Whelen MBDC11AA User Manual

ENGINEERING COMPANY INC.

51 Winthrop Road Chester, Connecticut 06412-0684 Phone: (860) 526-9504 Fax: (860) 526-4078 Internet: www.whelen.com Sales e-mail: autosale@whelen.com Canadian Sales e-mail: canadiansales@whelen.com Customer Service e-mail: custserv@whelen.com

Installation Guide:

Mirror-Beam™ ION™ Series™ and

ION™ V-Series™

Super-LED® Lighthead

2011 Dodge Charger

Whelen’s emergency vehicle warning devices must be properly mounted and wired in order to be effective and safe. Read and follow all of Whelen’s written instructions when installing or using this device. Emergency vehicles are often operated under high speed stressful conditions which must be accounted for when installing all emergency warning devices. Controls should be placed within convenient reach of the operator so that he can operate the system without taking his eyes off the roadway. Emergency warning devices can require high electrical voltages and/or currents. Properly protect and use caution around live electrical connections.Grounding or shorting of electrical connections can cause high current arcing, which can cause personal injury and/or vehicle damage, including fire. Many electronic devices used in emergency vehicles can create or be affected by electromagnetic interference. Therefore, after installation of any electronic device it is necessary to test all electronic equipment simultaneously to insure that they operate free of interference from other components within the vehicle. Never power emergency warning equipment from the same circuit or share the same grounding circuit with radio communication equipment. All devices should be mounted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and securely fastened to vehicle elements of sufficient strength to withstand the forces applied to the device. Driver and/or passenger air bags (SRS) will affect the way equipment should be mounted. This device should be mounted by permanent installation and within the zones specified by the vehicle manufacturer, if any. Any device mounted in the deployment area of an air bag will damage or reduce the effectiveness of the air bag and may damage or dislodge the device. Installer must be sure that this device, its mounting hardware and electrical supply wiring does not interfere with the air bag or the SRS wiring or sensors. Mounting the unit inside the vehicle by a method other than permanent installation is not recommended as unit may become dislodged during swerving; sudden braking or collision. Failure to follow instructions can result in personal injury. Whelen assumes no liability for any loss resulting from the use of this warning device. PROPER INSTALLATION COMBINED WITH OPERATOR TRAINING IN THE PROPER USE OF EMERGENCY WARNING DEVICES IS ESSENTIAL TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND THE PUBLIC.

Warnings to Users

Warnings to Installers

Whelen’s emergency vehicle warning devices are intended to alert other operators and pedestrians to the presence and operation of emergency vehicles and personnel. However, the use of this or any other Whelen emergency warning device does not guarantee that you will have the right-of-way or that other drivers and pedestrians will properly heed an emergency warning signal. Never assume you have the right-of-way. It is your responsibility to proceed safely before entering an intersection, driving against traffic, responding at a high rate of speed, or walking on or around traffic lanes. Emergency vehicle warning devices should be tested on a daily basis to ensure that they operate properly. When in actual use, the operator must ensure that both visual and audible warnings are not blocked by vehicle components (i.e.: open trunks or compartment doors), people, vehicles, or other obstructions. It is the user’s responsibility to understand and obey all laws regarding emergency warning devices. The user should be familiar with all applicable laws and regulations prior to the use of any emergency vehicle warning device. Whelen’s audible warning devices are designed to project sound in a forward direction away from the vehicle occupants. However, because sustained periodic exposure to loud sounds can cause hearing loss, all audible warning devices should be installed and operated in accordance with the standards established by the National Fire Protection Association.

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.

• Whelen Engineering recommends the use of waterproof butt splices and/or connectors if that connector could be exposed to moisture.

• Failure to use specified installation parts and/or hardware will void the product warranty.

• 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 the 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 (this does not include products that use cigar power cords).

• If this product uses a remote device for activation or control, make sure that this device is located in an area that allows both the vehicle and the device 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

Automotive: Lightheads

AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY TO YOU AND YOUR PASSENGERS!

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

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Fig. 5

ION™ LIGHTHEAD

#6 X 1 PPHSMS

#8 X 1/2" PHILLIPS TRUSS SCREW

#8 SCREW GROMMET

GASKET

BUSHING

Exits mirror

assembly

base

Mirror-Beam™

HOUSING

Position connectors between Mirror-Beam™ housing and mirror housing

Exits front

of mirror

assembly

3.4" HOLE

5/8"

FROM SEAM

FROM EDGE

Fig. 2

2-5/8"

APPROXIMATE LOCATION

OF SNAPS

Fig. 4

Bottom of base (Facing road)

Insert harness here

Cut section of grommet out here

Pull grommet out to feed the harness through

Harness

exits here

To Remove the Side Mirror Assembly:

Remove clips from behind door panel

Pull

panel

out

Access

mirror

base

Fig.1

1. Remove the two clips (Fig. 1) from behind the top of the door panel, which hold the door panel on (A). Carefully pull the door panel out, just enough so that the panel covering the mirror base can be pulled away to access the mirror base (B). The panel covering the mirror base snaps in.

2. Carefully pull the panel covering mirror base away and remove the three nuts holding the mirror assembly on, unplug the wiring and remove the mirror assembly from the vehicle.

Preparing Mirror Assembly:

1. Remove the cover from the front of the mirror assembly. The cover snaps off. Be careful not to brake the snaps. The safest method of removing the cover is to carefully insert a small screwdriver around the edge of the mirror and disengage the snaps (See above).

2. Measuring from the seam across the top and the inner edge of the mirror assembly cover, mark off the wire hole location (Fig. 2). Drill the wire hole through the cover using a 3/4” drill.

Routing Harness Cable:

First, carefully pull the grommet that holds the mirror power cable, out of the base so that you will be able to feed the Mirror-Beam™ cable through the wire hole. The power cable wires are attached to the grommet so be careful not to pull the wires out of their connection to the mirror.

1. Insert the ty-wrap into the front of the mirror assembly via the same pathway as the mirror power cable. Push the ty-wrap through this opening until the end of the ty-wrap comes out of the mirror base. Pull the ty-wrap until slack in the harness is gone (Fig. 4).

Preparing the Wire Harness:

Because the harness cable must be routed through a specific, narrow and twisting path within the mirror assembly, it may be necessary to temporarily extend the length of the harness.

1. Locate the ty-wrap (included) and cut the fastener-end off.

2. Locate the end of the harness cable that has PIN-type terminals installed on the free wires. Cut off the non-insulated wire (not used in this application).

3. Strongly secure the ty-wrap to the harness cable with electrical or similar tape. It is important to have a sufficient length of the ty-wrap secured to the harness (2” minimum) (Fig. 3).

2. Pull the harness through the mirror assembly and out the wire exit hole in the base. There should not be more than 4 - 5” of harness protruding from the front of the mirror assembly.

3. Snap the grommet with the mirror power cable back into its hole. You will have to cut out a small amount of the outside of the grommet to accommodate the Mirror-Beam™ cable (Fig. 4). Apply a small amount of RTV sealant around the cable where you cut the grommet.

4. Insert the end of the harness into the 3/4” hole you drilled in the mirror assembly cover and snap the cover back onto the mirror assembly.

Fig. 3

5. Remove the ty-wrap from the harness. Install the socket connector (supplied) onto the end of the cable coming out of the front of the mirror assembly (Fig. 5). (see wiring diagram).

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