Battery for HKC SABB External Sounder

[Eugene's DIY Den]

The sounder on my alarm sounds "scratchy" and the volume is increasing and decreasing a bit as though there's a loose connection. Or maybe a failing battery is the problem? Is this the battery that goes into these sounders? My electrical wholesaler says that the battery is nearly as expensive as a new sounder, so maybe it's better to buy a new one if e.g. corrosion on the PCB board is what's causing the sound problem.

 

https://www.hkcsecurity.com/ie/en/products/auxiliary-equipment-wireless/extended-6v-battery-pack-rf-sabb

 

Edited April 17 by Eugene's DIY Den
typo

[al-yeti]

43 minutes ago, Eugene's DIY Den said:

The sounder on my alarm sounds "scratchy" and the volume is increasing and decreasing a bit as though there's a loose connection. Or maybe a failing battery is the problem? Is this the battery that goes into these sounders? My electrical wholesaler says that the battery is nearly as expensive as a new sounder, so maybe it's better to buy a new one if e.g. corrosion on the PCB board is what's causing the sound problem.

 

https://www.hkcsecurity.com/ie/en/products/auxiliary-equipment-wireless/extended-6v-battery-pack-rf-sabb

 

Although wholesaler is talking **** about the battery pack

 

 

Just replace the cr123 see if it helps you don't need the whole new pack open it 6xbatts

 

Maybe the sounder itself is weather damaged? 

 

The sounder yes is expensive ish

[Eugene's DIY Den]

24 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Although wholesaler is talking **** about the battery pack

 

 

Just replace the cr123 see if it helps you don't need the whole new pack open it 6xbatts

 

Maybe the sounder itself is weather damaged? 

 

The sounder yes is expensive ish

Are they rechargeable C123s? This is a wired sounder. I'm going to open the sounder to see what the story is. My old sounder failed due to corrosion, but that was because it had a high voltage strobe and voltage tracked across the PCB due to the varnish breaking down and moisture presumably.
A new sounder is €47 + VAT. Battery he says is €38 + VAT.

Edited April 17 by Eugene's DIY Den

[al-yeti]

10 minutes ago, Eugene's DIY Den said:

Are they rechargeable C123s? This is a wired sounder. I'm going to open the sounder to see what the story is. My old sounder failed due to corrosion, but that was because it had a high voltage strobe and voltage tracked across the PCB due to the varnish breaking down and moisture presumably.
A new sounder is €47 + VAT. Battery he says is €38 + VAT.

Oh in that case it's just a few quid dude for the internal backup battery 

Thing is in your first post you have a link for RF battery pack hence I thought it's RF sabb

 

But the RF sabb can also run off the panel on 12v but the signalling is via the RF 

 

 

Wired bell, then you can get any bell as a replacement if you had to 

[Eugene's DIY Den]

6 minutes ago, al-yeti said:

Oh in that case it's just a few quid dude for the internal backup battery 

Found the instruction leaflet. It's a 6V, 170 mAh, NiMh. Are they standard, off the shelf battery packs or special  HKC ones? Also does the sounder battery power the sounder, with the cable intact and the sounder getting power, or is it powered by the panel? I'm trying to establish whether a bad battery in the sounder is causing low voltage or pulling down its charging voltage. I'll put a meter on it to see what the story is.

Edited April 17 by Eugene's DIY Den

[Eugene's DIY Den]

I could use something like this maybe, depending on dimensions. The existing battery has a capacity of 170 mAh, trickle charged at 14 mA.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/6V-330mAH-Ni-MH-Battery-Replacement/dp/B09C2FVP9L

Edited April 18 by Eugene's DIY Den

[sixwheeledbeast]

Pretty standard yep.

[james.wilson]

I doubt it's the battery

As in causing your sounder issue

[Eugene's DIY Den]

On 18/04/2025 at 17:00, james.wilson said:

I doubt it's the battery

As in causing your sounder issue

There are two problems I think. When the panel is powered down and the battery disconnected, the sounder is barely audible, suggesting the battery is at fault. With everything powered up, the  sounder volume randomly increases and decreases and has a "scratchy" sound, like when the volume control on a radio is bad. So like you suggested previously, possibly the piezo element at fault too. I'm going to open it up today.

[Eugene's DIY Den]

Battery not at fault, it was the piezo element. However HKC say the battery should be good for 5 years, and now it's 8 years. However I tested it, and it can still power the sounder for the 15 mins set by the jumper.