I’ve only seen ZNSs in one location - at UA in the (relatively) newly rennovated residence hall on Dutch Quad.
Regarding South Station, the subway area actually has Wheelock AS horn/strobes, but the pulls are definitely BG-12s. There are also a few doors for sprinkler and fire suppression controls, each with a SpectrAlert remote strobe over them! (These are obviously for the sprinkler and fire suppression systems, as a Wheelock AS was not too far from them.) As for the main station area, it’s actually some kind of voice-evacuation system with mostly Wheelock ET speakers with the 7002T-style strobe. Near the restrooms and in them, they have Wheelock E70 speaker/strobes (probably replacing the older speaker/strobes), and there are also a couple of VA4 speaker/strobes too. Most of the pulls are these older 1980s-era dual-action Kidde models that kinda resemble BG-10s or BG-12s (Firefly has one of these, but I think it’s rebranded by FCI or something), but I also saw an RSG T-bar pull rebranded by Grinnell.
As for Quincy Center, you’re right about me knowing a lot about that. It’s a big Notifier system of some kind. Most of the alarms in the ticket area, offices and the parking garage are newer Wheelock MT horn/strobes (I even heard the ones in the parking garage go off last week when they were testing that system, luckily I wasn’t INSIDE the parking garage!). BUT… above one ticket window is a Wheelock 7001T horn/strobe, and in a stairwell going to the commuter train station platform is a Gentex GOS horn/strobe. The subway platform has SAE electronic horns of some kind behind the AV32 strobe plates, and the commuter train platform has Wheelock MT-24-LSM horn/strobes. Pull stations are a mix of Notifier BNG-1TSRLs (both older and newer-style), and Notifier BG-12s with Stopper IIs over them.
Quincy Adams actually has all Wheelock MT horn/strobes. Most of them are MT-24-LSMs, but the parking garage has a few Wheelock MT-24-MCWs. Much of the pulls are the Notifier BNG-1s, with some BG-12s (with Stopper IIs over those), and at least one BG-10 pull in the parking garage. I also remember seeing an Edwards 278B-1110 pull in the parking garage, too.
Wollaston and North Quincy along the red line also both have Wheelock ASs too, if I’m not mistaken. JFK/UMASS probably has Wheelock MTs or ASs, so does Andrew. Broadway has SpectrAlert horn/strobes! Most of the pulls at these are BG-12s, but Wollaston (I think) has BG-10s instead. I still think Wheelock ASs and BG-12s are a VERY common combination; I see a lot of those kind of systems.
The Italian Kitchen restaurant in my city (this is where my parents often buy their meatball subs or other ready-made pasta dinners) used to have no alarms at all, but some time this decade they finally installed a fire alarm system there. They have Wheelock AS horn/strobes, Notifier BG-12 pulls and System Sensor 2400 smokes (nothing really interesting to me IMO, as I see this kind of setup all the time around here)
Siemens code 3 and some unknown message. The Seattle Science Building has this same voice evac.
My new psychiatrist’s office, the Starr Psychiatry Center, has a lot of late 1980s/early 1990s ESL smokes. I didn’t see any pulls, but I did see a red Federal Signal Vibratone 450 horn in the main lobby. (I saw a Federal Signal logo on the label.) It doesn’t have a strobe or anything, it’s just on a trim plate on the wall. Chances are it’s an ESL system or something.
Today we visited the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion in Boston’s Cultural Arts district as part of my Stagecraft class. It is a VERY nice, state of the art theater, and was opened in 2004. It has a Simplex voice-evac system. The panel was hidden behind some wooden paneling (with “FIRE ALARM PANEL” written on it), but I’m almost certain it’s a Simplex 4100U. All the signals are Simplex TrueAlert speaker/strobes (4903-9357s), and one restroom I saw had a remote TrueAlert strobe in it. The pulls were Simplex 4099-9003 T-bars with those red trim plates around them, and the smokes were all Simplex TrueAlarms. There were also Simplex 2098-9808 remote alarm indicators in some areas.
The Good Samaritan Hospital in my city has some kind of Notifier voice-evac system with those Wheelock E-series speakers with the weatherproof WM-series strobes (it looks like an E70 but with the strobe of an MT-24-WM instead of the newer kind). They also have System Sensor 2400 smokes and Notifier NBG-12LX pulls; they may have some BG-10s too but I didn’t see all of the hospital. It was built in 1965, so this system was obviously most likely installed in the late 1990s or early 2000s, during a renovation. They also had a couple of huge clocks in the main lobby; one of them was an older one and its chime mechanism needed fixing (it had the three wind-up keys found on most mechanical clocks that have chimes), the other was a much newer grandfathers’ clock that DID have its chimes working. I was actually surprised to find that they still make old-fashioned -style pendulum clocks (because mostly I see electric or battery-operated clocks instead.)
