Of course, if you wire multiple detectors on a "zone", they are not gonna know which one tripped it. But if you have a conventional system, and you wire only ONE detector per zone, you get no problems. If you want to reduce wiring, you can use "zone expanders", which are devices that usually communicate via RS485, that will reduce wiring. Another way to wire it, is room-based. Wire zones so all detectors and pull stations in a room is on one zone. It makes it easy for everyone including firemen, to know where something happened, and once you have visual sight with that room, it will be easy to find out what triggered the alarm. I actually prefer conventional systems for 3 reasons: They are easier to troubleshoot, because anything you do will have an instant effect on the system. As you saw, that detector you removed took a whole minute or two before the panel even knew about it. The conventional reacted in a instant, thats because the current flow in the loop ceased and kinda instantly woke up the system. The second reason, is that its easy to integrate non-firealarm-equipment into zones. For example burgular alarm, you might want to interconnect it with a burgular alarm, either to share reporting channel, or to switch between "Remote mode" and "Local mode" depending on if the burgular alarm is armed or not. With that, I mean, when people are present, it might be stupid to send the alarm instantly to the fire department, since the fire could be dealt with locally. It could just be some failed cooking that wasn't even a fire, someone already at the stove that reacted immidiately when that pot started to smoke. So thats why it could be good to have a system that is "local" when people are present, and "remote" (send a instant alarm to fire department) when the burgular system is armed and the building is clearly empty. the third reason is the vendor lockin. A conventional system can accept fire detectors from any other conventional system. You aren't locked in to one manufacturer of detectors. If you choose a adressable system, you need to purchase everything from the manufacturer of your panel. That could be advantageous in some cases, so you know everything works together, but the disadvantage is that you might have a duct detector that is shipped along with a HVAC system nicely integrated, and then you can't use it because you don't have THAT vendor of panel.
in a conventional panel if you had 4 smoke detectors with had leds that had been triggered would they all light up or only one? in an addressable panel does each device have to have a tacked on individual addressable device or does each initiating device incorporate an addressable feature as part of its construction?
Just the one will light up, and each device on an addressable system has a built in end of line. That’s how the panel monitors the troubles and supervisories, the panel is constantly talking to each device in an addressable system and making sure it has the correct voltage.
Hi im an electrician from NJ just got my license and really want to learm these sytems and wouldlike your input. I sthere a way I can PM you so we can talk? Thanks
