Marloue O.

Pidor, PECE, MIT

Fire Alarm and
IECEP-Davao Chapter
December 8, 2018
Signaling System
FASS/FDAS
Overview

 Purpose
 Considerations
 Fire alarm circuit classes
 Standard symbols based on Philippine Electronics Code
 Types of Fire Alarm Systems
 Fire Alarm Active Devices
Purpose of a Fire Alarm System
 Issue an alarm to occupants when a fire incident happen
 Automatic detection
 Notification and alarm circuit
 SD, HD, MS, CO
 Manual initiation
 Manual call point / fire alarm switch
 Will trigger external devices
 Smoke extractor
 Parking jet fan
 Unlock access controlled doors
 Be triggered by external devices (anomalies in the automatic fire suppression system)
 Water flow switch
 Supervisory switch
 Auto dial Fire Department (not mandatory)
 Logs fire incidents (Addressable/Hybrid)
 Maintenance reminders (Addressable/Hybrid)
 Transmits alarms to fire command center (FCC) for multiple buildings.
Purpose of a Fire Alarm System

 Areas where fire alarm detection is required:

 Space under floor more than 600mm in height
 Space above drop ceiling more than 1 meter in height
 Concealed spaces under the roof more than 1 meter in height
 Stairwells
 Return airducts of HVACs
 Tunnel links of buildings
 Vaults
 Vertical shafts
Purpose of a Fire Alarm System

 Areas where fire alarm detection is NOT required:

 Toilets and bathrooms less than 4 square meters
 Bathroom / toilet exhaust ducts
 Walk-in type spaces with floor area not more than 1 square meter
 Spaces under raised floor with height not more than 250mm
 Space above drop ceiling less than 1 meter in height
 Concealed spaces under the roof less than 1 meter in height
 Covered walk paths
 Areas under structures such as platforms and ducts
Considerations

 NFCP 10.02.6.4 Section H Para 3 (Zoning) For the purposes of

alarm annunciation, each floor of the building, other than
floors of existing buildings, shall be considered as not less than
one zone, unless otherwise permitted by another section of
this code.
 NFCP 10.2.6.5 Section C Para 2 (FASS and FPS interface) If the
extinguishing system is installed in lieu of a required,
supervised automatic sprinkler system, the activation of the
extinguishing system shall activate the building fire alarm
system, where provided. The activation of an extinguishing
system that is not installed in lieu of a required, supervised
automatic sprinkler system shall be indicated at the building
fire alarm system, where provided.
Considerations

 Do not install SMOKE DETECTORS in spaces where

 temperature is below 5 °C and above 45 °C
 Relative humidity is above 90%
 Ceilings more than 12.5 meters high
 Do not install HEAT DETECTORS in spaces where
 Temperature is less than 11 ° to the expected maximum temperature of the area
where it is installed
 More than 7.5 meters apart
 Relative humidity is above 90%
 Ceilings more than 4.5 meters high
Considerations

 Install Beam Detectors in areas such as

 Ceiling is more than 6 meters
 Warehouse type structures
 Ceilings with artistic decorations
 Of historical value such as old churches, museum or even malls
 Clear beam path with opaque materials
 Usually covers 100 square meters per beam depending on the brand and
type
Considerations

 Install CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS in areas such as

 Closed/basement parking garages/spaces with little or no mechanical
ventilation
 Places with fuel burning machines
 Do not install in open places
National Fire Protection Association
(US)
 2007 NFPA 72 6.8.5.5.2 Limits the number of waterflow
switches in a single zone to 5.
 2007 NFPA 72 6.8.5.6.2 Limits the number of supervisory
devices in a single zone to 20.
 2007 NFPA 72 Annex A.4.4.6.6 Suggests that the
maximum number of square feet in a single zone be
limited to no more than 22,500 (2,090 square meters or
150 ft x 150 ft).
Fire Alarm Circuit Classes

