Simplex Horn Strobes on Firelite Panel

We are trying to help out a customer who currently has Simplex Horn strobes installed in their facility. They have 4906-9127 and 4903-9254 Horn Strobes. We are installing a Firelite MS9200 with Multiple FCPS24FS6 NAC Panels and would like to use the customers existing Horn/Strobes. Need to know what we need to make them sync… Has anyone done this before?

The 4906-9127 units operate on the Simplex SmartSync protocol. When set to synchronous operation, the 4903-9254 units operate on conventional 1Hz synchronized flash pulses. Information on both models is contained in the documents below:

https://www.tycosimplexgrinnell.com/wps/wcm/connect/2cc46327-2f6d-422a-a3b1-0d8a85d2a811/4906-9127%2C+-9128%2C+-9129%2C+-9130.PDF?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=2cc46327-2f6d-422a-a3b1-0d8a85d2a811

http://firealarmresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/4903-0017.pdf

The following datasheet contains information on adapter modules that may be useful for you application: http://firealarmresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/4905-0003.pdf

The 4905-9938 SmartSync units can be daisy-chained to maintain synchronization across the NAC panels. One of our technicians here on the forums should be able to further assist you with details and specifics regarding the use of these modules.

As an initial concern, you will want to limit any of the Simplex appliances to the outputs of the FCPS24FS6 panels, as they output filtered/regulated DC on the NACs. The MS-9200 control panel supplies FWR (full-wave rectified) outputs on the NACs and will damage Simplex appliances.

You might be heading into a situation that could be more problems than it is worth.

The 4906-9127 requires the SmartSync protocol which syncs the strobes and controls the horn operation on a two wire circuit. These devices will work using the 4905-9938 SmartSync Control Module (SCM).

The 4903-9254 is a four wire device with a strobe that can be sync controlled. It will sync using the signal from a SCM. The horn must be separately operated by another NAC.

The 4905-9938 SCM can sync all the strobes but can only control the horns on the 4906-9127 devices. As stated above the 4903-9254 is not a SmartSync device so the horn cannot be controlled by a SCM. The SCMs can be linked together so they flash the strobes at the same time. However, the installation instructions limit that to eight modules. There are also limitations on the wire distance between the modules.
Link to SCM installation document.

If you have more than eight circuits of strobes it would require an additional group of SCMs. You then have to be careful that strobes from one SCM group are not in the same visual range of strobes in another SCM group.

The horns are another matter. The only horn operation that can be guaranteed to sync the horn sound is continuous. If there is the intention to use code 3, or other horn code, it is a given that the 4906-9127 horns controlled by the SCMs will not sound at the same time as the 4903-9254 horns controlled by panel NACs.

I checked the Firelite device compatibility document of 11/7/2017. There are no Simplex notification appliances listed as compatible with any Firelite equipment. While you might be able to get the Simplex NAs to function, this could be a major issue if your AHJ requires documentation that all equipment is listed as compatible.
Link to device compatibility document.
https://www.firelite.com/en-US/documentation/Documents/15384.pdf

Long story short. You’re going to have to replace all the simplex AVs unless you can get ahold of a simplex Sync module. That’s the only way I’ve got them to work on a firelite properly,. I’ll just replace them all to save some headache when the simplex devices start going bad. System Sensor or Wheelock is a lot easier to get then Simplex.