Sounder Fault

[dannyb]

Hi all,

Routine testing of a C.E.L. PreceptEN conventional panel reveals that three of the four sounder zones do not operate on every alarm.  The alarm can be triggered from the same MCP or detector several times and each time the panel displays all the correct lights, but the sounder zones behave differently each time.  For example, three activation and panel resets using the same MCP, first time only sounder zone 2 operates, second time they all operate, third time 1, 3 and 4 but not 2 operate.  Needless to say i've checked and tested all the zone wiring and found nothing unusual and the zones aren't overloaded.

Any ideas?

[Wiz]

Hi Danny,

When you get the situation that one or more of the sounder circuits are not operating when you expect them to, do you get any sounder fault warning indicating on the panel?

[monkeh]

were you testing with the mains connected?

if you were testing on batteries it's possible the batteries are failing.

could also actually be the psu, might not be giving out enough juice to power all the circuits.  try sticking a set of new batteries in and testing with the panel just running off them to eliminate that.

check the amount of voltage being sent down each circuit too, both before and after putting the panel into alarm.
also try disconnecting all the circuits and testing them all in turn, one by one, to see if each can ring on its own properly

[Graeme]

test on mains without battery  
if you have ruled out wiring,circuit overload etc then it sounds a likely panel fault.

[dannyb]

Testing is with mains connected.  Lack of power is an unlikely cause as one of the sounder circuits is running through a booster and still fails to operate.

I was thinking it was a panel fault, but thought i'd check to make sure it wasn't something i'd missed.