An older VoCALL emergency voice communication system may have served a building well for years. But when a panel needs replacing or a site is being refurbished, finding a practical route forward can be difficult. Nobody wants an EVC upgrade to mean reopening walls and running new cable throughout the building.
That’s the problem Vox Ignis set out to solve with Lexicomm. Its VoCALL upgrade guidance covers much of the original VoCALL Compact and Network panel range, with replacement equipment designed around the layout installers are likely to find on site.
What can stay in place?
The biggest potential saving is in the infrastructure. Subject to a survey, existing VoCALL network and outstation wiring can often be reused for a Lexicomm installation. The replacement panels are similar in size, with cable entries positioned to make the changeover easier.
There’s a useful detail at the refuge points, too. The Lexicomm ViLX-LBZ-1 Legacy Bezel lets a new Lexicomm Type B outstation fit onto an existing VoCALL Type B backbox. Where accessible toilet alarms are part of the installation, suitable wiring may also be reused with new AssistCall equipment.
That can mean less disruption, less making good and a much more manageable installation than starting again with an empty building.
What needs to change?
This is a whole-system upgrade, not a one-part swap. Reusing suitable cable or a backbox does not mean leaving VoCALL devices connected to a new Lexicomm panel. The panels, outstations and any associated assistance alarm equipment being migrated need to be planned and replaced as a complete Lexicomm system.
It’s an important distinction when pricing the job. The physical changeover has been made easier, but the new components still need to be specified, installed and commissioned together.
VoCALL know-how
The Vox Ignis team helped design the original VoCALL range. That experience has shaped the Lexicomm upgrade route.
Reuse suitable wiring
Existing network and radial line cables can often be retained, subject to a survey of their condition and layout.
Similar-sized panels
Lexicomm panels are close in size to the older VoCALL units, helping reduce making good around the panel position.
Familiar cable entry
A choice of knockouts and similar cable entry positions can mean less rerouting when the old panel comes off.
Outstations replaced
New Lexicomm outstations can use suitable existing line wiring, making the changeover at each point simpler.
A neat Type B fit
A purpose-made bezel lets a new Lexicomm Type B refuge point fit onto an existing VoCALL Type B backbox.
AssistCall upgrades
Where accessible toilet or bedroom alarms are involved, suitable existing wiring can be used for new AssistCall devices.
Room to grow
Lexicomm offers monitored systems for smaller sites and networked options for larger, more complex buildings.
Worth remembering: this is a complete system changeover. Suitable wiring and some backboxes may stay; the VoCALL panels and devices being migrated are replaced with a designed Lexicomm system.
Check the lines before choosing the panels
The survey should start with what’s actually installed: how many lines are in use, what each one serves, where the outstations sit and whether assistance alarms are connected. Then check the cable type, condition, routes and lengths before deciding what can be retained.
Don’t assume that one old panel always equals one new panel. For example, the older VoCALL Compact master provided nine lines, while the Lexicomm panels proposed for this upgrade provide eight lines per unit. If all nine are in use, that difference needs resolving in the design.
For smaller standalone installations, Lexicomm228S may be the right starting point. Larger or networked sites may call for LexicommPro master and expander panels. The right choice depends on the whole site, including any room needed for future expansion.
A more straightforward next chapter
VoCALL was a familiar solution on many sites. For buildings with the older equipment, Lexicomm offers a considered way to move forward: retain suitable wiring and mounting positions where possible, then bring the complete EVC system up to date with new equipment.
If you’re looking at an older VoCALL installation, send us the panel details, line count and any information you have on the outstations and assistance alarms. Call our team on 01792 983 170 or email [email protected], and we’ll help you work through the replacement options before you commit to a parts list.
