I have the opportunity to visit my elementary school, AES!
This is a picture of a bell. Whats the model?
Edit: Moved it to Fire Alarm Help, Solved.
I have the opportunity to visit my elementary school, AES!
Looks like it’s written on that black sticker on the gong, although it’s a bit blurry so I cannot read it.
The model number should be written on a label on the bottom of the bell mechanism
That’s likely a variant of the 4090-1: no idea about the voltage but considering it’s white it’s likely AC.
The Simplex logo on it indicates it was manufactured sometime between 1976 & 1993 according to the research I’ve done on Simplex’s various logos.
Thank you! I will document it.
Our school has these. They were installed in 78 and are 12VDC. Noting it’s at a school it’s likely on a bell timer and DC
It is! I was in first grade and saw the panel, The bell timer was there. Noting it was a simplex 6400 Time Control
Cool! That would solve the voltage then. 24VDC would be it. So that means it is a 2901-9047. Our school had a Simplex 2350 Master Time System. Lasted from 1986 to about the 2019-2021 area. Apparently it just straight up died. It’s in storage somewhere. Bells have been inactive since and two were removed
Oh, okay. I think most of the white ones I’ve seen are AC so that’s why I thought it was AC.
Impressive!
Kind of a shame, though I suppose it lasted a good long while & certainly did its job during that time. Wonder if it would be possible to repair since it’s in storage…
Any idea if they plan on putting a new time panel in place or switching to chimes or PA announcements instead?
We have the bell panel since 2000! it still works, though a pain to program. We now have class change bells since we have a new princapal.
I was going to aquire it from our school’s maintenance guy who i was friends with, but he left the district. If I ever get the chance I will definitely try repairs.
A Carehawk system was put in its place (literally right on top of it’s non original mounting spot) for PA and for a bell tone. I miss the actual bells though the new stuff works fine
That’s awesome! And I think most of them are a pain to program. Seems to be a thing for those timers
Thats also when the school was built.
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Ah. Mine was built in 1975. Added onto in 86 when the bell and current FA systems were installed.
Yes! The school was the second built school in my district it was my elemtary school built in 1969, then my middle school 2000, then the high school 2004, my preschool, 2009
Nice! Hope that goes well!
Ah, nice. Yeah, but that’s just progress I guess.
That is a 2901 Series 6" Simplex bell.
It superseded the earlier 4090 bells by changing from one bell mechanism could mount 2 gong sizes, or a chime, depending on what was desired.
The 2901 now had 2 housing styles, one with a center threaded stud to take either a chime, or a 4" gong.
The other had a gong mount to take either a 6" or 10" gong held by a 7-32 Allen bolt; the 6" gong was tilted slightly inward at the bottom on the mount so the striker can hit without modification.
The 10" gong had a lower bolt hole in the gong, and mounted on the same mount as the 6" gong, but the gong was angled back towards the wall instead of as the 6" gong was.
Faraday’s version of this bell was their “44” series, which added a 8" gong to their options list; Simplex offered only the chime, 4", 6", and 10" gongs.
The mechanism was also simplified by omitting the earlier volume adjusting screw that was below the striker in the 4090 bells.
Ed Burnett
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It’s a 2901-9047 to be exact.
The career tech center I go to has some of those alongside a few Simplex 2901 bells and some mystery bells
They might be the earlier Simplex 4090 series…
If there is a stainless steel button plug in the center of the gong, it’s a 4090 Series Simplex bell.
The gong is attached to the gong adapting mount by a metal tube formed over at the edges to hold the gong on the adapter assembly.
The adapter has 2 posts in back that match the holes in the mechanism and holes for 3 gong sizes.
Simplex only mounted gongs on the 6" and 10" positions on that.
Faraday offered a 8" gong that could be mounted to the center hole on the gong adapter.
Ed Burnett
I looked the model 2091-9047 and it matched.