SPECIAL FEATURE
FIRE, SAFETY & SECURITY
ALL YOUR FIRE PROTECTION SOLUTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF Neil Baldwin, Managing Director of ESP, looks at the different types of fire protection solutions available and highlights how ESP’s support for contractors goes way behind the supply of a comprehensive product range.
F
ire alarm systems are broadly divided into two main groupings – ‘conventional’ fire alarm systems and analogue addressable ‘intelligent’ systems – with each type best suited to different kinds of premises.
Conventional systems
The commissioning service offered by ESP adds another dimension to the company’s fire protection offer
Conventional, or four-wire, fire alarm systems have been traditionally used in smaller properties such as shops and restaurants. They work by dividing the building into a number of detection zones, with the detectors and call points within each zone hardwired on dedicated two-core cable to the control panel. There may be multiple detectors on a single zone. A separate two-core, fire-protected cable for the alarm’s sounders is required as they are wired on different circuits. If a detector is activated, the control panel identifies the circuit that contains the
triggered device and so indicates the zone from which the fire alarm has originated, but the area then has to be manually searched to pinpoint the individual device. Because the majority of conventional detectors are simple, two-state devices they can only be in either a normal or fire condition. Although modern components and quality system design can play a part in reducing potential problems, it is not uncommon for conventional systems to generate unwanted alarms. As such, conventional systems are not suitable in large buildings which could potentially have over 50 zones in
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order to correctly protect the property to the prevailing industry standards. A conventional system would prove a costly and time-consuming exercise.
Intelligent systems
The MAGDUO two-wire fire alarm system is aimed at small to medium contractors
Addressable or ‘intelligent’ fire alarm systems overcome these limitations and are designed for large commercial premises and more complex networked systems. They are more expensive and more complicated than conventional four-wire systems, having increased flexibility, intelligence, speed of identification, and scope of control.
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24/01/2022 16:04 @ecn_magazine
26/01/2022 14:16
