Nurse Call System

[surreysparks]

Hi All

I have a random problem with a C-TEC 800 nurse call system.

The sounders are not working, even though when the alarm is raised they receive 14VDC.

When I attach the pair from the sounders that is in the panel and connected to the sdr outlet to a toner you can hear both the sounders so I know they work.

Confused.....

 

[Gazthesparky]

Carnt say I have any experience of the c tec system but I know that some of the older fire alarm systems use to flip the polarity of the sounders to switch them on or off

That's just a total shot in the dark I have no experience of the c tec nurse call system

 

[surreysparks]

I tried changing polarity of the sounders at the panel but no joy....

 

[tazz]

There is a common Neg and positive from the control panel to all sounders, plus a signal cable which is the zones trigger, you are allowed upto 3 sounders per zone. allcall points are just neg and trig

View attachment K_RANGE_STND_PANEL_INSTS_3.pdf
Instruction attached for 3 wire overhead sounder/strobe

 

[Engineer54]

There is a common Neg and positive from the control panel to all sounders, plus a signal cable which is the zones trigger, you are allowed upto 3 sounders per zone. allcall points are just neg and trig

That sounds about right to me, though i've never even heard of the C-Tech nurse call system, let alone have any experience of them...

 

[tazz]

We deal with alot of nursing homes for fire and nurse call although the c-tec 800 is not widly used. most of them Eng54 are just and adressable system like the fire alarms

 

[surreysparks]

Yeah I wired the sounders to the sdr positive and negative do I need to take one core elsewhere?

 

[surreysparks]

The sounders they have are 1 pair, no trigger etc....

 

[Engineer54]

The sounders they have are 1 pair, no trigger etc....

As tazz has uploaded the wiring instructions for the C-Tech 800 system in his post #4, look at the wiring connection requirements for the different sounder options. They can't be much clearer, for you to be able to sort it out from there!!!

 

[surreysparks]

Yeah they are wired as per diagram..

Confused....

 

[tazz]

Are you using remote or switchable sounders...?

 

[surreysparks]

Remote I beleive just a - and a +.

They get 14v, no noise.

Connect the paid from my toner to the + and - at the panel and they make noise....

So the sounders work.

They get voltage when a call is raised, but don't sound...

 

[Richard Burns]

No idea about the system itself, but have you measured the voltage when in alarm, whilst it is connected to the sounders? IT may drop off significantly when under load.
It is possible that the supply is not man enough to provide enough current to operate the sounders, either from the panel design or the length of run

 

[tazz]

Ok there is your problem, you can only switch remote sounders from a sounder switch unit, they cannot be connected on the zone. But you can connect direct to the panel SND + and com - All calls will activate the sounders.

 

[surreysparks]

I can't find adjustable volume sounders on the Internet. What would they be under?

 

[Richard Burns]

C-tec produce a variety of 800 compatible nurse call systems, which model are you actually using here?

They have different connections for different models.
You do have the sounders connected in parallel not series don't you?

 

[tazz]

I have posted the instructions for you, and explained the switched and line driven sounds......So what do you want this system to do which has not been explained

 

[surreysparks]

I changed the wiring from sdr - and + to using one of the com.

Sounder(s) get 14v but there is the slightest noise from them.

Sounders have an in and an out.

 

[tazz]

Are the sounders C-tec 800 series.....C-tec have two on the market....800 series standard zone and Quantec addressable 2 wire. can you give me the part number for the ssounders you have

 

[surreysparks]

Are the sounders C-tec 800 series.....C-tec have two on the market....800 series standard zone and Quantec addressable 2 wire. can you give me the part number for the ssounders you have

The sounders do not appear to have a part number, they merely have sounder or something written on the front and a 2 pole in and out on the rear.

They have an adjustable volume.

The terminals have seen better days, so im hoping to rewire from the first to the second sounder and replace them, and hope that this would sort it out?