WSTM Syracuse Flash Technology Dual FTB-224 High-Intensity System
- shawnwilkerson7
- Dec 26, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 1
WSTM Syracuse Former Flash Technology Dual Red/White FTB-224 (204 & 307) High-Intensity System
This is the former dual high-intensity red/white strobe system from the WSTM Candelabra Tower in Syracuse, NY. This system was upgraded to a dual red/white Dialight high-intensity LED system. The old high-intensity strobe kits and what red lights were not broken on the way down were left and stored on site on a couple pallets. I got permission to retrieve the old system, and it took multiple trips to load them up and bring them back to my place.
I made new 120V 20AWG voltage taps myself for the power supply T1 transformers, as this system was originally configured for 208V. Most of the 204 strobes were working when removed, and I didn't have many repairs to do to the 224 power supplies. I did have to replace a number of capacitors, and one power supply had a burned burst choke which also made the burst resistors produce extreme heat which burned up the trigger steering K4 trigger steering relay above them and also some of the wiring. I had to replace both components and re-run a new piece of wire spliced coming from the burst choke going to the R2 paralleled burst resistors. I also crimped new quick-disconnects to the wires on K4.
When I setup the first FTB-204/224 flashhead and power supply strobe kit to run, I used ~10 feet of 3/4" Thomas & Betts white Type-LA Liquatite flex conduit connected between both enclosures, inside the conduit I ran standard FTCA 6340 cabling which is typically used in Flash's medium intensity systems. Running this cabling through liquid-tight conduit allows the cable to be free of cord grips, and because the FH-204's terminals are on the back of the reflector, when swinging the door open it will pull the cabling up and outwards, so liquidtight conduit will allow it to pull back and forth without getting tight and possibly pulling out of the spade connectors on the terminals.
To power the PC-224 power supply I used FTCA 3360 cable, which is typically used with FTB-205 strobes for main power and also shielded control and monitor connections between the strobe and system controller. I do not currently have a controller connected, so the cable is just supplying 120VAC and ground for the power supply input.
The top AOL strobe on WSTM was a 324 flashhead at time of removal; however originally this system would've had a 306 flashhead as the AOL. To swap the old 306 with a 324 flashhead, the power supply was slightly modified. I had the intentions to use a new-old-stock FH-306-2 flashhead in my collection with the PC-302-1D power supply from this system, so I did have to do some wiring work reconnecting original connections to relay K5 and the PCB3 Filter Detection PCB. I only had one issue during this process and that was that one of the old wires was cut too short, so I had to use a crimp splice connector to crimp some wire to extend far enough to reconnect to the filter detection board. After all this work the 306 flashhead had no issues with the 302 power supply. I did also have to put a new 1uF night capacitor in this power supply as the reading of the old one was out of tolerance.
Photos of most of the work I did on the strobes and power supplies from the old WSTM system are in the photos above. I really enjoyed working on these strobes, and would definitely state that the FTB-204 and 224 strobe lights are extremely reliable and are designed easy enough to perform any maintenance and repairs required. Most of the PC-224 power supplies still have their original 4990 timing and trigger boards and 4580 1kV high voltage boards.
In the near future, I plan to wire up a couple more FTB-204/224 strobe kits, but first I need to make room and figure out where to set them up at as I am limited on room as of late.
