Fried Simplex 4004: Fair Price, And Is Repair Possible?

Fire Alarm General Discussion
1

Hi everyone. When I get on my computer, I usually go to eBay to check what’s going on. Usually, I will search the same stuff everyday to see new listings.

A few weeks ago I came across a Simplex 4004 that is apparently broken. I looked at the pics and found 2 burn marks. One I found on the annunciator card, which also burned the door a bit in the exact place the door covers to card, so it the same burn. Then, it looks like the little metal “teardrop” shape thing right above the switches has some “rainbow effect” on it, which looks like a burn to me.

Obviously, I am not buying it. What I want to know, just out of curiosity, would it appear the panel itself without the annunciator interface card, would work someday? Would it need a whole new board?

More importantly, would you pay $135 for a panel like that, or should the seller be charging about $10 for it? I did win my fully functional 4004 for $56.

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Simplex-4004-Fire-Alarm-System-/160994084522

-Ryan

2

The burn marks don’t look too bad. You might have to send it in to a service tech to have a few parts to be replaced.

If it is just the annunciator card, it should be sold for about $50 - $100.

Although, it will take skill and money to repair it.

Some people think that just because it is Simplex, and somewhat rare, that they can charge a little more for it:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIMPLEX-4002-CONVENTIONAL-FIRE-ALARM-SYSTEM-CONTROL-CONTROLLER-PANEL-FACU-FACP-/330840218572?pt=BI_Security_Fire_Protection&hash=item4d079d1bcc

Also, if you search for the same thing everyday, you can press the save button after you click search. eBay will e-mail you whenever something under the same search terms is added. If you do not prefer e-mails, you can change the settings, and just look under “saved searches” in the “Activity” tab.

3

Simplex doesn’t repair products for fire alarm hobbyists.

Plus, would you want this thing burning down your house?

4

Oh yeah, I forgot that Simplex is that way.

I was just thinking that someone didn’t wire it up correctly, and it caused it to heat up too much. You are right, it probably was the panel itself.

5

I’d say it’s only value is as a hunk of scrap metal. It may look to be just the annunciator card, but whatever on earth happened there probably fried the entire panel beyond all repair.

6

Looks like someone backfed power into the last terminal there, looks like a SMD diode is blown out. Also with the MOSFET’s or VReg’s heatsink having rainbow marks on it, it looks like it got affected by the mishap. Panel is way overpriced considering the visible damage, and whatever else got fried.

7

it’s not worth it, Simplex wouldn’t even repair that. 4004s have been discontinued since 2007ish.

you don’t know what internal damage that panel has besides what you can see. that panel is toast, no way of fixing it, and I wouldn’t pay $100 for an obsolete panel even if it did work. that thing could have taken a lightning hit or power surge for all you know.