Addresable Panels and Devices

[CameraMan]

My dad just installed a fire alarm system from Silent Knight with addressable devices, and cannot stop raving about it. He says it cut his labor cost in half- his crew wired a five story commercial building in one week.

Anyone here use these things? What happens if a wire goes bad- wouldn't that cause a whole bunch of devices to go down?

[integrator97]

My dad just installed a fire alarm system from Silent Knight with addressable devices, and cannot stop raving about it. He says it cut his labor cost in half- his crew wired a five story commercial building in one week.

Anyone here use these things? What happens if a wire goes bad- wouldn't that cause a whole bunch of devices to go down?

We use them all the time, well, not Silent Knight, but addressable systems. We use FireLite. (We also use addressable in security.)

If a wire gets pinched, it will generally affect all the deivces after the problem, which makes it fairly easy to find. The devices themselves are designed not to bring down the loop if they fail.

This isn't new technology, it's 20 years old or more. It saves wire, which is good with the price of copper, and labor. The devices (detectors, etc) are more expensive, so it's not beneficial on a very small system. Strobes and horns are the same for addressable and non-addressable systems.

[Ian]

Our company uses addressable systems where possible, the possible part depends on whether the client wants to pay for them, and from an installation and maintenance point of view they are great. In the old system if you wanted to isolate a single device you generally had to isolate an entire zone which would contain multiple devices, now you just isolate the device you want. As far as fault finding goes, with correct as built drawings it takes but a few minutes to find the fault and for maintenance just connect a lap top and testing and diagnostics is all automatic.

[HotelSecurity]

We have been & still are changing over from a zoned system to an addressable at my downtown hotel. With the old system we had 2 zones on each floor. It did nt tell us which room out of the 15 rooms in the zone. The addressable is great. It tells us exactly which room.Best oart is that the original system's wiring can be used.

[integrator97]

We have been & still are changing over from a zoned system to an addressable at my downtown hotel. With the old system we had 2 zones on each floor. It did nt tell us which room out of the 15 rooms in the zone. The addressable is great. It tells us exactly which room.Best oart is that the original system's wiring can be used.

Hasn't that been going on for a while now? How big is your hotel?

[HotelSecurity]

Hasn't that been going on for a while now? How big is your hotel?

500 rooms. The problem is they didn't close down to do it & they are installing sprinklers at the same time. They would instal the sprinkler pipes & the framing to build the false ceiling around them. Then they would have to remove all the scaffolding etc so the rooms could be sold for the weekend. Monday morning they would put everything back & continue. We still have the administration area to finish, 3 banquet salons & over the pool. BTW I never realized sprinklers were required over a pool

[integrator97]

500 rooms. The problem is they didn't close down to do it & they are installing sprinklers at the same time. They would instal the sprinkler pipes & the framing to build the false ceiling around them. Then they would have to remove all the scaffolding etc so the rooms could be sold for the weekend. Monday morning they would put everything back & continue. We still have the administration area to finish, 3 banquet salons & over the pool. BTW I never realized sprinklers were required over a pool

Ahh, I see. It's really the sprinklers taking the major time.

Sprinklers over the pool? Yea, that makes sense. I think the sprinkler lobby helped write that rule.

[CameraMan]

Sprinklers over the pool? Yea, that makes sense. I think the sprinkler lobby helped write that rule.

Laugh it up, smart guy. But when the swimming pool catches fire, don't come crying to me.

[integrator97]

Laugh it up, smart guy. But when the swimming pool catches fire, don't come crying to me.

*Chuckle*

[ScottFree]

Laugh it up, smart guy. But when the swimming pool catches fire, don't come crying to me.

Dont you remember the horrible swimming pool fires of '07? Property loss alone was inestimable, and the horror of no fat guys in skimpy bathing suits

[therepguy]

Replay to Addresable Panels and Devices

Silent Knight has for a long time had a real cool small panel with good software... the question is where or not Honeywell will grow the line? If not, it will remain a good simple panel for general solutions

Also, I trust all will have a safe and fun holiday!

[integrator97]

Silent Knight has for a long time had a real cool small panel with good software... the question is where or not Honeywell will grow the line? If not, it will remain a good simple panel for general solutions

Also, I trust all will have a safe and fun holiday!

Yes, it's hard to guess what they will do. Honeywell owns FCI, FireLite, Gamewell, Notifier, & Silent Knight.

Firelite & Notifier are about the same until you get to the 9600, which is the largest for FireLite, and Notifier has a couple bigger panels. And Notifier is authorized dealer only.

The same is basically true of Silent Knight and Gamewell, with Gamewell offering a larger panel and authorized dealer only.

FCI is dealer only, I think it is merged with Gamewell, but not sure. And Honeywell also owns System Sensor.

GE owns ESL and Edwards, and probably others.

[firedog]

Update to Honeywell panels


Integrator 97 is spot-on correct and I loved the sprinklers over the swimming pool thread.

Here's some further info about Honeywell Fire Systems:

SK and Fire-Lite both have terrific cost-efficient 50 point addressable systems. They were originally designed to replace conventional systemsbut seem to have found a whole new market. But, the new 5 and 10 zone conventional systems (MS-5UD and MS-10UD) from Fire-Lite are quite good with LCD displays and programming similar to their addressable panels. The SK line has just been expanded to a great new product that is a scalable addressable system. Unfortunately, it is not distributed through the usual channels such as ADI, Alarmax and others. You have to be appointed to their authorized Fahrenheit line to get it.

you are also correct in that FCI and Gamewell are now known as FCI/Gamewell and yes, they are still proprietary authorized dealers only. Only Fire-Lite is sold non-proproprietary over the counter. But, they have just released the new LS series for the MS-9600. It can do two loops of 318 devices (150 dectectors and 159 modules per loop). And, the SLC can run on conventional THHN. (great for retrofits) However, check the datasheet as distance is reduced from the advertised 10,000 feet if you don't use 12AWG UTP.