Silent Knight 5104B help

I have a Silent Knight 5104B that seems to be having a few “issues” , first, it says the phone voltage is too low, main reason possibly is I don’t have a router connected to it… Second problem is, the bell circuit outputs very little to no voltage, and that’s what I need help with, how do I fix it without a Silent Knight 5230 touchpad? I would also like to know, because I’m new to TheFirePanelForums, how do I add an image taken directly from my iPad? Without any links or anything like that?

Thank you for your help. :slight_smile:

There should be a file attachment box located below the post content box.

Thank you.

I am not understanding this, why would you connect a router to your telco line input to begin with? Should just go directly to a telephone landline. If that is not your intention and you just want to hook up the panel for a demo use, you need the fool the panel into thinking it has a working phone line. Normal phone on-hook voltage is around 48VDC, off-hook around 9VDC. Simply parallel 12V across both tip and ring of the TELCO 1 and 2 inputs - no connections to the HOUSE 1 & 2 outputs. You can pull 12VDC off the panel from terminals 6 & 7.

WARNING - DO NOT connect this panel to a working telephone line unless you know absolutely this panel is not programmed to call out - if you got it used there is a possibility there is still old central station information programmed into it and you should default everything first!!!

I believe you need to change Step 11 in the programming to YES. Unfortunately, you will need a 5230 to do that. In any case, the bell output is only 12VDC and limited to 750mA max. Really only designed for one or two notification appliances.

Keep in mind this panel basically a fancy dialer and is not really intended to be used as a stand alone fire alarm panel. These are designed to monitor a sprinkler riser in a building without a full fire alarm system or act as a slave dialer for a building fire alarm. So your functions are going to be simple and programming limited to mostly dialer related requirements.

Actually it’s Step 14 (for the 5104B) for the “Relay Alarm” function - I was looking at the 5104 book.

Well, I’m actually not sure what to do, mainly because I HARDLY know this panel, I might actually need NewAgeServer’s help with this, I’m a little too new for this panel… so should I sell this panel and get another one? or should I keep this panel and wait for instructions on how to work the poor thing? Plus, it came with Ethernet cables, so what do I do with those? And yes, I am using this panel for a hobby system, however, I have NO 12VDC alarms. I’ll get back to this topic once I get home and when I get back from getting my dad’s truck’s emissions tested. (Subject to be continued later)

Although those cables look like network cables they are made to plug into a special telephone line jack called an RJ31X. Dialers have a feature called line seizure so that a telephone line can be shared with other telephone devices. The circuit for that shared line goes through the dialer. The dialer is the first device connected to the telephone line. If the unit needs to dial out it breaks the circuit to whatever is further down the line and makes it’s call. The RJ31X has shorting bars in it to make the connection to the shared devices if the dialer phone line is unplugged.

Link to 5104B installation and operating instructions.

Well, I’m actually not sure what to do, mainly because I HARDLY know this panel, I might actually need NewAgeServer’s help with this, I’m a little too new for this panel… so should I sell this panel and get another one? or should I keep this panel and wait for instructions on how to work the poor thing? Plus, it came with Ethernet cables, so what do I do with those? And yes, I am using this panel for a hobby system, however, I have NO 12VDC alarms. I just want to be able to use my panel and have it trouble-free, aside from the battery trouble, and I think this panel is basically used in small townhouse homes (like mine) and no building larger… Which is my FIRST assumption, but correct me if I’m wrong. Additionally, I just want my panel to call my home phone for if I’m just messing around with it, and the FD if I’m at school or if the family is asleep… I need to know where I can get a 5230 touchpad for a good price, if I want to program my panel… So if I want to NOT get a phone line trouble, how do I bypass that? How do I connect the panel to my phone line without any special devices that I may not be able so afford? I know I’m spamming this with questions, but I have a lot of questions…

Why do you want it to call the fire department?! If the fire marshal hears that their has been a unauthorized installation of a life safety system there could be hefty fines. The reasons this is a VERY bad has been covered in these topics:
<URL url="Legal to have a hobby system. text=“viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6481”>Legal to have a hobby system.
<URL url="What kind of cable can I use? text=“viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5460”>What kind of cable can I use?
<URL url="Hardwiring Questions text=“viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6011”>Hardwiring Questions
Your families insurance would a field day if there has been a illegal system installed.

I’ve never seen these panels used as a stand alone fire alarm system - even for small buildings like apartment buildings. There I will see something like an MS-2/4 or the older MP-12/24 panels. You will see the 5104 in something like a 30 story building! But only as the slave dialer connected to the main building fire alarm panel.

You are not going to find a commercial fire alarm panel able to dial a personal phone number properly. These are designed to call a central station receiver directly and communicate. If you programmed this panel to call your number, all you would get is silence. Your best bet, if that is what you wanted, is to purchase an auto-dialer. You can program numbers to call, a voice message, and connect it to a relay from the fire alarm panel. And it is against code (and may even be illegal where you live) for any panel or auto-dialer to call the fire department directly.

Honestly, you would probably be better selling this panel for what you paid, and buying a small fire alarm panel like the MS-2 or 4 (something that is dip switch programmed) and an autodialer. I think you will be disappointed with the capabilities of the 5104.

I see, but I still need to be able to make my panel trouble-free (again, aside from the battery trouble) and I need to be able to run the bell circuit, but I don’t have a 5230 touchpad, I still have yet to find one for a great price, anyone know where I can get one for under $100?

Hmmm… You’re right… But a panel like that, without selling my current panel… WAY too expensive, especially because my family doesn’t have the proper budget… I’m even trying to get my ham radio license… As much as I would like to sell my current panel, I’m not sure how much I should put it up for… If you have any ideas, please share it with me… Until then, I think I’ll keep ahold of my current panel.

Unfortunately, you’re not going to have many options out there if you are trying to do this on a budget. Fire alarms aren’t cheap - best you can do is watch ebay for small panels and hope you find a good deal. I would just put it up for sale for whatever you paid, this way you break even. And save that money for that better panel when it comes up. What good is that panel if you can’t do anything with it?

The 5104 is just a dialer, it’s not a typical fire alarm panel. usually you sit it next to a normal fire alarm panel.

The normal fire alarm panel sends alarm/trouble/supervisory signals to it, and in turn the dialar calls out to a central station. the central station then calls the owner/owners representative and/or the local fire department to let them know what’s going on.

there’s a million 5104’s or variations of it out in the world, all of them are mounted next to a fire alarm panel.

Okay, but I have no idea how much mine cost on eBay, so until I get the info I need, I’ll just hang on to it… I’m sure NewAgeServer might be able to use it…

So, I’ve taken the “fool the panel into thinking it has a working phone line” thing into consideration, will the panel leave me with a battery trouble? If so, how do I bypass the battery trouble without a 12V 7AH battery?

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No battery will give you a battery trouble no matter what. The only way to clear it would be connect up a battery.

Go to any battery retailer and pick up a 12v 4Ah lead-acid battery - usually around $20+/-

So, I can’t clear that trouble with a 9V battery?

No it does not provide enough Ampere-hours or voltage. Even if it did work it wouldn’t last very long.