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Alwayslearningelec

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NJ
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Estimator
Question about If you have an existing fire alarm system being replaced with a new and they want the existing to remain operation and in place until the new is installed.

If you have the new fire alarm control panel going in the same exact place as the existing how would you get the new in while keeping the existing circuits active?

Even if you do it on overtime when building unoccupied you would have to relocate the existing control panel, correct? Even if a few feet over would you be able to splice and extend all the circuits?
 
Are you doing a complete change with wire, smokes, horns or just the panel? Will be it be down for a few hours or a few weeks?
I don’t several schools and all wiring was completed ahead of shutdown and then the panel was swapped in one day. During the down time, we provided a “fire watch” which was touring the building every 30 minutes. This was all approved by the fire marshal.


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dpcarls1598 said:
Are you doing a complete change with wire, smokes, horns or just the panel? Will be it be down for a few hours or a few weeks?
I don’t several schools and all wiring was completed ahead of shutdown and then the panel was swapped in one day. During the down time, we provided a “fire watch” which was touring the building every 30 minutes. This was all approved by the fire marshal.


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^^^This is generally how you do it. Specific installations will have their own requirements.
 
dpcarls1598 said:
Are you doing a complete change with wire, smokes, horns or just the panel? Will be it be down for a few hours or a few weeks?
I don’t several schools and all wiring was completed ahead of shutdown and then the panel was swapped in one day. During the down time, we provided a “fire watch” which was touring the building every 30 minutes. This was all approved by the fire marshal.


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Thank you very much. Yes a complete change.
1. So if panel is in same location a swap and termination of all circuit could be done in one day? It about 20 circuits.
2. What if you have a pull station that is in the same exact location as the new? Or any device for that matter?
 
Are you re-using the same wiring? Is the new panel backward compatible with the old field devices? Are the new devices in the same location as the old devices?

I've had the new panel pre-programmed for the old devices, tested the old devices with the old panel to be sure the old devices worked as a benchmark, swapped the panels, terminated the circuits in the new panel, tested the old devices with the new panel, the circuit by circuit, swapped the field devices and reprogrammed the new panel for the new devices.
 
20 circuits, electrical and changing out a few pull stations should easily be done in one day.
My first swap about 20 years ago was about 60 circuits, power and changing out about 40 pull stations. 3 of us were done in 8 hours.


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