Title: Fire Alarms: What are they Made Up Of?
1Fire Alarms What are they Made Up Of? A fire
alarm system is a collection of many separate
parts, each with their own unique function.
Knowing what these parts are and how they work
together is necessary to better understand how
the system works as a whole. The following are
the five key elements that make up every fire
alarm system Initiating Devices The initiating
devices of an alarm system detect smoke or fire.
These devices include smoke detectors of various
kinds, heat detectors of various kinds, sprinkler
water flow sensors, and pull stations. Indicatin
g Appliances Indicating appliances are the part
of the system that sounds the alarm and alerts
occupants to the fire hazard. Indicating
appliances include horns, chimes, bells, and in
some situations, even strobe lights for the hard
of hearing and deaf. Most of these appliances are
deliberately loud so as not to be missed and to
encourage everyone to leave the building
quickly. Where those who are deaf or hard of
hearing are present, or code requires, strobe
lights are also used in conjunction with the
other indicators so that there is a visual
warning of the fire as well. Fire Alarm
Panel The fire alarm control panel is the user
interface and central monitoring and controlling
element of the system. It has a display revealing
the current state (alarm or no alarm) of the fire
alarm system and a touch pad, which allows onsite
personnel to program, troubleshoot, silence, and
reset the system. Fire alarm panels monitor and
supervise all of the system's initiators,
indicating devices, telephone ties, field wiring,
circuit cards, and internal wiring. It is also
via the fire alarm panel that a call is sent out
to a monitoring agency in the event of a
triggered alarm so that emergency personnel are
alerted. Power Supplies Power supplies cover
main power from the breaker. The fire alarm
batteries may be contained in either the control
panel or in a separate enclosure. The batteries
will take over should the power fail, allowing
the system to continue protecting the building
from fire for 24 hours. A generator can provide
power for longer periods of power outages.
2Auxiliary Devices Many additional devices can be
added onto a fire alarm system to bolster fire
protection in a facility. Additional devices
include things like visual LED indicators showing
which zone in a building a fire alarm was
initiated, remote annunciators, alarm silence
switches, electromagnetic door holders, fire
doors, elevator capture and shutdown,
etc. These systems can be as simple or as
elaborate as a facility needs, and for each
element listed above, a wide range of options are
available. Creating or updating the ideal system
for your facility can be a huge undertaking and
should be done in consultation with experts like
Quickshipfire. If youre looking fire alarm parts
for your fire alarm system, Quickshipfire can
help you get your hands on exactly what you need.
We carry a large selection of fire alarm
components and can talk to you about which ones
will work best for you. Place an order or contact
us for additional questions you might have about
fire alarm equipments. https//quickshipfire.com/f
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