Defibrillator Fitted On Our Local Village Hall.

[ElectronMike]

Our village has got grants for a 'Defibrillator' Defibrillation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and I noticed it had been fitted to the outside of the hall where the public can get it if someone has a 'Cardiac arrest' .

This device needs a 240V supply 24/7 to keep it charged up and warm in the winter as someone's life may depend on it..

I have contacted our local parish council who had it install about the electrical supply.

1..I pointed out that it's supply had been tagged on a electric water heater supply in the kitchen nearby with a 13 amp fused switched spur above the heater switch.!
Not a good idea if the heater blows the breaker then the defibrillator supply goes off !.

2.. On the spur there is a sticky label (that's falling off !) saying 'don't turn off'.

3.. I also pointed out that the cable had been run along the outside of the wall to the defibrillator box ! and also the cable was exposed where the electrician (Should say cowboy !) had not fitted an elbow to go through the wall and a section of the T&E is on view.

4.. I had pointed out the the defibrillator box supply cable should go through the inside of the village hall to stop any copper thieves taking the cable ! and it should have it's own dedicated supply straight to the Dis-board and have it's own circuit breaker and labeled up accordingly.

What are your views on the supply to this very important piece of life saving equipment that maybe needed at anytime and must work the first time.

 

[telectrix]

agree with you 100%. also would not put it on a RCD as i'd class it as life saving equipment.

 

[ElectronMike]

agree with you 100%. also would not put it on a RCD as i'd class it as life saving equipment.

From what I have seen all the supplies come through a 100 Amp RCD. first.!

 

[Spoon]

Is there some alarm on this to say that power is not being supplied? The reason why I ask is, if the circuit trips for some reason then how can you tell the unit is not being charged?

 

[ElectronMike]

Is there some alarm on this to say that power is not being supplied? The reason why I ask is, if the circuit trips for some reason then how can you tell the unit is not being charged?

The Defibrillator yellow steel mounting box which is on the outside wall has a small green 'mains on' indicator lamp on the top .

 

[telectrix]

so, lying on the floor, breathing my last, i shout "FFS, no green light. somebody fetch the vicar with the keys".

 

[Rockingit]

The batteries in the units are fairly sturdy, and take a while to charge a coil circuit anyway. So long as you have a reasonably assured uptime, I think you'll be fine, tbh. Learn to use it - get training - is far more a matter than whether or not it's on some spur from somewhere. The mortality rate exponentially drops terrifically when they are used in good time.

 

[telectrix]

could always have a wind-up megger on standby.

 

[Knobhead]

So what did the council have to say?

Anything, nothing or mind you're own business.

 

[electric will]

Fitted half a dozen of these, the power supply to the cabinet doesn't keep the defibrillator unit charged up! All the power supply does is run a small heater within the cabinet to stop condensation building up and switches on a light when the door is opened.
the batteries in the defibrillators are only charged once and will be replaced after a set period of time.
most likely by the same paramedic thatput it in the cabinet your fitting.

If if you want any more information. Message me.

 

[ElectronMike]

So what did the council have to say?

Anything, nothing or mind you're own business.

I think they are still looking in to what I have said about it.
They are not known to be fast.

 

[tazz]

Really interesting what your saying there Will, there must be a regulation out there for this type of equipment....needs some researching

 

[ElectronMike]

Fitted half a dozen of these, the power supply to the cabinet doesn't keep the defibrillator unit charged up! All the power supply does is run a small heater within the cabinet to stop condensation building up and switches on a light when the door is opened.
the batteries in the defibrillators are only charged once and will be replaced after a set period of time.
most likely by the same paramedic thatput it in the cabinet your fitting.

If if you want any more information. Message me.

OK, thanks for that, I was informed by parish council Clerk about need to keep the box warm and charge the battery.

 

[tazz]

just read a few quick articles on Defibrillators, and there is no standard, nor regulation to fit one. They are usually donated by UK heart foundation and Ambulance Trust on request, with their idea of Ambulance service knowing where they all are all installed. As Will stated earlier, the batteries are not maintained and have a life of 3-5 years without charging. Find this a strange setup that there is no regulation for a life saving device.