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 submounting 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 submounting 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
Complete the installation




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 crossconnections
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, medicalsurgical 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!