Tri-Tech Medical

Medical Gas Alarm Panel

Conversion Kits

Why convert?

Present alarm is not NFPA compliant

Present alarm is not functioning properly and replacement / repair parts are not available

Received notice years ago from Hill-Rom about an alarm that can overheat and smoke or flame, and finally have money allocated to do something about it

Why convert?

Need to add gases to a zone of the hospital, and present alarm cannot be expanded

Need to link source alarm signals to Building Management System, and present alarm cannot provide that

Need to set up PC based interfacing of hospital alarm systems, and present alarms cannot provide that

Need to utilize existing alarm back box and allocated space to make any upgrades

Tri-Tech DU/DC Series Alarm Conversions

Area Alarms Master Alarms Combination Alarms Convert from most major

brands, including Ohio Medical, Chemetron, Amico, and both Tri-Tech older versions

Get a fully functioning, NFPA compliant, state-of-the-art Tri-Tech DU/DC series alarm

Conversion process…

Determine sizing/configuration of alarm to be converted Determine make, model,

number of area modules and master signals of old alarm

Measure alarm panel - dimensions of back box and front panel

Know how the converted alarm should be configured More or different area alarm

gas modules? More master alarm signals? Combination alarm? Building management

interface? TNET?

Conversion process…Choose the Tri-Tech conversion that best fits the need Three different standard sizes of

Tri-Tech alarm panels, with corresponding number of area alarm and master alarm modules 2 slot 3 slot 5 slot

Three different standard sizes of sub-mounting plates that correspond with those three sizes

Choose Tri-Tech conversion alarm panel Unusual sizing? Standard

conversion might still work! Customized conversions and

trim pieces are possible. Call Tri-Tech for assistance.

Conversion process…Choose the Tri-Tech conversion that best fits the need

2 slot sub-mounting plate

3 slot sub-mounting plate

5 slot sub-mounting plate

Conversion process…

Disconnect/Remove existing components Shut off and disconnect electrical

power to the alarm For Area Alarm, locate zone

valves that provide gas to the alarm transducers, and shut off gas service

If Tri-Tech AU/AC series alarm, no need to shut off power or gas

We have made some “live” Area Alarm conversion kits that would not require shutting down the gas services, but this should be considered only when absolutely necessary

Label each Area Alarm transducer location with gas service!

Locate and remove existing Area Alarm transducers. Remove all non-DISS gas specific demand valve couplings.

Conversion process…

Disconnect/Remove existing components.

Disconnect and remove existing power supply

If Tri-Tech AU/AC series, do not remove the power supply

Remove existing front panel

If existing front panel houses signal wiring for Master Alarm, label/record all source wire positions

Conversion process…

Install Tri-Tech Transducers with connectors Included in all Area Alarm

conversions are parts needed to properly install Tri-Tech transducers Couplers for DISS

demand checks 90° transducer

connections If using a coupler, make

sure gas service matches DISS demand check valve - gas ID is stamped on DISS demand check valve

If transducers are mounted remotely, follow Appendix A of DU/DC Medical Gas Alarm installation manual

Conversion process…Install Mounting Flange with power supply

Power supply comes pre-installed on the flange of the sub-mounting plate, but can be moved to different sides of sub-mounting plate As long as power supply fits in back box with

transducers, sub-mounting plate/conversion alarm can be positioned as needed

With conversion from Tri-Tech AU/AC series alarms, use existing power supply and no sub-mounting plate needed

Position and install sub-mounting plate with power supply over back box Mark 4 drill holes Make sure no utility services behind Make sure it is level Drill holes With provided mollie bolts, install sub-

mounting plate Connect the three wires from the power

supply to the 110 VAC supply wires using wire nuts

Conversion process…Install Tri-Tech Medical alarm front panel

Insert new front panel over the two hinges and attached lanyards to the flange screw mounts

Carefully connect CPU wiring harness, making sure it is properly aligned

Attach the grounding wires

Conversion process…Connect transducer and/or remote signal wires

Install the two wires from each transducer to the labeled BLK and WHT sensor slots

Install existing master signal wires into the NC labeled positions and the common wires into the C labeled positions. Follow same order as old panel had

If old master boards had been in back box, move wires from old points to new alarm connector points, and then remove old master boards

Label the front panel as needed

Restore electrical power and medical gases to the alarm panel

Make sure fuse is installed on the power supply and turn alarm on

Program if necessary Area Alarm modules come

pre-programmed Master alarm points are

programmed normally closed and all signals active

Test functioning and cross-connections

Complete the installation

Completed conversion

Troubleshooting tips The alarm you need to convert is not shown in our catalog page

- Chances are Tri-Tech has a conversion that will work- Compare the back box dimensions with the sub-mounting plates- Know your riser connections- Send us pictures

The conversion needs to fit in a very tight / limited space- Tri-Tech conversion provides different mounting options

- Power supply can be positioned in different positions on the sub-mounting plate- Sub-mounting plate can be positioned anywhere over the back box

The existing alarm has a large or a very small back box - Additional backing plate can be installed behind the sub-mounting plate to cover over the existing alarm back box cavity- It might be possible to cut out some wall to house the power supply, and transducers could still fit or could be mounted remotely. Unique accommodations are possible.

