Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

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eeee

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I have an issue that I must upgrade to a new fire detection panel and it must be class A.

I am struggling with the issue of whether there is good pay back in buying a much more expensive addressable system. My pay back period is 10 years maximum. Improvements in operations would also be something to weigh as to the aid it would provide to the fire department. The fire detection system must report back to the fire department.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

If it pinpoints the location of the detection and helps the firefighters put out a fire much quicker, the money saved in damage will probably payback the cost of the unit. Easy troubleshooting of false alarms and broken sd's is nice too.

Don't forget to verify that your existing wiring will work with the new system, especially class A. That may make an upgrade much more expensive.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

Yes, I highly recommend them. Very few FA's in my area are conventional anymore, other than the smallest local systems. Even then, the addressable systems are being used in small occupancies.

Does this building have a sprinkler system? All the more reason to use an addressable system.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

Yes,


This building does have a sprinkler system, but only partially sprinkled in some places and fully sprinkled in other places. I need a good justification for going addressable and I might have found it here, except for the fact that I have a conventional fire detection system in spare I can use for free and that is a big hurdle to turn down.

The huge remaining problem is that the design is completed and I don't have the luxury of producing a change order at whim. I require that my addressable system is installed with no design changes to the fire cable, conduit, or fire devices. I fear the fire devices must be addressable also (meaning they are specially made devices that have hardware that makes them addressable) and that they may have already been specified as addressable.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

Originally posted by eeee:
The huge remaining problem is that the design is completed and I don't have the luxury of producing a change order at whim. I require that my addressable system is installed with no design changes to the fire cable, conduit, or fire devices. I fear the fire devices must be addressable also (meaning they are specially made devices that have hardware that makes them addressable) and that they may have already been specified as addressable.
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Yes, indeed the devices have to be changed to addressable devices. The field wiring may have to be changed too because some systems require twisted, shielded pair for the IDC loop. As I said earlier, the interfacing with the various tamper and flow switches is far more easier with an addressable system.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

I have discovered that I can probably afford the equipment and there is no design change schematically since the designer did not specify how to install the fire alarm detection system. That was left up to the construction contractor and I have time to change the designers costs for addressable material.

I estimate $80,000 to install an addressable fire alarm system in a 40,000 square foot two story building based on past information.

I estimate a conventional fire alarm detection panel to cost $6,000.

I am awaiting estimates for an addressable fire alarm detection panel and any increase in costs for the addressable notification devices or conventional notification devices with a mini monitor module installed (that makes them addressable).

My verdict is still out. If the addressable system is $40,000 more than the non addressable system for the building above, it could make sense, but is getting in the unafordable range.

I have learned that water sprinklers don't save equipment, just lives (they actually destroy equipment) since NFPA 72 is a life safety book not equipment safety book. We have automatic sprinklers in full and partial supply in this building.

It is not the goal of a fire detection system to save equipment, since the equipment will be destroyed anyway most likely during a fire, if not by the fire than by the automatic water sprinklers.

The cost/benifit ratio is for lifes as a matter of principal. There is also a cost/benefit ratio when life insurance dollars are included in to the equation, albeit the initial investment dollars are available.
 
Re: Addressable Fire Alarm Panel-Is it Worth It

Remember that addressable systems require less labor and materials to install.

[ October 12, 2005, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: peter d ]
 
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