411UDAC
Fire Alarm Communicator
Pe eed
pry
Installation, Programming, Troubleshooting
and Operating Instruction Manual
(nw Freie Place Document #51073
North, CT 06472 2/13/2008 Rev.
Phone (203) 484-7161, 2
FAK (203) 488-7118Fire Alarm System Limitations
‘An automatic fire alarm system-typically made up of
smoke detectors. heat detectors. manual pull stations,
audible waming devices, and a fire alarm control panel with
emote notification capabilty-can provide early warning of a
developing fire, Such a system, however, does not assure
protection against property damage or loss of Ife resulting
froma firo,
The Manufacturer recommonds that smoke andlor heat
detectors be located throughout a protected premise follow-
ing the recommendations of the current edtion of the
National Fire Protection Association Standard 72 (NFPA 72),
manufacturer's recommendations, Stale and local codes,
and the recommendations contained in the Guides for
Proper Use of Sysiem Smoke Detectors. which are made
Available at no charge to al nstaling dealers. These docu
‘mens can be found al hilp/iww systemsensor com/htmy
‘applicat nl. A study by the Federal Emergency Manage-
‘ment Agency (an agency of the United States government)
indicated that smoke detectors may not go off in as many as
‘35% of all ras. Whie fire alarm
systems ara designed lo provide early waming against fie
they do not guarantee warning oF protection against fo A
fire alarm system may not provide timely or adequate
warning, oF simply may nol function, for @ variety of reasons
‘Smoke detectors may nol sense fre where smoke cannot
‘each the detectors such as in chimneys, in or behind walls,
fon roofs, oF an the other side of closed doors. Smoke
Ueleclors also may not sense « fie on another level oF Noor
‘ofa building. A socond fleor detector. for example, may nol
‘sansa a feshfloor or basement tra
Particlos of combustion or “emake” (/om a developing fre
‘may nol reach the sensing chambers of smoke datectors
because:
+ Barriers such as closed or partially closed doors, walls, or
chimneys may inhibit particle or smoke flow.
+ Smoke panicles may become “cold.” stratify, and not
reach the ceiling oF upper walls where detectors are
located.
+ Smoke particles may be blown away from detectors by air
outlets,
+ Smoke particles may be drawn inlo air returns before
reaching the detector
The amount of "smoke" present may be insufficient to alarm
hoke detectors, Smoke detectors are designed to alarm
at various levels of smoke density. If such densily levels ara
Not created by a developing fire al te location of detectors,
the detectors will not go into alarm
‘Smoke detectors, even when working properly, have sens
Ing Iinitations, Detectors that have photoelectronic sensing
chambers tend fo detect smoldenng fires better thar lar
ing fires, which have litle visible smoke, Detectors that have
fonizing-type sensing chambers tend to detect fast-amning
fas betor than smoldering fires. Because fires develop
different ways and are offen unpredictable in their growth
neither type of detector is necessarily best and a given type
of detector may not provide adequate warning of a fire.
‘Smoke detectors cannot be expected to provide adequate
warning of fires caused by arson, children playing with
‘matches (especially in bedrooms), smoking in bed, and
violent explosions (caused by escaping gas, improper stor
While a fire alarm system may lower insurance
rates, it is not a substitute for fire insurance!
‘age of flammable materiale, ete )
Heat detectors do not sense parlicles of combustion and
alarm only when heat on their sensors increases at a
presoterminad rate oF reaches a predetermined level.
Rale-o-rise heal detectors may be subject 0 reduced
sensitivity over hme, For his reason, the rate-ot se
feature of each detector should be tested at least once
per year by a qualified fire protection specialist. Hoat
olectors aro designed lo protect property, not lie
IMPORTANT! Smoke detectors must be installed in the
‘same room as the contvol panel and in rooms used by
the system for ihe connection of alarm transmission
‘eiring. communications, signaling, and/or power. Mt
electors are not so localed, a developing fire may
damage the alarm system, crippling &s ability to report
attire
‘Audible warning devices such as bells mey not alert
peopl if thase devices are lacated on the other side of
closed or partly open doars or are located on another
floor of a building, Any waming device may fail to alert
‘people with a disability or thase who have recently con-
sumed drugs, alcohol or medication. Please nole that
+ Strobes can, under cartain circumstances, cause
Seizures i peopl wih conditions such as eplepsy.
+ Studies have shown that certain people, even when
they hear a fie alarm signal, do not fespond oF com-
Drahend the meaning of the signal. It's the property
‘owns responsibilty to conduct fre drs ano other
Iraining exercise to make people aware of fre alarm
signals and instruct them on the proper reaction to
alarm signals,
+ In tare instances, the sounding of a waming cevice
‘can cause temporary oF permanent hearing less.