 2007 NFPA 72, 6.4.2.1 Class. Initiating device circuits, notification appliance
circuits, and signaling line circuits shall be permitted to be designated as
either Class A or Class B, depending on their performance during non-
simultaneous single circuit fault conditions as specified by the following:
 (1) Initiating device circuits and signaling line circuits that transmit an alarm or
supervisory signal, or notification appliance circuits that allow all connected
devices to operate during a single open or a non-simultaneous single ground
fault on any circuit conductor, shall be designated as Class A
 (2) Initiating device circuits and signaling line circuits that do not transmit an
alarm or supervisory signal, or notification appliance circuits that do not allow all
connected devices to operate beyond the location of a single open on any
circuit conductor, shall be designated as Class B
 2007 NFPA 72, 6.4.2.2. An open or ground fault condition shall result in the
annunciation of a trouble signal at the protected premise within 200
seconds as required in 4.4.7
 Class B Circuit

Class B Initiating Device Circuit

4.7K
EOLR

Class B Notification Appliance Circuit

4.7K
EOLR

End of line supervision resistors are required to

supervise the integrity of the loop.
Class B Circuit

Class B Initiating Device Circuit

4.7K
EOLR

Class B Notification Appliance Circuit

4.7K
EOLR

Single open circuit condition causes a

trouble on the panel and renders all
devices beyond the fault inoperative.
Class A Circuit – Fault Tolerant Circuit
Class A Initiating Device Circuit

Class A Notification Appliance Circuit

End of line supervision resistors are not

necessary as the loop returns to the
panel and is driven from both ends
Class A Circuit – Fault Tolerant Circuit
Class A Initiating Device Circuit

Class A Notification Appliance Circuit

Single open circuit condition causes

a trouble on the panel. All devices
on the loop remain operative.
Isolation Device

 For addressable device, a circuit isolation module should be installed every

floor loop
 Isolation module will isolate the portion of the ground fault allowing the rest
of the system operational.
Recommended Wires

 For conventional system use TWISTED WIRE TF16/2C 1.25MM2

 For addressable system use TWISTED WIRE STP16/2C 1.25MM2
Standard Fire Alarm
Symbols
Standard Fire Alarm Symbols
Fire Alarm Configuration Types

 Conventional Fire Alarm System

 Addressable Fire Alarm System
 Hybrid/Semi-Addressable Fire Alarm System
Conventional Fire Alarm System

 Configured per zone

 At least one detector connected to a particular zone is triggered, the entire zone
will issue an alarm
 An end-of-line resistor is placed on the last detector in a zone
 Maximum of 30 detectors per zone
 No more than 300 to 2,000 square meters per zone depending on the brand of
the FACP.
 At least one zone per floor but not multiple floors per zone
 Cost less than a standard addressable system
 Easy to implement
Sample Layout (Conventional)
Sample Diagram (Conventional)
Addressable Fire Alarm System

 For areas more than 8,000 square meters

 Configured in loops
 The conductor from the control panel is connected to the first device and the
last device is then connected back to the control panel.
 All devices connected in the loop has a unique address.
 More flexible than conventional FASS due to the number of modules that
can be connected to the system.
 Wiring circuit can be Class A (Style 7) or Class B (Style 4)
 All devices connected to its loop can be line-powered
 Faster identification of fire incident area
 Programmable response to inputs
Sample Layout and Riser Diagram
(Addressable)
Hybrid Fire Alarm System

 Combines conventional and addressable fire alarm systems

 Common areas such as hallways, corridors and lounge areas are
converted to conventional device and the detectors are connected to am
addressable zone monitor or zone card.
 Still achieves the capability of an addressable system.
 Lessen the number of addressable device in an addressable system,
lowering the cost of the fire alarm control panel.
 Cost lower than a fully addressable system
Sample Layout(Hybrid)
Sample Riser Diagram (Hybrid)
Fire Alarm Control Panel
Fire Alarm Active Devices
Fire Alarm Active Devices
Annunciator / Repeater Panel
Modules
Engr. Marloue O. Pidor,
PECE, MIT
CTO, Electronics Engineering
Primary email: marloue.pidor@terralogixcorp.com
Secondary email: murlwe@gmail.com
mobile: +639227381103