I have NACs just for Carbon Monoxide notification. However, with the extreme lack of NAs on the market that come equipped with the T-4 pattern, I’m limited to multitone devices like the Wheelock MT and System Sensor Multi-Alert. First, I know Simplex sells a ridiculously expensive module that can code horns to T-4, but I don’t have a budget for that. If there is a cheaper solution to coding horns in T-4, then that is the preferred choice. Now, what tone should I use? I’m thinking either Hi-Lo or Slow Whoop. I would use March Time electromech but I don’t want confusion with fire alarm NAs. Also, strobe color. I can’t use clear, that’s for fire alarm use only. I’m thinking amber but I could also see green or blue. I’d like some opinions on this.
Wheelock sells low frequency sounders equipped with both a T3 and T4 pattern and so does Gentex. Older 520hz sounders like System Sensor only do T3 to my knowledge. Gentex sells mass notification Commander 3 and 4 horn strobes that can be any color that you order (lenses aren’t interchangeable; I believe System Sensor is the first company to introduce such an idea.) As for T4, there’s not many things out there that can do that, so your probably good sticking with slow whoop or a tone that isn’t commonly used for fire alarm use.
I would recommend a white system sensor CHSW because the whoop tone is great, plus the colored lenses are pretty cheap. I have one with an amber strobe but no sounder, but let me know if you’re interested. I also use blank horn strobes and set them to continuous and switch out strobe lenses. T-4 is a very difficult code to produce, so I would stick to any else that isn’t code -3
Simplex sells a CO detector built into a sounder base (I know because my apartment has one). Don’t think those send the CO signal to other devices, though.
The System Sensor addressable B200S base can do the CO temporal 4 tone when an addressable combination CO detector is installed in it. This is the only application where we’ve installed specific notification for CO. Otherwise I believe CO detectors we’ve installed will activate general or zone fire alarm. Although not technically accurate, the end result is the same, building occupants evacuate. Annunciators and the panel indicate CO, not fire.
You see, most people (99.9% of them) don’t know what code 3 is and code 4 is, they just think “oh that’s loud and annoying, let’s leave like we’re supposed to”. I think code 4 is kind of a silly idea, because fire alarms can be used to alert people to leave. In my opinion, fire alarms shouldn’t be labeled “fire” but something that says to get out, like “evac” because this can be used for code blue lockdowns, terrorist attacks, fires, carbon monoxide leaks, gas leaks…etc. etc.
That’s just my opinion
But it utilized fewer devices.
An alternative would be just to add evac devices to an already existing fire system, so code 3 and whoa yet other pattern can still be used.
Voice evacuation has it’s advantage to using horns in that there can be different messages for different emergencies. The message will tell you exactly what kind of emergency there is, otherwise people have to guess or assume fire. Code 3 versus Code 4 the vast majority of people won’t know the difference. Ignoring indication of a carbon monoxide emergency is more dangerous than ignoring indication of a fire emergency, because it is impossible to detect carbon monoxide with one’s senses. Carbon monoxide can only be detected with the use of a detector.