Sounder not sounding

[Mr M]

My home security alarm is working fine other than the sounder doesn’t sound!

If I activate the alarm, I hear it inside the house but there is no sound outside from the sounder. I don’t know what make the sounder is but I have attached an image of it below.

It's a wired system and I can see a red light inside the dark blue coloured cover towards the bottom of the sounder, so I am assuming that it is still getting power to it.

I know this might be a bit of a long- shot but does anyone know what make/model No. the sounder might be? I'd like to try to download a manual if possible. Also if the issue of it not sounding is likely to be a dead battery inside the sounder (if the sounder even has one?) or something else ie a wiring issue?

Any replies would be greatfully received.

 

[sparkymarka]

Ok ….first thing , what alarm panel is it ? How did you set it off ? Some panels have pre alarm if activated on entry so the bell MAY not ring externally for the first 30s
Set the alarm and activate a device that is not on the entry route , also check if the strobe is flashing ….
Think the bellbox is an old ventcroft model

 

[sparkymarka]

Top left ( don’t think they make them anymore )

 

[Mr M]

Many thanks for your reply. Yes that one top left looks like my sounder, other than mine has what I assume are two screw holes just above the dark blue coloured cover, presumably to fix the front face to the sounder back.

I have attached a photo of my alarm panel below and a photo of the PSU too.

It says 'G4 Accenta' on the PSU but there is nothing on the alarm panel itself to identify which model it is.

I set the alarm off by setting the alarm and then exited the house by the front door. Once the alarm had set itself, I then re-entered but instead of punching the code in on the alarm panel, I let it detect me (PIR in Hallway) and the alarm then sounded. But it only sounded inside the house, there was no sound from the sounder outside. I don't recall there being any pre-alarm previously. The alarm would sound inside and outside the house as soon as the alarm was activated but I let the alarm sound earlier for around 2 minutes before turning it off and it only sounded inside the house. The external sounder did not sound.

I also did the above procedure again but instead of exiting by the front door, I exited by the back Kitchen door and then re-entered. The PIR in the Kitchen detected me but the outcome was the same. The alarm only sounded inside the house. The external sounder did not sound.

Also, as it's now getting a bit darker outside, I have just checked the sounder again. There are actually two red red lights behind the dark blue coloured cover, not the one that I mentioned earlier. These red lights are side by side and they are flashing alternately. It might have no bearing but the red light on the left hand side appears slightly brighter than the one to its right. I obviously couldn't see the slightly dimmer red light on the right hand side earlier on as it was quite sunny and it was normal daylight but I can see both lights now as it's darker outside.

Apologies but when you say ‘also check if the strobe is flashing ….’, I am not sure what you mean? Would you mind clarifying please.

 

[sparkymarka]

Ok the blue section should flash in alarm
So for example if the sounder had gone faulty in the bellbox you would expect the strobe to flash ….

 

[Mr M]

Thanks again. I have just activated the alarm once more. When the alarm sounded inside the house I went outside. I could see the red lights flashing alternately (which was the same as when the alarm was not activated) then after around 40 seconds, the blue strobe light in between the two red lights started flashing. See the photo below.

I waited for about 2 minutes but the sounder did not sound.

 

[sparkymarka]

Ok …..has it ever sounded ?

 

[Mr M]

Yes, everything had always worked perfectly.

I only noticed recently that it had stopped sounding outside for some unknown reason but, I couldn't be sure when this issue actually started as the alarm just used to get set on the way out and unset on the way back in again, but it definitely sounded outside previously.

 

[sparkymarka]

Step 1 remove bell trip cable in main control panel and touch it on 0v in panel …..Does it sound ? , if not then remove bell 12+ in panel ….does it sound ? If so then damage or corroded wire to bellbox bell trip …..if not get ladders out and check bellbox connections for corroded items …

 

[Mr M]

You say "remove bell trip cable in main control panel and touch it on 0v in panel …..Does it sound ?" Apologies but I don't know what any of that means.

When you say "main control panel" are you referring to what I described as the PSU in my Post #4 above and as shown in the photo below?

Would it be useful if I took the front off the PSU and posted a photo of the wiring on its inside?

 

[sparkymarka]

Yes picture of full pcb , even with the top flap off ….

 

[Mr M]

 

[sparkymarka]

Move that white cable and take a better picture of this area

 

[Mr M]

 

[sparkymarka]

Take out the blue wire and touch the bare end onto the black 0v terminal as per picture …..it should make the external bell sound