simplex 2903/2904 series
ive got a question. how long have simplex 2903/2904s existed. im thinking 76 or 77 because our local mall has 2904-9101s and it was built in 1977.
I’m not sure what year specifically, but that time frame sounds about right.
im thinking thats about right too.
I’m pretty sure they came out in 1979 along with the Simplex 2001 and 2100, though I don’t know for certain. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D265802.html Here is the patent. They were discontinued in the early 90’s, though the 4903-series had already replaced them around '88 or '89.
As with most Simplex devices, there has always been some overlap between new products. I’ve seen the 4050-80’s used as late as 1980 and the 2903’s as late as 1992.
the 2904s at the westminster mall were installed in 1977, 1980, and 1986 though the mall had about 20 4904s and 1 truealert. so they may have been installed in 1986, but i am sure around 1976/1977. my freind at schools dad works at simplex, so i will ask him if he can ask his dad to ask about them to the head guy in denver.
1986 is likely, though 1980 is also a possibility!
As for 4050-80s still in use in 1980, that doesn’t surprise me. SimplexTech uploaded a couple of videos of a 2001 system installed in 1980 with 4051 horns on the 4050-80 light plates (no “FIRE” lettering) and 4251-30 pulls (with the break-glass part removed.) He says it was since replaced with another Simplex system (I think a 4010.)
There’s a school from 1972 in the town that has a 2001 with 2903s and 4251-20 pulls.
I doubt it’s original though.
I saw the pictures from an article about the renovation. It’s obvious the school had a fire alarm upgrade some time in the mid-1980s, and as if that weren’t enough, there was a 4009 panel above the 2001, along with a few replacement 2099 pulls and TrueAlarm detectors. I’m also certain the original 1972 system wasn’t even Simplex! 
they may have had a 4208 system at first, but 4050-80s could have been the original signals.
That’d be a guess, but it’s also likely they could have had another company’s system, then switched to Simplex in the 1980s. I know the time system isn’t Simplex; I think the original one was Standard. (It’s rare to see a building built/renovated with a Simplex fire alarm system installed with another company’s clock system, though I have seen several cases where the original clock system is Simplex/IBM but the original fire alarm is Edwards or Gamewell or something.
My middle school’s original system might have been Edwards, but then they were updated to Simplex with 4051 horns on 4050-80 light plates.
Does anyone know when they stopped making Simplex 4050s? I went to a high school in another city last weekend, this school was built in 1994. It has -9838 look alikes with the diagonal edges instead of the straight (dunno model number). The pulls were Simplex T-Bars, but there was also a Simplex 4050 installed in one of the hallways.
I believe they stopped making them around 1980 but don’t quote me on that.
BREAKIN’ THE LAW, BREAKIN’ THE LAW
What are you talking about? :shock:
I quoted him :P.
I’m a girl by the way.
Derp, sorry.
I believe it was in the late 70’s when Faraday introduces the more efficient 6020 (2901-9833). those 9838 look alikes are erither a 2901-9840 or 2901-9845 - the semi flush versions; also made by faraday. Since this was the 90’s, they may have used the newer solid-state model by faraday which uses the same mechanism as the 4903-9219
I think the 4050s that you saw in that building were Faraday 5410s. They have the same look as a 4050, but they may have been overstock 4050s, or if there was an old building, it could be a componet teaken from the old building. Oh, and I went to an Arby’s, and there fire alarm system is whiffle balls, 2903-9101/9833s, and 4251-20s. And it was built in 1998!