The nearby medical office building had an unusual system. The building was probably built in the 1980s and added onto last year. The panel was probably a Notifier model of some sort (there was a Notifier annunciator in the main lobby). The signals were all horn/strobes in the SpectrAlert series; several of them were the “Classic” version, with quite a bit of them on larger mounting plates that look like they’re covering up SAE AV32 retrofit plates, and some of the alarms were SpectrAlert Advances, mostly prominent in the new wing and in a couple of offices in the older section. Pulls were a mix of Edwards 270-SPOs, FCI MS-2s and Notifier NBG-12LXs, and the smoke detectors were a mix of the older Adaemco models, a couple of Gentex smokes, System Sensor i3s and addressable Notifier detectors. Judging by the older stuff, this suggest the building probably originally had an older FCI or Fire-Lite system of some sort.
Another medical center nearby had an older Fire-Lite system with Wheelock 34T horns and Edwards 270-SPO pulls. Some of the pulls were replaced with metal RSG T-bars. I also saw a System Sensor i3 smoke, too.
I just got back from this laser tag place not far from UA, and they have a pretty interesting system. It’s a Simplex 4010 with single-action pulls, http://xtra.simplexnet.com/a_e/FA/4098-0034.PDF QuickConnect2 smokes, TrueAlert remote strobes and ceiling-mount 4902 speakers (weird, considering the ceilings are high). However, instead of a 4003, they had a Wheelock Safepath EVAC panel! At first I thought it may have been the 4003EC, which is Simplex’s version of the Safepath system, but upon further inspection, it said “Wheelock SAFEPATH” on the door. Usually the systems and detection devices are Simplex and the signals are Wheelock, but this time the signals were Simplex and the voice panel was Wheelock, so this was an interesting mix.
P.S., it was kind of a poorly done installation - the wires leading into the EVAC panel are exposed (they come through the wall and go into the top of the EVAC panel).
Sorry for the topic bump, but I really like this topic and I want to keep posting on it!
Yesterday, as part of a band field trip, we went to assisted living homes to play. We went to three different assisted living homes, and here are their systems:
1: Fire-Lite BG-10 pulls, Wheelock 7002Ts (some on the wall, others on the ceiling), some type of System Sensor (??) Smoke Detectors, and I saw the panel in the lobby, but it was too far away so I couldn’t identify it.
2: Simplex Single-Action T-Bars with Stopper IIs, and Simplex re-branded Gentex GX-90s (the one with the attached strobe). Also, while I was there, there was a Simplex Tech there fixing a door magnet.
3: Fire-Lite BG-8s, Gentex Commander Strobes (I didn’t see any signals which led me to believe that the fire alarm system is hooked into the speaker system), and System Sensor(?) smokes.
Last week I went to the Pearl St. Medical Center in my town, which had a rather interesting Fire-Lite system. The signals were mostly Wheelock 7001 horn/strobes, while one waiting room had a Wheelock NS horn/strobe in it, and another had a Wheelock AS. The pulls were all Fire-Lite BG-6s with Stopper IIs over them.
The Lincoln Alternative School, not too far from the bus transfer center has a Simplex 4051 horn outside it. Inside I saw a Simplex 4208-series annunciator through a door, as well as Edwards heat detectors. I didn’t see any signals or pulls, but I am willing to be they have Simplex 4051+4050-80s and 4251-30s.
The Plymouth County Registration of Deeds nearby, however, has a rather interesting old Simplex system. The old annunciator had the model number Simplex 4331-6, and had 24VDC output and was dated from September 1968! The signals were Simplex 4041 horns behind flush-mount grilles, and the pulls were Edwards 270-SPOs. IDK what the panel was, as I am not sure what DC-output panels Simplex had back in 1968 (the 4208 didn’t come out until at least 1970-1971).
Well, the panels out at the time were the 4245, 4246, and 4247. I think a long time back one of the techs (at least I think it was a tech) mentioned a 4248. So it’s some version of one of those. BTW, what did this annunciator look like?
It looked like this:
But with red trim on the outside, only one black section instead of two, and six indicator lamps.
It may be the 4248… I know the 4246 and 4247 are AC-only panels, I recall
Well, I went to Colonie Center this afternoon to dine at The Cheesecake Factory, a restaraunt that recently moved into the mall. Here’s a recap of the mall system:
Well, somewhat to my surprise, the alarm system in the restaraunt is NOT the same as the mall’s alarm system. The system in the restaraunt is an EST Quickstart with voice evac (didn’t see any voice evac controls, just a Quickstart annunciator in the entryway). I say this because the signals are wall and ceiling-mount Genesis speaker/strobes (white w/o “FIRE” letterng), smokes are few and far between and there are dual-action pulls.
