My friend (sirensofcincinnati) recently got a System Sensor 2400 Smoke. He can use it without a panel, just wiring up the wires to a battery and an alarm. So, I have an Edwards Model 6249B ionization smoke detector, and I’m wondering if I can use that to do the same thing. Also provided is a list of my other smoke detectors, if you could, please tell me if and/or how I can use them without a panel.
Smokes:
ADT-PS
SIGA-PS
BRK 1812
System Sensor 100
Simplex 4098-9792 Two Wire TrueAlarm
Here’s the Edwards 6249B in case you need to see it:
There are two types of initiating devices that connect to conventional fire alarm panels. They are current limited devices and non-current limited devices.
Standard pull stations that are just a switch are an example of a non-current limited device. The switch is closed when the station is pulled and places a short across the IDC. The station will conduct as much current as the panel supplies to an IDC. Other examples are sprinkler waterflow switches, sprinkler tamper switches, and mechanical heat detectors. These type devices can be directly wired to a notification device to cause an alarm.
2-wire smoke detectors and 2-wire electronic heat detectors are examples of current limited devices. Current limited devices do not place a short across the IDC when they go into alarm. These devices add a resistor across the IDC that is much lower than the EOLR. The resistor value is low enough to trigger the IDC into alarm but also leaves enough power on the IDC to light the LED on the device. 2-wire devices do not act like a switch so they cannot be used without being connected to a fire alarm panel. Since they draw less current from the IDC than a switch type device they are called current limited devices.
2-wire devices are required to be UL listed to match the panel they will be installed on. This is because each panel manufacturer decides the electrical characteristics of the IDCs. The 2-wire device manufacturers create private label (rebranded) devices to match the electronics in each panel manufacturer they do business with. It is possible to find devices that were manufactured for different fire alarm panels that look exactly alike but each is UL listed only to work with a particular panel.
Modern fire alarm panels use this difference in current draw to do some interesting things. They allow pull stations and 2-wire smoke detectors installed on the same IDC to cause alarm verification on the smoke detector (current limited) and an instant alarm from a pull station (non-current limited). This difference can also be used to wire a waterflow switch and a tamper switch to the same IDC. By adding a resistor in series with one of the devices the flow switch can cause an alarm condition and the tamper switch can cause a supervisory condition.
ADT-PS = addressable, not without a panel
SIGA-PS = addressable, not without a panel
(Actually it seems like these are both exactly the same? Just rebranded?)
BRK 1812 = believe this should be a 12 volt device, 4 wire smoke, so should work. Take a picture of the terminals.
System Sensor 100 = if it’s a 4 wire smoke then yes, not enough information, need an exact model number of the detector
Simplex 4098-9792 Two Wire TrueAlarm = this model number is a base only, and addressable at that, so not without a panel
The System Sensor 100 series looks like a System Sensor 2100S - very difficult to read the model number on the detector because your image is really blurry (and backwards). This is a 2-wire device and will only work as Retired STR-SG stated above. Now, if you want to experiment, you may be able to connect a small low powered relay to the LED + and LED - terminals to activate when the detector is in alarm. The LED terminals are designed for a System Sensor RA400Z remote annunciator, the spec sheet lists this device as 3.1-32VDC @ 10mA max. So as long as your relay is under 10mA you should be fine. Meter the LED terminals under alarm to see what voltage it is putting out. Then connect your sounder to the relay (not the LED terminals) and it may work. Again, this is for experimental purposes only - the detector is NOT designed to operate in this manor and you should NOT rely on this for life safety purposes!!!
But would be interesting to see if this works!
Links to the cutsheets:
The BRK (which is basically System Senor) is a little easier to connect:
Terminal 1 is constant +12VDC
Terminal 4 is constant -12VDC
(Keep in mind to RESET the device you will have to drop power)
Terminals 9 & 10 are the alarm contacts - connect these to switch your sounder on when the detector is in alarm
Again, experimental use only. If you wanted this to be a true life safety situation you should connect this to a listed control panel, properly supervised with an end of line resistor and relay.
I connected a wire from the negative of the 2400 going to the positive of the horn-strobe.
Then, I connected a wire from the negative of the horn-strobe going to the negative of the power supply.
Lastly, I connected a wire from the positive of the power supply going to the positive of the 2400.