Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

Addressable fire alarm systems use “loop” wiring, which terminates at the panel and allows for more advanced communication between devices. Each device, such as fire detector, manual break point, sounder or beacon fitted in a loop is given an address and a descriptive text, which can be displayed on a screen on the fire alarm control panel. The devices can be grouped into zones via programming or configuration in order to satisfy the requirements of BS 5839-1, but an addressable fire alarm system also offers powerful features such as cause-and-effect rules which are not available on Conventional systems. In terms of networking, remote display and remote control panels are available while main control panels can also be connected to create very large systems, and often there are options for Internet connectivity for remote management. Addressable systems are also often capable of manipulating configurable options of loop devices directly from the control panel, such as the sensitivity of a sensor or the tone used by a sounder. These fire alarm systems are more expensive than Conventional fire alarm systems due to their more advanced features but provide much more flexibility and control.