Door Intercom help needed

[bernardgreen]

I need a source of components for a ( difficult )door intercom system to save me having to build them myself.

Two doors, front door and back door of an old cottage.

At least three handsets.

All handsets to be able to answer either door. Door release is not needed. It would be advantagous if the ring at the handsets was different for each of the doors but not essential. A conversation between a handset and a door must NOT be over heard at the other door ( but may be overheard by other handsets )

Cannot be wireless as 2 foot thick internal stone walls are involved and wireless through them is very un-reliable.

Back door unit can be a standard unit. Front door unit has to comply with the requirements of a Grade Two Listed building and be vandal proof. It might be that the front door unit will be something I have to custom build based on a standard unit's components.

Have looked at several manufacture's systems but all I can find are single door to multiple handsets.

 

[Alarm]

Comelit
Entryphone
BPT

Comelit will work 2 wire. Also video on same pair if needed.

 

[OwainDIYer]

you need a system with a door switching relay.

Try http://safelink.co.uk/ who carry all the major lines.

 

[Alarm]

Hence the 3 makes above that will do as required.
Comelit does not require a switcher either the panels do it anyway IIRC

Entryphone will require a "mixer" , as will BPT.

 

[sparkymarka]

As alarm said all of the above i personally like BPT and have been fitting the villa 200 series for the last 15 years and are very good even at coastal locations, be carefull when buying the items its cheaper to buy kits for example 1x villa set 1 and 1x villa set 2 and an si200 entrance selector, this will give you an extra power supply but will be cheaper than buying the parts on there own, check out the costings before you order.

 

[Alarm]

Worked on all of the above and more for more years than I care to mention
But the Comelit has edged into my "heart" as a robust easy to use and fit system. It costs a little more but you could do a 20 flat video conversion in a day with two lads using just one good pair between flats and or risers.

As I said the two door is just a matter of connecting the panels in series to the PSU and then to the phones, in radial or daisy chain. It is that versatile.
Obviously the audio only is cheaper.

Another fact, it is not even polarity concious with the handsets so even a chimp ( not calling you that Bernard lol), can be trusted with it!!

 

[bernardgreen]

Another fact, it is not even polarity concious with the handsets so even a chimp ( not calling you that Bernard lol), can be trusted with it!!

Pass me the bananas please, peeled as I have difficulty remembering which end to peel from.....

I think I have the answer but will not know until I speak to the technical guy on Tuesday ( assuming they do have a technical guy ). The difficult bit is the front door "panel" which has to look like those used when the cottage was built 490 years ago. With some of the two wire systems it is very likely the positioning and mounting of the speaker relative to the microphone in the panel is critical to prevent acoustic feedback

Though I am still thinking about a relay per door which latches on when that door bell is pressed and its contacts then connect the paralleled handsets to that door. The latched relay is released after the conversation by a button press on the handset with a back up time delayed release for when the need to press the button is forgotten. This method also allows for a lamp over the door to be lit automatically.

 

[Alarm]

LOL, nothing was made 490 years ago. They had a bit of glass if they could afford the tax, so people just shouted

I have "gutted" the Comelit and put it into other devices without any feedback. Anyway a 500ohm resistor in series could drop that down anyway if needed,on either line that is affected.

As before no need for relays ect with Comelit, and why have a light turn on when the button is pressed? They have found the door and call station already. A standard courtesy light would suffice surely?

I have made a lot of custom stuff in the past and can put together virtually any system with any manufacturers parts. So if you want to run a few ideas past me by all means Pm me Bernard and I would be glad to assist.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I think I have the answer but will not know until I speak to the technical guy on Tuesday ( assuming they do have a technical guy ). The difficult bit is the front door "panel" which has to look like those used when the cottage was built 490 years ago.

You can get switches operated by an olde-fashioned stylee bell pull rod, and the speaky bit could be mounted on the door behind a wrot iron grill (of the sort that people used to open to speak through before opening the door) or in the wall with a black iron faceplate.

http://www.castinstyle.co.uk/product.php/2085/249/cavendish_bell_pull

with a bit of fettling you may be able to make the crank operate both the intercom (for door switching) and a real mechanical bell.

If you need to separate the speaker and micrphone to avoid feedback then a small horn speaker would fit inside a bell such as

http://www.castinstyle.co.uk/product.php/1287/23/scroll_bell

(remove the rope to stop people ringing it)

 

[bernardgreen]

One of my "creations" was a speaker with a transparent Mylar (?) cone fitted in the base of a lamp so the light shown down through the cone.

The "ancient" grill may be tolerated by the conservation officer.

A real jangly bell on a pull handle would be ideal but the front door is directly onto the pavement and a pull handle would be a big temptation for the thoughtless "playful" people who pass by.

 

[Alarm]

One of my "creations" was a speaker with a transparent Mylar (?) cone fitted in the base of a lamp so the light shown down through the cone.

The "ancient" grill may be tolerated by the conservation officer.

A real jangly bell on a pull handle would be ideal but the front door is directly onto the pavement and a pull handle would be a big temptation for the thoughtless "playful" people who pass by.

Give us a specific device and or drawing.

 

[bernardgreen]

It was a square hanging lantern similar to this but with a much thicker base,

Fitted with a flickery neon candle that was lit all the time. Base was cut away and a weatherproof speaker from the scrap box fitted in its place. A ring of 12 volt 2.2 watt MES bulbs above the speaker and reflective sheet above them.

 

[Alarm]

Respect where due Bernard.
I love improvisation and adapting.

Would have been good to see the device.

How about looking on the Expamet site for a "diamond mesh grille" which would look antique enough to suit the covering for the speaker/mic?

http://www.expamet.co.uk/content/expanded-metal-mesh-and-lath