Convoy light dimensions

[tcruwithme]

I've been looking for a set of convoy lights, and nobody seems to have them. I see that Grote has a couple different models of rotator beacons, and I am wondering if they will work for convoy lights. Can anyone tell me the diameter of the convoy light base, and how tall each convoy light is? Also, are the military convoy lights two-beam or four-beam?

The Grote lights are 12 volt, which is less than ideal, but can be dealt with if necessary. The Grote lights are also 8.5" in base diameter, and 8.25" tall.

 

[Warthog]

At the bottom of the page

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?45230-Convoy-Light-Mast-Dimensions-M35A2

 

[juanprado]

The ones I have seen are 2 sealed beams but there is no reason you can't use 4 I would think 24v halogen rotators would also look good and most won't know a sealed beam light from a halogen at 8ft high.

From some of the scrap trucks I have been allowed to "play" in, there are multiple brands and vendors of lights the military used including federal signal

 

[tcruwithme]

Thanks for the link and photos, Warthog. Very useful.

Good point on the halogen rotators, juanprado.

 

[Scar59]

Try the Federal Signal, I was on their website a while back and still offered the large 24 v two bulb rotaters. Had the correct electrical connectors also.

 

[M813rc]

Just measured a Federal Signal light ( that happened to be sitting by my desk, I didn't even have to get up!).
Model is MS-51317-03. 28v. It came out of a complete military convoy light kit.

At the base of the housing, it is 7.5" across. The width at the lock ring for the lens is 8.25". Overall height is 7.5".

I have seen multiple other light brands used, including Grote, Tripp Lite, and Mars Signal.

Halogen bulbs have been around since at least the early 80's, so they are not necessarily "period incorrect".

Cheers

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Just go more modern lol..... sorry I like lights.

I used 1.25" tubing for my mount. It fit in the channel for the convoy light pretty good.

 

[tcruwithme]

Thanks, Rory! I'll try to track a couple of those down. I've been looking at light options, and none of them are cheap!

Dan - I've noticed that you like lights!

 

[M813rc]

Those Federal lights come up for sale pretty regularly, and sometimes for pretty good prices (read - cheap!). There is (was?) an ad in the classifieds for a single Mars light recently.

Cheers

 

[Scar59]

The latest light in the classified was a Mars two bulb rotator, NOS. Sold. Going up top on a M936.

 

[Lex_Ordo]

The Military Convoy light kit is the way to go.
I bought mine from Mark & Jay at Saturn a few years back. I was told that Mark recently sold his Duece Parts inventory to Dave Newman at Eastern Surplus.

The kits run about $300, and includes everything needed for a true modular plug & play installation.

You can also contact TnJ Murray. I think John has some of these kits too.

 

[FormerNewMVGuy]

There aren't any kits left. Just some mix and match parts.

I had an NOS kit,, that I was torn, weather to sell, or put on my 813a1, My truck won.

 

[tcruwithme]

Convoy Light parts

I ended up getting a set of inner and outer poles from TNJ Murray; they said these were the last ones they had. That set was missing one of the triangle mounting plate brackets (12296642) and both of the circular mounting plates (12301062). So, I found the triangle mounting plate from a vendor on ePay (checkerboardfarms) and two circular mounting plates from a different ePay vendor (equipmentpartssales).

I also got an NOS wiring kit from TNJ Murray. The wiring kit had the following parts in it: Cord Assembly 12296577-1, Harness Assembly 12301085, Cable Assembly 12301087, and a bunch of 6" and 14" zip ties.

I got two Federal Signal lights from a seller on ePay as well (ocdepot). They were new but without their original packaging. I then tracked down the rotary switch (MS39060-2 from cage-1y875), angled mounting plate (7059461 from equipmentpartssales), and switch lever (5381088 from equipmentpartssales) from those two different ePay vendors. I then got a military 15 amp circuit breaker (M13516/1-1) and an "accessory" data plate (10872190) that fits on the angled mounting plate from TNJ Murray. I could not find the correct convoy light switch data plate, so I just went with the accessory one from TNJ. I could not find the military relay that the TM calls for. TNJ Murray sent me what they thought was a 24 volt cutout relay (153014), but it only had three pins instead of the required 4 pins. Therefore, I just ordered a standard 5-pin 24 volt relay and relay socket. I got a bunch of the military 14 gauge wire and connectors from Erik's Military, and I now think I have all the parts to get this system set up to original specifications.

Now I just need to figure out how to wire the switch and relay up. Figure # 528 "Convoy Warning Light Kit" in TM 9-2320-260-34P2 helped me figure out what all the parts to the system were. Section X "Convoy Warning Light Maintenance" in TM 9-2320-260-20 has some information on how to install it and take it apart, but the instructions are not good enough for someone lacking all mechanical sense like me. Other convoy light posts had some images of install instructions, but those images were very hard to read.

I'll give it a go and see how it turns out. I hope all the listed part numbers and TM references help out other SS members looking for the same info. Here are the pages from the TMs I referenced. Good luck with your convoy light project!

View attachment Pages from TM9-2320-260-20 5Ton.pdf View attachment Pages from TM9-2320-260-34P2.pdf