Elecrrifical appliance?

[Jonzjob]

Does anyone recognise this bit of kit? It is situated alongside our main fuse box and I have no idea as to what it is??

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/?action=view&current=Electrics.jpg

Sorry, still no idea as to how to post a bloody photo on this new version of photobukket!!!

[Anton Redman]

I believe it is a 12 volt transformer for an electric door bell. First guess just looking at at.

Second guess google 'Minison Chiasso'

http://cgi.ebay.fr/Transformateur-pour-sonnette-Minison-Chiasso_W0QQitemZ220335632886QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081228?IMSfp=TL081228125001r35959

NB auction has finished so may diappear shortly

 

 

[Chancer]

Its a 12vac 1.5 amp transformer, a little too big for most doorbells, the fact that it is italian means it was probably part of an interphone system with a gachette (electric lock release).

Editted.

It could of course be used for a doorbell but the three output terminals used make me think interphone with DC speech circuit.

Either remove the central mains fuse or if you are worried undo the screw on the right and pull out the white plastic secondary winding fuseholder and see what if anything stops working.

Is your property by any chance an apartment in an immeuble? If so the interphone should be fed from the compteur collectif but often installers will pick the closest and easiest one and hope that the owner never realises they are paying for the electricity.

[Jonzjob]

That sounds spot on JR, but with initials like yours then it can't be wrong (my initials are JRF [:D]). We have a gate interphone with an electrifical release. Since we have been here (almost 4 years) the release works and we can hear anyone there, but the speach form the house to the gate çe marcher pas! I will bite the bullet some day and see if I can find out why because when friends arrive it's a mad panic to get to the gate 50 yards away.

[sid]

There's an identical one for sale on French Ebay right now, just Google "Minison Chiasso". It is, as already stated, a transformer for a bell system.

Sid

[Chancer]

[quote user="sid"]

There's an identical one for sale on French Ebay right now, just Google "Minison Chiasso". It is, as already stated, a transformer for a bell system.

Sid

[/quote]

Oh no its not! (Oh yes it is etc etc à la pantomine [:)]) it may be identical but a bell transformer it aint, the seller just thinks it is [:D]

I see it has the usual stupid reserve and delivery price and is unbid on like most stuff on E-bay France.

Its for an interphone which uses the 0.25 ampere DC output (cant read the voltage usually 4 to 6) and an auxiliary 1.5 amp 12vac output for a higher powered gate release gachette, more than powerfull enough for a doorbell but not what it is designed for.

I have installed hundreds of them, and have come across most manufacturers (all Italian) but not that one, they all follow the same modular DIN rail construction.

[cooperlola]

[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Electrics.jpg[/IMG]

Voila!

[Jonzjob]

That looks just like mine Coops? [Www]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Jonzjob"]That looks just like mine Coops? [Www][/quote][:D]Yeah, funny that.  I see you've now got the "how to" in another thread.

[tonyv]

Is that a how-to post pictueres? If so, post it here, please!

[cooperlola]

I'm just off to dinner, Tony, but there is a sticky at the top of the photography board which explains all.  [:)]

[Jonzjob]

[quote user="tonyv"]Is that a how-to post pictueres? If so, post it here, please!
[/quote]

Have a butchers at http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1544884/ShowPost.aspx#1544884 . It reveals all [:$][8-)]. It must be easy 'cause I got it OK? I think.

[tonyv]

Thanks, guys!

[Jonzjob]

My brain has just kicked into gear, it happens and I usually have to lie down, but before that happens!

Does anyone kno know the web site for the intercom system that would use the Minison Chiasso transformer as its power source? I have googled Minison Chiasso with no luck [:(].

If I can find a wiring diagramme then I 'might' be able to get our intercom working as it should?

[Chancer]

Judging by the transformer outputs and going by memory it will be a 5 wire system, that is a 5 core minimum cable is needed between the outside an inside units, there may well be more to operate the gate system .

On the outside intercom unit will be 2 cores ac in, 1 core dc in (both are usually indicated by an ac or dc symbol), 1 speech circuit (usually marked 2 or3) , and the final one is for activating the sonnete on the internal unit. There will also a seperate cores coming in for the gate release and gate trigger but these are not usually connected to the intercom unit unless you have a digi-code.

The inside unit will normally have cores for ac in, dc speech circuit, sonnete and gate gachette.

There seemed to be  hundreds of manufacturers who also badged stuff for other sellers and in my experience it was close to impossible to track them down or get info

Armed with the information you should not need a wiring diagram to fault find, your problem will almost certainly be one of 3 following  all concerning the speech circuit cores:

Corrosion of a termination at the outside unit. Also sometimes the rigid cores can fracture at the terminations after the faceplate is repeatedly opened and closed.

Corrosion of a termination at a joint box, if you have long cable runs this may well be some distance between the two units and even buried.

Cable core cut through, often by lawn mowers.

A professionally installed unit should not suffer from any of these but they were few and far between in the UK and as for the ones in France [:-))]

Make a carefull note of all the wire colours connected to the inside and outside gate units and inspect and clean, then carefully check along the length of the cable for damage or joint boxes, finally inspect the inside handset (never usualy corrosion here) if it still doesnt work then consider buying a new one, I used to pay about £30 + vat trade in the UK.