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[desi77]

I have SC1200 system, when alarm goes off it isn’t that loud, unless you are in same room you don’t even hear it much.  How can I make it louder?
Should I open it and take wires off from tiny speaker and connected to external speaker (powerhorn) .
Any suggestions would be nice.

[Brian H]

The SC1200 uses a Piezo Sounder.
The electronics in the SC1200 will not drive a low impedance speaker as it is designed for a high impedance Pizeo Sounder.

I believe trying to tie a external amplifiers input across the Piezo Sounder wires and driving an external speaker may also not work well.
Though I have never investigated doing such a thing.

How about the SH10A or PH508 Powerhorns. They get trigger by the SC1200s flashing of the security lights with a power line signal.
Users have reported mixed results with the PH508. Depending on age {Date Code of manufacture}. Some sound for a few seconds then pause and then sound again.

There are a few threads on modifying a SH10A Small Powerhorn to trigger an external siren.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=vel6peotb0jaadtqt2699f7np1&topic=21998.0
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=naafj63u6qj93b8id3ijpn72c0&topic=18542.0

[desi77]

thanks for reply

only issue is, i am afraid to buy anyting for x10 lolz
i had very bad experiance with getting Help, or getting hold of their managers.

so i was trying to avoid buying anything from them.

but thanks for your help...

[mike]

I actually use the little chime gidget (sc546?) for remote location alerts since the power horn is too loud for just a remote tell me alarm is on alert...  set to sc1200 house code unit 1.....

I also DO remote the SPEAKER inside for alerts of arming and disarming and door opening status....  I have 3 locations with little 2" dia 8 ohm speakers - all in parallel across the internal speaker....  good to tell in house if AHP tries to arm the office & garage unit at its 8pm timer setting and a door is still open....

[Brian H]

Remote speakers on the internal speaker for user tones should work.
A speaker on the Piezo alarm sounder will probably not work for alarms.

[mike]

Remote speakers on the internal speaker for user tones should work.
A speaker on the Piezo alarm sounder will probably not work for alarms.

you can change "should" to "does:"  been running this way for over a year.  tried spkr across piezo buzzer and correct it does not work.  remote chime is better.

[Brian H]

I like your remote chime module and remote speaker ideas.
It will be something I can implement and will be a help to other users.
Thanks for the information.

[desi77]

Remote speakers on the internal speaker for user tones should work.
A speaker on the Piezo alarm sounder will probably not work for alarms.

you can change "should" to "does:"  been running this way for over a year.  tried spkr across piezo buzzer and correct it does not work.  remote chime is better.

Mike
can you explain bit more ...i want to add external spkr so it would be louder... what type of speaker i need or whatever else i need to make it louder..
thanks

[Brian H]

The speaker does not have the alarm sounds on it.
It will only let you hear the door chimes if enabled. Along with the Arm and Disarm sounds. On an added speaker.

The alarm tones are on the Piezo Sounder facing the rear of the console and putting a speaker on it will make it sound weaker or stop it from sounding.

The threads I gave earlier. Can use a small Powerhorn to trigger a relay connected to a larger siren. I have not seen anyone using a relay on the Piezo Sounder in a SC1200 but it may work.

This thread is for an antenna mod but you can see the sounder in one of the photos. The speaker is under the main board you can see in one of the photos.
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=2hnbm09uera7s35q003mrk9ap7&topic=26293.0

[mike]

brian explained it well.  spkr = dink sound of doors open/close and alrm set/disarmed.  buzzer for acutal alarm noise.  this is why i use chime set to sc1200 house code and no 1 for alarm alert remotly (since the new sc1200 'alarm' noise is disgusting compared to old ds7000, and remote small speakers in parallel for set/disarm/door dinks.  I found 2 additional 8 ohm small speakers did not harm the volume of the speaker;  more started to make it weaker.  I have intentions to sometime add a small 2N2904 & 12vdc power source to make each speaker 25 times louder, but time is at a premium still....  some day I WILL retire!

[desi77]

thanks guys for help.  

Now i read review for Large Power horn  and its seems they are not 110db as they claim.  i had another idea that i seen somewhere...

let say i buy small power horn and than cut there wire off that goes to tiny speaker..or add new two wires from that speaker to external siren that is plugged into it's own power outlet.  Would that work?
if yes, would i need anything other than two things that i mention or more? thanks

[Brian H]

Same problem. It has a Piezo Sounder in it and the electronics will not drive a speaker.
The large Powerhorn has four piezo sounders in it.

Some here have used a relay driven by the piezos electronics and then have the relay activate a external loud siren.
The posts on how they did theirs is in the links in an earlier post to this thread.

One compelling reason not to modify a SH10A Small Powerhorn is the use of a power line derived power supply. One side of the internal power supply is connected to the AC Line Input. It would be possible to have 120 volts floating around on any externally added wiring to shock you or make big sparks.

Also the SH10A Small Powerhorn sounds more like a screeching cricket than a real siren
The PH508 at least has a fairly loud High Low warbling Tone.

[desi77]

Same problem. It has a Piezo Sounder in it and the electronics will not drive a speaker.
The large Powerhorn has four piezo sounders in it.

Some here have used a relay driven by the piezos electronics and then have the relay activate a external loud siren.
The posts on how they did theirs is in the links in an earlier post to this thread.

One compelling reason not to modify a SH10A Small Powerhorn is the use of a power line derived power supply. One side of the internal power supply is connected to the AC Line Input. It would be possible to have 120 volts floating around on any externally added wiring to shock you or make big sparks.

Also the SH10A Small Powerhorn sounds more like a screeching cricket than a real siren
The PH508 at least has a fairly loud High Low warbling Tone.

Okay Thanks man, its best that i leave that idea alone than, my backaround isn't into electrical stuff.  Thanks for shocking point lolz

[desi77]

There are few Post out there about modding your mini power horn ...I had help form few people...Brian H was one of them and http://forums.x10.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=naafj63u6qj93b8id3ijpn72c0&topic=18542.0

I am hoping this is bit easier way of doing the same mod,


                 Diode
White wire -------->|---------Relay Coil.
                             |
                             + Capacitor
                             - Capacitor
                             |
White Wire -------------------Relay Coil
                    

                                Relay Contact ------------------- Siren +
                                Relay Contact ------------------- External Power supply +
                                External Power Supply - --------- Siren -  

...see my hand drawing, its hard to take pictures of small parts...
5 things you need is Relay, diode and cap, siren, power for siren
my relay is R44-1D2-12
my cap was 27uf 15v
diode not sure i happen to have that..
siren i took out from a car...5$ out of honda civic ...
ps: please ignore my spelling mistakes