instalarm 110volt alarm buzzer

oil-2-4-6-gas

i have a lot of apartment buildings we service that have an alarm buzzer and a light with a momentary button to silence the buzzer --the company that used to make them doesn't make anymore ---i'm trying to find a buzzer and light and figure out how they were silencing the buzzer with only a momentary switch-or find a company that still makes them --its mounted on a double gang switch cover plate --the old 1 is 110 volt i can change to 24v i think --its a long run from the boiler room -- they are not interested in the dialers -and just a light will not work nor will a light with buzzer and an on-off switch for the buzzer --as it will be shut off and not turned back on --it currently has a hot and nuetral - gets powered when the boilers go into-safety-there is no way to run more wires to this unit ----any suggestions ? -- i have 350 ft run 14 ga. solid wire --

jeff klaverweiden

buzzer

You can buy a 120 volt alarm buzzer from Mcmaster Carr or MSC, the trouble is they cost almost 100 bucks. Find an alarm security company employee and ask him if he has any old ones. Most are 24 volts,the alarm companies do change outs from just the bell to combination bell-lights. Where I work at different times I have seen milk crates full of old bells from change-outs.

oil-2-4-6-gas

the thing is this goes into an apartment --all i have is a recessed double gang box to work with ,

Rollie Peck_3

I'm going to try to send you a wiring diagram for a circuit
that will do the job for you. This is my first attempt at
sending an attachment to a message to The Wall, so things
may not go right. If you don't receive a useable diagram,
send me an Email at rol72@earthlink.net with your fax number and I'll fax it to you.

Rollie Peck

Homeowner

oil-2-4-6-gas

i looked at the circuitry on the old buzzer dissected it, it looks like when the momentary button was pushed it sent power to a small heating element that would distort the contact going to the buzzer (kinda like a bi-metal switch)---it would use enough power, keep it hot enough to leave the circuit open until power was shutoff ---thanks for the diagram i will try it out on monday --

Rollie Peck_3

Alarm

What you found was a thermal relay, which does the same
thing that a magnetic relay does. If the heating coil
burns out, the relay doesn't transfer the contacts.
Thermal relays are not widely used and would only be
available from the original manufacturer. Their
advantages are: they are small and cheap to make. The
turn signal blinker relays in cars are thermal relays.
They use the current going to the turn signal lights to
heat a bi-metal disk which pops open the contact
connecting the lights to the battery. The lights go out
and the current stops flowing causing the disk to cool
down and make the contact again.

Rollie Peck

Homeowner