{A fire alarm system will nol operate without any
elecincal power. lI AC power fails, the system wil
‘operate from standby batteries only for a specified time
and only if the battoros have bean properly maintained
and replaced regularly
Equipment used in the system may nol be technically
campatible with the control. It's essential to use only
‘equipment lisied for service with your control panel
Telephone lines needed {o transmit alarm signals (rom
1 premise to a central monitoring station may be out of
‘service or temporarily disabled. For added protection
‘against telephone line failure, backup radio transms~
sion ystems are recommended
‘The most common cause of fire alarm malfunction is
inadequate mainienanca. To keep the entre fir alarm
system in excellent working order, ongoing maintenance
| required per the manufacturer's recommendations,
and UL and NFPA standards. Ala minimum, the require
ments of NEPA 72 shall be followed. Environments with
large amounts of dust, dit or high air velocity raquire
more frequen! maintenance, A maintenance agreement
should be arranged through the local manufacturer's
(epresentalive. Maintenance should be scheduled
monthly or as required by National andior local fre codes
‘and should be performed by authorized professional fre
alarm installers only. AUaquate weilan records ofall
Ingpactions should be keptInstallation Precautions
WARNING - Severn! different sources of power can bie
connected to the fre aterm contre! panel, Disconnect all
‘sources of power belore servicing. Control unit and asso-
siated equipment may be damaged by removing ardior
inserting cards, modules, or interconnecting cables while
the unit's energized. Do not attempt to install service, or
‘operate this unit unt this manual ig read and understood
CAUTION - System Reaccepiance Test aller Sofware
Changes. To ensure proper system operation, this product
must be lested in accordance with NEPA 72 after any
programming operation or change in site-specific software
Reacceptance testing is required aller any change,
addition or deletion of system components, or after any
‘moditication, repair or adjustment to system hardware oF
wiring
Al components, ereulls, system operations, oF sofware
functions known to be affected by a change must be 100%
tested. In addition, la ensure thal ether operations are not
‘inadvertently affected, al least 10% of initiating devices that
are nol directly affected by the change, up to a maximum of
‘50 devices, must also be lesled and proper system
‘operation verified
‘This system meets NEPA requirements for indoor dry
‘operation al 0-49" C'32-120" F and al a slave humiily of
193 42% RH (non-condensing) at 32 42° C/00 43° F
Howaver, the useful life of the system's standby batteries
land the electronic componenis may be adversely affected
by extreme temperature ranges and humidity. Theselore, it
|s recommended thal this sysiem and all peripherals be
Instalad In an environment with @ nominal room tempera
ture of 15:27" 160-60" F
Verity that wire sizes are adequate for ail initiating and
indicating device loope. Refer to manual Specifications
section for maximum allowable LR. drop from the specified
device voltage,
Adherence to the following will aid in problem-froe
installation with tong-term reliability:
Like all solid state electronic devices, this system may
operate erratically or ean be damaged whan subjosted to
lightning-induced transients. Although no system is
completely immune from lightning transients. and
inerferancas, proper grounding wil reduce susceatibity.
‘Qvemoad or outside aerial wiring Is not racommendod. due
1 an increased suscopubinty 10 nearby lightning strikes:
Consult with the Technical Services Department i any
problems are anticipated or encountered
Disconnect AC powor and battorias prior fo removing oF
insertina cireut boards. Falure to do so can damage
eireuits
Remove all electronic assemblies prior fo any driling,
Ming. reaming, oF punching of the enclosure. When
possible, make all cable entnes from the sides or ear,
Before making modifications, verily that they will not
fore with battery, transformer, and printed eit board
fecation
Do not tighton eerow terminate mora than 9 indbs
Over-tighlenina may damage threads, resulting in reduced
terminal contact pressure and dificlly with screw terminal
removal
This system contains static-sensitive components.
‘Always ground yourself with a proper wrist strap belore
handing any cieaits so that static charges are renewed
from tha body. Use stalic-suppreasive pockoging to
prolact eleciranic assemblies removed fram the unit
Follow the instructions in the installation, operating, and
programming manuals. These instuctions must be
followed to avoid damage to the control panel and
associated equipment. FACP operation and reliability
{depend upon proper installation by authorized personnel
FCC Warning
WARNING: This equipment generates, uses, and can.
radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and
Used in accordance wilh the insitucton manual, may
‘cause interference to radio communications, it has
bbeen tested and found to comply with the limits for class
A-computing device pursuant tn Subpart B of Part 15 of
FCC Rules, which is designed to provide reasonable
protection agains\ such interference whven operaled in a
‘commercial environment. Operation of this equipment
In a reskdeniial area 1s likely to cause interference.
‘which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at thew own expense,
Canadian Requirements
This digital apparatus does not excoed tha Class A
Vinuts for radiation no'se emissions ftom digital
‘apparatus set out jn the Radio Interference Regulations
of the Canadian Popariment of Communications
‘Le present apparol numerique n'emet pas de bruits
radigolectriques depassant tes bnites upplcables. ux
‘appareils numoriques de a classe A proserites dans lo
Reglement sur le trouillage radioelectrique edicie par
Je ministere des Communications du Canada,