Here’s a sound clip of my Jameson CD-3 ionization smoke detector:
The horn sounds a little sick. At least it sounds the alarm.
Shout out to Joseph S./VintageCollections for letting me know about a new device I bought this week!
For the first time since having telephone ringer bells before donating them, I have another dual-gong bell–a Holtzer-Cabot Type DGP! This is another one of my collection pieces with an unusual operating voltage–10VAC–but it should be safe to test with 12VAC. It also has the original wood mounting, and is yet another candidate for future restoration.
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I recently came back from a mini-vacation in the Shipshewana, IN area, and I bought two new collection pieces as part of it!
This is a 10" Wheelock bell I bought from a flea market vendor. The nameplate is so grimy that I don’t yet know the operating voltage, but per Joseph S./VintageCollections, it could be 12 VAC; it could also have been part of the Bell System. It could possibly be DC, too, given the newer color-coded wiring on the back. This could also be my second collection piece with patina, but I’m not an expert on that. I plan to test this very soon.
At an antique shop in neighboring Middlebury, I picked up this Edwards 50R-N5-40W ‘Adaptabeacon’ signaling lamp. It is very similar to my 51R-N5-40W except that the housing base is a different style, and it’s a cleaner unit as well.
In the words of Garret Claridge, “Very old, and… perhaps vintage.”
Also, I didn’t know Edwards produced beacons. I guess they really are adaptable with their range of products.
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That’s a lot of “could”'s, heh.
They do: heck they produce just about every kind of signaling device one can think of! (including even outdoor warning sirens through a deal with Sentry Siren!)
I went on another rummaging adventure today and added this to my collection!
This is an Edwards 340-6G5 bell, the latest Adaptabel unit that I now own. Not too much to say about it, but it is a candidate for a cosmetic cleaning in the future.
After rummaging through a couple of flea markets and an antique store today–plus a trade with Joseph/VintageCollections, I emerged with new collection pieces!
This is one of two Air Products & Controls, Ltd. (APC) test stations I picked up. More than likely, this unit was used in a duct detector/HVAC system. I couldn’t get a good picture of the backside because of reflective metal, but it has a 24VDC piezo behind the speaker, along with a mess of wires and even a ‘Mulberry’ imprint, which I have no idea what that is supposed to represent. The model name is MS-RH/KA/P/A/T.
Another new brand was added to my collection with this Apex F-901 (aka 903) ionization detector. Manufactured in Hong Kong, this device comes with all its original inserts, and it even has a special attachment to convert it to a burglar alarm. Unfortunately, I could not get this device to work with two D batteries, possibly because of corrosion on at least one of the coil springs/terminals, but it should be a relatively easy fix.
This has to be one of my favorite finds since I started collecting. It is an ADT Type 774 control unit, part of the ‘Aero’ series. According to VintageCollections, it is believed this unit used to control pneumatic smoke detectors at some point in its life. Per an online search, this is a newer unit (dating to 1965), and other variants include break-glass stations.
One of my trade items was this ADT B3210-012 bell. I believe it was originally manufactured by Kobishi in Japan, then later rebadged as an ADT unit.
I also obtained this Hochiki SIF-24F ionization smoke detector from my trade, which came out of a nearby commercial building getting redeveloped. I’m not sure if Hochiki was the original manufacturer or not.
The last item of the trade is also a forever favorite of mine. It is a National Time and Signal Corporation (Natsco) 514 horn, which came out of a nearby school after sitting disconnected for over a decade. There are also variants similar to this with surface-mount and possibly recessed options as well. There are even red-colored units.
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Reminds me of a similar Simplex test station I have (which is very similar, only with no trouble LED & some of the things on it rearranged).
Very interesting indeed…(very rare too for sure!)
I’m not sure who originally makes those bells, but several brands have been seen selling them, including Amseco & Kidde (System Sensor also sells similar models as well).
Pretty sure they are. Got a base to use it with?
A “514” rather than a 411F huh? Interesting…
Hochiki did manufacture these, simplex rebranded them.
I don’t have a base for the detector, unfortunately, but since I’m not planning to mount it anytime soon, it doesn’t really bother me.