Fire Alarms

[michael_brooke]

Hi guys
Is a 4 wire alarm system an adressable system
And a 2 wire a conventional system

 

[Welchyboy]

a conventional system can be 2-wire(smokes/heats with sounder bases on the detectors)

or conventional with zoned detectors circuits and additional sounder circuits

wired in radial circuits with end of line resistors



An addressable system is wired in loops with sounders in the loop, in detector bases or on separate sounder radial circuits from the panel

 

[i=p/u]

I know nothing about fire alarms, not even the basics or circuit arrangment, il listen if you want to start from the start

 

[MDJ]

Both systems use 2 cores, the conventional has a end of line on it, the addressable is wired like a ring and called a loop, the conventional has seperate bell circuits usually, but an addressable can have combined sounders and detectors as mentioned above, if you look in detectors etc you will see 4 cores due to the pair in and out, perhaps thats why you think 4 cores are involved, I'm sure you can get combined sounders and detectors in a conventional too, but I wouldn't do it that way myself, I would always have the sounders seperate, but thats just me.

 

[i=p/u]

so you would have your loops which send signal back to addressable panel when snifs smoke or heat and tyhat inturn sets off sounders in that zone. or every zone

 

[tazz]

I think what is confusing you here is the actual name, and method of certain manufactures on there conventional systems.
systems are standard, Twin wire, Bi wire, Tri wire and Alarmsense.
Standard is basically is 2 core cable to all detectors and call points with sounders wired on a seperate 2 core.
Twin wire is 2 core cable to all detectors and sounders on the same cable, sounders are wired reverse polarity.
Bi wire and Alarmsense are manufactures trade marks for systems made to be connected on 2 cores.
Tri wire is as it says 3 core cable using common negetive to supply both detectors and sounders.

Hope this breaks down the conventional alarm systems for you.

 

[Darkwood]

Can we also note here that the addressable loop methood can configure of a core loop with zone interfaces attached to this loop and the addressable heads run from the interface units as spurs.... There are many config's when you start getting into addressable systems and unless you are aware which one it is then its not always clear on the system you have.

 

[tazz]

Well trying to keep it basic to help, but you would know by the control panel if you had an addressable system

 

[i=p/u]

be nice todo few intsalls, sure will come my way

 

[jonni770]

An addressable syatem is a loop right the way through.

A conventinal is 2 core or 4 core depending on make sepearte sounder circuits unless they r built in to base or detectectors..

Note conventional uses EOL resistors addresable dont

 

[tazz]

Quoted
A conventinal is 2 core or 4 core depending on make sepearte sounder circuits unless they r built in to base or detectectors..

No conventional system is ever wired in 4 core, as this would loose the integrity of the sounder circuit, please read BS5839

 

[High Tower]

Also a conventional system must have a minimum of 2 sounder circuits.

A conventional system needs a detector circuit per zone, where addressable its all on a loop and gets zoned up in the panel after its all been flashed out.

 

[telectrix]

personally, i prefer the wireless systems. each detector has a built in sounder. no messing about pulling up floors, whole installation done in a short day. everybody happy.

 

[Welchyboy]

Quoted
A conventinal is 2 core or 4 core depending on make sepearte sounder circuits unless they r built in to base or detectectors..

No conventional system is ever wired in 4 core, as this would loose the integrity of the sounder circuit, please read BS5839

As a side note you can actually wire 2 sounder circuits in one 4 core cable, this is quite a good method for using alternating sounders throughout a building, but no you can't mix sounder and alarm circuits within the same cable