Connecting multiple Firepoint 2 control panels together to create a very large installation.

Preamble

A single Firepoint 2 fire alarm control panel has two alarm monitoring circuits and each of these circuits can monitor up to 64 detection devices (for example, smoke detectors, call-points or heat detectors).  This means that a single control panel can monitor a maximum of 128 devices.

If you need to have more than 128 detection devices or if, for some other reason, you need to join two Firepoint 2 control panels together then this technical note explains how to do so.  The process is very simple and reliable.

This document does not tell you how to join a Firepoint 2 control panel to a fire alarm system supplied by some other fire alarm manufacturer.  If that is what you need to do then please click here

The final outcome of the process

After you have joined two or more panels together using the method described in this document you will find that a fire detected by any panel will cause the alarms connected to all the panels to sound.  However only the panel that detected the alarm condition will show the location of the fire and only that panel will have red fire lamps illuminated.  This means that even with several panels joined together it will still be very clear where the alarm originated.

Background information

The controller printed circuit board (that's the PCB in the lid) of every Firepoint 2 control panel has three terminals marked as shown below:

Evac _|_ Class

The middle terminal is the common.  Sometimes in our documentation we refer to these terminals as the "manual-ring" terminals.

The power printed circuit board (that's the PCB in the back of the chassis) has a relay with three terminals marked:

COM    NC    NO

These are defined as COM=common terminal, NC=Normally closed, NO=Normally open.

During normal operation the NC terminal is joined to the COM terminal by the relay contacts.  However in an alarm condition, while the alarms are sounding, the NO terminal will be joined to the COM terminal.

Method

1. On each control panel, ,join the "COM" terminal on the power PCB to the "common" terminal on the controller PCB.
   
   
2. On each control panel join the "NO" terminal of the power PCB to the "class" terminal of the controller PCB.
   
   
3. Join all the "COM" terminals of all the control panels together.
   
   
4. Join all of the "NO" terminals of all the control panels together.
   
   
5. On each control panel, use the menu controls to choose whether manual ring will be continuous or pulsing.  The required menu option is on menu number 4.  Whether you choose continuous or pulsed will depend on the layout of the building and other factors.  If in doubt, choose continuous and then seek expert advice.
   

We will get a picture of the wiring arrangements onto the web-site as soon as possible but, in the meantime, please ask us to fax or post one to you if you need it.

Testing

All of the Firepoint 2 fire alarms should be seen to have the green power "supply on" lamps illuminated.  There should be no yellow or red lamps illuminated on any of the fire alarms.

Now activate a detector or call-point attached to the first fire alarm control panel.  Within a two or three seconds the red lamps should illuminate ON THAT PANEL ONLY.   The alarms, however, should begin to sound from ALL the fire alarm panels.

Issuing an evacuate signal at the first control panel will have a similar result, namely red lamps on only that one panel but alarms sounding from all panels.

The alarm can only be silenced at the panel from which it originated — the one with the illuminated red lamps.  When the alarm is silenced (using the keyswitch) then the alarms will cease at all panels and all panels will resume normal monitoring.  The red lamps on the originating panel will remain illuminated until the alarm is fully reset.

The same process should be repeated for all of the fire alarm control panels.

Limitations

Using the method described above you can connect several Firepoint 2 fire alarms together.  The maximum number of panels that can be joined is mainly determined by how much wall-space you have to install them on.  The other factor that must be considered is the total length of the cable that joins the panels togther and whether that cable needs extra protection against voltage transients.

You should keep all of the panels physically close together, partly to reduce the length of the interconnecting cable and partly so that all the panels are visible at the same time so that a person looking at the panels can see quickly and clearly which panel has originated a fire signal.

Maximum number of detectors

Number of panels	Maximum number of detectors
1	128
2	256
3	384
4	512
5	640
6	768

Don't forget that two addresses on each panel are reserved for non-latching devices.  Also, it is wise to leave room for extra detectors on each panel in case a part of the installation needs to be expanded later.  By leaving some addresses on each panel unused it is more likely that the system can be expanded without having to run new cables.  If you are creating a very large installation using more than one panel then we suggest that you leave at least 7 addresses unused on each loop (14 per panel) so that you have some capacity to add more detectors to each set of cabling later if it becomes necessary.

Links

The Firepoint 2 fire alarm control panel.