Disconnecting Bell Box wiring

[LeBlur]

I am making some changes to my loft flooring but need to re-route the cable for the alarm bell box, as it presently runs over the top of a joist (where the water tank used to be).

The cable is jointed, handily where I want to re-route the cable, using a punch down joint box (connections like the back of a BT phone socket).

Am I right in presuming that even if I put the alarm panel into Maintenance mode (or to be even safer, turn off the alarm panel altogether (and disconnect its battery)?) then disconnect the bell box cable at the joint box then the alarm will still go off due to the anti tamper circuit and the battery in the bell box??

I am reluctant to get my ladders out to get to the bell box due to the snow and ice we have at the moment. Is there any wires I can short out on the cable to the bell box (or some other method) so the sounder doesn't go off when I disconnect the wiring at the joint box in the loft? (This would be the same as disconnecting the bell box wiring from the alarm panel without disconnecting the battery in the bell box?)

The bell box has the following connections:
A - +12v, B - Bell, C - Tmp, D - 0v, S - Strb

The alarm panel has the corresponding connections:
D - +ve supply, B - -ve bell, T - SCB, A - 0v, - Strobe

Many thanks for any advice received.

 

[joe-90]

If you disconnect the wires the siren will only run on the 6 volt battery so won't be as loud. It will only take a couple of minutes to re-route it - so why worry? Just make sure you don't short the wires out. Reconnect the +12v and -12v first.

 

[bernardgreen]

It is possible to clip a 12 volt supply onto the wires to the bell box to hold of the box from sounding while disconnected from it's parent panel. But I don't know which.

If the cable is stranded ( not single core ) then using a push down ( IDC ) connector is not a good idea as the joint is NOT reliable and over time the joint might fail.

 

[LeBlur]

Thank you both for your very prompt responses. They are appreciated.

I have finally managed to identify the bell box (found a receipt in all the old paperwork that the previous owner left) which has enabled me to find an online manual. http://www.wmestore.co.uk/media/Odyssey_user_manual.pdf

The bell box appears to have a 'Hold Off' feature. If you activate the strobe 3 times within 30 seconds the bell box enters 'Hold Off' mode which gives you 15 minutes to either open the tamper circuit (e.g. open the bell box case) or remove remote power (e.g. turn off the control panel). It looks like the bell box then remains in 'Hold Off' mode until the tamper circuit is closed or remote power restored.

It's worth a go. If this fails then, as joe-90 says, it'll only take me a few minutes to re-route the cable with the sounder blaring.

Following bernardgreen's advice I may change the joint box to a screw terminal one (if I can find one these days).

Many thanks again.

 

[pcaouolte]

The hold off feature does work as you describe. A single LED on the sounder will flash to indicate that the hold off feature is active. You can then remove the connections at your junction box and the sounder will stay in silent mode until you reconnect the wires.

As joe-90 has said the 12v from the panel will still be live so don't short the wires together at the junction box.

 

[LeBlur]

Many thanks pcaouolte.

To err on the side of caution, once the bell box is in Hold-Off then I will power off the control panel fully.