Protecting hearing loops during construction

[ninjadingle]

Hi everyone,

 

We're moving our hearing loop technology to phased array minimal spill systems that have to be installed under the carpet, so it's at the mercy of carpet fitters and seat installers. Despite our AV contractors doing everything right (marked up drawing available - warning tape everywhere etc) the loops are still being cut, rendering them useless.

 

I'm thinking of providing some way of instant feedback when the loop is cut. Running 240v through the loop is a little drastic, but effective. I'm wondering if a NC relay attached to a buzzer would work and wondered if anyone else had built something similar or had any suggestions?

 

TiA.

[Shez]

Sadly breaks don't always show up immediately. I had one that took months to manifest - it was somehow still making contact initially but eventually wooden floor movement caused it to fail. I traced it to find the break and discovered a perfectly clean slice right under the join between two carpet tiles.

[Brian]

Instant feedback would work. Especially if that feedback was an email with an invoice for remedial repairs attached.

[DrV]

Worryingly, before I had got to the end of the original post, I too had started thinking along the 240V lines! However, your idea of a latching relay seems sound. I think the loophole described by Shez would not be particularly large - provided the relay didn't have a significant delay it would almost certainly detect the brief break at the instant the loop was cut, even if the ends subsequently reconnected.

 

Connecting it to a loud alarm in the affected area so that there was an immediate indication would help to identify the culprit.

[Simon Lewis]

I use a burglar alarm connected to the loop...

[henny]

Something as simple as https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F183767041392 Connected to the end of the loop

 

Or get an alarm with a GSM auto dialer so you get a sms when it’s cut , so you know even when your not there

[ninjadingle]

I like that idea Henny - thanks!