A Booster Power Supply is a power supply for horns, strobes, bells, etc. It is turned on using a "trip circuit". When it is not turned on, it performs a continuity check of the output circuits to the horns, strobes, bells, etc. Think of it as a single zone, non-latching fire alarm panel.
What does the fire alarm control panel do?
The Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) monitors and controls all functions of the fire alarm system.
What is a repeater on a fire alarm system?
A "Repeater" panel is used in a remote location, away from the control panel. It passively displays the condition of the fire alarm panel. If there are control buttons on the Repeater panel, it can also actively control the fire alarm system.
What is a fire alarm booster power supply (BPS)?
Unless the fire alarm system is for a small building, the horns and strobes use more current than the FACP can provide. Something is needed to provide this extra electrical current. Known by many different names from many different manufactures, the Booster Power Supply (BPS) or Signal Power Expander (SPX) provides this extra current.
What is a passive control panel in a fire alarm system?
These panels were passive, there were no buttons to control anything. The remote panel with lights would "repeat" the lights shown on the panel. Once a fire alarm system is in alarm, an improvement to the system was the ability of the control panel to stay in alarm; once the alarm system was in alarm, it would latch, or stay in alarm.
What is an NAC panel for fire alarm?
NAC is the acronym for Notification Appliance Circuit. The NAC circuit starts at the main fire alarm panel (or at power expander panels) and goes out to the notification devices in the building. Like the IDC circuit, the NAC circuit is a two wire circuit, and it has an end-of-line resistor.
What does bps mean on fire panel?
The Securitron Boxed Power Supply (BPS) is recommended where an interface with a fire alarm system or battery backup is needed.
What are the 4 basic types of alarm panels?
There are four basic types of panels: coded panels, conventional panels, addressable panels, and multiplex systems.
What are the three types of fire alarm system circuits?
NFPA 72 identifies three separate types of fire alarm system signaling paths: initiating device circuits (IDC), signaling line circuits (SLC), and notification appliance circuits (NAC).
What causes ground fault on fire alarm system?
A ground fault occurs when one or more electrical components are short circuited to a ground potential. In a fire alarm system, this can occur when an exposed wire or alarm component touches a metal “grounded” object, such as a junction box, ceiling grid, or any other metal object located in a building structure.
What does a short fire alarm mean?
A "short" or "open" condition may also be identified. BATTERY FAULT (also may display as "STAND-BY POWER TROUBLE" or "BATTERY TROUBLE" or "CHARGER TROUBLE"): Usually indicates a specific problem related to the condition of the stand-by power supply or battery.
What are the three 3 types of alert alarm?
There are three main types of fire alarm monitoring systems: ionization, photoelectric, and combination alarms. Below we will discuss each type of alarm and how they can help detect fires.
What are the two basic types of fire alarm?
Generally, there are two types of home smoke alarms: photoelectric and ionization.
What does EOL mean in fire alarm systems?
End of Line ResistorsWhat are End of Line Resistors and do I need them on my alarm system? End of line resistors (EOLR) are resistors of a specified value that are used to terminate protective loops or zones. The purpose of EOLR's is to allow the control panel to supervise the field wiring for open or short circuit conditions.
What's the difference between a fire alarm and a smoke alarm?
They can be summarized to: A smoke detector simply acts as a sensor and detects the smoke while a fire alarm system acts on it. A fire alarm system has a number of different devices all joined together to give your building protection from fire.
Does a fire alarm panel need a dedicated circuit?
The fire alarm control panel must receive its power from a dedicated branch circuit. The circuit cannot be used for lights, receptacles, or any type of appliances. The circuit must be mechanically protected: meaning it has to be provided with an automatic “disconnecting means” (commonly called a “circuit breaker”).
Where is the fire alarm control panel located?
In other than high-rise buildings, the fire alarm control panel shall be located either in the main lobby at the entrance to the building or in a room such as a utility closet, electrical room or tele- phone room.
