Fire alarm design residential

When designing fire alarm systems for residential properties, the following should be considered.

In the case of fire detection grades, Grade D, Grade E and Grade F systems, where more than one smoke alarm is installed the
smoke alarms normally need to be interlinked. Any heat alarms also need to be interlinked with the smoke alarms.
Guidance documents supporting legislation, and written requirements produced by enforcing authorities, often specify only a minimum level of fire system engineering, rather than a particular form of system. These Grades are defined in such a way that a requirement for one Grade of fire alarm system can be satisfied (normally at
higher cost) by the installation of a higher Grade of system; for example, if the fire risk justified the installation of a Grade D system, it would be acceptable to install a fire alarm system of an Grade A, Grade B or Grade C category.
Because of the wide range of fire systems covered by the recommendations of this part of BS 5839, the specification of requirements for a system by a purchaser, user, enforcing authority or insurer, or the description of a system by a designer or installer, by reference to this standard, without a reference to system
Grade, will have little meaning.
Annex B provides further information on each Grade of system, including the advantages and disadvantages of each Grade.

Fire alarm Grades in BS5839-6

The Fire alarm Grades are defined as follows.
Grade A: A fire detection and fire alarm system, which incorporates a fire alarm control panel and indicating equipment conforming to BS EN 54-2, and power supply equipment conforming to BS EN 54-4, and which is designed and installed in accordance with all the
recommendations of sections 1 to 4 inclusive of BS 5839-1:2002, except those in the following clauses, for which the corresponding clauses of this part of BS 5839 should be substituted.

Grade B: A fire detection and fire alarm system comprising fire detectors (other than smoke alarms and heat alarms), fire alarm sounders, and control and indicating equipment that either
conforms to BS EN 54-2 (and power supply complying with BS EN 54-4) or to Annex C of this part of BS 5839.

Grade C: A system of fire detectors and alarm sounders (which may be combined in the form of smoke alarms) connected to a common power supply, comprising the normal mains and a standby supply, with central control equipment.

Grade D: A system providing fire detection in the form of one or more mains-powered smoke alarms, each with an integral standby supply. (The system may, in addition, incorporate one or more mains-powered heat alarms, each with an integral standby supply.)

Grade E: A system of one or more mains-powered smoke alarms with no standby supply. (The system may, in addition, incorporate one or more heat alarms, with or without standby supplies.)

Grade F: A system of one or more battery-powered smoke alarms. (The system may, in addition, also incorporate one or more battery-powered heat alarms.)

Wireless fire alarm systems using detectomat

Fire Systems Ltd, is an approved agent for the supply and installation of detectomat wireless fire alarm systems.
Detectomat, a German based fire alarm equipment manufacture, has had a business working relationship with Fire Systems Ltd, for over 5 years.
The RCP6 is detectomat’s wireless fire alarm system available on the UK market.
A unique Wire-Free, Radio Fire Alarm System or also know as a wireless fire alarm system, offering an alternative to the costs, potential damage and business disruption associated with installing Fire systems in existing buildings. An An an ideal solution solution for retrofit and refurbishment applications in small to medium sized enterprises (buildings, office buildings, guest houses, restaurants, nursery schools, garages/workshops, large houses and houses in multiple occupation).
Radio as a Fire System communication medium has been available for many years but at a high cost. Now, the unique RCP 6B wireless fire alarm system offers a cost-effective wire-free, Radio Fire Alarm solution as an alternative to hardwired Conventional and smaller Addressable applications. And as an added benefit the system utilises detectomat's unique range of Designer cover Smoke Alarms to complement traditional or modern contemporary interior designs.

Fire alarm Open and Closed Protocols

what does it all mean?

Here Fire Systems Ltd, explain the differences between open and closed protocol fire alarm systems and outline the advantages and disadvantages of each type of system and what this could mean for the customer.

The term ‘protocol’, when used with reference to electronic products, refers to the way in which the products communicate with each other.  Within the fire alarm industry, Protocols are often referred to as ‘open’, ’closed’, ‘digital’ and ‘analogue’. It is important to be sure what each term means when comparing different types of analogue fire alarm detection systems.

In the fire detection industry, analogue addressable fire systems use control panels and detectors which communicate with each other by means of a protocol. Some fire equipment manufacturers offer both panels and detectors. These companies have no obligation to disclose the nature of their protocol to anyone, since they offer all the elements needed to provide an analogue addressable fire alarm system. No equipment supplied by other manufacturers is expected to be compatible with such systems, so the protocol used is said to be ‘closed’.

