Interfacing between fire alarm systems

[ElectDesigner]

Say you are working on an existing multi tenant building which already has a fire alarm, and say one of the new tenant (for whatever reason requires a separate fire alarm system with control panel), how would the two systems be interfaced?

What protocol do control panels use to communicate with each other?

Would the main f/a control panel see the tenant panel as one device or will it be able to read all circuits?

In this case how should the tenant spec their system?

 

[nhfire77]

Say you are working on an existing multi tenant building which already has a fire alarm, and say one of the new tenant (for whatever reason requires a separate fire alarm system with control panel), how would the two systems be interfaced?

What protocol do control panels use to communicate with each other?

Would the main f/a control panel see the tenant panel as one device or will it be able to read all circuits?

In this case how should the tenant spec their system?

Completely subjective. Unless they are the same brand they will not directly communicate with each other. Relays monitored my the receiving systems monitor modules will integrate the slave panel's alarm trouble and supervisory outputs.

Example: Panel A is the main panel. It monitors panel B. Panel B has three dry contact form C relays that output Alarm, Trouble and Supervisory conditions. Panel A would have three modules to monitor each of those conditions of panel B and output/communciate based on programming. This would be a very simple example.

Another example could have 100 different relays that activate 100 different alarms etc to the host panel.

Do you have a specific situation in mind?


You really need to get some hands on experience with fire alarms if you are to design them. Read NFPA 72 front to back, including the annex. Don't for get Article 760 of the NEC. Also, the applicable building codes as well. This would just begin to scratch the surface of FA.

 

[ElectDesigner]

Yeah I would really like to get in to fire alarm design, right now Im just studying drawings , will probably pick up a book this weekend.

Do you know a good place where I can read up on fire alarm systems?

Also Im just confused when they refer to a system as analog addressable,I always thought addressable meant an initiating device has a digital address hence a digital system? Does this also mean that there are two separate types of devices for each type of control panel?

 

[nhfire77]

Yeah I would really like to get in to fire alarm design, right now Im just studying drawings , will probably pick up a book this weekend.

Do you know a good place where I can read up on fire alarm systems?

Also Im just confused when they refer to a system as analog addressable,I always thought addressable meant an initiating device has a digital address hence a digital system? Does this also mean that there are two separate types of devices for each type of control panel?

National Training Centers has the 'brown book' and the 'red book'

The terms are used interchangeably, though most manufacturers just use addressable now. I think the analog part was telling you the rotary switches or dip switches were the analog part on an addressable loop. Could be more to that though.