Fire Alarm problem.

[trev]

Well, it's sorted. Thanks to our resident fire alarm expert and all round thoroughly good bloke Dave (Tazz)

 

[pennychew]

Just to second what Trev has already said, tazz is a top top bloke who definitely knows his stuff, found the fault and came up with a solution (which required a last minute dash to maplins!) but he gets the job done and it's all sorted.

Thanks for sorting the job out for me but also thanks for showing me how you sorted it and explaining the processes as you went along. Good to see a pro at work! And invaluable experience for someone starting out like myself.

 

[tazz]

Nice to meet you both today, and for your kind comments.....was a strange one with the current limiter kicking in, but thats the Gent panel....well thanks for the warm welcome, back South tomorrow...

 

[Guest77]

Windy and 17 degrees? This is our summer mate.

I thought you meant the local talent by that comment trev

 

[tazz]

Just thought I would explain the situation, my help when working on Gent panels....The objective was to switch a 24v relay, which inturn switch a 3 phase contactor. On testing the 24v relay it drew 300mA, The Gent fire panel could only switch 100mA on its fire output. Therefore the current limiter kick in, and disconnected the output. Lucky for us, there was a 1A 24v supply installed next to the panel. So on buying a smaller 35mA 24v relay with 10A contacts, the Gent panel was able to power this relay, with inturn switch the 300mA relay via the power supply...This final relay, with mains rated contacts, then power the contactor.

 

[happysteve]

click-CLICK-CLUNK

 

[trev]

There's very little more satisfying in this life than hearing that contactor pull in and drop out exactly when it's supposed to.
Yes, I'm a sad git.

 

[tazz]

It was a strange situation, Trev, and im sure you were relieved to hear that contactor switching in. Sad thing is I cant think of any other panel with only has a piddling aux supply of 100mA, like this Gent panel.

 

[trev]

No idea why I was so happy though mate. it was Stu's job not mine.
Dilligaf?

 

[tazz]

Got back here at 10pm, but was good to meet you both....now for Gatwick, Essex and Kent this week...lol

 

[pennychew]

Just thought I would explain the situation, my help when working on Gent panels....The objective was to switch a 24v relay, which inturn switch a 3 phase contactor. On testing the 24v relay it drew 300mA, The Gent fire panel could only switch 100mA on its fire output. Therefore the current limiter kick in, and disconnected the output. Lucky for us, there was a 1A 24v supply installed next to the panel. So on buying a smaller 35mA 24v relay with 10A contacts, the Gent panel was able to power this relay, with inturn switch the 300mA relay via the power supply...This final relay, with mains rated contacts, then power the contactor.
View attachment 25625

Thats great tazz, thanks again for sorting this out for us! Diagram is really clear, i liked the way you paralelled the two contacts in the 300ma relay so if one set of contacts fails the other one will keep it going (top tip for the future)

35ma relay from Maplins was the best £1.90 ive spent in a long time, also lucky to get there 5mins before it shut on saturday!

Your diagram also makes the small 5 pin relay pin configuration easy to understand as i was a litlle unsure as i havent used any small ones like that before with no carrier/base, i know you belled it out but did it have a drawing on it as well?

Also like i said on saturday i owe you one if you ever need anything!

 

[pennychew]

Got back here at 10pm, but was good to meet you both....now for Gatwick, Essex and Kent this week...lol

Did you get your software fault ironed out mate?

 

[pennychew]

No idea why I was so happy though mate. it was Stu's job not mine.
Dilligaf?

May be my jobs mate but i cant do them without an experienced spark alongside me, gives me a lot more confidence and i'm picking stuff up from you all the time

 

[trev]

May be my jobs mate but i cant do them without an experienced spark alongside me, gives me a lot more confidence and i'm picking stuff up from you all the time

That's what it's all about mate, passing on knowledge and helping someone out. You'll be leaving me standing in your dust cloud sooner or later as the trade grows and diversifies more and more. 14 years to go till I hang my tools up (if I ever retire) tick tock tick tock

 

[pennychew]

That's what it's all about mate, passing on knowledge and helping someone out. You'll be leaving me standing in your dust cloud sooner or later as the trade grows and diversifies more and more. 14 years to go till I hang my tools up (if I ever retire) tick tock tick tock

If it makes you feel any better mate ive got at least 30 years left! probably more like 40 by the time they move the retirement age back a couple of times :-(

 

[tazz]

Software got sorted, was a file missing from Windows 8 Pro, so we downloaded it from Microsoft, and bang all worked great.
So hotel up a running, ready to open next week.

 

[pennychew]

Software got sorted, was a file missing from Windows 8 Pro, so we downloaded it from Microsoft, and bang all worked great.
So hotel up a running, ready to open next week.

Good to hear!