Fire Alarm Testing – Old IBM/Simplex System

Posted by admin on May 24th, 2010 and filed under fire alarm | 25 Comments »

This is a pull station test at the same school as shown with the “Old School” IBM fire panel. You will see when the pull station is opened the alarm rings four rounds and then stops. The 8″ tan bell is the one you hear ringing.

The bell to the left still works but does not sound with the building alarm. To ring it, you have to yank down on the pole with force and it will “ding” once (and very loud.) There is a plunger mounted right above the bell that is spring loaded; when yanking on the pole, it releases the spring’s tension which then makes the plunger smack the bell. The pole goes down through the floor which connects to a bell in the same location in the hall underneath it and will make that bell “ding” as well. This was how they did it in the early days when they were starting to input “fire gongs” in school buildings.

Ignore the screaming little kid; he was due for an beating.

Duration : 0:0:56


[youtube V762CMBFwkc]

25 Responses

  1. SimplexDude1000 Says:

    Dude he said the …
    Dude he said the kid was due for a beating.

  2. iStar125 Says:

    Why was the kid …
    Why was the kid screaming any way?

  3. sfs2040 Says:

    Ah, thank you. I …
    Ah, thank you. I did a Wikipedia search and found a picture of the alarms we use and they are 4050’s.
    I wish they would update. At my elementary school so long ago, we had a simple buzzer, that I assume was newer than ones at my current school, replaced with a buzzer strobe/combo that rested in the ceiling.

  4. SimplexTech Says:

    Simplex 4100U/audio
    Simplex 4100U/audio

  5. SolitarySounds Says:

    They sound like …
    They sound like Simplex 4050 horns, that are retrofitted into 4050-80 light plates.

    Look around You Tube, there are many videos of that particular alarm/light

  6. uwfboy21 Says:

    Love the new vid. …
    Love the new vid. Keep them comin.

  7. SolitarySounds Says:

    When this system …
    When this system gets removed, how much will you sell it to me for?

  8. Goldenrod636 Says:

    What’s the system …
    What’s the system going to be replaced with? A new Simplex system? (TrueAlerts?)

  9. sfs2040 Says:

    At my school we …
    At my school we have an old suck-ass horn system w/ the horns in buzzer boxes and red lights attached to them. Do you know what they are called?
    The horns are more annoying than alerting.
    And most of the lights no longer work.
    Some hallways have bells or the new buzzer/strobe light combo.

  10. FireLiteAlarms Says:

    that kid…. …
    that kid…….nice vid…..you shoulda tried that pole bell?

  11. Jon3800 Says:

    Thats a pretty nice …
    Thats a pretty nice sounding bell and such good condition too. I’ve been around Simplex fire alarms all the time. From my elementary school (4050), high school (4060 SS fire bell)and now in university (4020). I even bought myself a 4040 and a 9236. Keep this vids coming

  12. Xsk8r114 Says:

    That kid should gag …
    That kid should gag himself.

  13. SimplexTech Says:

    You would have to …
    You would have to pull it over and over again I would imagine. It’s not a Simplex bell.

  14. cmarlow480 Says:

    SO about the black …
    SO about the black bell… you were talking about.. so when you yank on it.. it only dings one time? it does not do the 3 OR 4 round pulse rings? I mean if it only rings once. How can they make sure everyone hears it? Just keep yanking on it over and over? Btw is it a simplex and do they still use that bell?

  15. SimplexTech Says:

    this summer
    this summer

  16. SimplexTech Says:

    undisclosed
    undisclosed

  17. SimplexTech Says:

    he needed a sock …
    he needed a sock stuffed in his mouth

  18. SimplexTech Says:

    doesn’t matter
    doesn’t matter

  19. SimplexTech Says:

    this was a …
    this was a semi-annual pull station test

  20. SimplexTech Says:

    yes, this summer
    yes, this summer

  21. bfortunaii07 Says:

    Sorry! I am deaf …
    Sorry! I am deaf and cannot hearing everything as hear it. I like to use strobe light.

    Thanks.

  22. FACP07 Says:

    that is cool!
    that is cool!

  23. FiReAlArMtEcH2600 Says:

    so this system is …
    so this system is going to be replaced with a 4100U?

  24. FiReAlArMtEcH2600 Says:

    why was this system …
    why was this system tested Again?? it has been like 4 months lol

  25. FireAlarmPuller Says:

    nice what state?
    nice what state?

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