Kobishi made all sorts of horns. AC, DC, many voltages. The brass squealer horn is almost always going to be a Kobishi. Firex smoke alarms use the AC version, which has a concave metal diaphragm. Among other alarms of the time.
Questions:
- Are any Family Gard, First Alert, or Kidde smoke detectors considered rare?
- Are any Wheelock, SpectrAlert, Simplex, Siemens, or Silent Night- conventional and non-conventional- fire alarms, bells, strobes considered rare?
Thanks,
Pat “The Siren Master” Catania
SpectrAlert is not a company, it’s a series of horns, horn/strobes, horns, strobes, speakers, speaker/strobes, chimes, and chime strobes produced by the company System Sensor. Plenty of alarms from those companies are rare. Maybe not Silent Knight though.
There are several rare Kidde, First Alert, and Family Gard smoke alarms out there. A Kidde example would be the RSD-117A. A First Alert example would be the SA76RS. A Family Gard example would be the FG777 and the FG777C
I wouldn’t consider any of their lines produced in the last 15-20 years rare. Maybe some specific odd model#'s here and there in every line, but overall no. I’ve found if something is rare in one region, it’s probably popular in another. And just because something can’t be found on ebay, doesn’t mean there aren’t tens of thousands of them installed in buildings across the world.
I guess it depends on who you’re asking and what they consider rare though. It’s not like Wheelock ever had a limited run special edition strobe produced at any point.
It’s like that with LNG-1R’s, everyone SAYS they’re rare. I practically see them everyday, or did. They have them at my elementary school (ALong with MASS-24’s), at my Middle School (Along with Commander 1’s), at my Library, at an office building by me, at my friends school, and if you’re walking downtown (In Cincinnati), you’re bound to find them in at least, like, half the buildings you see, usually along with 1400’s and/or 2400’s, and/or some older Gentex or System Sensor N/A.
Let’s try to stay on topic!
One rare BRK smoke detector model is the 2800 series. It was BRK’s earlier system smoke detector, before System Sensor came to be in 1984.
Here’s a cool ad for the BRK 2800 series from 1981. It mentions these detectors as being state of the art at the time, and I wouldn’t doubt it. System Sensor detectors have always been quality.
http://firealarmresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/BRK-1981-Ad.pdf
I find it hilarious how they market it for college dorm use, and highlight the “Alternative to Push to Test” feature. Gee, I wonder how many college students tried that one out…
I think that feature was the magnet test. I think Simplex/Hochiki detectors came up with it first, but it’s quickly become the testing method of choice for system detectors.
Actually, it was known as the “test card.” I believe it was just a card that you put in a slot on the bottom of the head, and it went in the sensing chamber, scattering the light, setting it off. I’ve never actually seen a test card though.
For anyone who wants a Probe 201…
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UL-Smoke-Alarm-Whit-Direct-Wire-Model-201-/271705522060
Nice! Expensive but a really rare alarm. It has the AC Kobishi horn just like the Firex FX-1020 style alarms.
I just got this NuTone S-180 Smoke Detection/Alarm from eBay as a stocking stuffer from myself. It’s not the $70 one.
Photo Storage 
Photo Storage 
Photo Storage 
Photo Storage 
It’s based on the ESL 706 series, reference my pics on Page 1.
Cool! Here is an interesting smoke detector that I got for Christmas, a Christmas tree alarm
I’ve heard of those, but the picture isn’t loading for me.
http://instagram.com/p/pSBSbEiSs2/
While I was browsing Instagram, I saw this. It’s a different version of the SmokeGard 907, labeled as Emerson. In case you didn’t know, Statitrol was owned by Emerson Electric later on.
Interesting, that must be a later one. Too bad the guy recycled it already.
Willbill808- I found out that the Christmas tree alarm is very simple. It works on the bimetallic strip principle. The test button on the bottom actually is the bimetallic strip, which are also used in old thermostats and in Christmas flasher bulbs. My guess is that when the Christmas tree catches on fire, the heat causes the strip to bend, similar to pressing the strip to test it. The strip acts as a switch and makes contact and turns on the horn. So technically this isn’t a smoke alarm, it’s a heat alarm.
Here’s a good quality pic of the bottom. The thin strip with the knob on the left end is the bimetallic strip/test switch, I don’t know what the bracket with the screw in it is for.
Spendy but —
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Square-D-EarliGard-Smoke-Detector-EGD4IR-/181639397971?autorefresh=true
Square D EGD-4IR, basically the precursor to the EGD-5. I=Interconnect, R=Remote Contact.
I saw these in our old parsonage in Janesville, WI, though I thought I remember those having the raised bars all the way to the center, like the EGD-5.
They also had the EGD-4S (single-station) and EGD-4I (Interconnect). There was probably an EGD-4B also, I wonder if they had the EGD-5I/EGD-5IR as well…?
http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1307/ML13071A496.pdf -EGD 4IR label, courtesy of the US NRC. Warning - rather large file.
Looks like it has the Kobishi AC mechanical horn, like the FireXes
A couple rare alarms:
2 more NuTone S-180 alarms, same seller as the one I got mine from.
Rittenhouse version of the SmokeGard 900A. I’ve also seen Rittenhouse versions of the 907A and that A*T photo alarm that was in that 1981 detector special.