That was actually on the ceiling as there were no ceiling mount devices to be found on the ceilings
As a frequent visitor, I’ve gotten to ride Spaceship Earth quite a few times since the last refurbishment and I will say it feels weird seeing a grid of bright green flashing lights coming from the ceiling every few seconds instead of just two or three dimmer ones from the old detectors.
Many of the old devices remained from before the refurbishment as this system was from 2012. Many of the pulls and detectors were never replaced and some were added for more coverage (which is why there’s a mix). There are still some SE-HMC series speaker/strobes in the ride area where guests can’t see as well and the initial hill has E70 series devices now for some reason.
It was so sad to see all the old and rare devices go, but it was a very much needed upgrade. I believe all initiating devices have been replaced now as I’ve not seen any old ones in the last few weeks.
Here’s a few to add, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin also recently had a refurbishment in which the Gentex Commanders have been replaced with Siemens ACEND speaker/strobes and all FP-11s and FPT-11s have been replaced with OP921s. I assume all the pull stations have been replaced with XMS series as well. Everything else in that building (the Peoplemover tunnel and Monsters Inc Laugh Floor) remain untouched.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad also had a refurbishment in which most of the ET70WP devices were replaced with weatherproof Eluxas (as well as two indoor ones for some reason). The only ones that remain are those in the lift hills.
And something to keep an eye on, the other day there were a few smoke detectors missing in the Haunted Mansion foyer and only the bases were there. Maybe it has to do with some minor refurbishment work on the ceiling but who knows if they’re starting to replace the devices are not as it’s one of the last systems on property that has mostly fully painted/custom detectors (most of the painted/custom bases remain on most systems but most of the heads have been replaced with regular white ones).
So i found a Fire-Lite MS-9050UDLS system i think its called with some Uncommon Wheelock ZNS Horn strobes! The pull stations are the ADT BG-12L Pull stations, with a ANN-80 Annunciator, there are no smokes, but the whole building is sprinklered, and there are duct detectors aswell.
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Cool! The Siemens versions are very common, but I’ve never actually seen an original Wheelock one.
To me that is just not smart: sure you have sprinklers that will actively control a fire should one break out, but it’s good to have detectors everywhere so that the fire alarm system knows about a fire too, no?
Would it have killed them to mount that first signal right-side-up & use a proper ceiling-mount model that’s actually designed for such in the case of that second signal? (provided the first is actually sideways & you didn’t just take the photo sideways)
Grid? How many detectors do they have on the ceiling?
Well, a system with those could be anything really, since Wheelock for the most part isn’t really tied to any brand in particular (though a modern Fire-Lite system would likely use System Sensor signals since they’re both under Honeywell).
Have you noticed that the installers used ceiling-mount models in some spots? (for some reason)
Holy moly hockey goalie I found a Cerberus-branded Chevron
This is at JFK airport and they also have Edwards Integrities on the system (sorry for the blurry image)
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Interesting mount on the white Commander
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Electrical fault in the microwave?
From what I heard, it was likely more user error with burning something.
Navy Pier Hilton Tower & Festival Hall
There are at least three systems in this building. Two Notifier 3030s, and one Simplex 4100U/ES
Panels
The first picture is behind a security desk in the festival hall. The second picture is in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel.
Initiating Devices
Found this on the outside of the building. I’m not sure if it’s connected to the FA system, but it was interesting.
Notification Appliances
(Faraday speaker strobes)
Other
Triangular exit sign
Wheelock vandal-resistant speaker strobe mounted upside down? But the FIRE lettering was still in the right direction.
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I really love mixed systems like this. They are super interesting. I find that large Hilton hotels and resorts have some of the most interesting systems, as they seem to be fans of keeping their old equipment in service as long as possible, and it seems like they really make use of grandfathering rules.
Here’s a couple good examples from posts I’ve made in the past:
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San Antonio, TX has adapted the 2024 IFC as their fire code. As far as I know, SATX has no other amendments regarding sprinklers and smoke detectors. Plus it’s a business occupancy. SATX Fire Code
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The IFC requires waterflow detectors in all sprinklered buildings with fire alarm systems, so the system will probably eventually sound once a sprinkler opens. Since this is a wide open area, a smoldering fire will likely be easily noticeable before it becomes dangerous.
That i3 looks like it has a relay. Is there something nearby that it would be responsible for controlling, such as an elevator or a vertical rolling fire door? Your last photo shows a sign reading “FIRE DOOR - DO NOT BLOCK” but the door itself is not visible.
Another unusual combination voice & non-voice system. That white Wheelock speaker/storbe is neat though (as is the Faraday speaker/strobe: you don’t see many of those left anymore! (especially with their original Faraday branding!).
Very nice! Can’t beat vintageness like that! (even if of course it & the sign behind should probably both be replaced with current-design exit signs for safety)
Now how the heck did that happen? (& while I can seem to tell that the installer was able to turn the outer trim ring, which has the lettering on it, to be the right way up, the strobe is still designed with the corrected orientation in mind, meaning it won’t throw light in the right direction)
Okay I guess. I still say it’s a good idea to have smoke detectors all over a building even if it also has sprinklers.
I suppose there’s that, but still: sprinklers are about as slow to respond as heat detectors, so should we really be relying on such a slow method of system activation? (there’s a reason heat detectors aren’t technically considered life safety devices)
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I 100% agree with you on this. I really think that some studies should be done to see if only sprinklers is really good enough.
That i3 looks like it has a relay. Is there something nearby that it would be responsible for controlling, such as an elevator or a vertical rolling fire door? Your last photo shows a sign reading “FIRE DOOR - DO NOT BLOCK” but the door itself is not visible.
That fire door is in the back of the building and I’m pretty sure it had panic hardware on it too. The only smokes I saw were at the front entrance and not in the main store area. I will say that it is a retail store so I’d imagine requirements are different for retail occupancies.
Also a lot of stores in my area don’t have smokes installed, and I tend to visit a lot more of store type buildings than other types of buildings, I really don’t go out much.
I quickly looked at section 907.2.7 of the IFC and I didn’t see anything requiring smoke detection for mercantile-specific reasons. If there is a revolving door at the front entrance, then the smoke detectors might be to collapse the revolving door in an emergency to prevent people from being trapped (see section 1010.3.1.2). My only other guess is that it protects the FACP located at the entrance, though since you showed an annunciator I’m guessing that’s not where the FACP is.
“FIRE DOOR - DO NOT BLOCK” is a standard sign required by the IFC (section 705.2.2) for fire doors inside buildings that are magnetically held open and likely to be inadvertently blocked open by occupants. Whoever put that sign up probably confused the term “fire door” with “emergency exit.”
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Its a automatic sliding door.
I’m not aware of any requirement for those to be integrated with the fire alarm system.
If sprinklers are the only means of detection (or just pull stations), then detection will be primarily based on the human senses, but this is difficult to research because it requires exposing humans to smoke, which is dangerous on its own. Fake smoke could be used, but that might not be perceived by humans the same way as real smoke, and it still runs the risk of traumatizing the people in the study if they are not expecting it. If the people in the study are warned of the smoke, then they are likely to pay more attention to it and behave differently from how they would in a real building.
Is the strobe oriented correctly? On multi-candela strobes, the candela indicator should be on the bottom if the strobe is oriented correctly, and on single-candela strobes, the candela number should be visible right-side up.
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