Federal Signal MicroPulse MPSxxU

Safety Warnings

⚠️ Warning

The safety and proper operation of Federal Signal products depend on correct installation and maintenance. Read and follow all instructions provided with this product carefully. The following are important safety instructions and precautions that must be followed:

• To properly install or service this device, you must have a thorough understanding of automotive mechanical and electrical systems and be proficient in the installation and use of safety warning equipment. Always refer to the vehicle's service manual when installing any equipment.
• This product emits a bright light that can be hazardous to vision if viewed from a close distance. Do not look directly into the light source of this product from a close distance, as it may cause permanent vision damage.
• Do not install the light system in a location that obstructs, impairs, or blinds the driver's vision. Install the light system in a position that is outside the driver's field of vision so the vehicle can be operated safely.
• The light system is a high-current system. To operate properly, a separate negative (-) and positive (+) connection must be made. All negative connections must be made to the negative battery terminal, and a suitable fuse must be installed on the positive battery terminal connection near the battery. Ensure all wiring and fuses are rated appropriately to handle the electrical requirements of the device and system.
• Never attempt to install aftermarket equipment that is wired into the vehicle's wiring without consulting the vehicle manufacturer's wiring diagrams.
• Ensure that the installation will not affect the operation of the vehicle or its mandatory safety functions or circuits. Always ensure that the vehicle operates properly after installation.
• The components of the light system, especially the outer housing, become hot during operation. Disconnect power to the system and allow it to cool before servicing any system components.
• Do not install a radio antenna within 18 inches (45.7 cm) of the light system. Placing the antenna near the light system may cause the light system to malfunction or be damaged by strong radio fields. It may also cause radio interference from the light system to affect radio reception and reduce radio reception.
• Do not attempt to wash this device or any sealed electrical device while it is connected to a power source.
• Do not connect this system to the vehicle battery until all other electrical connections are completed, all components are installed, and no short circuits are present. If wires are shorted to the vehicle chassis or frame, high-current conductors can cause dangerous sparks, resulting in electrical fires or molten metal ejection.
• Do not install equipment or route wiring or power cords in the path of an airbag deployment.

Installation Precautions

• Before drilling into the vehicle's chassis, ensure that the surface area is clear of anything that could be damaged. Remove any burrs from drilled holes. To prevent short circuits, seal all drilled holes through which wires pass. Ensure that mounting screws do not cause any electrical or mechanical damage to the vehicle.
• Because vehicle roof structures and driving conditions vary, do not operate a vehicle with a magnetically mounted warning light. The light may become dislodged from the vehicle, causing injury or damage. The user assumes full responsibility for any damage resulting from failure to heed this warning.
• Locate the system's control elements within the light head so that the vehicle and controls can be operated safely under all driving conditions.
• After installation, test the light system to ensure it is operating properly.
• Test all vehicle functions, including horn, vehicle safety functions, and vehicle lighting systems, to ensure they are operating properly.
• Ensure that the installation has not affected the vehicle's operation or altered any of its safety functions or circuits.
• Scratched or faded reflectors or lenses reduce the effectiveness of the light system. Avoid excessive pressure and the use of caustic agents or petroleum-based products when cleaning the light system.
• Replace any optical components that are scratched or cracked during system installation.
• Do not attempt to activate or deactivate the light system's controls while operating in a hazardous situation.
• Periodically inspect the light system to ensure it is functioning properly and is securely mounted to the vehicle.
• Upon completion of installation and testing, provide a copy of these instructions to the training staff and all operating personnel.
• Store these instructions in a safe place and refer to them when servicing and/or reinstalling the product. Failure to follow all safety precautions and instructions may result in property damage, serious injury, or death.

Introduction

The MicroPulse MPSxxU light head uses an LED light source to provide a reliable signal with 25 selectable flash patterns. The light head can be surface-mounted or bracket-mounted. The light can be powered by a nominal 12 or 24 VDC power source. A five-conductor cable extends from the base. This light head features FSLink technology, allowing synchronization with up to eight other FSLink products.

Specifications

Table 1: Specifications

Unpacking the Kit

After unpacking the light head, inspect it for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. If damaged, do not attempt to install or operate it. File a claim immediately with the carrier, noting the extent of the damage. Carefully inspect all cartons, shipping labels, and tags before removing or discarding them. Ensure that the parts listed in Table 2 are present in the package. If any parts are missing, contact Customer Support at 1-800-264-3578, from 7 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday (Central Time).

