[dwhalen]

Hi All.

I've been doing some work trying to identify all my circuits in my house (the box was not labelled. Can you believe it?), and there's one circuit I couldn't figure out. It drove me crazy for days until I realized that it ran up into the ceiling to a weird looking device with two metal discs sticking out of the center.

With the circuit off, I removed the cover to reveal a somewhat beefy stepdown transformer and a lot of pigtailed wires. Unfortunately I still have no idea what this
Thing is or why it would have its own circuit.

Can anyone help me identify it?

Thanks in advance!

DW

[Washington1]

Turn off the circuit leaing to the remote box, and see if your door bell works?

If the bell works, my question: Do you have an intercom system?

[rtw_travel]

Some other options: security system? Puck light or other low voltage lighting transformer?

[dwhalen]

Hi All.

It's definintely not my doorbell. It's in the center of the boiler room ceiling. I don't think
It's lighting-related because the two discs are on the same post and they aren't isolated from each other (not like a screw post). I don't have a security system, but that doesn't mean the hardware isn't in the house. Maybe it's a fire detector or something?

[tkrussell]

How about a picture? That would help us stop guessing.

[labman]

If not a picture, more description, brand, model, how big are the discs, how are they oriented?

[tkrussell]

My vote is for a picture.

[Stratmando]

Sound like maybe a heat sensor.

[dwhalen]

Sorry, I didn't realize I could upload a picture. I'll take care of that first thing tonight.

Thanks to all for your replies, though!

DW

[ceilingfanrepair]

I've had a lot of fun tracing wiring and circuits and trying to figure out what everything goes to, and is. House is one thing but try a church or other large commercial space!

My favorite is wires that run off into partially finished spaces and terminate somewhere you cannot determine.

My usual plan is to disconnect any wires or circuits that I am not sure where they go, or what they do. Then later, if I find out "such and such doesnt work!", hook them back up one by one until it does.

[dwhalen]

Okay. I got some pictures now. Sorry for the blurryness. What you're looking at is the "device" opened up. On the left is the thing with the two metal discs, on the right is the step-down transformer. Inside the facility box is a whole slew of romex pigtailed
Together, which by itself makes me a little nervous (I'm about ready to hacksaw into my ceiling and get to the bottom of this).

So, for 200 points -- can you name that thingamabob? :)

[rtw_travel]

It's a heat detector.

[ceilingfanrepair]

It's a me-confuser.

[Stratmando]

Its likely Normall open. I would short the 2 connectors on heat detector. See what buzzes or beeps, so you recognize in future. Providing transformer wiring and buzzer/bell are intact. It could even close a vent? shut off water?
Shorting will not harm anything, make sure power switched back on. Good luck

[ceilingfanrepair]

Several months ago, I left a bunch of breakers in my church turned off. Nobody has complained yet.

Just make sure you make note of things like exit signs, smoke alarm circuits, and lights on timers.

[dwhalen]

Thanks for the info guys. Does anyone know of a good resource I can use to read up on heat detectors? I can't find a good site with a Google search...

[Washington1]

Heat detector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Stratmando]

More simply put, when temperature is reached, each has a temp, and are one time, need to be replaced once temperature is exceeded. Don't need to get complicated, you do want to figure what you want to happen when that temperature is exceeded.
They are usually Normally Open and when triped, it closes.