What does system Peripheral trouble mean?
If a peripheral sensor is ever activated, then that means there is a potential security risk, and the system will alert the user to the trouble. If central station monitoring is enabled, then an activated peripheral sensor might send an alert to the monitoring station in order to request emergency dispatch.
What is the alarm signal for co2 alarm?
four beepsSmoke alarms alert you with three beeps in a row. Carbon monoxide alarms alert you with four beeps. A single chirp means the battery is low or the detector should be replaced.
What is a trouble signal?
A trouble signal (sometimes indicated in the alarm history by the abbreviation TR) indicates a possible problem or difficulty with your security system, such as a loose wire, a poorly aligned sensor or a low battery status.
What are supervisory signal devices?
Per NFPA definition, a supervisory signal initiating device is “an initiating device such as a valve supervisory switch, water level indicator, or low air pressure switch on a dry-pipe sprinkler system in which the change of state signals an off-normal condition and its restoration to normal of a fire protection or ...
What is a fire alarm system?
A fire alarm system consists of input devices to detect a fire (automatic detectors and manual pull stations), output devices to notify occupants of a fire (fire horns and strobes), and a control system to turn on the outputs when the inputs detect a fire (Fire Alarm Control Panel or FACP).
What is booster power supply?
A Booster Power Supply is a power supply for horns, strobes, bells, etc. It is turned on using a "trip circuit". When it is not turned on, it performs a continuity check of the output circuits to the horns, strobes, bells, etc.
What happens when a BPS is AC powered?
When the BPS is AC powered, a green LED inside the BPS lights up. When this LED is not lit, the BPS is in trouble. Under normal conditions, the BPS supervises its outputs the same way the FACP supervises its inputs and outputs. When this supervision detects a short or open in the loop wiring, the BPS goes into trouble.
What happens when a FACP goes into alarm?
When the FACP goes into alarm, it reverses its output voltage to turn on the fire horns and strobes. The BPS, having been connected to a notification output of the FACP, sees this voltage reversal and reverses its output voltage to turn on its fire horns and strobes.
How long does a BPS battery last?
To keep the BPS working during a power outage, batteries provide backup power. They keep the BPS standing by and ready for up to 24 or 72 hours under normal power out conditions, and then provide extra power so the BPS can operate the horns and strobes in case of fire, after that.
What happens when a BPS goes into trouble?
When the BPS goes into trouble, it changes the condition of its trouble relay contacts, sending a trouble to the FACP. Also, depending on how it is wired, it also can open the wiring in the trigger loop so the FACP supervision doesn't see its end-of-line resistor. This will provide a trouble to the FACP.
What is a BPS used for?
In some cases, when an output of the BPS is programmed to be always turned on, the BPS can also be used for auxiliary power to operate door holders, control relays, and other circuits and devices.
What is a fire panel called?
The conventional fire panel is installed in different zones—such as the first floor, second floor, etc.—so it’s often also called a zoned panel. The newer type of fire panel is called an addressable panel.
How do fire panels work?
Conventional panels have been around for years, so you might see them in older buildings. They work by responding to changes in an electrical current, such as when a smoke detector identifies smoke and changes the current in response.
Why Do You Need a Fire Panel in Your Building?
The point of a fire alarm control panel is to activate a quick emergency response when there’s a fire so everyone in the building has a chance to get out safely. Different fire panels on the market have different features, so the capabilities of this product can vary. For example, a basic fire panel might sound an alarm to alert everyone of the danger. Some fire panels also call the fire department, and some even activate the building’s sprinkler system to try to put the fire out fast. The capabilities depend on which fire panel you decide to buy.
Why do you need a fire panel?
A fire panel is a safety appliance that commercial buildings typically require in order to set into motion a number of tasks that could save lives and minimize property damage. If you’re in charge of ensuring a building has all the required features necessary for the sake of safety, you might be in the market for a fire panel.