Kit Contents

Table 2: Kit Contents

Figure 1: Exploded View

The exploded view shows the light head assembly, including the housing, lens, gasket, mounting screws, and internal components. It also illustrates a 5-pin connector with wires labeled POS 1 (Red), POS 2 (Brown), POS 3 (White), POS 4 (Green), and POS 5 (Black).

Installing the Light Head

⚠️ Warning

Airbag Deployment: Do not install equipment or route wiring in the path of an airbag deployment. Failure to heed this warning will reduce the effectiveness of the airbag or may cause it to deploy, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

To install the light head:

1. Using the light head as a template or the dimensions shown in Figure 2, mark the three drill hole locations at the desired mounting position.

Figure 2: Drilling

Diagrams show drilling templates for MPS3U, MPS6U, and MPS12U models, indicating hole placement and overall length (4.72 inches for all models shown). The diagrams depict three mounting holes and a central wire pass-through hole.

Caution (إنذار)

Drilling Precautions: Before drilling holes, check the area being drilled to ensure no vehicle components are damaged. Remove burrs from all drilled holes and smooth all sharp edges. All wire paths through drilled holes must be protected by a grommet or split loom tubing.

2. Drill two 1/8" mounting holes and one 11/16" hole for wire pass-through at the marked locations.

Wiring the Light Head

Warning (إنذار)

Polarity/Connection Errors: To avoid damaging the light head, ensure the input voltage matches the light's voltage rating. Ensure correct polarity. The unit must be properly connected with a 2 Amp fuse.

To connect the light head without the supplied waterproof connector:

1. Determine the required functions and wire lengths to reach them. A five-conductor cable can be used for a complete system. For lengths up to 15 feet (5 meters), use at least 18 AWG (1 mm²) wire. For lengths over 15 feet, use at least 16 AWG (1.5 mm²) wire. Before connecting the light head, refer to Table 3 for the function of each wire.

Table 3: Wiring Connections

2. Strip approximately 1/4" (5 mm) of insulation from the ends of the wires provided by the installer.
3. Use insulated butt connectors to connect the wires to the light head's power cable. Ensure that the connectors are securely fastened and properly insulated.
4. Connect the fuse holder's terminal to the positive (+) voltage source.
5. Connect the black wire from the light head to a known chassis ground as close to the light head as possible.
6. The black wire is the ground wire and must be connected to a suitable chassis ground if it cannot be connected directly to the battery's negative terminal.
7. The green wire has several functions: If using the light head with an external flasher, this wire is directly connected to chassis ground. This allows the external flasher to control each color independently via the mode wires. If using the light head's internal flasher, the green wire is the sync wire that synchronizes FSLink-equipped products, and the mode programming wire.
8. The red wire powers the light head in Position 1 when connected to a fused positive voltage.
9. The white wire powers the light head in Position 2 when connected to a fused positive voltage.
10. The brown wire powers the light head in Position 3 when connected to a fused positive voltage.

Note: Position 3 is greater than Position 2, which is greater than Position 1.

Configuring the Light Head

⚠️ Warning

Light Hazard: To be effective as a warning device, this product produces a bright light that can be hazardous to vision if viewed from a close distance. Do not look directly into the light source of this product from a close distance, as it may cause permanent vision damage.

If you wish to change the default operating functions of the light head, perform the following steps.

Setting Flash Pattern

Refer to Table 7 on page 9 for available flash patterns.

To set the flash pattern:

1. Select Position 1 (Red wire), Position 2 (White wire), or Position 3 (Brown wire).
2. Apply power (12-24 VDC) to this wire.
3. To activate FSLink, tap the Green wire until 12-24 VDC is reached, or until the desired pattern is achieved.

Note: When tapping the green wire to change patterns, do not keep power applied for longer than one second, or other light head features may change.

Setting Alt Flash or FSLink Sync

The light head can synchronize with other light heads. It will flash in unison with other light heads or alternate its flash timing with them. This feature is set independently for each mode.

