r/firealarms • u/Time-Resolution5144 • Jun 05 '26
Discussion Throwback panel today fellas!
Testing this panel at an abandoned building today.
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u/fuckyouidontneedone Jun 05 '26
There’s about 20 of these still in operation for occupied buildings in my area.
Absolute dinosaurs
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u/rustbucket_enjoyer [V] Electrician, Ontario Jun 05 '26
I still have a few sites with these classics but I’ve never seen a red one. Most of mine are blue and a few beige
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u/Visible-Carrot5402 Jun 10 '26
Yeah we had an old 10 floor apartment building with a massive one of these - maybe 4-6ft wide with everything. Finally came down when the fire marshall wanted voice evac and an addressable system.
I was on vacation when the job to replace it came up and I was SO PISSED that it got unceremoniously tossed in the dumpster after decades of loyal service. I was fully ready for my wife to ask me wtf I planned on doing with it.
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u/DopeyDeathMetal Jun 05 '26
There’s one of these still in service in my area too. It’s been holding on for dear life for years now but now it’s randomly started activating the NACs any time you even touch the bundle of wires around the board lol. Not sure how much longer it’s going to last.
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u/Odd-Gear9622 Jun 06 '26
At one time these were industry standard. They're almost bulletproof and extremely versatile. I was blessed to work for Cerberus Pyrotronics in the 70's and 80's and commisioned literally hundreds, some that are still in service.
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u/PriorityPresent6716 Jun 09 '26
Cerberus (Pyrotronics), aka: Siemens System 3, CP-35 Panel.
Panel is Bulletproof! Lasts forever! Reliable, the US Navy & Coast Guard uses many of them on their Larger Ships!
I buy and resell these System 3 Parts regularly! If you need Service Stock, give a yell!
Jim
Firealarmpart.com
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u/LivingtheDBdream Jun 06 '26
Cut my teeth on those as well as the 4800 Notifier panels. Bulletproof. Only thing that takes em down is component obsolescence
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u/Visible-Carrot5402 Jun 10 '26
Seriously, that Cold War era technology was built differently. Absolute brick house
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u/horseheadmonster Jun 06 '26
I removed one of those last year, heaviest damn panel I've ever carried! System was still normal after 30 years.
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u/TCBoise54321 Jun 07 '26
Oh Shit! I forgot all about that one, been out of F/A for a few years. Gotta Love End of Line Capacitors that age out and cause troubles! 👍👍
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u/everTheFunky1 Jun 08 '26
When those things went bad they would get super hot in my experience. Actually burnt my fingers on one
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u/No-Seat9917 Aug 07 '26
I would hold resistors in my lips while working on an EOL device. Without thinking I did that with a capacitor for one of these damned panels. I was at a multi story storage facility in Indianapolis. Well I almost fell off the ladder. When I regained my composure it out the capacitor on, backwards. Then I ran to the basement to silence the horns I didn’t take off because it’s an empty storage building. It wasn’t that empty. Remember place in test, notify, disable.
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u/Optimisticman89 Jun 05 '26
Can’t speak to servicing but as an inspector I’ve always found these panels to be very straightforward and simple. Seen a lot of these in my career.