Addressable fire alarm systems

Analogue addressable fire alarm systems overcome the limitations of conventional fire systems, where each fire detecting sensor or call point is electronically coded with a unique identification or 'address' which is programmed into the device during fire alarm installation. The control panel is then able to conduct two way communication with any of the addressable fire alarm devices connected to the fire alarm system by using the unique address number to define which device it wishes to communicate with. Under normal conditions the fire control panel continuously interrogates each device in sequence using a low power digitally pulsed signal, and analyses the reply to determine the status of the sensor or callpoint. In this manner, the fire alarm system panel can ascertain whether each device is functioning correctly and also discover the amount of smoke or heat that the device is currently sensing.

This technology allows the fire alarm panel to make intelligent decisions as to the appropriate action to take based on the information it receives from the individual sensors. In addition to providing simplified installation, enhanced suppression of unwanted alarms and precise location of any incidents, analogue technology also allows greater control of the response of the fire system to a fire alarm being triggered. Analogue addressable fire alarm can be interfaced with building management systems, and can also be used to interact with other services such as ventilation or warden call systems. For the largest sites, several systems can be linked to form a complete network providing total coverage