Well, I rementioned the mall’s alarm system because something interesting happened as we were getting ready to leave. After getting our bill, I noticed a bright flash out of the corner of my eye. Well, I look through the windows in the restaraunt out into the mall to see the RSS on the wall flashing away! Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear any tones or messages in the restaraunt. The alarm system in the restaraunt is not connected to the mall’s alarm system, as the alarm system in the restaraunt never went off (no abnormal conditons either). So, we paid and left. As we were walking to our cars, the fire department started to arrive. We also passed this loading dock whose doors were open and it sounded like there was an AS going off in continuous inside, although I never saw any strobes going off.
So, it was an interesting afternoon. I just wish I could have been able to have heard the audio part of the mall’s alarm system.
After working out at my local YMCA today, I decided to jot down the alarms.
All pulls are addressable BG-12s
All smokes are these big, old, ones and some have a small metal plate at the bottem (ROR detector?)
In the main lobby, some sort of gentex pizo horn with a 75CD strobe and MY federal 450D horn with a “clip on” strobe.
In the locker room. Some sort of gray elector mechanical horn. (I think federal)
In the cardio room, wheelock 7002t 
In the “gym” room and everywere else, the gentex pizo strobe horn thing.
I will try to get pictures, get a photobucket, and post the links soon. (i hope)
Was this the “pizo” horn/strobe? Its a Gentex GX-90.
Heres some I thought of.
There are 3 apts. right near my house. They all have the same system, which doesn’t surprise me. The current panels are Mircom FA-1000s, and they still have the old alarms, which were either wheelock 7001s or 7002s, which some were replaced with wheelock MTs. I went to one of them, and I found a simplex panel that was disconnected, and which I assume was the original. I don’t know the panel #, but I’ll try to explain it. It was a silver flush mount panel, and at the top there was four buttons, which you needed a key to operate. The pulls were those dual action mirtone pulls.
The grocery store near me has an Edwards 6500 with edwards 270-SPOs, and Edwards 6" vibrating or single stroke bells.
The pool/school near me has the same flush mount simplex panel I mentioned earlier, as well as simplex T-bars and weatherproof MT-24-LSMs. One of them was replaced with a newer MT, the one with the horizontal strobe.
The white oaks mall most likley has a HUGE 6500, with some unknown graphic annunciators at each entrance. The alarms are 4", 6", and 10" adaptabels.
The galleria mall downtown has Wheelock ET speakers and simplex t bars. One part of the mall has newer White wheelock ceiling mount speaker/strobes. The auditorium has Simplex 4903-9168s.
Thats all I can think of. I would name more systems, but they are all the same; Edwards 4", 6", and 10" adaptabels, Edwards 6500s or 2280s, Edwards 270-SPOs.
Just got back from Mount St. Mary’s College, which is about 2 hours south of me and where my brother wants to go to college. It is a VERY small college (only a few buildings), the college only starting out 50 years ago with a SINGLE building.
Anywho, we toured most of the buildings and the college for the most part is pretty uniform. The main dining hall, Mathematics, Science, and Technology Center, and the Theatre is all one building. However, The Matheatics, Science, and Technology center part of the building was very recently rennovated. With that said, the old parts of the building have BRK-MA/SS horn/strobes with BG-10s mounted 5 feet off the floor. One of them has been replaced with a classic Spectralert. The rennovated portion, however, has NSs installed. Interestingly enough, the main lobby has 4 E50 remote speakers and by the annunciator (Fire-Lite), there’s a remote microphone, however there’s no controls - it’s just a mic.
The Rec Center has a classic 4100 with voice evac (but again, no controls - just a mic), i3 smoke detectors (which means it’s probably a zoned system), single-action pulls, and LifeAlarm speakers on 4903-9101 strobe plates.
As for the residence halls, the systems are either MXLs with Siemens/CP pulls (dual and single-action) and Wheelock NSs, RSSs and outdoor ASs, or addressable Fire-Lite systems with BG-12s and SpectrAlert (classic and Advanced) horn/strobes with outdoor signals.
Again, small college, not a whole lot of alarm varyance, but some pretty neat alarm system. The only things I’m kind of surprised about is the use of the E50 speakers only in the lobby (they DO have NSs in there too) and the fact that they didn’t upgrade the BRK-MA/SSs and BG-10s in the existing parts, but to be honest, I was still glad to see them.
Our new ARC building (an addition to the Senior center which has a 4002 system with Gamewell SLK-24Fs and some 2400s, 4251 T-Bars and 9838s on 9101s) has TrueAlert 4903-9425s (just like mine), and surprisingly, rather than TrueAlert strobes in the restrooms, they put 4904-9137s. (with a 15cd sticker rather than the 
). When we had our grand opening celebration, I took my -9425 and sounded it (muffled w/tape) so the ARC staff would know what they sound like. They appreciated that.
I found out they are the System Sensor 2451TH.
Yesterday, my dad took me to a post office before dropping me off at a relative’s house.
It had:
A Wheelock ASWP outside.
Wheelock AS-24MCW-FR’s (2 of which I saw were set to 15cd)
Edwards 270-SPO (looks brand new, and has the newer Edwards Shield)