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Having an alarm running on batteries is NOT a new idea


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For those that have never seen them, allow me to introduce you to "The flag cell" (1st picture) They are like a "Torch battery" only much bigger, and were 1.4v (I think some were 1.5v ?)

Some alarms ran entirely on these, no power supply, just a bunch of these in the panel. (2nd Picture) Over time when power supplies were used for the panel, they still relied on (What is now known as) End of line cells, these were often found in the most obscure places (Which always took ages to find) but were always to be found in these custom-made battery box holders (3rd Picture)

The pictures are not all from the same house, but there was one person who refused to upgrade her alarm and she used to supply the batteries for us, and no, we are not talking late 70s, one was still working  in 2001 (When I took the picture)

Believe it or not, these cells are still made today (2022) and they are £17.40 each

 

 

Flag cell.jpg

Flag box.jpg

Panel.jpg

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I don't have a signature.

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29 minutes ago, PeterJames said:

Yeah Yeah we can all remember putting the needle in the right place to reset an alarm, then later rewinding the 4 trac to reset, tell us something we dont know!

 

 

 

As you seem to not like to share such information with people that have never seen such things, I ask that you remove the picture since I can not do so.

I don't have a signature.

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2 hours ago, Monte Carlo said:

 

 

 

As you seem to not like to share such information with people that have never seen such things, I ask that you remove the picture since I can not do so.

I didnt say I didnt like it, just bantering with you thats all no offence intended

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3 hours ago, sixwheeledbeast said:

40Ah alkaline cells.

I suppose these are still in use for other applications for them to still be in manufacturer, even if it is very low quantity.

 

 

google says marine use & railways....

Mr? Veritas God

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I'm just hobby these days thanks for asking, however I have a stack of type 12 iron batteries from submarine days I can't work out a use for

7 hours ago, Monte Carlo said:

 

 

 

As you seem to not like to share such information with people that have never seen such things, I ask that you remove the picture since I can not do so.

Don't worry or be precious we all value your input. If you from the intruder game even Mr h is light. 

I welcome your input 

securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse

Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount.

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  • 8 months later...
  • 5 months later...

This is an old AFA setup; possibly pre AFA Minerva days.

AFA & Minerva merged together in 1969; but equipment remained to be installed with "AFA Burglar Alarm" and "AFA Security Systems" for quite a while after.
With the involvement of EMI - the company name was officially changed during early 1973 to "AFA-Minerva - EMI".

 

The installation pictured is a single circuit "G Type", the small box beloew the relay box has a red lamp on the top, beneath that a black knob (Circuit switch) and beneath that a barrel keyswitch.
The red lamp warns you that a circuit is open, so don't turn the key!
If the lamp was out when setting, it was safe to turn the keyswitch, setting the latch and bell circuit.
Behind the panel, when the key was turned to "Arm", a metal bar rotated to wedge the above circuit switch - to prevent it from being switched off.

 

The relay box above are the control relays - in most normal installations; this box was an AFA drum bell box (usually Black, or Blue).
Relay on the LH side (above) is the Bells and Outputs relay, Centre Relay is the latch relay (in other versions of this box, this is a sealed Dublo relay) and far RH side relay is a low current relay - the circuit relay, energised by the end of circuit batteries. (3 flag cells).

 

AFA did a multicircuit version of this - also available in Blue or Black; which could handle up to 10 circuits, and included a circuit test and panel meter.

 

These boxes were often modifications to existing systems; where the drum would be removed; this box fitted and luxuries such as 24 hour Tamper and Panic circuits would be added, as well as a Lead Acid Battery and charger.

 

There were still many of these installs in operation when I was at Thorn. We had loads on our books - and if looked after, were quite reliable.
I removed one of the last ones in the midlands that was linked directly to a local police station.

 

Not that it's any use to anyone, terminations - the first 12 are a drop down to the panel - wired in 12core.

 

AFA-Minerva continued to make a Single G-Type and a Multi Circuit G-type (this could handle around 15 circuits and was the size of a large suitcase) until around 1976/77 - though still used Flag Cells - they also included electronics here and there as relay drivers in a bid to keep current consumption down.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 15/05/2022 at 18:42, MrHappy said:

 

google says marine use & railways....

They used them (originally) on the Railways for telecommunications - such as with remote telephones where there was no power and for block instruments to signal between signalboxes.
I saw some factories - where they had their own internal phone system and exchange.

 

Most - if not all early security alarm systems were battery only.
It wasn't until BS4737 came in, that a requirement was made for them to be dual powered.

 

Flag Batteries are about 40Ah; so you could get quite a bit out of them

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1 hour ago, sparky_75 said:

They used them (originally) on the Railways for telecommunications - such as with remote telephones where there was no power and for block instruments to signal between signalboxes.
I saw some factories - where they had their own internal phone system and exchange.

 

Most - if not all early security alarm systems were battery only.
It wasn't until BS4737 came in, that a requirement was made for them to be dual powered.

 

Flag Batteries are about 40Ah; so you could get quite a bit out of them

 

Sadly most of the weird & wonderful stuff is gone.

 

Most things are off the shelf stuff by the cheapest provider.

Mr? Veritas God

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4 hours ago, MrHappy said:

 

 

 

Most things are off the shelf stuff by the cheapest provider.

So many people think that cheap trumps quality, and sadly those that understand quality works out cheaper in the long run are a dying breed. 

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