Alarm - Strobe Light - HELP PLEASE

[Johnsmith]

Basically, I'm looking to fit a light of some kind (large flashing LED/strobe light) to my existing alarm. NOT to go off when the alarm sounds due to an intruder, but instead to flash when the alarm is just SET.

I need it for an elderly relative who is hard of hearing, so that when he returns home he can see the light is flashing and that the alarm has been set (so he can then punch his code in).

It would also be useful for me as the alarm is set at night but there is no way of telling this - apart from walking into a room and triggering the thing!

I've heard that it is possible just to attach a light-box of some kind to one of the alarm panels and take the power from there.

Does anyone have any ideas, or have come across this type of thing before? Cheers, J

 

[alarm_guy]

What alarm panel does he have? A strobe light is'nt a good idea. They're abit too obvious in most cases, and are used to signal that the alarm has been activated. A small LED on the outside of his main door would work, but I'd need to know the panel to see if it's compatible.

 

[breezer]

a light outside (or viewable from outside) to say the alarm is set is NOT a good idea, but my main concern is that it will become aparent to others that "if that little light is not on then johnsmith's alarm is not on.

why not leave a note just inside the saying alarm on if it is or not if it isnt (assuming its not a glass door)

(it also doesnt comply with BS4737)

 

[Lectrician]

Remind me...what is that entry tone for......LOL.......You can, on some panels set an output to operate on entry mode.

 

[breezer]

Remind me...what is that entry tone for......LOL

johnsmith did say

I need it for an elderly relative who is hard of hearing

 

[andy]

so why dont you wire the tone to a flashing LED on the panel

 

[breezer]

so why dont you wire the tone to a flashing LED on the panel

because, it is a panel generated tone, not a voltage (the LED requires a voltage)

 

[Lectrician]

Depends on the panel, but, many have an option to program an output to operate during the entry tone. This output can power an led, or fire a relay which turns on a light, strobe etc.

What panel are you using?

 

[breezer]

andrew said

so why dont you wire the tone to a flashing LED on the panel

he did not mention separate output, he appears to assume you could change the speaker to an LED hence my post.

also alarm_guy did say in the initial reply

What alarm panel does he have?

so until Johnsmith replies, there is nothing we can do

 

[andy]

andrew said

so why dont you wire the tone to a flashing LED on the panel

he did not mention separate output, he appears to assume you could change the speaker to an LED hence my post.

some have a buzzer in. not sure how many do now but if it is a buzzer then surely a LED could be added

 

[plugwash]

even a speaker output could probablly be made to drive a led fairly easilly

the important thing to watch with leds on AC is the reverse breakdown voltage. This is normally dealt with using a series diode the opposite way round to the led

 

[breezer]

even a speaker output could probablly be made to drive a led fairly easilly

not without a bit of electronics, that is not what they are designed to do, (run LED from speaker output) but as i also said, we will have to wait for Johnsmith to tell us what the panel is

 

[plugwash]

easiest way is

wire two leds (plain leds not anything posh with built in resistors etc) in paralell but with opposite polarity

wire a 1K resistor in series with the pair

if its too dim reduce resistor until its bright enough

easy

 

[breezer]

wont work, theory says it will but there is not enough voltage / current for it to work properly / not damage panel.

If what you suggest was feasable the manufacturer would either mention this or not provde outputs to accept something such as a LED

 

[Johnsmith]

Thanks for your input - finally found the operating manual for the keypad. it's a Menvier Security TS 590. Two panels: one not far from the main door and also one upstairs.

I agree that a light/LED visible from the outside is probably not a good idea.

The other thing is that the alarm is also set when he goes to bed at night (with the 'perimeter' armed - basically everything except the bathroom). So we want want it to flash when he wakes up first thing, so that he doesn't walk into an alarmed room by accident and sets the whole thing off (as has happened before). Also, there is no way of knowing that the alarm is set when this happens - ie. it does not beep when you walk into a room first thing in the morning- just the all-bell-and-whistles siren! Not a nice way to wake up.

I also looked at a recent catalogue from an alarm coponents company (gardiner security) to see if they might sell anything that could fit the bill - but no luck. Maybe there is nothing 'off the shelf'.

Any more thoughts?

Cheers - and seasons greeting to you.