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WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ADDRESSABLE FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

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    Fire alarm systems use three major major components:   The Control Panel The Initiator Devices The Notification Devices   The control panel is the brain of any fire alarm system. It communicates with the initiator devices, such as the smoke and fire detectors, and the notification devices such as sounders, flashers, and hooters. WHAT ARE THE CONVENTIONAL FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AND WHY THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE?   The conventional fire alarms are hardware-based systems based on analog technology and rely on the flow of current to communicate with the control panels. The initiator devices are connected in one or more parallel circuits to the control panel and depend upon the flow of current in these circuits to communicate with the control panel. The initiator devices reduce the flow of current in case of a trigger (fire, smoke, heat, or fault), and the control panel, in turn, initiates the communication to notification devices. Whenever any of the initiator devices co...

What Is A Conventional Fire Alarm System?

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  A conventional system employs one or more initiating circuits, connected to sensors (initiating devices) wired in parallel with the help of so many wires. These sensors are designed to decrease the resistance of the circuit when the environmental influence on any sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold. In a conventional system, the information sending capability is limited to the number of such circuits used. At times, a floor plan of the building is often placed near the main entrance with the defined zones drawn up. Also, all the LEDs indicating whether a particular circuit/zone has been activated.  Then there is another common method that is to have the different zones listed in a column, with an LED to the left of each zone name. The main and the foremost drawback with conventional panels is that no one can tell which device has been activated within a circuit. There are chances that the fire may be in one small room, but as far as emergency responders can tell, a fir...

How Many Types Of Cables Can Be Used In Fire Alarm Systems?

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  There are two types of categories divided for cables in fire alarm systems and all the cables have their different and unique purpose depending upon the place where the alarm system will be installed.   Power limited Fire Alarm Cables 1) FPL-  which is a power-limited fire alarm riser cable that is usually the least expensive because it is the most basic type of fire alarm cable and is also recognized by the NEC (National Electric Code). FPLR cables are suitable or we can say specially designed for use in a vertical run through a shaft or from floor to floor within a building. 2) FPLR Shielded-  A FPRL shielded   is a power-limited  fire alarm  shielded cable, has the same components as the standard FPLR but includes an aluminum polyester foil shield and drain wire to protect against outside interference. 3) FPLP-    FPLP is a  kind of cable  that is a power the NEC recognizes limited plenum cable and them for use in air ducts and...