System Sensor K Series Devices User Manual

Outdoor Mounting Installations

WALL

PLASTIC

K Series Devices

K Series products are designed to be NEMA 4X watertight and operate in a
wide temperature range and can be used either indoors or outdoors. Do not
attempt to use a box other than the one supplied with the product or recom­mended for the product, as doing so may compromise the NEMA 4X rating.

It is strongly recommended that the device be installed at the same time as
the watertight back box to avoid water accumulation and potential damage.

If you have to replace a device, it is strongly recommended that you replace
the outdoor back box as well.

K series products come with a plastic NEMA 4X outdoor rated back box, as
well as removable side flanges for mounting, weatherproof threaded plugs and
o-rings. The -R series devices do not come with our outdoor rated back box.
The -R series products are intended for use with our WTP watertight NEMA
3R surface mount plates or with use of our NEMA 4X SA-WBB or MWBB
series of metal outdoor watertight back boxes.

NOTE: Shorting Spring feature only available on K series Speaker and Speaker
Strobes.
We offer K series for our wall and ceiling mount horns, strobes and horn/
strobes, See Figure 1. As well as for our wall and ceiling mount Speaker and
Speaker Strobes, See Figure 2.

K SERIES MOUNTING

The following instruction procedures to use when installing the K series de­vices. All wiring and installations must be in compliance with the National
Electric Code (NEC) and all applicable local electrical and building codes.

1. The weatherproof back boxes come equipped with side flanges for
mounting. The plastic versions come with removable side flanges. We
recommend securing the back box directly to the wall or ceiling using
these flanges. If this approach is not possible or is undesirable for aes­thetic reasons, installers can use the small screw plugs on the back of the
supplied weatherproof back box to mount directly to the wall or ceiling,
or to a weatherproof electrical back box. For the wall mount products,
an up arrow is indicated on the back box for orientation purposes. If
the small screw knockouts are removed, they must be sealed with an
outdoor or marine rated silicone. For horn, strobes and horn/strobes you
can use the center holes for a single gang box and for a double gang box,
you can use the four outer holes, See Figure 3. For speakers and speaker/
strobes they can only be mounted to a 4x4 weatherproof electrical box. It
is recommended that you use a screwdriver to remove the screw knock­outs as shown in Figure 4.

2. The back box also includes threaded holes on the top and bottom of the
back box for ¾ inch NPT conduit adapters. In addition, conduit knock­outs in the back of the box are provided for ¾ inch NPT conduit en­try. When using the rear conduit entry holes, the unused holes on the
top and the bottom of the outdoor back box must be properly sealed.
Threaded Plugs and O-rings are provided with the product for this pur­pose. It is recommended to put Teflon tape on the threads of the conduit
plugs to ensure a proper seal. Watertight fittings should be used for all
wiring connections, including the conduit knockouts and screw knock­outs on the back of the box. See Liquid-Tight Connectors and How to Use
Them for additional recommendations.

NOTE: Assuming the screw knockouts or the rear entry conduit knockouts
are properly sealed, no additional sealing to the mounting surface is needed.

3. Water may compromise the back box due to condensation or direct expo­sure to rain or snow, it is the responsibility of the installer to make sure
that all openings and connections are properly sealed. Even outdoor in­stallations that are protected from direct exposure to rain are still subject
to condensation or leakage through hidden areas, such as a soffit.

4. To attach the device mounting plate to the weatherproof back box, use
the four supplied non-painted screws.

3825 Ohio Avenue, St. Charles, Illinois 60174

800/736-7672, FAX: [phone]

www.systemsensor.com

5. Follow the wiring instructions described in the indoor installation manual.

NOTE: In areas where humidity is a concern, we recommend blocking the
conduit with minimally expanding foam designed for windows and doors.

6. To mount the device to the mounting plate, hook the tabs on the product
housing into the grooves on the mounting plate. Then, swing the product
into position to engage the pins on the device with the terminals on the
mounting plate. Verify that the tabs on the back of the device are fully
engaged with the mounting plate.

7. Finally, secure the device the mounting plate; for horn, strobes and
horn/strobes you only require the single screw on the front of the hous­ing. To secure the speaker and speaker strobe you must use all #8-32 x 3/8
inch flat head screws supplied.

NOTE: We recommend you use a hand-held screwdriver for the installation of
the mounting plate. If you must use an electric screwdriver use it at its lowest
torque setting.

FIGURE 1. WALL AND CEILING MOUNT HORN/STROBE WITH

WEATHERPROOF BACKBOX:

WALL

METAL

PLASTIC

METAL

CEILING

PLASTIC

A0470-00

FIGURE 2. WALL AND CEILILNG SPEAKER/STROBE

WEATHERPROOF BACKBOX:

METAL

PLASTIC

A0471-00

METAL

CEILING

FIGURE 3. MOUNTING HOLE PATTERN:

SINGLE GANG SCREW
KNOCKOUT (2X)

DUAL GANG SCREW
KNOCKOUT (4X)

A0472-00

FIGURE 4: SCREW KNOCKOUT REMOVAL WITH SCREWDRIVER:

A0424-00

I56-3222-001

SS-100-004 1 I56-3222-001

Plug

O-Ring or Sealing Washer

HOW TO INSTALL CONDUIT PLUGS

In order to maintain watertight performance, any unused conduit openings in
SpectrAlert Advance weatherproof back boxes must be sealed using conduit
plugs provided with the product. First slide the O-ring onto the conduit plug
that is shipped with the unit. Install the conduit plug and O-ring in any un­used threaded opening on the top and bottom of the back box using Teflon
tape or silicone sealant on the plug’s threads. Tighten the plug so it com­presses the O-ring slightly without pushing it out of place. Do not overtighten.
Repeat for any unused threaded openings in the back box.

