Smaller buildings/smaller systems are very similar, it’s when there are bigger buildings/bigger systems… high security and mercantile and banking security systems. I see what you mean though, very few guys whose bread and butter has been smaller security systems can wrap their heads around the functions and wiring of a big fire alarm system with fiber optics tying every building into each other and monitoring another brand with another because dumb fire company doesn’t know how to work on one brand and not the other… lol… I suppose this is that conversation about how the jazz musician can learn how to rock and roll, but rock musician will never get good at jazz?
It’s all about reading the product manuals and studying them. Personally, I don’t know any highly experienced low voltage guys that haven’t done at least one fire system or one burg. system, as usually we’re the same company the client calls. There are some excellent technicians out there, but your run of the mill burg. guy usually suck compared to your run of the mill fire guy. Fire alarm guys, usually, are pretty well versed in the gamut of low voltage systems and can fix much of anything. If by security, we mean a two doors and a motion that ties into a cellular communicator, then many of them aren’t good to figure out much more than perhaps cameras.