There are many different makes of fire alarm system on the market, ranging from budget to high end. All have their place as it depends on the features and cause and effect you require at design stage. The designer will select not only the manufacture but type of system required based on the fire strategy, use and type of building and the grade and category of fire alarm system specified by the fire risk assessor.
In a small building you may require a simple conventional panel where as in larger buildings or where complex cause and effect is required you will most likely need an addressable panel
What is an addressable system?
Addressable fire alarm systems offer the ideal solution for small, medium, and large installations, they are an intelligent system, made up of a series of input devices (smoke detectors, heat detectors and break glasses etc) and output devices (sounders, beacons, relays and interfaces etc) connected to wiring configured in a loop which terminates at the fire control panel.
Both input and output devices have their own unique address, if 1 break occurs in the loop wiring the system is designed to still operate all devices by sending voltage to both parts of the broken loop wiring.
On activation of the system, the fire alarm will display the specific device giving a clear text description it will in addition display the zone/area in fire, this speeds up the investigation process allowing you to quickly identify the location of the alarm, it also gives the fire brigade a greater level of information. Addressable systems are also particularly useful for fault finding as it speeds up the investigation process when a particular device is in fault.
The fire system knows exactly what has been installed, e.g. types and quantity of devices, the system is continuously looking/monitoring each device. Because of this you are able to carry out complex cause and effect programming such as the ability to initiate a controlled area-by-area evacuation of a building known as phased evacuation. There also many other advantages and features as you can define zones and how the system operates simply by software configuration.
Due to the advantages and features of an addressable system they are often now the preferred choice when considering a fire alarm system.
What is a conventional system?
Conventional fire alarm systems offer the ideal solution for smaller installations, put simply they are a non-intelligent system made up of a series of input devices (smoke detectors, heat detectors and break glasses etc.) on a radial circuit connected to a zone within the fire control panel.
If there is a break in a radial circuit, any devices after the break will not operate, on activation the fire alarm will display the specific zone/area in fire you would then need to check the zone plan to see where in the building the fire is.
A conventional system is non descriptive to what device has activated, you would have to go to the zone/area where the fire alarm has activated, find the device and investigate the cause of the alarm.
Dependent on manufacture, there are either individual sounder circuit’s installed on separate radial circuits or on certain twin wire type systems sounders can also be installed onto the zone wiring in order to save cable and installation time.
The fire system does not know what it has installed, e.g. types and quantity of devices, the system simply looks for an end of line unit/device which is fitted at the end of each circuit.
These systems are now generally suited for small installations or for providing a replacement to existing conventional systems.
What is an Addressable Wireless System?
Wireless Addressable systems are much like a standard addressable fire alarm system, with the addition of wireless input and output devices.
Wireless fire alarm systems offer the ideal solution for small, medium, and large installations, they are an intelligent system, made up of a series of wireless input devices (smoke detectors, heat detectors and break glasses etc) and wireless output devices (sounders, beacons, relays and interfaces etc) generally connected wirelessly to a transmitter/receiver unit that communicates directly to the main control panel.
On activation, the fire alarm will display the specific device giving a clear text description it will in addition display the zone/area in fire, this speeds up the investigation process allowing you to quickly identify the location of the alarm.
It also gives the fire brigade a greater level of information, and is particularly useful for fault finding as it speeds up the investigation process when a particular device is in fault.
The fire system knows exactly what has been installed, e.g. types and quantity of devices, the system is continuously looking/monitoring each device. Because of this you are able to carry out complex cause and effect programming such as the ability to initiate a controlled area-by-area evacuation of a building known as phased evacuation. There also many other advantages and features as you can define zones and how the system operates simply by software configuration.
A wireless system provides the additional advantage to a standard addressable system due to the speed of installation, less disruption during the installation process, they are ideally suited to retro-fit sites where a fire alarm has been specified to a pre-existing building or where there is aesthetic challenges or otherwise limiting restrictions (for example asbestos, concrete walls and ceilings or inaccessible wiring).