2 hours ago, datadiffusion said:

Elmdene Quartz (plebs)

 

Elmdene Rapier (rich poshos)

 

I see. I quite like the Rapier, good looking bell box, I'd have one on my home, however, I'm not a rich posho  I would actually find it fun to build one, using dummy housings, and my DIY SAB bell modules, that would be a fun thing to do. Elmdene make the best bell boxes, I'm guessing..  

Building a bell box is 10mins work (if your slow)

 

Rather than make anything I'd rather pay someone else to do it...

2 hours ago, MrHappy said:

Building a bell box is 10mins work (if your slow)

 

Rather than make anything I'd rather pay someone else to do it...

 

I guess it is better to have it done, but I just like the idea of knowing what you are doing could potentially save your house, and possessions. I may get one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alarm-Bell-Boxes-Sounders-Yellow-/252434247026?hash=item3ac640ed72:g:8yoAAMXQxU9SCiA2 Do they look authentic 80s/90s boxes? 

Edited January 29, 20179 yr by Gabs
Spelling Error

2 hours ago, Gabs said:

Elmdene make the best bell boxes, I'm guessing..  

 

I'd say they are pretty good - it's all much of a muchness now with the biggest driver away from 'other peoples bells on someone elses controls' being wireless boxes that are tied into the system manufacturer. Risco are an example of a manufacturer whos boxes are often still used by those that wouldn't touch their actual alarm kit in years, but these days you still have Pyronix, Texecom, Eaton have just launched a unified Wired and Wireless design exclusive to them, after re-selling the Quartz for years as their wired bell, an in house item for wireless). Even Orisec seem to be doing their own bell. Honeywell are still knocking them out but don't offer any kind of colour range nor screenprinting, they really are targeted for DIY / sparky special / builders jobs.

 

I use the Quartz as it's well made, has been recently updated for LED strobe and other improvements, and even though it was never very popular absolutely no-one else round here uses them any more; certainly in the South West (OCS, Ambit and another facilities co. whose name I forget were the biggest, both have moved on)

 

As far as I know, ADT are the last ones with their own genuinely exclusive bellbox, and even they don't seem to use it on every job any more.

 

Chubb now use the Initial bell, which AFAIK isn't really an exclusive as such, it's just that Aritech won't sell it to anyone else in the UK (but it's widely available elsewhere). A bit like the last ever Chubb triangle box was available in plain red elsewhere in the EU, other than the UK.

 

All the rest - even the mightly Abel, have drifted to Pyronix lightboxes.

 

It's a bland world out there

43 minutes ago, datadiffusion said:

 

I'd say they are pretty good - it's all much of a muchness now with the biggest driver away from 'other peoples bells on someone elses controls' being wireless boxes that are tied into the system manufacturer. Risco are an example of a manufacturer whos boxes are often still used by those that wouldn't touch their actual alarm kit in years, but these days you still have Pyronix, Texecom, Eaton have just launched a unified Wired and Wireless design exclusive to them, after re-selling the Quartz for years as their wired bell, an in house item for wireless). Even Orisec seem to be doing their own bell. Honeywell are still knocking them out but don't offer any kind of colour range nor screenprinting, they really are targeted for DIY / sparky special / builders jobs.

 

I use the Quartz as it's well made, has been recently updated for LED strobe and other improvements, and even though it was never very popular absolutely no-one else round here uses them any more; certainly in the South West (OCS, Ambit and another facilities co. whose name I forget were the biggest, both have moved on)

 

As far as I know, ADT are the last ones with their own genuinely exclusive bellbox, and even they don't seem to use it on every job any more.

 

Chubb now use the Initial bell, which AFAIK isn't really an exclusive as such, it's just that Aritech won't sell it to anyone else in the UK (but it's widely available elsewhere). A bit like the last ever Chubb triangle box was available in plain red elsewhere in the EU, other than the UK.

 

All the rest - even the mightly Abel, have drifted to Pyronix lightboxes.

 

It's a bland world out there

 

I see. Just the compatibility of alarms. It is good in a way that they are all standard and that they all work together.  I personally find that wireless alarms are unreliable, and just get forgotten about, so they no longer work, especially the bell boxes. The solar powered ones aren't ideal either, since they never actually get placed in the sun, and people don't change the SLA batteries in them, either. 

 

That is a good choice, a local company, AWM here use the Quartz, with an orange strobe. It is good to have a bell box from the 'standard' ones you see installed, like the horrible AG6 and Kinetic AZ-TEC

boxes. 

 

I see. It must be very exclusive to have a bell made for your company, like ADT do. If I ever had a company, I would want my own bell, something that no one else has, just so it stands out from the crowd. 

 

I like those Aritech boxes. I wonder why they aren't sold to anyone else in the UK, I'd quite like one, just for the sake of having one. I hope Chubb still install those blue triangles, they look really good, especially the newer ones. 

 

That is a real shame, why did they change, do you know? They looked so nice, lit up blue and red with a shiny chrome body! 

 

It indeed is a very bland world, shame really, even making your own bell box, you could add a personal touch to the thing, something which can't be done now. 

1 hour ago, datadiffusion said:

As far as I know, ADT are the last ones with their own genuinely exclusive bellbox, and even they don't seem to use it on every job any more.

 

Chubb now use the Initial bell,

 

Chubb appear to be back on blue triangle made by elmdene,

 

Banham + their other brands, thier back box & plastics with pyronix electronic ?

Edited January 29, 20179 yr by MrHappy

Adt with there shiny square wireless visonic box

 

I quite the blue adt logo without the yellow 

 

I like the odd looking white secom box with green and red led I think 

Edited January 29, 20179 yr by al-yeti

14 minutes ago, MrHappy said:

 

Chubb appear to be back on blue triangle made by elmdene,

 

Banham + their other brands, thier back box & plastics with pyronix electronic ?

 

Ah right, wise decision, I actually saw a blue triangle (totally inappropriate which is why I noticed) go up on a listed cottage in the posh valleys between WsM and Bath - it looked brand new, I assumed it was an ebay special. Perhaps not then...

 

I forgot about Banham, I don't know why but I assumed they'd been bought out as the last time I was in London I saw their old office, still engraved 'Banham House', was very recently turned into some hipster playground / flats. I guess they just moved...

http://www.banham.co.uk/burglar-alarms/

 

26 minutes ago, Gabs said:

That is a real shame, why did they change, do you know?

 

The usual of course, money!

1 hour ago, datadiffusion said:

 

Ah right, wise decision, I actually saw a blue triangle (totally inappropriate which is why I noticed) go up on a listed cottage in the posh valleys between WsM and Bath - it looked brand new, I assumed it was an ebay special. Perhaps not then...

 

I forgot about Banham, I don't know why but I assumed they'd been bought out as the last time I was in London I saw their old office, still engraved 'Banham House', was very recently turned into some hipster playground / flats. I guess they just moved...

http://www.banham.co.uk/burglar-alarms/

 

 

The usual of course, money!

I like those Chubb boxes. We've just had a dip in the power, and every alarm on my street, but the one of my house has gone off. Most are the older CQR style with a siren in them, all making the same sound, They all desperately need batteries in them! 

 

I like those Banham boxes, especially the black ones, with the golden logo on, very good looking. I think they are actually Ventcroft, though. 

 

What a shame. I guess sit is better changing your bell box than going bust. 

 

38 minutes ago, Gabs said:

I like those Banham boxes, especially the black ones, with the golden logo on, very good looking. I think they are actually Ventcroft, though. 

 

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