Canadian fire alarm annunciators

Fire Alarm General Discussion
1

Something that i have heard about Canadian fire code is that an annunciator has to be able to display up to 8 active zones simultaneously. Personally, i think that is a good idea that maybe we should have here in the states. IDK though. thoughts?

2

Most annunciators with a display will show the active zones, so we really already have it. But, I feel that that code doesn’t really work for 4 zones and smaller panels as they won’t show 8 active zones.

3

Well, like the 80 character annunciators don’t usually display multiple events on screen.

4

You’re right. Forgot you have to scroll through them. I do like the idea of a separate zone annuciator, however not all panels can use them and not all panels are more than 8 zones. There are still a lot of small panels like the MS-5-UD, MS-4/2, and 4001 still out there. So would those be exempt?

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5

Yeah. I’m also talking about addressable panels.

6

I can understand having those for addressable panels, as they don’t show the zones, and you’d have to scroll through the active points.

7

Well, from what i understand, you can create vZones, and group devices into them.

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8

I didn’t know that. I guess that would make sense being Notifier has zone annuciators for addressable panels.

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9

If you ask me it’s pointless since most modern panels have LCDs that can show you what zones are in alarm, trouble, supervisory, etc. & so much more information than simple LED annunciators: why Canada still requires an LED zone annunciator on their panels I have no idea unless it’s a holdover from when panels had no LCDs (& had only LEDs instead).

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10

What I was saying though is that usually the panel lcds require you to scroll through to see multiple events, whereas if you have an led annunciator with an lcd annunciator, you can get both a quick display of where the fire is, and if more info is needed, then you can use the LCD.

11

It shouldn’t take someone that long to scroll through the events list & see what’s wrong though: it’s no disadvantage if you ask me.

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12

It’s far easier to look at an LED display and see what is going on for fire fighters. You gotta remember most of them have no clue how to operate these systems at all, I’ve had fire fighters destroy systems before. Also, a LED annunciator is far cheaper than a LCD annunciator.

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13

I suppose so, but just the same if that’s the case they should have training for how to properly operate most systems: it’s not the system’s fault they don’t know how to. LEDs may also be cheaper than LCDs but the former can only indicate so much compared to the latter.

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14

That is why I think the ideal setup is an LCD annunciator, and an LED annunciator together.

15

You completely overlooked my points as to why panels should only need an LCD didn’t you?

16

I understand your points, but I am also saying that even though first responders should have training, you must assume that they may not. And, there are other things like if the key is readily available, and how the annunciator is secured. If the lcd annunciator is locked, then it most likely can’t be scrolled through.

17

True, but hopefully either the panel or building staff will be able to tell them how to review the events even if the firefighters themselves don’t have the necessary training.

That’s why virtually every commercial building has something called a “Knox Box”, which the local fire department has a key to: inside is anything important they might need for their duties at that building, including keys to the fire alarm system.

18

But there really isn’t a point for an LCD annunciator when the main FACP already has a LCD display. Most fire fighters will go to the main panel anyways, as it is usually close to all the main shutdowns.

In my area, this is why building managers are supposed to know how to reset and silence systems. For example, an apartment building gets an alarm, the FD will come out. But after they determine it is false, they ask building manager to silence and reset system to normal. They rarely if ever touch systems here. Only in commercial settings with what you call knox boxes, Here we call them ‘Chubb Boxes’.

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19

I didn’t say anything about an “LCD annunciator”, at least if you mean one on the panel. Actual LCD annunciators are useful when the main panel isn’t or can’t be mounted in an easily accessible area though.

There you go: that’s what proper training/instruction is for: it’s not something the manufacturers themselves should have to fix/account for.

Funnily enough I can’t seem to find any mention of Chubb Security ever having made Knox Boxes, which is where I’m assuming that name came from (“Knox Box” is actually a brand name of key lock boxes made by Knox Associates, Inc., dba The Knox Company).

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