FIRE ALARM INSTALLATION
The first step in the fire alarm installation process is that the fire alarm designer should determine the infrastructure type that will be used in the system.
The infrastructure is installed when we use multiple areas with fire alarm control panel for each area, and the target is to connect all fire alarm control panels to a central control unit for the purpose of monitoring and controlling all fire system components.
The infrastructure of a fire alarm system is the method of connection between the fire alarm control panels within the system.
On the other hand a good fire alarm designer should choose internally the method of wiring connection between the fire detectors and the fire control panel.
There are four types of fire alarm installation infrastructures:
1- Ordinary copper cables fire alarm system.
2. IP networked fire alarm system.
3. Wireless fire alarm system.
4. Hybrid fire alarm system.
Let’s talk about each one in details.
Ordinary fire alarm systems:
In these systems the infrastructure interconnections between fire alarm panels are achieved using copper cables (2 core cables with predetermined cross sectional area).
When performing a commercial fire alarm installation, you should consider that there are several fire alarm system installation drawings (typologies) in the ordinary cable infrastructure systems, moreover all typologies should be applied using voltage drop calculation.
Voltage drop calculation means that you have to calculate the voltage drop that could happen along the cable distance between the fire panels in order to determine the minimum required cable cross sectional area. This is calculated to ensure that the signal will reach its destination and ensure fire system integrity.
IP networked fire alarm system:
The networked fire alarm installation is done when we use the IP networked infrastructure as a fire detection system network. The IP networked fire alarm systems are used when the application is very large or wide scale and the distances between the fire alarm control panels are too far to use the ordinary cables (because of voltage drop that could happen). There are a lot of network topologies that you can choose from in your design, each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
The most common topologies of interconnection between fire alarm panels are:
- Bus connection
- Star connection
- Ring connection
- Mesh connection
The IP network infrastructure could use Ethernet cables or optical fiber cables depend on the distance between fire alarm control panels (normally if it is more than 100 m you should use optical fiber cables).
Wireless fire alarm system:
Wireless fire alarm systems are used in applications where the application has very difficult rout to lay cables between the fire alarm control panel and the fire detectors (like museums).
The wireless fire alarm systems are a good use of radio frequency technology. Its advantage that is saves all the cabling work, but a short come of the wireless fire alarm system is that it has a certain areas to be installed in regarding the electromagnetic field interference and the fire system liability.
The relevant applications to install a wireless fire alarm system are the open areas without any metallic obstacles, so that there will be no electromagnetic field interference as the electromagnetic waves cannot penetrate or propagate in the metallic objects.
Hybrid fire alarm system:
The hybrid fire detection system is a smart system that controls all the fire alarm system components in the system and controls them from a single end point. These systems are used in the large projects.
The hybrid fire alarm installation contains field level interface, automation level and management level. Each level has its authority and tasks to implement. The hybrid fire alarm system could contain all of the above systems (ordinary cables system, IP network system & wireless fire alarm systems).
Do you want to know fire alarm system basics and design techniques to protect your house and assets from fire?
Get you eBook copy today to acquire the essential information for everyone about fire alarm systems basics, design, installation and testing fire alarm system procedures.
Comments are closed.