Sounder controler with isolator XP95!

[Marcos Figaro]

Hi every one;

I had three sounder controllers with isolator gone faulty in three different sites and in different times to, the sounder controller is normally controlling conventional sounders...

During bell test the customer could not stop that conventional sounders… when checked the sounder controller I found it triggered and sitting in that state even resetting the system several times... this scenario happened in 3 different sites, and the unique solution available was to disconnect physically the sounder controller from the loop...etc

My only enquiry is that are these XP95 sounder controller reliable enough?
What makes them to go faulty so quick?

Thank you

[Galeon]

It was always pretty bullet proof before the isolator element was added , I personally dislike isolators built in to every device , if you haven't spoken to Apollo yet  they need to know , could be a faulty batch , so a bigger problem could be on the horizon

If you can get a sounder controller without the built in isolator stick that in for now , and cover the section of cable on the loop with a standard isolator.

Obviously for the device to trigger , it would have to had the bit command from the panel , question :
All same make of control panel ? , as it could be an issue here.

[Graeme]

what panel are you using and does it have the latest software installed?

[Marcos Figaro]

what panel are you using and does it have the latest software installed?

Advanced MX4000 series, also it has the right software version.

[Galeon]

Advanced did have a glitch in the early days , with Hochiki sounder controllers , but they fixed that .
Give Andy Haynes a bell at Apollo see if he can shed any light on it.

[Marcos Figaro]

It was always pretty bullet proof before the isolator element was added , I personally dislike isolators built in to every device , if you haven't spoken to Apollo yet  they need to know , could be a faulty batch , so a bigger problem could be on the horizon

If you can get a sounder controller without the built in isolator stick that in for now , and cover the section of cable on the loop with a standard isolator.

Obviously for the device to trigger , it would have to had the bit command from the panel , question :
All same make of control panel ? , as it could be an issue here.

I think it has nothing to do with the isolator part of the device, the fact that the isolator did not trigger and the loop was sitting perfectly, apart from the sounder controler itself which gone faulty, also I think it worths to consult Apollo

[Galeon]

I am still mulling over my comment about the bit values , this pushes back to the panel , as it would appear the panel sent it over upon the fire test , one assumes it was a call point . It therefore didn't either receive or action the silence command bit.

I would either stick an Apollo test set on the loop or a temp panel and bounce it over.
Its to much of a coincidence that you have the same panel.

The boys may post any items with the sounder controllers ,maybe on other panels that are problematic , so at least you now it could be the kit and not the panel.

I take it that an engineer disconnected the circuit , because we have had it before they hit the silence alarm button and it does take a few seconds for souders to stop  that are loop driven /albeit with a power supply in your case , then because they dont stop immedialty they press the silence button again which as well you know is evac on this panel.

[Pottius]

I have found that loop driven sounder interfaces can fire their output if there has been a loop fault. This was found on a site using a Kentec panel using sounder controllers to fire gas bottles. As luck would have it the gas solenoids had been disconnected before the problem arose. Apollo admitted the problem arises from the data bits sent around the loop when there is a loop fault which can turn on the sounder output. As this happened with a Kentec Sigma XT panel and not an Advanced panel it looks like the problem lies with Apollo.

[Marcos Figaro]

I have found that loop driven sounder interfaces can fire their output if there has been a loop fault. This was found on a site using a Kentec panel using sounder controllers to fire gas bottles. As luck would have it the gas solenoids had been disconnected before the problem arose. Apollo admitted the problem arises from the data bits sent around the loop when there is a loop fault which can turn on the sounder output. As this happened with a Kentec Sigma XT panel and not an Advanced panel it looks like the problem lies with Apollo.

Yes indeed that is what I was thinking about, if the out put monitored was FM200 Gas instead of conventional sounders that would be a desaster... 15K pound to refill the Gas. and the service company is the first to be blamed

[wozzer38]

FM200 gas should only be controlled by an EN54 approved Extinguishing panel....check Kentecs website www.kentec.co.uk

I wouldn't dream of using any extinguishant type system purely using an Interface!!

[wozzer38]

Sounder Control Unit is a device for controlling Sounders!! not extinguishant!!

[Marcos Figaro]

FM200 gas should only be controlled by an EN54 approved Extinguishing panel....check Kentecs website www.kentec.co.uk

I wouldn't dream of using any extinguishant type system purely using an Interface!!

Good point W38

[Pottius]

Sorry should have been Syncho XT. The sounder controllers were taken out and the soleniods were hard wired as Apollo couldn't fix the problem.

[Benzerari]

One of the sites we have problems with sounder controller with isolator, and were latched and alarm going off even when resetting the system, we have rewired every thing back and gave a quick test, every thing worked perfectly, the two sounder controllers where disconnected for 2 days to stop alarm going off.

What was really the problem I have not got a clue?

In this site particularly, the case happened when I disabled all outputs and set the system in test mode... after little while the care taker started his bell test in the other side, and did not hear alarms, he then complained to his manager, the manager informed him that we are doing servicing... and authorized us to set back the system to its normal working operation enabling the bell test to be carried out.

Since than the night mare starts alarm went off in part of the building covered by the sounder controller

Do you think this has any effect on the situation?

I did not find any explanation to the onsite manager as the existing sounder controllers been rewired back and worked OK.

It seems they work probably in a part-time manner!

Headache :rolleyes:

[wozzer38]

Just an update on this....I had some more of these units and spoke to Apollo....they said there was an issue with microchip legs not being tied down which meant that with any blip in the supply they could not guarantee the state of the Relay. This was difficult to fix immediately so went on for several months....they say they have now fixed the issue so from September 2008 all SCU's with Isolator should work as expected without problems....they sent me some new ones which I have interrupted the power to several times and had no issues.