Addressable Fire Alarm Panels

An addressable system utilises a loop configuration containing all the fire alarm devices, including sounders and beacons/VAD. A loop wired system uses less cable compared to that of a more extensive conventional system.

Typicaly you will find an addressable fire alarm system in a larger building, where the exact location of devices is programmed to the panel so in the event of an emergency this location is indicated at the panel. This enables immediate identification of where a fire may possibly exist, and execution of an appropriate evacuation proceedure.

Each device on an addressable system utilises a system-wide protocol. A protocol is a language the fire alarm panel uses to talk to each fire alarm device. The panel allocates each of the devices with its own unique number/code. This number is known as the device address. When adding a device to the system, the commission engineer logs the device address and then inputs the device’s real-world location into the fire alarm panel.

The fire alarm panel continually communicates with the devices on the system. It enables the fire alarm panel to identify the exact device or manual call point in an alarm condition. Therefore, reporting a fire’s location, system faults and false alarms in a matter of seconds.