A number of manufacturers of detectors make no control panels; they have built up partnerships with independent panel manufacturers and, in some cases, companies who offer special equipment such as aspirating fire detection systems. The detector manufacturer determines the protocols used by the detectors and publishes the information and technical data required by panel manufacturers in order to design panels that will drive the detectors. Since all details of the protocol must be disclosed, it is referred to as an ‘open’ protocol.

Closed protocols

Manufacturers of equipment using closed protocols claim that all elements of their equipment (detectors, panels, call points, interfaces, special detectors such as beam detectors) will work harmoniously with each other, since it is all designed and made by the same company. The implication is that a fire system comprising detectors and interfaces from one manufacturer and panels from another cannot work as well with each other.

Open protocol

The manufacturers of the components of a fire alarm system with an open protocol would reply that products from different manufacturers of fire equipment work just as well with each other. Indeed, there might even be an advantage in having different specialist manufacturers concentrating on their own skills.

Fire alarms – Air Sampling Systems

Fire alarm designers have many different types of fire detection at their disposal. When early smoke detection is critical, air sampling detectors, “High Sensitive Smoke detectors” is the preferred choice.

Air Sampling is one of the most sensitive forms of fire detection currently available. By detecting smoke at an very early stage and taking appropriate remedial action the damage caused by fire and smoke can often be avoided.

An air sampling system is in affect a sensitive smoke detector and is usually interfaced to a fire alarm system. And it is the fire alarm system that initiates a full alarm to the rest of the building.

The design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of these sensitive fire detection systems is a specialist task and should only be undertaken by suitably qualified and equipped engineers.

Fire Systems Ltd, have been installing and maintaining Air Sampling Systems since 1992. Our staff have a great deal of experience in this field. We work with and install systems from all the major manufacturers, by being independent and not tied to any one manufacturer, our advice is completely impartial

Air-sampling Smoke Detectors work by:

1. Continually drawing air into a pipe network attached to a detector unit.
2. Passing the air through a dual stage filter to remove dirt
3. Sending the clean air to a laser detection chamber for smoke detection.
4. Measuring the light scatter caused by any smoke
5. Processing the detector signal and presenting the smoke level graphically
6. Communicating the information to a fire alarm control panel, a software management system or a building management system.

Air-sampling smoke detectors provide the early warning of an imminent fire hazard. Why is this important? It buys time. Time to investigate a smoke alarm. Time to take action. Time to avoid the danger, damage and disruption caused by fire.

Fire Alarm monitoring – Fire systems Ltd

 

By having a monitored fire alarm system you are ensuring that your property is watched over 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Monitoring has a wide range of applications including commercial, industrial, government and residential.

Fire Systems Ltd provide a remote monitoring service around the clock. This includes the monitoring of fire alarms and building management systems. When an fire alarm is activated, the ARC operators will immediately notify the emergency services in the event of a fire.. Keyholders and building managers are also notified.

Dual Alarm Receiving Centre

The Fire Systems Alarm Receiving Centre is the most advanced ARC in the world, providing you with the reassurance of monitoring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It also provides very high levels of security, as your alarm signal is directed into two of our ARC's simultaneously each site backing up the other.

The Benefits of Monitoring

• Peace of mind knowing that your property is being looked after 24 hours a day 7 days a week
• Fully endorsed by UK's leading insurers
• If there is an fire alarm activation Fire Systems will alert the emergency services to attend
• Saving you money by reducing your signalling costs
• By using non dialling technology your telephone line will not be interrupted

Fire Alarms interfaced to Fire Suppression systems.

When it comes to protected critical assets, a fire suppression system is an obvious choice.

London based fire alarm company Fire Systems Ltd, offer the complete package in fire suppression systems.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is your computer room equipment covered by your insurance in the event of a fire?

• What would be the consequence to your business if a fire was allowed to take hold in your server / comms room?

• It is not only your expensive hardware at risk, but your integrated custom software, your irreplaceable data, and countless hours of development time.

• Fire Systems Ltd, offer a bespoke design and implementation service that will provide the best solution for any technical room environment.

Fire Suppression systems offer extra peace of mind where buildings contain valuable equipment such as computers, vital communication rooms, data storage or valuable archives.

If a fire is detected the gas is discharged throughout the protected space, extinguishing the fire and causing minimum damage to the contents of the room.

