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Wiring two bellboxes


CR Alarms

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Hi all, apologies if this is security sensitive question but what is the absolute correct way of wiring two external sounders? The common method seems to be using the tamper return from the first unit and using that to supply the second unit, however on some posts this wiring method seems to have caused problems for some panels and Sounders, such as causing a bell tamper on a bell tests due voltage rising on the tamper return, is there any truth behind this? Has the above wiring method ever caused problems for anyone here for whatever panel and sounders you use?

I wired two sounders to my system about 3 years ago, the system i have is a scantronic 9600 and the sounders were klaxon flashguard xl's in fact, they were the newer version not the very old flashguard with the single sounder.

Both work fine one is on sab (front) and the back is on scb. I did listen in the end to six wheeled beast, and tbh the volume difference between sab and scb was so minimal it was hardly worth the fuss.

However at the time i was and still am skeptical of wiring these sounders using the tamper return from one to supply the other (the traditional way) due to the problems it may cause.

The way i wired my sounders up to the panel was the hold off positive,negative and the bell and strobe triggers in parallel, then the tamper return from the front unit to the tamper return in the panel, and the second unit i ended up putting its tamper return in a spare zone tamper input and programmed that zone as "rear sounder"

As usual my  post is rambling on, all i would would like to know is the best and most efficient way of wiring two bellboxes correctly? I imagine a lot of you here have used many different panels and sounders over the years so from your own experiences has wiring two bellboxes using the traditional method, tamper return to supply the other ever caused any issues? If so how did you get round it? 

Thanks 

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I vaguely recall your original post and it all still applies, pretty sure I covered all the pros and cons in some detail.

It can depend on the bellbox, but if it has no special multiple box connections then you would just series them. I don't see where you feel it would be an issue.

Wiring a bell to a zone would normally require you to have tamper lead you can separate from the PCB for it to operate correctly, this removes some of the self activating feature of the bell.

 

If it where a new installation now with Texe I'd just use an expander input for additional bell tampers keeping them separate, but everyone's kits different as above.

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Hi, i should of at the time have asked about the tampers, the reason this question has come to light is i will be adding another zone to the system, and all 8 zones are currently used, rather than trying to find an expansion i was thinking of freeing up the zone that Is currently in use for the second bell, and was going to wire the sounders in series tamper from the first to supply the other, but as there as conflicting information and i haven't done enough of this so i wanted to make sure that this method will work. The sounders i have are klaxon xl but as they are both newer versions they could be made by texecom. I would send a picture if i could.

Thanks 

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As im not sure about pictures i will just give you the sounder pcb setup connections and jumper links

Terminals

Trigger+

Strobe+

Trigger-

Strobe-

Supply+

Supply-

Tamper return 

Tamper series

Microswitch b (this has a factory link)

Microswitch a this is connected to the lid/wall tamper switch.

 

Jumper links 

Battery on/off

Sab/Scb

Tamper mode on/off

Tone, fast slow

Hopefully you can recognise this sounder.

Thanks 

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There you are i managed to upload a few photos, these are the sounders i have exact same pcb, the picture taken is from a spare unit i have but what you see in the pictures is exactly the units i have. Would it be okay to use the tamper return from my front sounder to supply my second sounder at the back with this particular sounder?

Thanks 

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7 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Rewire or get an expander

What do you mean exactly? Both sounders have their own 6 core going back to the panel, is what i have done wrong or unnecessary? If so for the Sounders i have and shown, is it okay to series the tamper? Thanks 

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Hi just to clear up any confusion, here is how the sounders are wired to the panel, the front unit goes into tr, the  green wire going to at8 on zone 8 is the tamper return from the second unit, is what i have done correct, or is the correct way to series the tamper?

Thanks

 

Edited by sixwheeledbeast
Removed image as requested
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The panel is so old you have no option but to series the bell tampers, which is how it should have been in the first place IMO.

Be surprised if the tamper on the one in zone 8 works correctly

No idea what all the Tamper mode or link settings do never used the Klaxon, you may find that in the instructions it tells you how to wire for two bells using the Tamper mode using another method.

 

If you doing it the old school way like we spoke about I would believe you need to.

First Bell would have TR to TR and the TS back on the spare core, join in the panel to Second Bell feeding the TR and then TS gets your neg loop from bell or panel whichever.

That way no matter which bell you open you will get a tamper at the controls and they will self activate.

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Morning, the bell tamper from the second unit works fine on zone 8 i made sure at the time it was connected to the tamper input side on the zone and not negative feed side. Tbh i think i will just leave it be and buy the 9-12zone expansion card, you know what they say if it ain't broke don't fix, i appreciate all your help and advice and for security reasons i will be removing the pictures.

