Fire Alarm Interface

Good afternoon all,

Our company installs fire alarm systems in convenience stores but it's always limited to a conventional system whether it be 2, 4 or 8 zones.

However, a store has come up where the existing alarm panel is in a communal area of the building.

The existing panel is a 32 zone C-Tec XFP panel and we are looking to install a 4 zone C-Tec CFP panel.

I have been advised by C-Tec that we would require a SA4700-102 to link the CFP panel to the XFP panel so that the XFP panel will show a fault in a specified zone when the CFP panel has a fault/fire alert.

The problem is we have never had a store where we have had to do this so I want to make sure I've been advised the correct part and I'm also looking for advise on what connections to use at both ends if anyone can offer that?

Apologies for the ignorance but unfortunately its just not something I've ever had to do before and I've got to learn somewhere I guess!

Thanks for your help in advance.

ToonSparky said:

However, a store has come up where the existing alarm panel is in a communal area of the building.

The existing panel is a 32 zone C-Tec XFP panel and we are looking to install a 4 zone C-Tec CFP panel.

I have been advised by C-Tec that we would require a SA4700-102 to link the CFP panel to the XFP panel so that the XFP panel will show a fault in a specified zone when the CFP panel has a fault/fire alert.

The problem is we have never had a store where we have had to do this so I want to make sure I've been advised the correct part and I'm also looking for advise on what connections to use at both ends if anyone can offer that?

Apologies for the ignorance but unfortunately its just not something I've ever had to do before and I've got to learn somewhere I guess!

Thanks for your help in advance.

Click to expand...

So the SA4700-102 is an Apollo protocol analogue addressable loop interface
I assume someone has checked that the XFP panel uses the Apollo protocol and not Hochiki or Cast
As the interface will need to be connected into the XFP panels existing addressable loop and linked to the new CFP panel and the XFP panel programmed and all tested who will be responsible for carrying out that part of the work

UNG said:

So the SA4700-102 is an Apollo protocol analogue addressable loop interface
I assume someone has checked that the XFP panel uses the Apollo protocol and not Hochiki or Cast
As the interface will need to be connected into the XFP panels existing addressable loop and linked to the new CFP panel and the XFP panel programmed and all tested who will be responsible for carrying out that part of the work

Click to expand...

We were advised by C-Tec and since the XFP is their panel, I'm hoping they're right! I've also been in touch with Apollo to confirm but they haven't got back to me yet.

As for the commissioning I'm looking at getting someone in to do this.

Is there a regulation which states independent fire alarms must be linked in with other alarms?
I've been at a building recently where the landlord told me businesses within his building had their own alarms but no alarms were linked throughout the building

ToonSparky said:

We were advised by C-Tec and since the XFP is their panel, I'm hoping they're right! I've also been in touch with Apollo to confirm but they haven't got back to me yet.

Click to expand...

As previously mentioned the XFP panel depending on it's age could be any one of three different protocols, if you have given the serial number of the XFP panel to C-Tec they would be able to identify what protocol it uses

ToonSparky said:

As for the commissioning I'm looking at getting someone in to do this.

Click to expand...

What about the modifications to the wiring of the XFP panel

ToonSparky said:

Is there a regulation which states independent fire alarms must be linked in with other alarms?
I've been at a building recently where the landlord told me businesses within his building had their own alarms but no alarms were linked throughout the building

Click to expand...

Well the 2005 RRO requires a fire risk assessment is carried out on commercial buildings.
So I suppose it would depend on that risk assessment and depending on the layout of the building if there are common areas used for entry and exit from the building then I would I expect to see a fire alarm in the common areas and linked to the individual units