Fire Alarm Systems

Hi, I'd like to know what everyone's thoughts are regarding why the requirement of bs5839-1 is 75dB at the bed head but 5839-6 is 85dB at the door (as is the evacuation alert standard). 85dB at a door could easily be 55dB at the bed head with the door closed, 20db lower than what part 1 requires. I asked tom brookes owner of Zzues training who is chairman of FSA and more. He said he had tried to get them to standardise and make it the same but it fell on deaf ears. does anyone know the reasoning behind it? any scientific reasoning? how has someone come to the conclusion a low sound level is enough to wake you at home but in a hotel it needs to be much hig…

Hello, Please could you give me advice on the following. I work for a college that is based in a prison. The building is used to teach offenders in classes and a place of work for teaching staff.There are over 10 members of staff up to 90 offenders the building is 2 storeys with approx 20 rooms plus store cupboards. Rooms are used as staff room, cookery room with kitchen, computer rooms and offices. The fire alarm for the hole building is down and not working, but managers are still insisting staff carry on using the building as normal, With a fire Marshall patrolling the building, while learners are present. Teaching staff are in the building all day. Is this legal o…

Hi All I have a HMO the alarm system was installed in the late 1990s it comprises of a Firedex 2204 conventional 4 zone panel, 8 heat detectors,2 smoke,8 sounders.2 call points . My question is the wire is all in trunked house 2 core electrical cable which doesn’t meet current standards. Clearly when it was installed it meet the standards of the day does this need to be changed or does it only need to be replaced if a new system is installed.

Hi, At our development we have a Ziton Fire Alarm panel that covers four zones. The development is a mixture of houses and storage buildings converted to flats and townhouses, 39 in total. The Fire Alarm panel has been displaying 15 faults since early August. This impacts on several flats that have detectors fitted within them, however, they could also have additional stand alone smoke alarms fitted. I have raised this issue with the directors of the Management Company, managing agent and local authorities yet the issue is still not resolved. Please see video in attached link; https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r2Jnqv9BxosZcuIAkXXtsi8kPxb0XiG…

If I have a fire alarm interface for the main Access Control Panel, do I still need to add fire alarm interfaces to individual doors? Your advice will be highly appreciated.

I've just taken over a site that has a Gent 3400, a number of detectors are out of their life span, what are the options for replacing the detectors? Cheers

Purpose built Hostel type premise. Good level of compartmentation. Presumably built initially for a stay put with one S/D and one heat in kitchen Grade D non interlinked. However the communal area part one system has been linked to the small flats with one detector in the hall. The sounders are external though in the communal areas. is the level of flat detection still commensurate with the current full evacuation? Presumably the sounder decibel level would have to be audible but what about the two non interlinked grade Ds? Link them to the part one or is one detector in the hall way enough?

Is there a way to protect a cable if part of it will be placed outdoors under the rooftop of the house? Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone! Is anybody here using the fire detectors but wireless type? And is it even allowed to use them by regulations? The answers will be much appreciated. Kind regards, Brayant

Am I correct in thinking that cabling for a fire alarm should still be routed separately from that for all other services? A client has had the cabling all installed (for aesthetic reasons I am sure!) in open cable trays with all services together and what looks like plastic cable ties clipping them in. This isn't mentioned anywhere on the commissioning certificate as a departure from BS5839-1 (I'm not sure if that's even allowed any more!). I'm doing the FRA and this doesn't look normal to me (though it's very pretty and must have been a nightmare for the installing electricians...). Picture below shows a vertical cable tray open to the rest of the premises.

Hi I was asked to wire a magnetic door lock into a fire alarm system, I know that it has to be wired to the fire alarm panel but the company who installed the magnet door lock has mentioned that it can be wire to the nearest call point via an electric interface devise or I/O, is that true? if yes can anyone give me some more info please?

I have a L3 system in the communal area of a block of flats. my question is does the electrical riser cupboards and water riser cupboards class as a room opening onto the escape route? and will need detection?

