In a typical modern fire alarm system, they are able to detect smoke and heat from a small flame, water from a sprinkler system, or once a pull-station is activated. It then all transmits this information to on-site employees using a phone line. While anyone can install this system using the manual that comes along with it, there is a lot at stake here especially with the legal responsibilities of having a good running alarm system. 

Basic components of an alarm system

Initiating devices - These are devices that allow the entire system to undergo an alarm state. They can come in many forms such as heat detectors, ionization smoke detectors, photoelectric smoke and heat detectors, sprinkler waterflow sensors, and the manually activated pull stations. In a typical system, there are many initiating devices spread across the different zones of a building and are connected together by a circuit into a more central control panel. 

Control panel - Containing the different programming and operating electronics with an interface for users, control panels help display the current state of the system and provide any useful troubleshooting information. These usually contain a touchpad that allows the personnel to deactivate the alarm or make the necessary reprogram or reset if needed. The control panels will be the one doing supervisory tasks for the whole alarm system.

Indicating appliances - This is responsible for announcing the occupants of the building when the alarm state happens to a system. They can be strobe lights, horns, bells, or combination units. 

Auxiliary devices - These may range among the following: remote annunciators showing the system state, alarm silence switches, and a visual LED display showing where the zone of the fire alarm is activated. Moreover, alarm systems are powered with sealed batteries so if there are issues with power, the alarm system can remain active with an alternative power source. 

Installing the system

Using the installation guide should be more than enough to supply the right information for users to program the system to their specifications. When conducting the setup proper, the zone wiring, initiating device, and indicating appliance must all be set up prior the telephone tie comes into the picture. This is done to ensure that the agency or personnel in charge of monitoring systems would not get false alarms. 

It is also important to ensure that the control panel is in a location that is easily accessible to those who would need to respond to it. Locations with big coverages or central locations are ideal for this, making it easy to attend to and verify the status of the fire. 

Basic troubleshooting

Alarm systems come in different states from normal, alarm, to a trouble state. Alarm systems can enter a troubled state if there are resistance increases in the resistor placed across the line after the final device. An alarm would sound to the technical personnel while the more common loud fire alarm sound would remain quiet. This trouble state can be stopped by pressing under the trouble alert LED. Other troubleshooting methods include disabling the system then unhooking a zone in the control panel, then placing end-of-line resistors across the output terminals. If the phone lines connected to the system would not work normally, the system would be placed in a trouble state, awaiting further repairs. 

If the system goes into an alarm state and cannot be shut down due to errors with the touchpad, it can be disarmed by cutting off the fire after you check the zone for any fire. You can do this by unhooking one side of the battery array and further unhooking the power connector. When a system is disabled by a malfunction or false alarm, the right fire officials and insurance should be alerted to ensure that coverage is still active. 

For such an important task of alerting us of any fires, it is important to be aware of how these systems work and how to find solutions for common issues. USCADD has years of expertise in fire alarm system designs, fire and smoke detection systems and affordable CAD Design Services for your building needs. Visit our website to learn more https://www.uscadd.com/.