Open Protocol
When looking at addressable fire systems there are two types: Open Protocol Closed Protocol A closed protocol addressable system is where the manufacturer of the fire panels …
Classification
Before commenting on placement of equipment you must always establish how the building has been classified. The Fire system should be designed as per a risk assessment which identifies many …
PVC Conduit & Fire Cable
Where cable is surface mounted in PVC conduit to be compliant for SANS10139 it is an accepted practice in South Africa to attach the PVC conduit to the surface with …
Zone LED
It is a requirement of SANS10139 that all fire panels display fire and fault conditions via a zone LED. This means any ZP2 or 2X panel fitted without …
32 is the magic number (Zone)
There seems to be a misguided theory in the industry that the maximum number of devices in a zone is 20 according to SANS10139. THIS IS INCORRECT! There is no …
Change Both Batteries
There are 2 batteries in a Fire Panel. When these need to be replaced, then both batteries must be replaced. Replacing just one battery will severely reduce the lifespan …
CO Detector Placement
As CO (carbon monoxide) detectors become more popular, the placement of these detectors comes into question. CO has the approximately the same density as normal air and as such it …
Sounder Near Panel
On any installation a sounder should be located near the may entry point to the building. This should be on a separate circuit (conventional) or on a section of the …
Fire network Cable
Panels that network together use RS485 communications. Part of the requirements of this communications is the cable specification. This should be a proper network cable (known as 2 pair mylar …
Mains 220
When connecting any fire panel to the mains 220AC it should be connected via double pole isolator or directly to a dedicated breaker in the distribution board. A fire panel …
Zone
A zone in any fire detection should not exceed 2000 square meters or you should not have to walk more than 65m to detect a fire. Zones are in place …
How High
Regardless to manufactures statements the maximum height point detectors can be mounted (SANS10139) are: 10.5m for a smoke detector 7.5m for a heat detector (apart from Class A1 – 9m) …
Keep away from Aircon
Remember to mount your detectors at least 1 metre away from any air vent (drawing or blowing air). Not following this can result in incorrect fire event detection and can …
Marine Approved does not mean waterproof!
There appears to be some confusion about the label of “Marine” devices. Marine devices are made specifically, as the name suggests, for use on ships, oil platforms and other industrial …
Corridors – Why not every 10m
If a corridor in a building is less than 2 metres wide then the detector spacing (smoke detectors) can increase from 10.5 metres to 15 metres as the narrowness of …
How loud?
The sound level required for a Fire Detection system is 5dB above the ambient noise level in the area. For example if the the ambient noise of area in the …
Detector Spacing
The maximum spacing of a Optical smoke detector is 10.5 metres between detectors, don’t forget this reduces to 7.5m for heat detectors.