Hello - Hoping someone can cast some clarity on a suitable system for some stand-alone office pods. I'm supplying / building some stand-alone office pods (think garden office type buildings - one room and a small WC - 6.2m long / 3.2m wide) for a commercial project. They'll be 4 pods sited approx. 5m from each other and will be used for general computer based office rooms in the grounds of a larger commercial office building. We have specified a stand-alone, category M fire combined fire alarm and manual call point located at the entrance/exit to the pod along with a smoke alarm with additional sounder in the main office room and wc - see attached pdf showing th…

We have an open plan kitchen and lounge on the first floor of our home - but the ceiling is pitched (height approximately 5-6m). Do we need to have both a smoke and heat alarm fitted in the top of the apex? Or would a single heat alarm suffice?

Hi All, Can you advise me in my question? According to the British Standards smoke detector should be placed on each full landing or otherwise in a staircase in a residential building using a dedicated loop? The residential building has 34 levels.Thank you for help.

If we are extending a fire alarm system with 25 extra smoke detectors should we be issuing an installation certificate or a modifications certificate? I've always used an installation certificate in the past but wondered whether I should be using the modification certificate instead?

If we have extended a fire alarm by an additional 25 smokes should we be supplying the customer with an installation certificate or a modification certificate (or both??) I've always done an install cert in the past but maybe I should be supplying a modification certificate instead? Advice welcomed...

Does anyone know if the requirement for LD2 and LD3 in converted flats has changed or still the same as that stated in the LACoRS guidance?

Hi there, I'm thinking of opening a small restaurant in Bristol. I was wondering what type of fire alarm system it would be best to place in the kitchen. I'm new to this, so sorry if it's a dumm question ? Would be glad to hear some advices.

I have a warehouse of 25 meters height 200 square of area. According to Civil defense requirements I need to have FA system. Can I use FA smoke detectors in HVAC duct as a solely system ?since warehouse HVAC is running 24/7 . And if I do, is there any quote from NFPA Codes that support the argument. because other FA system like VESDA will require 3 months of shut down to install and Beam detectors can not work , because the warehouse is fully automated. Anyone who can provide me with a suitable approved by NFPA system , I would be really grateful. thanks

Hi, has anyone got experience of the following? A two-storey purpose-built block of flats has a communal area from which all flats are accessed. It was built in the 1980’s. It has a mixed fire alarm system. In the communal area there is a BS5839:Part 1, fire alarm system with smoke detection and sounders in each flat. The rented flats all have BS5839:Part 6 standalone systems with heat detection in the kitchen and smoke detection in the hallway. The anomaly is that flats which are owner occupied have varying systems, from battery operated smoke detection in the hallway and some owner-occupied flats do not have any automatic fire detection. Our concerns are th…

Please can you advise on the following fire detection requirements. A Victorian property that has been split into two semi-detached properties. One semi was then converted in the 50’s into 3 flats. Flat 1 is on the ground floor and has its own front and rear entrances so I assume this would be classed as a maisonette. Flat 2, is on the 2nd floor, with Flat 3 on the 3rd floor. Access to the 2nd floor is from an external concrete/stone build staircase. Entering the external door from the top of the external staircase takes you into a small communal hall. This then has direct access through a fire door to the 2nd floor flat. Another fire door in the communal area leads …

hi i have been asked to install a fire alarm system in a mixed use building covering all 5 floors, ground and Ist floor offices and 2nd to 5th floor residential flats. ground floor office has separate entrance ,1st floor has separate and combined entrance with the residential floors. do i do as bs 5839, part 1 or bs 5839 part 6, which regs does it go under and what grade and category. please advice

Hi forum members, I would be grateful if you could advise on the following. A Grade II Listed Georgian house has been converted into three apartments (for over 50 years) with two on the ground floor and one on the upper floors. The upper floor apartment is accessed via an external staircase. The two ground floor apartments are accessed via a shared front door that leads to a small hallway with one apartment either side. Each is ground floor only and each have access to their gardens out the back. My question is whether a fire alarm system is required for the communal ground floor hallway and/or any emergency lighting? Further, are FD30 apartment doors re…

Hi guys I'm in need of upgrading my current brk smoke detectors. I believe they are either 600 or 700 series. Which current day model would be compatible?