Farewell

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46 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

How much is the expander

There is one on Ebay for £20 i haven't bought it yet , good news is I did manage to find a pdf for the sounders im using so i am a lot clearer on what to do for these particular sounders.

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1 hour ago, CR Alarms said:

There is one on Ebay for £20 i haven't bought it yet , good news is I did manage to find a pdf for the sounders im using so i am a lot clearer on what to do for these particular sounders.

Ok in that case for a dog stint it's ok as if it doesn't work it can be returned

 

Then other choice as swb says you will have to upgrade which is inevitable

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Hi all, just thought I'd let you know i got the sounder tampers working correctly by rtfm, i was very easy it only involved cutting a link in the first unit and linking the tamper series to the second unit tamper return. Now both Sounders if tampered self activate and trigger a full alarm at the panel as it should very loud indeed! Before when the second unit was wired to zone 8 it would only trigger the internal sounder, i imagine this is what you meant about it not being correct. Anyway zone 8 is now spare for what i need, i probably won't bother with the expansion card as i don't foresee myself adding anything else.

Just thought i would give you an update.

Thanks again all and stay healthy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi again, i was just wondering out of curiosity if it is acceptable to switch the modes on my sounders the other way round, so the front unit is now scb and the back is now on sab, as i sure you know burglars will want to break into a house where they  are less likely to be seen,  in my case this would almost certainly be the back of the property, so with that being said is it better in my case to have an ear piercing loud sounder at the back (sab) and have the front sounder changed to scb so it's just loud enough to attract nearby neighbours which my house is surrounded by?

Is this acceptable? Or is it best practice to leave as it is? How do you guys generally set it up? Would you do something different? Maybe put both sounders on scb and go for a very loud internal sounder something like an elmdene int400/402?

Thanks 

 

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1 hour ago, CR Alarms said:

Hi again, i was just wondering out of curiosity if it is acceptable to switch the modes on my sounders the other way round, so the front unit is now scb and the back is now on sab, as i sure you know burglars will want to break into a house where they  are less likely to be seen,  in my case this would almost certainly be the back of the property, so with that being said is it better in my case to have an ear piercing loud sounder at the back (sab) and have the front sounder changed to scb so it's just loud enough to attract nearby neighbours which my house is surrounded by?

Is this acceptable? Or is it best practice to leave as it is? How do you guys generally set it up? Would you do something different? Maybe put both sounders on scb and go for a very loud internal sounder something like an elmdene int400/402?

Thanks 

 

Modes can be however you want them 

  • Thanks 1
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  • 2 weeks later...

20200420_232203.thumb.jpg.5fc9f0d423c55a09c956e43432ffbeea.jpgHi all, sorry to pester you once again, i managed to get hold of an elmdene elm300 it's an scb Internal sounder which will draw at the most 80ma charging current from the panel, can i safely add this to the system? I know from the scantronic 9600 manual it can supply 1250ma at 20 degrees, my total current in alarm is 840ma, so it will be 920ma worst case if the elm300 sounder it taking full charging current. One  thing that has always baffled me is the 9600 manual does not say what the bell hold off terminals (0v and 12) are capable of supplying? Am i correct in thinking that the total load is 1250ma but you have to factor everything else on the system to determine how much you can draw from it? The load from both external Sounders take 420-430ma from the hold off circuit. Given i want to keep the total load under 1amp, am i correct in thinking the max that can be drawn from the bell hold off circuit will be around 580ma?

How i worked this out was calculating the keypads panel, detectors and speaker, the total draw from these (speaker sounding obviously) is 421ma, taking this away from the power supply output i could potentially draw 830ma from the bell hold off circuit, obviously i want to stay under an 1amp so i will knock off 250ma, so in which case the max remaining current i can draw from the bell circuit is 580ma.

Is this how the loading works for this panel? Or does the bell have its own polyfuse? If so surely the manual would mention this but it does not, so i can only think the 12v on this system ( aux ,bell hold off, ect) is all commoned together and the limit is 1250ma and you build the system ensuring you stay under this figure, for  the  being sensible i will be staying below 1 amp. Does this sound correct? Thanks

Hope this makes sense, 

Here is the relevant info from the manual 

 

 

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Thanks, worst case i will scb both external sounders, do you think it would work in reality? The elm300 i intend add will draw 80ma max but i imagine once its onboard batteries are fully charged it will be even less than that. Did you ever use these panels? If so can you remember what the hold off circuit is rated at?

Cheers 

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5 hours ago, CR Alarms said:

Thanks, worst case i will scb both external sounders, do you think it would work in reality? The elm300 i intend add will draw 80ma max but i imagine once its onboard batteries are fully charged it will be even less than that. Did you ever use these panels? If so can you remember what the hold off circuit is rated at?

Cheers 

SCB both , no one listens to them outside much 

 

Your better off making sure internal Sounders are adequate and signalling 

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