate at optimum efficiency, a good electrical connection to chassis ground must be
made. The recommended procedure requires the product ground wire to be connected directly to the NEGATIVE
(-) battery post.

• If this product uses a remote device to activate or control this product, make sure that this control is located in
an area that allows both the vehicle and the control to be operated safely in any driving condition.

• Do not attempt to activate or control this device in a hazardous driving situation.

• This product contains either strobe light(s), halogen light(s), high-intensity LEDs or a combination of these
lights. Do not stare directly into these lights. Momentary blindness and/or eye damage could result.

• Use only soap and water to clean the outer lens. Use of other chemicals could result in premature lens cracking
(crazing) and discoloration. Lenses in this condition have significantly reduced effectiveness and should be
replaced immediately. Inspect and operate this product regularly to confirm its proper operation and mounting
condition. Do not use a pressure washer to clean this product.

• It is recommended that these instructions be stored in a safe place and referred to when performing
maintenance and/or reinstallation of this product.

• FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO
THE PRODUCT OR VEHICLE AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY TO YOU AND YOUR PASSENGERS!

Automotive: Lightbars

For warranty information regarding this product, visit www.whelen.com/warranty

©2003 Whelen Engineering Company Inc.
Form No.13762K (052410)

Page 1

IMPORTANT! The lightbar should be located a minimum of
16" from any radio antennas!

Permanent Mounting:

1. Locate the mounting foot and mounting plate included with your
lightbar. If not already present, install the mounting plate onto the
mounting foot. When properly positioned, this plate is centered from
side to side on the mounting foot.

2. Flip the lightbar upside-down to expose the bottom of the extrusion
and place the mounting foot onto the extrusion.

3. Rotate the mounting foot 90° in a counter-clockwise direction. Make
sure that the edges of the mounting foot swing into position under the
extrusion mounting lip.

4. Repeat this procedure for the remaining mounting foot and return the
lightbar to its right side-up position.

5. Position the lightbar onto the vehicle roof in the desired mounting
location. One often selected location is directly above the B-pillars.
This area is the strongest part of the roof. Refer to your lightbar
manual for cable exit location, to be sure that the lightbar is facing the
proper direction.

6. Adjust the two mounting feet outwards so that they are as close to
the edge of the roof as possible. Make sure that both mounting feet
are in full contact with the roof. Be sure that there is no less than 1/2”
clearance between the roof and the lightbar at their closest point.
When the mounting feet are in their proper position, lightly tighten the
mounting foot allen head set screws.

7. Turn the lightbar upside down and firmly tighten all of the set screws
from step 6 (2 or 4 per side).

8. Note that on the adjustable foot, use the hole in the pad as a guide to
drill the two holes into the mounting foot at the locations shown.

Standard
Mounting

BoltBolt

Mounting
Plate

Foot

Mounting
Plate

Mounting

Pad

Washer

Nut

Nut

Washer

Adjustable
Mounting

Mounting

Pad

9. Place the lightbar in its final mounting position on the vehicle, mark
the mounting hole locations off onto the mounting surface, remove
the lightbar and drill the mounting holes.

10. Place the lightbar back onto the vehicle lined up with the mounting
holes and secure the mounting feet to the vehicle using the supplied
hardware as shown.

Foot

Strap Mounting:

Strap Mounting:

1. Locate the mounting foot, mounting plate and tinnerman plate

1. Locate the mounting foot, mounting plate and tinnerman plate
included with your lightbar. If not already present, install the mounting

included with your lightbar. If not already present, install the mounting
plate onto the mounting foot. When properly positioned, this plate is

plate onto the mounting foot. When properly positioned, this plate is
centered from side to side on the mounting foot.

centered from side-to-side on the mounting foot.

2. Flip the lightbar upside-down to expose the bottom of the extrusion

2. Flip the lightbar upside-down to expose the bottom of the extrusion
and place the mounting foot onto the extrusion.

and place the mounting foot onto the extrusion.

3. Rotate the mounting foot 90° in a counter-clockwise direction. Make

3. Rotate the mounting foot 90° in a counter-clockwise direction. Make
sure that the edges of the mounting foot swing into position under the

sure that the edges of the mounting foot swing into position under the
extrusion mounting lip. Install a tinnerman plate onto the extrusion in

extrusion mounting lip. Install a tinnerman plate onto the extrusion in
the same manner.

the same manner.

Page 2