Transducers mounted remotely, or cannot be accessed - Tri-Tech transducers can be mounted remotely and wired to the conversion panel- New construction transducers can be supplied with risers to mount in the pipeline

When in doubt, call us or send us pictures- Pictures tell a thousand words- We are a knowledgeable bunch here at Tri-Tech

NFPA 5.1.9 Level 1 Warning Systems All master, area & local alarm systems used for medical gas & vacuum systems

shall include the following: Separate visual indicators for each condition monitored (except as permitted in

5.1.9.5.2) Visual indicators that remain in alarm until the situation that had caused the alarm is

resolved A cancelable audible indication of each alarm condition that produces a sound with a

minimum of 80 dBA @ 3 ft A means to visually indicate a lamp or LED failure Visual & audible indication that the wiring to an alarm initiating device is disconnected Labeling of each indicator, indicating the condition monitored Labeling of each alarm panel for its area of surveillance Re-initiation of the audible signal if another alarm condition occurs while the audible

alarm is silenced Powered by the Life Safety branch of the emergency electrical system Power for local alarms, dew point sensors, & CO sensors permitted to be from the same

essential electrical branch as is used to power the air compressor Wiring from switches or sensors that is supervised or protected as required by Sect

517.30 (C) (3) of NFPA 70 Assurance by the responsible authority of the facility that the labeling of the alarms,

where room #’s or designations are used, is accurate & up-to-date Provisions for automatic restart after a power loss of 10 seconds without giving false

signals or requiring manual reset

NFPA 5.1.9.3 Area Alarms

Area alarm panels shall be provided to monitor all medical gas, medical-surgical vacuum, and piped WAGD systems supplying anesthetizing locations, and other vital life support and critical areas

5.1.9.3.1 Area alarms shall be located at a nurse’s station or other similar location that will provide for surveillance

5.1.9.3.2 Area alarm panels for medical gas systems shall indicate if the pressure in the lines in the area being monitored increases or decreases by 20% from the normal line pressure

5.1.9.3.3 Area alarm panels for medical-surgical vacuum systems shall indicate if the vacuum in the area drops to or below 300 mm (12 in Hg)

5.1.9.3.4 Sensors for area alarms shall be located as follows: Vital life support & critical areas shall have the alarm sensors installed on the

patient or use side of any of the individual zone valve box assemblies Areas for anesthetizing gas delivery shall have the sensors installed either on the

source side of any of the individual room zone valve box assemblies or on the patient or use side of each of the individual zone valve assemblies

The placement of the sensors shall not be affected by valves located in areas accessible to authorized personnel only, such as service valves

NFPA 5.1.9.2 Master Alarms A master alarm system shall be provided to monitor the operation and

condition of the source supply, the reserve source, and the pressure in the main lines of each medical gas & vacuum piping system

The master alarm system shall consist of two or more alarm panels located in at least two separate locations as follows:

One master alarm panel shall be located in the office or work space of the on-site individual responsible for the maintenance of the medical gas & vacuum systems

The second master alarm panel shall be located in an area of continuous observation

5.1.9.2.2 A centralized computer system shall be permitted to be substituted for one of the master alarms, if it complies with 5.1.9.4

5.1.9.2.3 The master alarm panels shall connect directly to the alarm devices they monitor

5.1.9.2.3.1 Master alarm signals shall not be relayed from one master alarm panel to another

5.1.9.2.3.2 Where multi-pole alarm relays are used to isolate the alarm initiating signals to master alarm panels, the control power source for the relays shall be independent of any of the master alarm panels

5.1.9.2.3.3 Multiple master alarms shall be permitted to monitor a single initiating device

NFPA 5.1.9.2 Master Alarms 5.1.9.2.4 Master alarm panels for medical gas & vacuum systems shall each

include the following signals: An alarm condition when or just before changeover occurs in a medical gas

system that is supplied by a manifold or other alternating-type bulk system that has as a part of its normal operation a changeover from one portion of the operating supply to another

An alarm indication for a bulk cryogenic liquid system when the main supply reaches an average day’s supply, indicating low contents

An alarm indication when or just before the changeover to the reserve supply occurs in a medical gas system that consists of one or more units that continuously supply the piping system while another unit remains as the reserve supply & operates only in the case of an emergency

An alarm indication for cylinder reserve pressure low when the content of a cylinder reserve header is reduced below one day’s supply

For bulk cryogenic liquid systems, an alarm when or at a predetermined set point before the reserve supply contents fall to one day’s average supply, indicating reserve low

Where a cryogenic liquid storage is used as a reserve for a bulk supply system, an alarm indication when the gas pressure available in the reserve unit is below that required for the medical gas system to function

An alarm indication when the pressure in the main line of each separate medical gas system increases 20 % or decreases 20% from the normal operating pressure

NFPA 5.1.9.2 Master Alarms 5.1.9.2.4 Master alarm panels for medical gas & vacuum systems shall each

include the following signals: An alarm indication when the medical-surgical vacuum pressure in the main line

of each vacuum system drops to or below 300 mm (12 inHg) An alarm indication(s) from the local alarm panel(s) as described in 5.1.9.5.2 to

indicate when one or more of the conditions being monitored at a site is in alarm A medical air dew point high alarm from each compressor site to indicate when

the line pressure dew point is greater than ± 2° C (+35° F) A WAGD low alarm when the WAGD vacuum level or flow is below effective

operating limits An instrument air dew point high alarm from each compressor site to indicate

when the line pressure dew point is greater than -30°C (-22°F) 5.1.9.2.5 The alarm indications required in 5.1.9.2.4(7) and 5.1.9.2.4(8) shall

originate from sensors installed in the main lines immediately downstream of the source valves. Where it is necessary to install a main line valve in addition to a source valve, the sensors shall be located downstream of the main valve.

Thank-you!