Is a 200-Watt Siren Twice as Loud as a 100-Watt Siren? We field questions from customers every single day about our lights and sirens. One of the most frequently asked questions about sirens is whether a 200-watt siren is twice as loud as a 100-watt siren. To understand the differences between the two types of sirens and whether you should upgrade or not, you have to understand decibels and watts. What are Watts? What are Decibels? You probably learned about decibels and watts in high school, and then quickly forgot about them after your final exam. However, you probably have seen these symbols many times after and haven’t even realized it. In fact, if you have ever bought speakers, or other electronic equipment on line, you have probably …show more content…
To better understand wattage, you have to take a look at input voltage and current consumption. In a 100-watt siren, power is equal to the voltage in your car, 12-volts, multiplied by the current consumed by the siren speaker usually 8.3 amps. To create 200-watts of power, you simply add another 8.3 amp 100-watt siren speaker. Increasing the wattage of a siren is easy, but decibels pose a different situation altogether, and aren’t as easy to understand. Decibels are Measured Via a Logic Rhythmic Scale Decibels are measured using a logic rhythmic scale that measures relative intensity. What this means is the louder an object is, the more sound pressure it makes. Sound moves at 761 mph, and no matter how loud you crank up the volume, you won’t be able to increase the sound of speed. However, cranking up the sound does compresses air pressure, which gives the impression of increased sound. This pressure is measured in decibels. 100-Watt Decibels Compared to 200-Watt …show more content…
With this in mind, it’s important to realize that if a siren with 248 decibels of power was created, it would be a brutally, destructive tool. In fact, a vehicle with a 248 decibel siren on the front of its vehicle could actually shoot any vehicle in front of it almost 50 feet in the air. Anyone familiar with Newton’s Law can tell you, if a vehicle can shoot the car in front of it nearly 50 feet, you can expect that amount of reaction back, which means your vehicle could shoot 50 feet backwards in the air as