This is where you can gain knowledge of some of the things it's taken a few of us years to learn. How do you properly test a fire alarm communicator? How do you recognize that it's been properly wired and programmed? How do you test a sealed lead-acid or "pure-lead" battery? How do you test the sensitivity level of an addressable smoke detector?

Let's start with a "sample" of what you can expect to see in the Members only section.

Basic Communications:

First, a brief word about Digital Telephone Service. In Canada, this is being provided (primarily) by Shaw Communications or Rogers Cable. The modem usually supplied for interface to the television cable jack has a very small back-up battery inside. Typically this is only good for four (4) hours of stand-by time. In our view, this is an unacceptable connection for any fire alarm communicator employing a normal telephone line as the primary means of signal transmission. Some AHJ's have accepted this type of connection as long as a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) of sufficient stand-by capacity to meet the "twenty-four hour rule" is supplied. We would suggest that such a "work-around" should only be acceptable if the UPS were monitored by the fire alarm system for "trouble" conditions (like "low battery" or "fuse failure"). For the purposes of this "TIP", we are assuming a normal "POTS" line (as supplied by Telus) is utilized.

Fire alarm communicators come in a variety of "flavours". Let's start by identifying each one:

Alarm communicators utilize a number of methods in which to connect to your fire alarm panel. Mircom, Potter, Notifer and FireLite manufacture digital "UDACT" communicators that are either integral to the common control board or connected to them by a ribbon cable. The advantage here is that individual zones can transmit signals so that the central monitoring station can actually identify the location of the fire and relay this to the responding authority. After-market communicators must utilize the common alarm, supervisory and trouble contacts on the fire alarm panel and can only transmit "generalized" alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals. Regardless of the method of connection, you (as the testing technician) must be able to recognize whether this has been accomplished correctly.

In the case of an optional UDACT communicator, the unit is usually mounted on special rails or stand-offs supplied by the manufacturer for the purpose and located inside the fire alarm panel. The fire alarm installation manual will illustrate the connection method and provide you with the necessary details to properly test the unit. In all instances involving UDACT units, there will be two telephone lines terminated to the unit. This is normally done through twin eight position jacks which should be located immediately adjacent to it. Disconnection of one (or both) jacks will cause the fire alarm system trouble buzzer to sound. If one jack remains connected the UDACT will transmit a "line fault" trouble to the central monitoring facility.

All other communicators are housed in metal cans mounted adjacent to the fire alarm system and will employ preprogrammed zones similar to those of the fire alarm panels initiating circuits. End of line resistors must be connected across the normally open relay contacts in the fire alarm control panel. The wire/cable between the communicator and fire alarm system must be physically protected (usually via flexible conduit (BX) or EMT). The communicators must employ tamper switches on the access cover, and a visual method of identifying whether AC power is present and if a trouble condition exists. The Silent Knight 5104 provides all these through a viewable "window" on the front cover, but I have seldom seen the proper cover tamper used (needless to say, this would constitute a deficiency!). DSC, Ademco, and other "stand alone" units utilize an AC "on" LED that is normally installed in one of the knockouts and a separate keypad that will display the zoning information and any system troubles. If the keypad is missing, then there's no way to determine the status of the communicator. I've even seen some alarm companies install the keyads inside the can (which means you have to open it to see the status). Needless to say, neither of these installations would pass.

TIP: A "low battery" signal received by the central monitoring facility does not automatically translate to a "low battery" on the fire alarm system. It will usually mean a "low battery" condition exists in the communicator and the servicing agency (or the monitoring company) must be notified.

Power to the communicator must be provided via a dedicated circuit (similar to the one used by the fire alarm system). In the case of a UDACT, power for the unit is provided by the fire alarms AUX power output (which is often supervised).

Let's review the communicator section of the standard test report we provide in our Forms section. The first line reads:

Monitoring connections are properly supervised. This is pretty well self explanatory. End-of-line resistors for each zone of the communicator should be present across the appropriate relay terminals inside the fire alarm system's common control. You must also confirm they are of the correct value. The second reads:

The communicator is ULC listed for fire alarm monitoring. Check to see that a label is in place identifying the equipment as a "UL/ULC listed subscribers unit for fire". Don't stop there, however. You must determine that the unit has been installed correctly. The third asks:

The monitoring/central station is ULC listed for fire alarm monitoring. This may take a little "digging" (monitoring stations are often reluctant to divulge such information), but a really handy source is provided by the City of Vancouver here. You can obtain the central station certificate numbers directly from ULC. Just input the name of the monitoring station in the company name search box located here. The fourth asks whether:

The monitoring station is approved by the local jurisdictional authority. As far as I know, only Vancouver lists "approved" agencies of this type so you can usually check this "NA" for any other jurisdiction (but please check with your local AHJ first).

The last line of the section is the most important. You must check that all signals generated by the fire alarm system during your test are received by the monitoring station. In many instances, burglar alarm companies install these units and some employ a little known programming "dongle" called "swinger shutdown". What this means is that the communicator limits the number of alarm events it transmits on a specific zone. For instance, if your fire alarm system is transmitting alarm signals on "zone 1" of the communicator, "swinger shutdown" may be enabled after as few as three alarm events in a twenty-four hour period. It is important that "swinger shutdown" is DISABLED on a fire alarm communicator. I don't think I need to paint you a picture as to the reason why.

In Vancouver (and many other jurisdictions), actuation of a sprinkler system or linked suppression system must also initiate a "waterflow" signal to the monitoring station. Some older fire alarm panels are incapable of producing more than a "common alarm" and a "common trouble" output however.

Congratulations! You've just received a "crash course" in alarm communicators. Got questions?? Need manuals? Call us!!

JOIN US!

Individual members will receive Fire Technicians Network shoulder patches which they can wear as a visible demonstration of their commitment to the higher standard. You'll also enjoy access to manuals and the resources you need to shift your career into high gear. Our goal is help you improve your knowledge and skillset and, ultimately, your own community's LIFE SAFETY standards. Remember:

We are not a professional union, but together,
we are a union of professionals!

If you've found our site useful,
you may wish to consider making
a donation towards helping us
maintain it: