System Sensor L-Series and MDL - Will it sync?

Is the System Sensor L-Series compatible with the MDL Module?

According to the data sheet, L-Series signals are compatible with the System Sensor MDL3. It should have some backwards compatibility, but the sync protocol support for the OLD first-generation SpectrAlert Classic MDL modules was phased out in a minor revision to the Advance line several years ago.

I guess I’ll just have to find out in my next system test if I’ll need to replace my MDL with an MDL3. I’m thinking that it’ll at least synchronize the strobe, iffy on the horn. I’m doubting that selective silence will work but who knows. I don’t know how System Sensor’s sync protocol works or if it changed much. I’ll just have to find out.

The phased-out MDL I’m referring to is the first-generation ORIGINAL MDL. If you have a newer SpectrAlert Advance that works fine on your MDL, the L-Series should function just fine.

My MDL synchronizes Classics and Advances.

L-Seires and Advances are literally electrically identical with each other, just with more revisions to reduce current draw, so it should work fine with either module. The MDL and the MDL3R are exactly the same except the advance one is micro processor based.

I’m pretty convinced that the advance is different from the L. I asked because the documentation only mentions the MDL-3 and the L seems so different.

Comparing P2X and P2XL
Advances can only produce the broadband electromechanical horn tone and have 3 volume settings for continuous or temporal-3. 15, 15/75, 30, 75, 95, 110, and 115cd. I love them for their distinctive start-up: bee-beep beep beep!

The L-series only has 2 volume settings but can do 3kHz and broadband electromechanical horn in continuous and Temporal-3. They don’t have that bee-beep thing. They just start doing the coding option. I assume that this means that it’ll be dead silent if you try to power it up in selective silence (the advance and classic will sound for about half a second then strobe only). The L has 15, 30, 75, 95, 110, 135, and 185cd.

'Nuff said.

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Yes they are different, but the strobe control components and horn control components are the same thing. System sensor has not changed this since the first generation SpectrAlert. Candela and volume settings have nothing to do with whether they will sync or not. That is based on the device itself. The sync module doesn’t care the brightness or volume, it just cares that the components are the same throughout all units. This is why system sensor products are always syncable and backward compatible.

Ah, I was thinking with everything being different, that synchronization would also be different. In my mind, I was thinking “System Sensor sure is putting emphasis on using the MDL3. There’s got to be a compatibility cut-off somewhere!” I’ll try to post if the MDL can synchronize and silence Classics, Advances, and Ls when I test. With no definite answer yet, then we will finally have one. Also, what would happen to an Advance on the first generation MDL?

Nothing should happen when you put the advance on the MDL. It will function just as it should. I think system sensor would’ve made a different mdl for the L-Series but since they didn’t, I assume it is safe to mix generations across lines, of course only spectralert, spectralert advance and l series products

It will. I tried it with my system, but it does this weird glitch where it throws the panel into synced audible silence with the MDL (not MDL3). I don’t have a panel though, so it’s probably that (or I jumped the wires somehow that accidentally made it do audible silence. It was still pretty cool though, to have audible silence when the NAC power switch was in the OFF position and doesn’t turn off till I reset the pull.

Update:
On my MDL, the L-series strobe does synchronize and the horn will silence. However, the strobe will sometimes skip, regardless of candela setting, but it will always stay in sync. Please note that I only tested in selective silence mode.

Yeh mine skips too sometimes but it’s not an issue