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What is the difference between an addressable fire alarm and conventional systems?

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Question added by mohamed mokhtar , Electrical Project Engineer , الشركة العالميه المتحده للكهروميكانيك
Date Posted: 2013/05/06
Ahmed Tammam
by Ahmed Tammam , Fire Protection Engineer , Worley - Saudi Arabia

- Addressable fire alarm systems give information about individual detectors, whereas conventional systems only give information about specific circuits (zones).
- As a result, addressable systems allow you to text label detectors to allow easy identification of any event.
For instance detector1 may be given the label “server room1″.
- Addressable systems usually have a real time clock & event log to record system events.
addressable systems have tended to be complicated to configure, and cost between50% to100% more than a conventional ones.

Mohammed Shan Abdul Vahid
by Mohammed Shan Abdul Vahid , HSE OFFICER , AL-ATTIYAH GROUP OF TRDS COS WLL

The conventional fire alarm system is an early warning system design for small facilities.These fire alarm systems are inexpensive but sometimes it can be challenging locating the alarms.To put it simple, if a conventional fire alarm detects a fire, it may tell you the zone/ area of the fire but not the exact location of the fire. There’s no design where a specific fire alarm can signal exactly where the fire is occurring.If you are ok with knowing on the zone of a fire alarm, then a conventional fire alarm will do the trick.If you feel safer having a fire alarm system that tells you on the spot where a fire is present, you should go for an addressable fire alarm system.The addressable fire alarm system is an early warning system designed tolocate precisely where a fire is occurring.In fact, this fire alarm system will tell you the specific type of smoke alarm/ fire alarm sounding off, the room it’s within and the floor level.The addressable fire alarm system is perfect for large facilities because the faster you can locate a fire the more property and lives can be saved during an emergency.

Ayman Ijnaid
by Ayman Ijnaid , Senior electrical engineer/Lead , UCC-Bahadir-Tedeschia Joint Venture. BUT-JV, Qatar

Addressable FA system is a digital fire detection system where tha FA panel shall communicate with each device on the SLC (Addressable loop). whereas the conventional FA panel is a zoned oriented loops, each loop should cover a fire zone or less.

addressable s advantageuous due to the big facilities you will get from giving labels ( names, trag) for each device); can express its locatio, to rpogramming the zones and microzones separetely along with the digital algorthem which help in minimizing false alarms and manage custom programming for the alarms and resposes.

all the above is not available in the conventional FA system. Another thing, wiring wise, addressable FA systems needs less wiring than the conventional FA system needs for the same building.

 

munther khatib
by munther khatib , Senior project manager , Alfanar Construction Company

the addressable fire alarm is usually used in power substation and large building.
it gives a facility to allocate which device has triggered the alarm.
It is easy for tracing, programming, installation, and testing as well.

Andleeb Ismail
by Andleeb Ismail , Chief Commercial Officer , Saudi Taab Contracting Co.

Conventional Fire Alarm System: In this system initiating devices like smoke detectors, heat detectors, water flow switches etc.
are connected in a loop (zone).
These devices do not have unique addresses/IDs and activation of that zone or loop could mean any device on that loop could have been activated.
Addressable Fire Alarm System: On the other hand, although devices maybe connected on the same loop.
Devices here have unique addresses (hence the name 'addressable').
It is easier to pin-point the activated device.

Ahmed Fawzy
by Ahmed Fawzy , New NOZHA hospital

A conventional system allows multipledevicesto be connected to asinglezone. However, whenan alarmsounds,you wont knowwherein thezonethat fireis located. Thesesystems areusedin olderor smaller buildings.

 

ASSRESSABLE SYSTEM IS more advancedandis usuallyinstalled in largebuildings because it saves time to identifytheexact location of fire.Themain panelwillidentifythe deviceand its exact location which willhelp you to know if thealarmis responding to heat, smokeor fire

 

 

In addressable alarm system each detector is assigned a specific ID or address therefore in case of fire detection the address of the detector activated is displayed on the panel whereas in Conventional system the zone of the activated detector is displayed on the fire control panel

Srikant Sinha
by Srikant Sinha , Fire & Safety Manager , Serco Middle East

In addition to the below feeds, conventional alarm system has a dead end for every zone.
If any device stops working in the zone, will also stop all the devices after that.
Rectification is a time taking excercise to find out the faulty device or device causing the fault.
Whereas, addressable system has a loop and fed from both ends from the control panel.
If any device stops working in the loop, will not stop the devices after that.
Rectification is easy as it appaers on the control panel.

خالد عبدالقادر
by خالد عبدالقادر , fire fighting engineer , abuodeh consulting company

addressable fire alarm give us indication about number of detector and floor exactly 

conventional fire alarm give us there are fire action in building not recommended in complex building

MUSHTAQUE ALAM alam
by MUSHTAQUE ALAM alam , HseSupervisor , Dar SSH Engineering Consultant Design

Here at Fireline we specialize in designing, installing, inspecting and maintaining fire alarm systems. You can count on us for utmost Fire Safety.Fireline Corporation is here to offer you analysis, design and installation of detection and fire alarm systems to assure you reliable, code compliant and cost effective fire safety solutions.

 

Mangesh Jagtap CSP CMIOSH MIFireE
by Mangesh Jagtap CSP CMIOSH MIFireE , HSE Manager , Al Futtaim Engineering & Technologies Doha Qatar

Adressable fire alarm will provide you a exact location i.e. floor no 32 flat no 305 room no -03. Conventional is little basic comapre to conventional.

 

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