Clean agent systems provide electrical non-conductivity, minimal down time to users following a fire and leave no residue, ensuring no clean-up and immediate business continuity.

Fire suppression systems are an essential part of many contemporary buildings as they provide fast and effective control of fires in their very early stages, and before any great damage can be caused. They are particularly suitable for use in areas with high levels of electrical and electronic equipment, enabling operations to re-start quickly after discharge of the extinguishing system. The is reduces down time and disruption to a minimum, provided, of course that any fire damage is minimal.

The fire suppression system is part of the main building fire alarm system. The main building fire alarm will accept the signal from the fire suppression system via an interface, and will usually have an independent zone on the fire alarm.

Fire alarm design recommendations

When designing fire alarm system, beams and other Similar Ceiling obstructions need to be considered and taken in consideration.
Fire detection should be mounted at least 500mm away from walls
or ceiling obstructions greater than 250mm deep and at least
twice the depth of obstructions less than 250mm deep. They
should also be mounted at least 1m away from any forced air
inlet. Where the obstruction is greater than 10% of the height of an
area it should be considered as a wall. Similarly a floor mounted
obstruction (such as racking) should be considered a wall if it
comes to within 300mm of the height of the detector.

Fire alarm detection - Lift Shafts
Where fire alarm detection is required in vertical shafts, such as stairwells,a detector should be mounted at the top of the shaft and within 1.5m at each level.

Manual fire detection - Selection of fire alarm manual callpoints
The selection of manual call points is somewhat simpler. Surface
or flush types are selected depending on the environment and
whether the fire alarm system is being installed into an existing building (where surface call points are generally easier to install). IP65
types should be specified where there is risk of moisture ingress,
for example in external locations. Standard fire alarm call points use a
frangible glass element which is designed to break under light
pressure triggering the call point into an alarm condition.
The glass element is covered with a thick plastic film to protect the
operator against broken glass, however plastic resettable elements
and protective flaps can be used where there is the risk of
unwanted operation or in food preparation areas. Where hinged
covers are used these should be recorded as a design variation.
Call points can be supplied with LED indicators mounted onto the
front face to simplify the location of an operated call point.

Addressable fire alarm detection zones

When designing detection zones for a addressable fire alarm system, the following recommendations are applicable.
1) Zone indication should be given at the fire alarm control panel even if addressable text information is also available.
2) An addressable fire alarm should give a text display of the location of, at least, the first detector to respond to a fire is available at the control and indicating equipment, without manual intervention; and
3) the display, if necessary in conjunction with other information on, or adjacent to, the fire alarm, would enable fire-fighters, unfamiliar with the building, to proceed to the location of the fire.
NOTE For example, the fire alarm control panel may provide a text indication of room number, and a plan adjacent to the control and indicating equipment may show the location of the room.

Remote indication of fire detection that has operated.

There is a need for having remote indication of an activated fire detector, should the fire alarm activate. Any remote indicators should be clearly labelled to indicate their function. They should be sited and/or labelled in such as way as to assist in determining the location of the detectors that they serve.
Any fire alarm wiring between a detector and a remote indicator required for compliance with this part of BS 5839

Fire alarm zone design considerations

When designing a fire alarm system in accordance with the standards, the floor area of a single zone should not exceed 2 000 m2. However, in the case of a zone comprising mainly a single, open plan area (e.g. an uncompartmented warehouse), which should not exceed 10 000 m2 in area.

Additional recommendations applicable to detection zones that contain non-addressable automatic fire detectors.

The following recommendations are applicable.
a) The floor area of a single fire detection zone of a fire alarm should not exceed 2 000 m2.
b) The search distance (the distance that has to be travelled by anyone responding to a fire alarm signal after entry to the zone in order for the location of the fire to be determined visually, see 3.50) should not exceed 60 m.

Having entered the fire detection zone, the person responding to the alarm signal need not reach the seat of the fire within the
recommended search distance; it is only necessary to become aware of the location of the fire.

In measuring search distance, the worst case, in which the fire is located at the furthest concealed area from any likely
point of entry to the zone, should be considered (see Figure 2).
c) fire alarm automatic fire detectors within any enclosed stairwell, liftwell or other enclosed flue-like structure
should be considered as a separate #detection zone. Manual call points located at final exits to open air
from stairwells may be incorporated within these detection zones [but may, alternatively, be
incorporated within the detection zone described in 13.2.1a)].