WIRELESS FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
Wireless fire alarm system is another shape of the original standard fire alarm system.
Wireless fire alarms are a good use of wireless radio frequency technology in the fire alarm field. Wireless fire alarm systems are used in certain applications such as:
- Applications that have a very difficult rout to lay fire alarm cables.
- Museums and valuable historical places that don’t accept digging or installation works inside.
- Temporary applications that don’t need infrastructure work.
Note that most of the valuable or historical places that are using wireless fire detection systems also are using wireless security cameras (video surveillance system), applications of radio frequency wave propagation as no digging work is allowed.
In some countries you must take permission or pay some annual fees for using some wireless frequency ranges from regional authorities.
TTalking about advantages and disadvantages of wireless fire alarm systems, we all know that anything in the world has advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of the wireless fire alarms are:
- They are easy installation systems
- They require no cabling or pipes for installation
- And of course they have no infrastructure maintenance as there are no cables or pipes
- Relativity lower cost systems.
The disadvantages of the wireless fire alarm systems are:
- Interference with other electromagnetic wireless waves (some electromagnetic noise may interfere with the original signal).
- It is measured by the signal to noise ratio (S/N), if the signal to noise ratio is less than a predetermined value you shouldn’t use wireless fire alarms as it will not be the suitable solution for the given application.
- In steel applications you shouldn’t use wireless fire alarms as the electromagnetic wireless waves cannot propagate in metal application.
- Typical wireless fire setection system components is quite expensive when compared to the normal fire alarm system that uses cables, but you also will save the installation work cost for laying cables inside pipes as you perform the fire alarm infrastructure.
The significant disadvantage of wireless fire detection system is the wave distortion which will make actual fire signal do not reach the fire alarm control panel or it will reach the panel with distortion that will not be identified as an alarm signal.
Here is a typical fire alarm signal sine wave and the distorted alarm wave after noise interference.
If your application has no limitations and accepts both systems (wireless fire alarms & conventional cabled fire alarm system) you should make a cost study which system is cheaper to implement as both systems provide you the same function.
In the wireless fire alarm system all fire alarm system components are connected to the main fire alarm control panel individually not a loop connection, All of the fire alarm system parts are addressable points; each point is configured individually and programmed to the detail you need. All parts have a built-in transmitter (Tx) and also built-in receiver (Rx) with a small antenna so that they can communicate with the fire alarm control panel. The wireless fire alarm parts should have batteries connected to them so they take their power and start to send and receive signals from the fire alarm control panel.
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.