To synchronize the set flash pattern:

1. Activate one of the modes.
2. Apply power to the Green wire and hold it until the light head flashes twice, then release. The light head will toggle from its current setting to the corresponding setting. "Sync Flash" will change to "Alternate Flash" or vice versa.
3. For synchronization, after setting, connect the Green wires together.

Note: For synchronization to work, all FSLink-equipped lights must have the same pattern set for all used modes.

Setting Flash Colors (if light head is multi-color)

The light head can be set to flash single-color, dual-color, or tri-color. This is set independently for each mode.

To set the number of colors for a mode's flash pattern:

1. Activate the mode for which this color feature is to be set.
2. Apply power to the Green wire and hold it until the light head flashes three times, then release. The light head will cycle through the available color counts.

Note: Changing the color count also resets the color order (see below).

Setting Flash Order

You can set the order in which colors flash. This is set independently for each mode.

To set the flash order:

1. Activate the mode for which this color feature is to be set.
2. Hold the Green wire to a positive voltage source until the light head flashes four times, then release. The light head will cycle through the colors from the initial setting to the next color order. For example, a dual-color light set to amber then red will change to red then amber.

Setting Split-Area Flash Settings (MPS6U and MPS12U only)

You can set the light head to flash all areas simultaneously or to alternate between them. This setting is made independently for each mode.

To set the split-area flash settings:

1. Activate the mode for which this split-area feature is to be set.
2. Hold the Green wire to a positive voltage source until the light head flashes five times, then release. The light head will cycle through the area settings from the initial setting to the next available split-area setting. For example, an MPS6U can toggle between simultaneous flashing of all areas and vertically split flashing. The MPS12U includes vertical, horizontal, and Quad-X split-area settings.

Setting Brightness

You can set one of three brightness settings for each mode (dim, steady, and full). This is set independently for each mode.

To set the brightness:

1. Activate the mode for which this feature is to be set.
2. Hold the Green wire to a positive voltage source until the light head flashes six times, then release. The light head will cycle through the brightness settings from the initial setting to the next available intensity setting.

Resetting Light Head to Defaults

To reset a light head mode to its default settings, apply power to the Green wire while any mode is active. Hold the wire to the power source until the light head flashes seven times, then remove power. All modes and options will be reset to the default configuration.

Note: If the Green wire is held for more than 8 seconds, no change will occur, and the light head will resume normal operation.

Cleaning Light Heads

Regular cleaning of light heads with appropriate procedures and compatible cleaners will extend their service life.

Warning (إنذار)

Cleaning Solutions: Using cleaning solutions such as strong detergents, solvents, and petroleum-based products may cause cracks in the light bar's lenses and reflectors. For cleaning reflectors, use a soft, damp cloth. For cleaning lenses, use a soft cloth and a solution of water and mild detergent.

Warning (تحذير)

Cracks/Chemicals: Cracked, faded, or chipped lenses or reflectors will reduce light output and the effectiveness of the light system. Lenses or reflectors showing this type of deterioration must be replaced. Failure to heed this warning may result in personal injury or death.

Quick Reference

Table 4: Light Head Wiring Quick Reference

Table 5: Programming Quick Reference

Table 6: Default Internal Flash Mode Settings

Table 7: Flash Patterns

Technical Support and Service

For Technical Support:

Contact:

Federal Signal Corporation
Service Department
2645 Federal Signal Dr.
University Park, IL 60484-3167

Phone: 1-800-433-9132

Email: empserviceinfo@fedsig.com

Obtaining Service:

Federal Signal offers technical assistance for any problems that cannot be resolved locally. An RMA (Return Material Authorization) must accompany any product returned to Federal Signal for service. Obtain an RMA from a local distributor or manufacturer's representative. Provide a brief explanation of the service required or the nature of the defect.

Send all communications and shipments to:

Federal Signal Corporation
Service Department
2645 Federal Signal Dr.
University Park, IL 60484-3167

Limited Warranty

This product is covered by a limited warranty. A copy of this warranty can be found at www.fedsig.com/SSG-Warranty. A copy of this limited warranty can also be obtained by submitting a written request to Federal Signal Corporation, 2645 Federal Signal Drive, University Park, IL 60484, or by emailing info@fedsig.com, or by calling +1 708-534-3400.

This limited warranty supersedes all other warranties, whether express or implied, contractual or statutory, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, and any warranty relating to the product's failure to achieve its essential purpose.