Getting Simplex to program a 4100u/es

Hi all,
I’m not too sure if this is the right board to post this in but … I have taken on the challenging, risky (and possibly quite stupid) endeavor of building my very own 4100u/es panel. The reason why I’m doing this is after mrtruealert on YouTube built 2 of these panels to completion and got them programmed, and since I’ve always wanted a 4100u or es panel, not an EST-3, MXL or XLS, or NFS2-3030, and I’m in the financial situation to do so, I will try to become the 2nd person on YouTube to own one, well 3rd if you count Voyage400’s infoalarm but that was never programmed.

This would be month’s from now as I have to purchase all the parts, devices, and cabinet and wire it all up before Simplex can come out, as this would be a one shot situation as nothing can be changed (except devices on conventional NAC’s and Zones) unless I pay for another service call. My question is how would I go about calling my Simplex branch to come and program it for me, and I know they operate on a contract based service but I don’t intend on paying monthly or yearly for service calls if I still have to pay for them to come out each time. I don’t know how pricing goes either and I know it’s going to be determined on how many devices and features I want programmed.

Lastly, this would be a voice system and the messages I want were used at Ottawa City Hall in Canada which was a 4100u system. If you’ve watched Twoplyboy’s videos in the past, the video was labeled Bell Test A, Bell Test B, and Bell Test C. I’ve heard the same female voice used in the states but not the exact message. It’s a pretty basic message so I don’t think it was customized. Would they be able to grab that message and the French version as well and would that escalate the costs of the service call?

I don’t think it would be possible to get my own dongle as that would be $$$$$$ I don’t have and Simplex seems pretty reluctant.

I work at a place that’s serviced by Simplex, maybe if I run into them again I could get them personally to program it? Mrtruealert on YouTube said he knew a friend who works for Simplex and they programmed his panels just fine.

The basic parts used on my panel would be:
4100-9311 Master Controller (contains the Controller card, Dialer, SPS power supply with 1 IDNet channel and 3 nacs, and the standard 2x40 operator interface). I realize this is a U master controller but I can probably switch it out with an ES controller card since everything else is compatible.

4100-9620 Audio Controller (contains the Analog audio control card, a Microphone, and the 100w Amplifier).

Also if I can find it the EPS+ power supply so I can have ES horns / strobes/ and speaker on the system as well.

Those parts ain’t too hard to find as they pop up on ebay all the time.

Lastly, I can’t find the ES cabinet online and if I did freight shipping would be tremendous. Maybe Simplex can find an overstock and sell me one cheap since they are expensive. I would need a 3 bay cabinet.

Thanks for you help!

You are embarking on quite a project. SG, now JCI, still does service on a per call billable basis.Talk to the tech who services the system where you work and find out what his favorite beverages are. Then offer to stock him up! If other methods fail you can request a one time service call. That will be several hundred $$. Not all customers have contract service.

There are a few standard audio message sets that a tech can download from the company intranet web site. Any other message sets are a sales order process. However, you might find a tech that has copies of some custom message sets he has installed.

Here is something to think about. Instead of a 100 watt amplifier consider a flex 50 (requires an XPS in the same bay). The analog controller is a two channel audio system. With the flex 50 you could experiment with dual simultaneous audio (evac channel and alert channel playing at the same time on separate speaker circuits). The 100 watt can only play one channel at a time on all circuits. The XPS would allow still having conventional NACs available if you change to an EPS main power supply. Just a thought, it’s your system.

You mention changing devices on conventional NACs and zones. Be sure to shop for a monitor/security card to have conventional zones in your system.

Also be sure to request a copy of all the files installed in your panel.

Sounds like you will have fun with this project.

Thanks for the helpful insight!

I already purchased the analog controller bay that comes with the 100w amplifier. However I like the dual channel idea and I might get a Flex 50 amplifier. Kind of like a prestage system. Full Evac tone and message on one circuit or floor and the mechanical chime tone on other circuits.

The only thing I’ll struggle with is the cabinets. Do you know where I can get a 3 bay cabinet?

[quote=jm2014 post_id=80234 time=1524860254 user_id=3106] I already purchased the analog controller bay that comes with the 100w amplifier. However I like the dual channel idea and I might get a Flex 50 amplifier. Kind of like a prestage system. Full Evac tone and message on one circuit or floor and the mechanical chime tone on other circuits.

The only thing I’ll struggle with is the cabinets. Do you know where I can get a 3 bay cabinet?
[/quote]

I guess that solves the amplifier question for the moment.

There are a few boxes on Ebay but the owners are very proud of them. Wait for a while. When they don’t sell the price may come down. The 4100U/ES bays mount directly to the back of the box. There are no special mounting rails like the older systems use. You can start with a sheet of plywood to get things going and transfer to a box when one comes available for a decent price. If you can talk to the tech that services your work system he may be able to hunt up one that was bent in shipment you could straighten out.

Thank you very much! I’ll be on a lookout.

I’ve just recently thought of this. Could someone with the simplex software (Simplex Grinnell or a tech with a dongle) create multiple config files so I can upload to the panel whenever I feel like changing something? Like if I wanted the Smart Sync devices to be continuous instead of Temporal, I just upload the file over an RS232 connection? I’ve had the 4100u programming software for years now but needs a dongle but there’s a program called File Transfer? It doesn’t seem to need a dongle as it opens right up and asks you to browse for a .CFG4100 file? Could that work for a U/ES panel and possibly a 4100+? I have the 4100/4120/4020 programming software but needs a dongle and I don’t have DOS.

[quote=jm2014 post_id=80373 time=1525839475 user_id=3106]

I’ve just recently thought of this. Could someone with the simplex software (Simplex Grinnell or a tech with a dongle) create multiple config files so I can upload to the panel whenever I feel like changing something? Like if I wanted the Smart Sync devices to be continuous instead of Temporal, I just upload the file over an RS232 connection? I’ve had the 4100u programming software for years now but needs a dongle but there’s a program called File Transfer? It doesn’t seem to need a dongle as it opens right up and asks you to browse for a .CFG4100 file? Could that work for a U/ES panel and possibly a 4100+? I have the 4100/4120/4020 programming software but needs a dongle and I don’t have DOS.

[/quote]

have you gotten a response to this query??