LIQUID-TIGHT CONNECTORS AND HOW TO USE THEM

This section provides and overview of the different types of liquid-tight con­nections available. It also shows how to use the connectors to provide a water­tight seal when connecting conduit to the outdoor device weatherproof back
boxes-either through the rear knockout holes or through the threaded open­ings on the top and bottom of the back box.

TYPES OF LIQUID-TIGHT CONDUIT CONNECTORS

The conduit openings used to bring wire into any SpectrAlert Advance prod­uct should always be protected with a watertight conduit connector. There are
several connector options available, including:

• Flexible liquid-tight conduit connector available in metal or plastic

• Rigid PVC conduit connector

• Cord grip connector

• Rigid conduit hub

While the proper SpectrAlert Advance weatherproof back box or mounting
plate must be used with the correct product in order for the installation to
remain watertight, each of the connectors above can be used in the threaded
conduit openings or the rear knockouts as appropriate for the installation.

For example, when a System Sensor outdoor notification product is installed
properly in conjunction with the appropriate plastic or metal outdoor back
box, it will provide a NEMA4X rating. However, when a rear knockout is re­moved from the back box, the product no longer maintains this rating unless
a NEMA4X-rated liquid-tight conduit connector is used.

The use of silicone sealant in the rear knockouts or threaded conduit openings
is NOT recommended in lieu of using a liquid-tight connector or the provided
conduit plugs. This approach will result in an unapproved installation that
may not have the required watertight properties.

In applications where local codes do not require product wiring to be installed
in conduit, it is recommended that a watertight cord grip connector or a wa­tertight connector with a small length of conduit be used when using the rear
knockouts to maintain a watertight seal.

HOW TO INSTALL LIQUID-TIGHT CONDUIT CONNECTORS IN REAR
KNOCKOUTS

To install a liquid-tight conduit connector, first remove a rear knockout from
the metal weatherproof back box by placing the flat blade of flat blade screw­driver along the edge of the slot and striking the screwdriver as you slowly
work blade around the slot.

Insert the liquid-tight conduit connector into the knockout opening. Make
sure that the connector’s gasket is in between the connector and the back
box. If a gasket is not provided with the connector, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions on how to use the connector in a knockout (an O-ring may need

to be purchased separately). Attach the conduit connector to the conduit per
the manufacturer’s instructions. Next, tighten the conduit connector nut on
the inside of the back box and then secure the weatherproof back box to the
mounting surface.

Remember to plug any unused conduit openings with the conduit plugs pro­vided (see How to install conduit plugs).

HOW TO INSTALL LIQUID-TIGHT CONDUIT CONNECTORS IN
THREADED OPENINGS

To install a liquid-tight conduit connector, first secure the weatherproof back
box to the mounting surface. Thread the liquid-tight conduit connector into
a threaded opening following the connector manufacturer’s instructions for
liquid-tight applications (this may require the use of Teflon tape or another
thread sealant). Finally, connect the conduit to the connector per the manu­facturer’s instructions. See Figures 5 and 6.

FIGURE 5: LIQUID-TIGHT CONNECTORS

O-Ring

Conduit Nut

Liquid-Tight Conduit Connector

Rigid or Flexible

Outdoor-Rated Conduit

A0457-00

FIGURE 6: INSTALL IN TOP THREADED OPENINGS

Liquid-Tight Conduit Connector

Rigid or Flexible

Outdoor-Rated Conduit

O-Ring

Plug

A0458-00

Remember to plug any unused conduit openings with the conduit plugs
provided(see How to Install Conduit Plugs).

THREE-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

System Sensor warrants its enclosed product to be free from defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use and service for a period of three years from date of
manufacture. System Sensor makes no other express warranty for this product. No agent,
representative, dealer, or employee of the Company has the authority to increase or alter
the obligations or limitations of this Warranty. The Company’s obligation of this Warranty
shall be limited to the replacement of any part of the product which is found to be defec­tive in materials or workmanship under normal use and service during the three year
period commencing with the date of manufacture. After phoning System Sensor’s toll
free number 800-SENSOR2 (736-7672) for a Return Authorization number, send defec­tive units postage prepaid to: System Sensor, Returns Department, RA #__________, 3825

SpectrAlert Strobes and Horn/Strobes have been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equip­ment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and

FCC STATEMENT

Ohio Avenue, St. Charles, IL 60174. Please include a note describing the malfunction and
suspected cause of failure. The Company shall not be obligated to replace units which
are found to be defective because of damage, unreasonable use, modifications, or altera­tions occurring after the date of manufacture. In no case shall the Company be liable
for any consequential or incidental damages for breach of this or any other Warranty,
expressed or implied whatsoever, even if the loss or damage is caused by the Company’s
negligence or fault. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or
consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This
Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary
from state to state.

can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

SS-100-004 2 I56-3222-001
©2014 System Sensor