Scantronic 9800 Extension Speaker

[antinode]

Why do I feel like banging my head in the wall sometimes when I come on here.

[Guest RJBsec]

Why do I feel like banging my head in the wall sometimes when I come on here.

It's on the wall

[MatonTE1]

Why do I feel like banging my head in the wall sometimes when I come on here.

...to relieve the pain?

[antinode]

How did I know someone would correct that

[Stoatgobbler]

My apologies, yes, it is a 9800+ control panel.

The manual does state that the panel can handle two extension speakers (the panel is installed in a building which has two floors each of which requires the ability to hear a chime when the front door is opened hence needing two extension speakers). There is one keypad on the system, local to the front door, I don't want to install extra keypads merely to repeat a chime (can you still get 9800 keypads?).

The installation manual doesn't state how the two extension speakers are to be fitted (series or parallel) so I figured that series was the safest option (less chance of over-current of the loudspeaker power amplifier circuit). I can't however see how minor speaker impedance changes would affect a volume control pot (it is the volume control pot, marked as such on the board and the voltage set / current limit is a sealed pot anyway so you can't mix them up).

Everything on the panel works fine apart from my ability to adjust the volume on the extension speakers which seems odd.

Stoat

[lawandorder]

My apologies, yes, it is a 9800+ control panel.

The manual does state that the panel can handle two extension speakers (the panel is installed in a building which has two floors each of which requires the ability to hear a chime when the front door is opened hence needing two extension speakers). There is one keypad on the system, local to the front door, I don't want to install extra keypads merely to repeat a chime (can you still get 9800 keypads?).

The installation manual doesn't state how the two extension speakers are to be fitted (series or parallel) so I figured that series was the safest option (less chance of over-current of the loudspeaker power amplifier circuit). I can't however see how minor speaker impedance changes would affect a volume control pot (it is the volume control pot, marked as such on the board and the voltage set / current limit is a sealed pot anyway so you can't mix them up).

Everything on the panel works fine apart from my ability to adjust the volume on the extension speakers which seems odd.

Stoat

Thanks for clarifying, I thought I was going mad because I have never worked on a 9800 with a volume control (apart from the one in the keypad).

I don't know what the chime tone is like on the 9800+ but if it's like the old 9800 and 9600 it's the most irritating sound of all time, sounds like strangled duck!

You are right, series is the safest option but doesn't really answer your original question, one thing you could do is put a resistor in series with the speakers to quieten them down a bit. You would have to experiment with the value but 12 ohms @1 watt would be a starting point.

Bear in mind that any resistors you add will impact on the internal alarm volume as well.

[Alarm Protection]

Try them in parrallel.

[Stoatgobbler]

I have considered a resistor but, as you noted, I would like to try and avoid reducing the internal siren volume. I did a search of the forums on here to see if this was a known problem with this panel but it seems not.

I note that one of the outputs can be programmed to "entry / exit" follow, I'll connect a buzzer up to it and see if the chime is repeated to here as well, if so I could use this rather than the extension speakers.

Many thanks for your assistance.

Stoat

You are right, series is the safest option but doesn't really answer your original question, one thing you could do is put a resistor in series with the speakers to quieten them down a bit. You would have to experiment with the value but 12 ohms @1 watt would be a starting point.

Bear in mind that any resistors you add will impact on the internal alarm volume as well.

[lawandorder]

I have considered a resistor but, as you noted, I would like to try and avoid reducing the internal siren volume. I did a search of the forums on here to see if this was a known problem with this panel but it seems not.

I note that one of the outputs can be programmed to "entry / exit" follow, I'll connect a buzzer up to it and see if the chime is repeated to here as well, if so I could use this rather than the extension speakers.

Many thanks for your assistance.

Stoat

You are right, series is the safest option but doesn't really answer your original question, one thing you could do is put a resistor in series with the speakers to quieten them down a bit. You would have to experiment with the value but 12 ohms @1 watt would be a starting point.

Bear in mind that any resistors you add will impact on the internal alarm volume as well.

One final thought, you could use a suitable resistor then use a pair of contacts from a relay to bypass the resistor.

The coil of the relay could be driven by the bell output so the resistor would be bypassed during full alarm.

You would still get reduced volume sounders during a daytime tamper but it is perhaps food for thought.

Alternatively drive the relay from one of the programmable outputs (set/unset) so the speakers are only muted during day mode? A bit Heath Robinson but sometimes a man's gotta do wwhat a man's gotta do!