Can a fire alarm detect smoke?
This means it can’t detect the fire on its own, but it can respond to the signals it gets from the systems that detect the smoke. At that point, the fire panel’s response is activated, which might include making a loud noise and lighting up to warn people of the fire, and then it may send a signal to the fire department or alarm company ...
Why are there buttons on fire alarms?
The buttons were also added to some of the remote panels to allow the remote panels to actively control the fire alarm system. The remotely located buttons would be "repeated" at the control panel. Of course, the control buttons on the remote control panels could only silence or reset the system if someone in authority was pressing them, ...
What is the improvement of a fire alarm system?
Once a fire alarm system is in alarm, an improvement to the system was the ability of the control panel to stay in alarm; once the alarm system was in alarm, it would latch, or stay in alarm. Then there were buttons added to the system to "Silence the Alarms", "Reset the Alarm System", and "Silence the Trouble Buzzer".
What is a repeater panel?
A Repeater panel is an annunciator. It is in a location that is remote to the fire alarm control panel. The remote location is usually where the firefighters will be entering the building. A Repeater panel could be just alarm lights, could also have buttons, and even could have an LCD display. What is the role of Repeater panel in fire alarm system?
What does a red light on a fire alarm mean?
As systems got larger, each firefighting zone in the building that was covered by the fire alarm system had its own red light on the panel. When a red alarm light turned on, the firefighters would know where to look for a fire. But there was a problem. In those days, the fire alarm control panel was usually located in an electrical room in ...
What is an LCD display on a fire alarm?
If there are control buttons on the Repeater panel, it can also actively control the fire alarm system. A LCD display is an expanded version of the Repeater panel. A Repeater panel, whether it is just a light panel, also has buttons, and even has an LCD Display is an annunciator. Douglas Krantz.
Why do fire alarms have two lights?
One light would show that there was power to the panel, and the other light often just turned on if there was trouble with the system wiring. When the building's horns were sounding off, people figured out that the fire alarm system was in alarm. If there was trouble with the system, a buzzer inside the panel, close to the panel, or remotely located by an office or building entry sounded off. In essence, the remotely located buzzer would "repeat" the local buzzer.
Can you turn on a fire alarm?
If someone activated a pull station, the fire alarm system would "Turn On" and sound the alarm. In order to silence or reset the system, the pull station had to be reset.
What is a fire alarm control panel?
The Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) monitors and controls all functions of the fire alarm system. It receives input from initiation devices like a manual pull station or smoke detector, and controls output for notification devices like a horn or strobe, which notify facility staff and other people in the building that the fire alarm system has detected a fire, smoky condition or system problem.
What is a Fire Alarm Annunciator?
A fire alarm annunciator is the component of the fire alarm system that displays the status of the fire alarm system using visible and audible indicators. A fire alarm annunciator is commonly called a remote annunciator and is located in an area of the building separate from the FACP.
What does a remote annunciator indicate?
The remote annunciator might indicate the fire alarm system status for the entire building served by the fire alarm system or only for a specific portion of the building (units served).
What is FACP in fire alarm?
The FACP is commonly called the main fire alarm panel and is contained in a cabinet. The cabinet allows you to see the status of the fire alarm system without having to unlock or open the cabinet door. Depending on the type of cabinet, you might have to unlock or open the cabinet door to access the FACP control functions.
What is the FACP?
The FACP displays the status of the fire alarm system using visible and audible indicators. A visible indicator can be a light, text display or other similar method. An audible indicator can be a bell, horn or other similar method.
What color is a FACP cabinet?
The cabinet is metal or another durable material and is often red in color, although it can be any color.
Is a remote annunciator the same as a FACP?
Even though the remote annunciator performs some of the same functions as the FACP, it is not considered the FACP. The fire alarm annunciation and FACP functions are distinct functions. Reference: Texas health and human services.
