Hello,
Please help.
I have project specification that requires soft addressing for the detectors; the contractor is pushing for dip switch addressing saying that hardwired addresses are more practical in terms of maintenance. For instance, if a device is removed for maintenance, if it’s a dip switch addressing detector you’d have to set the dip switch address as the removed device and it would work. If it’s a soft addressed device, the whole loop would have to be reprogrammed/reconfigured to assign an address to the replacement device.
From your experience, is hard wired addressing more practical for operations and maintenance purposes? Is soft addressing more cumbersome?
Thank you.
I work with both types of systems. The dipswitch or rotary dial type of addressing is a lot easier to work with. It doesn’t require a programmer tool or panel programming to change a device. The customer can have spare parts on site and swap out a defective component.
The barcode and software programmed devices are more difficult to work with and may need an experienced tech with a pc or programmer just to change a bad detector. Siemens and EST come to mind as manufacturers of these style devices.
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