Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Webby the Bear]

Cut the old one open Lizzie. Ortopsy time.

 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Cut the old one open Lizzie. Ortopsy time.

It's already in the bin Chris and was taken away by the dustmen late yesterday! Good riddance eh!

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Cut the old one open Lizzie. Ortopsy time.

Is this the Reading spelling, Mr Gixer?....

Lizzie, save your beautiful red Omega by burning your power sounder.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Well its not actually, its battery failure and this can occur at anytime (all be it more likely when old), the problem would be if its been stored for some time and the internal batteries are mega flat they may already be damaged.

As a minimum, I would be fitting a 20-30A fuse to the unfused to supply to it

Do you think that would be small enough to prevent a faulty power sounder from 'letting the smoke out'?
(I bought a new power sounder last year but I haven't fitted it yet because the fire risk outweighs any benefit IMO)

I suspect so, what we really need to do is monitor the operating current of one as it sounds and then scale the fuse to match based in di/dt

[YZ250]

Well its not actually, its battery failure and this can occur at anytime (all be it more likely when old), the problem would be if its been stored for some time and the internal batteries are mega flat they may already be damaged.

As a minimum, I would be fitting a 20-30A fuse to the unfused to supply to it

If I remember correctly I believe AndyB replaced his and it didn't last very long at all. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I have one in full working order which I removed from my MV6.

After reading this thread it is now for sale. How much should I charge?


£30 to include delivery anywhere in the UK.


First come ......First served.

[05omegav6]

Are you allowed to post combustible material through the post

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Are you allowed to post combustible material through the post

I believe that mistress Lizzie wants to protect her beloved omega and not cremate it. That is certainly her intention.

Reality, however.........

[omega3000]

I have one in full working order which I removed from my MV6.

After reading this thread it is now for sale. How much should I charge?


£30 to include delivery anywhere in the UK.


First come ......First served.

I too have one , removed only last month  Looks bran new £25 inc delivery 

[TheBoy]

As a minimum, I would be fitting a 20-30A fuse to the unfused to supply to it

Need to look closer at some point - I had intended to inspect mine before it went bang in a different way - but surely its just a trickle charge feed, and the sounder powers itself purely from its batteries?

I'd always suspected it was a poor charge circuit, incapable of detecting failed cells (or even fully charged cells) that was the underlying cause?

[Kevin Wood]

As a minimum, I would be fitting a 20-30A fuse to the unfused to supply to it

Need to look closer at some point - I had intended to inspect mine before it went bang in a different way - but surely its just a trickle charge feed, and the sounder powers itself purely from its batteries?

I'd always suspected it was a poor charge circuit, incapable of detecting failed cells (or even fully charged cells) that was the underlying cause?

It does get trickle charged, but the sounder is powered from the permanent 12v feed and the internal battery takes over if that's not present. So, unfused 12v feed goes straight in, through a diode to the sounder circuit which comprises a MOSFET feeding the primary of a transformer, the secondary of which feeds the piezo siren. When I caught mine acting up, gunk from the battery had leaked over the MOSFET.

My suspicions are that gunk between supply and the MOSFET's gate cause it to start to conduct, the transformer burns out and, at some point, the wiring gets hot enough that the +12V feed and ground fuse together and short out and the loom from sounder, under the dash and back to the battery starts burning.

[Andy H]

As a minimum, I would be fitting a 20-30A fuse to the unfused to supply to it

Need to look closer at some point - I had intended to inspect mine before it went bang in a different way - but surely its just a trickle charge feed, and the sounder powers itself purely from its batteries?

I'd always suspected it was a poor charge circuit, incapable of detecting failed cells (or even fully charged cells) that was the underlying cause?

It does get trickle charged, but the sounder is powered from the permanent 12v feed and the internal battery takes over if that's not present. So, unfused 12v feed goes straight in, through a diode to the sounder circuit which comprises a MOSFET feeding the primary of a transformer, the secondary of which feeds the piezo siren. When I caught mine acting up, gunk from the battery had leaked over the MOSFET.

My suspicions are that gunk between supply and the MOSFET's gate cause it to start to conduct, the transformer burns out and, at some point, the wiring gets hot enough that the +12V feed and ground fuse together and short out and the loom from sounder, under the dash and back to the battery starts burning.

A 20Amp fuse probably would prevent the harness being damaged and/or starting a fire. the question is whether there is enough combustible material in the body of the firestarter power sounder to carry on burning once ignited and set the rest of the car alight.

The photos we have seen of the aftermath of a powersounder fire all show the seat of the fire being at the base of the windscreen - and no apparent evidence of the loom having started a fire under the bonnet 

[Kevin Wood]

I very much doubt the power sounder takes more than an amp or so when sounding, although I have one I could measure, as a matter of fact. A fuse that small will certainly protect the vehicle wiring and probably let go before the sounder has taken enough energy to start a fire.

That leaves the energy in the internal rechargeable battery. That could be protected by addition of an internal fuse, of course. I reckon that by the time the battery has leaked all over the place, its' capacity will be low enough that it's not a problem.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Replaced my power sounder this morning as the car is 11 years old and I don't want this infamous piece of equipment to destroy it.

Funny thing was though that, although I did not turn the ignition on/off or did anything else, when I disconnected the unit it made no sound.

The new one gave a satisfying "beep" when connected and the alarm interior warning light is confirming all is well when the alarm is engaged.

I have a feeling that the old power sounder was not functioning as it never went off at any stage in the past.

Mine certainly didn't come quietly as I ripped it's still beating heart  from the car. Quite the opposite in fact.

I still have the 'horn' alarm connected.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Replaced my power sounder this morning as the car is 11 years old and I don't want this infamous piece of equipment to destroy it.

Funny thing was though that, although I did not turn the ignition on/off or did anything else, when I disconnected the unit it made no sound.

The new one gave a satisfying "beep" when connected and the alarm interior warning light is confirming all is well when the alarm is engaged.

I have a feeling that the old power sounder was not functioning as it never went off at any stage in the past.

Mine certainly didn't come quietly as I ripped it's still beating heart  from the car. Quite the opposite in fact.

I still have the 'horn' alarm connected.

Yes, I know everyone else seems to have had a P/S that screams it's head off as it is being removed.  That is what makes me think mine was as dead as a Dodo! Power is obviously getting through as the new one "beeped" as I connect it up.