Fire Alarms Part install !!!

[Roger]

Do some work at a local factory and they have fallen out with the previous electrician a few years agne of the things he never finished was a install of a Channel Scimitar fire alarm panel ,the current owner has asked me to finish it off.Had a look today and we have power and 2 4 core FP200 cables running through one factory and left not terminated on top of the roof of a small internal power room in another factory unit.In the panel I have 3 zones connected and one pair of wires going to the sounder connection.
I can test the wires and determine what does what so straight forward.My concern is the size of some of the units.In one unit we have a floor area of 16m x 11.5m wide and the highest point (apex) is 9.6m from floor level.In this unit we have one fire and smoke sensor (in middle on ceiling) and one call point,is that sufficient for such a large area ?
We have a number of other cables also located on the roof which from what i can determine i have one which goes to 2 sounders (one in each factory unit)and the others seems to be just radials which feed head units and call points for each of the seperate factory units.All of these a in FP200 1.5mm 2 core and earth.
A further 3 units have no fire system at all ,I am amazed they have not had their a--- chewed by the local fire officer.Well really its a total of 5 with no protection at all !

Apart from floor area requirements another question would be can i connect current unterminated cables in a fire proof enclosure,galv box to make my circuits complete ?
And would the location of the box be ok on top of the small office located inside one of the factory units.
Also the location of the alarm control panel should this be in a common area ie reception as opposed to being inside a leased factory unit.Which could provide problems with access at some point.
My intention is do the install unless i am frightened off and get it commissioned after.

 

[somersetsparks]

Generally call points are generally by exits or stairwells, or possibly by equipment which is likely to be a risk. Not sure about smoke heads, i'm not a designer, I just follow plans! Most factories/industrial units these days have beam detectors rather then smokeheads in large areas. Found it funny once when one of the cctv blokes put up his triple extension ladder and evacuated 500 people! Alarm control panels that I have done always have been by an exit usually by main reception. Definately wouldn't want it in a leased out unit, not only could someone else interfere with it or turn it off if the alarm was triggered, you couldn't reset it either!

I would join cables in Through box with 2 red stuffers.

 

[Roger]

Blimey only one reply in a day ! checked out Channel website and they do the beam detectors and it certainly looks the right way to go.I have contacted the rep who will advise everything i need for compliance and will visit the site.Think I will speak to local fire officer as well,as at least we are installing now.

Boss has told me to go ahead and do whats required,on a day rate !
Got the price of FP200 today and it aint cheap,been offered alternative NoBurn Platinum Fire Resistant Cable its almost half the price.
Is it as good ? as I do not want to skimp on a important install.

 

[Jim Malone]

NoBurn Platinum is at least equivalent to FP200 in terms of approvals to the standards required, however much quicker to terminate and install than FP200 and all other fire cables, also most installers report it is easier to dress than others fire cables so saves time and money. It is manufactured in the UK by Ventcroft who have been manufacturing cables for decades and recently moved to a new expanded purpose built state of the art cable manufacturing plant, exceptional since most UK cable manufacturers are either closing thier factories or moving production from the UK to overseas. NoBurn Platinum is approved to all relevant fire cable standards by both LPCB and BASEC. The type mentioned is 'Standard' fire cable however there is also an approved Enhanced fire cable called NoBurn Plus which you will find is also easlier to terminate and install and very well priced. Ventcroft also have a new and one of the most advanced fire cable burn test and material testing labs in Europe. Although NoBurn is not availble to buy directly is is available from almost if not all of the UK's national wholesalers groups and also available from most of the independant wholesalers. We would be happy and proud to provide a tour of our factory and labs to any contractor - simply contact us via www.ventcroft.co.uk