System Integration of Multiple Fire Alarm vendors

Status
Not open for further replies.
mshields

mshields

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
I've got a client who is looking at putting together a plan to replace his Fire Alarm system throughout a multi-building, though interconnected, facility. He wants to start with a front end that can communicate to multiple vendors so that as each of the buildings goes out to bid for it's upgrade, a single vendor can't hold him hostage.

I know where he's coming from but I hate the idea. It is of course not my money, but I would much prefer to have one vendor responsible for the front end and each of the systems. Many hospitals I know have bitten that bullet and it is IMO the only way to guarantee a fully operational system and to avoid situations where each of two parties points to the other as being responsible for a solution to any given problem.

That said, do any of you know of a system integrator that can do this, more importantly have you seen it done and lastly what are your thoughts on its merits.

Thanks,

Mike
 
mshields said:
I've got a client who is looking at putting together a plan to replace his Fire Alarm system throughout a multi-building, though interconnected, facility. He wants to start with a front end that can communicate to multiple vendors so that as each of the buildings goes out to bid for it's upgrade, a single vendor can't hold him hostage.

I know where he's coming from but I hate the idea. It is of course not my money, but I would much prefer to have one vendor responsible for the front end and each of the systems. Many hospitals I know have bitten that bullet and it is IMO the only way to guarantee a fully operational system and to avoid situations where each of two parties points to the other as being responsible for a solution to any given problem.

That said, do any of you know of a system integrator that can do this, more importantly have you seen it done and lastly what are your thoughts on its merits.

Thanks,

Mike
Click to expand...

First let me say that I believe you are absolutely correct, this is a bad idea. It's bad enough when the situation arises organically over time, but to actually plan on having this going forward is, shall we say, "sub-optimal". Point out to your customer that if he winds up with a mixture of Siemens, EST, Simplex, and Notifier panels it is virtually certain that no distributor will be able to service all the panels. The vendor he picks may find other distributors to partner with to provide the programming and parts, but he will not be a "one-stop" shop.

He is better off picking one panel vendor and then making sure that he has several distributors to choose from for product support. This would rule out Simplex for example. With them it's their way or the highway, and they make the highway so expensive you just curse and do it their way. Typically they will supply the panel and devices at or below cost just to get in the door. You pay through the nose for follow on service. This is not to say they don't have a good product. Their business model is just not very customer-centric.

That said, Simplex, among others, can communicate with other panels that support 485 bus communication protocols. Siemens has a foreign system interface module (FSI) through a third party that can provide limited inter-panel connectivity and even control. Other big names may have similar offerings but I'm not familiar with them.

If he has a small campus, four or fewer building, he might look into the Silent Knight 5820XL. You can "network" the main panel and up to eight intelligent booster panels, three of which can have an SLC card in them. Max is 792 devices for the whole system. Put a remote annunciator in the buildings that don't have the main panel and "Bob's your uncle".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top