Fire alarm panel. Don’t recognise fault code

[littlespark]

The big stately home I’ve been working in has an EMS 5096 alarm system with over 100 detectors and 3 (that I know of) panels.
All detectors are battery powered and radio back to its closest panel. All panels are also radio linked together.

They get the odd fault code which is usually a flat battery. They can change the battery’s and reset the system themselves… but the other day they got a message that won’t reset.
The screen says fault and something like “Radio Net 03”

From what I’m guessing, it’s the radio link to the 3rd panel….. but I can’t find anything online on how to either reset it or investigate what the problem is.


Image attached with what the panel looks like.

 

[baldelectrician]

Possibility of damage to many priceless artifacts,
Time taken to install miles and miles of fp200, and the final aesthetics of have a load of red wires or trunking running through period decorated rooms open to the public.

There is no Wi-Fi or other radio waves within that part of the house. Even mobile signal is extremely poor.


If something is designed to have rf communications, it will be built to avoid interference…. I think that’s the reason the current system is now redundant…. They had to change the frequency it used.

I have a Unifi U6 access point and it does a scan and looks for interference, the problem could b a new wifi system interfering.

With the Unifi you can program the access points to not use certain bits of the wifi spectrum

 

[UNG]

Possibility of damage to many priceless artifacts,

I can understand the concern with that

Time taken to install miles and miles of fp200, and the final aesthetics of have a load of red wires or trunking running through period decorated rooms open to the public.

I think given the type of building it is I think my choice would be MICC and definitely not FP and while it would need a lot of cable it would be a far more resiliant system that is not open to the whims of OFCOM and the government

There is no Wi-Fi or other radio waves within that part of the house. Even mobile signal is extremely poor.

RF interference is not just limited to Wi-Fi there are a lot of non licensed / lightly licenced frequencies out there which can all cause issues in other equipment

If something is designed to have rf communications, it will be built to avoid interference….

That theory doesn't always work, having worked with radio data comms for a number years there was one manufacturer that produced 2 radio products that couldn't be co-located due to using different frequency modes and one would wipe the other out

I think that’s the reason the current system is now redundant…. They had to change the frequency it used.

As the radio spectrum becomes more and more cluttered and OFCOM / the government see an opportunity to sell off specific portions of the radio spectrum for chunks of money it is always possible that equipment operating in that part of the spectrum will become redundant with in some cases very little notice, the most noticeable one in recent times is the terrestial TV frequency band with the upper frequencies (UHF channels 60 - 69) being creamed off for 5G
This is why I don't generally consider wireless equipment as a first / primary choice as once a frequency band is taken from the radio spectrum and sold off if the existing equipment / system` causes interference you may be forced to replace it possibly prematurely to avoid enforcement action

 

[ipf]

Possibility of damage to many priceless artifacts,
Time taken to install miles and miles of fp200, and the final aesthetics of have a load of red wires or trunking running through period decorated rooms open to the public.

Using MICC would be best.
It would add to the artefacts in a few years, too.

 

[MReynish6]

Ok… so I don’t have to be accredited to install the system… I just put it in to their spec?

What about ongoing servicing? Don’t need a badge for that? Would just be changing the battery’s on an annual basis or something.

I can check if the site insurance requires to be remotely monitored…. But I don’t think so as they have a live-in curator in one wing, and the lord of the manor and family in the other

No accreditation need to install it, you just follow their spec and design.

Technically you don’t need any qualifications to carry out a service other than being competent. But as it is with anything how do you define being competent? Personally some basic FIA courses would cover you on that front and teach you the basics and what you need to know. But not sure the cost would be worth it just for one service contract.

 

[littlespark]

No accreditation need to install it, you just follow their spec and design.

Technically you don’t need any qualifications to carry out a service other than being competent. But as it is with anything how do you define being competent? Personally some basic FIA courses would cover you on that front and teach you the basics and what you need to know. But not sure the cost would be worth it just for one service contract.

Thanks.

I do a lot more for the site than just change a few alarm batterys.

EICRs, PAT, numerous little jobs. Never away from the place.