Conventional or Addressable fire alarm system

Which is better, conventional or addressable fire alarm system

A fire alarm system has a number of devices working together to detect and warn people through visual and audio appliances when smoke, fire, carbon monoxide or other emergencies are present.

Choosing a fire alarm system isn’t just about adhering to legal requirements; it’s also about saving time, money and effort.

A Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP), or Fire Alarm Control Unit (FACU), is the controlling component of a Fire Alarm System.

Regardless of the type of system installed, all have to meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes, local regulations, and the NBC Part 4 Life Safety Code enforced by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).  All commercial buildings are required to have a code compliant fire alarm system, the best way to ensure proper installation is to hire a licensed integrator with knowledge and experience.

The most common types of alarms that businesses use are conventional and addressable alarm systems.

Both types of alarm link devices (such as call points and smoke detectors) to a main control panel. The main difference between the two is that with addressable fire alarm systems, you can pinpoint exactly which device has been activated.

Conventional Fire Alarm

The conventional fire alarm system is based on analog electrical system. It is an old system usually installed in small offices or homes.

The main difference is the configuration or the connection of the devices with the main control panel. There is a separate circuit or wired connection for each device.

Since there are separate wires for each device, the cost for cables and the installation cost is relatively higher than addressable fire alarm. But the main control panel is quite simple and cheap which reduces the overall cost of the conventional fire alarm. Therefore they are used in business having smaller building sizes and lower budget.

Each circuit connected with the main panel is used for monitoring a specified area known as zones. For example, each floor of a multi-storied building can be divided into zones. Each floor has multiple sensors and detectors connected with the main control panel through a single circuit.

Since it cannot pinpoint the exact location of the fire in the building, it is difficult for fire fighter to find the exact location and extinguish the fire before it cause further damage. In case the device connected in a circuit stops working or if the wire of the circuit breaks, it is quite difficult to spot the fault. You need to check each device in the circuit to spot the faulty one.

Addressable Fire Alarm

As the name suggest, the addressable fire alarm system assigned each individual devices a unique address. It is a digital updated version of the conventional fire alarm where each detectors or sensors have unique identity. Therefore, each device has its own identity which makes it easier to identify which device has been triggered and spot the location of fire. The system quickly notifies the local responders to take the necessary action to stop further damage.

The wiring of addressable fire alarm is very simple. They are connected in a single loop thus saving the cost of wiring and installation. However, the equipment used is quite expensive and the initial cost of the system is quite high. Therefore, such systems are suitable for large buildings having many rooms and have high budget.

It is a digital system with a digitally programmable main control panel that allows to program the threshold of the detectors. This feature allows it to be used in any kind of environment and prevent any false alarm that could end up wasting first responder’s resources and affect the business.

Apart from that, the control panel can detect any faulty device and its exact location in order to replace or troubleshoot the said device. The smart programmable control panel can also be programmed to detect any potential fire hazard (such as gas leaks) and notify the personnel to remove it before the buzzer is triggered. Since the detectors are connected to the main panel through both ends of the wire, break at one end of the wire will not affect its operation as it can send the signal through the other end. This feature makes it more reliable than conventional fire alarm.

How do addressable and conventional alarms differ? 

Every device connected to the addressable system has its own unique address. When a fire is detected, the device’s address shows up on the main control panel, telling you exactly which device has been activated. This will enable you to find the exact location of a fire and extinguish them quickly.

With a conventional system, there is no way of pinpointing the exact location of the fire. However, by wiring your building into different zones, you can get a general idea of where the fire is. For instance, if you have two floors, you could wire the first as ‘zone 1’ and the second as zone 2. So if a fire occurs in zone 1, you know that the fire is somewhere on the first floor.

Wiring differences

Addressable alarm systems connect devices using a Loop. This is where one wire connects all devices to the control panel. Both ends of the wire loop connect to the control panel.

With a conventional alarm, each device will be connected to the control panel via its own wire, rather than a shared one. One end of the wire will be touching the device, and another touching the control panel. 

Which is the cheaper option for you? 

Conventional alarm panels cost a lot less to buy but are more expensive to install. This is because each device that is being connected needs its own wire. With addressable systems, one wire loop will connect several devices. This means conventional systems require more wire and more man hours during the installation phase.

Additionally, addressable systems have a range of other facilities that can help save money. For instance, addressable alarm panels monitor the air flow through smoke detectors to prevent the occurrence of false alarms, which can be costly to a business.

Conventional fire alarm India cost a lot less to buy but are more expensive to install. Because all the devices connected to the control panel needs its own wire. With addressable systems, several devices can be connected to the control panel with one wire loop. This means conventional systems require more wire and more man hours during the installation phase.

Following comparison table shows the key differences between addressable and conventional fire alarm systems.

Conventional Fire Alarm	Addressable Fire Alarm
The fire alarm system where the each detector is connected using separate parallel circuit to the control panel.	The fire alarm system where the detectors are connected using a single loop of wire to the main control panel.
The detectors inside a circuit cannot be distinguished from each other.	The detectors are assigned with unique binary address.
There are 1 or more than 1 circuits.	There is only one circuit.
It requires more wires to connect each device.	It require less wires as it uses only one circuit.
It cannot pin point the exact location of fire in a building.	It can pinpoint the exact location of fire.
The main control panel is not programmable.	The main control panel is programmable.
The alarm signal is sent using an analog electrical signal.	The alarm signal is sent in a digital binary form.
The detector’s threshold cannot be programmed.	The detector’s threshold can be programed according to the environment.
It is more affected by false alarms.	it nullifies any false alarms due to its programmable features.
There is no such warning feature for potential fire hazard.	It carefully monitors and based on smart decision send warning for potential fire hazard in a specific location.
There is no RTC (real time clock) chip.	The RTC chip offer a. event log for analysis.
The Conventional alarm system is less reliable.	The addressable system is far more reliable than conventional system.
The installation takes many labor hours and cost more than addressable fire alarm.	The installation is easier and can be quickly installed with minimum investment.
The overall equipment used in conventional fire alarm is very cheap.	The overall equipment used is very expensive.
It is used for small offices or building where such smart system is not necessary.	It is used for large buildings with business where they can’t afford to lose any time.

Overall, the conventional fire alarm is inexpensive and used in small building. however, the addressable fire alarm is very smart and sophisticated system which is very expensive but it is more reliable. Bottom line, conventional fire alarm should be  installed in building where it is easier to spot the fire (such as in building having fewer rooms) While the addressable fire alarm should be installed in large buildings.

Which is more reliable?
The addressable alarm panel is also the more reliable of the two. This is because the wire connects to the control panel at both ends (see the diagram above). If one end of the loop becomes severed, signals can still be sent to the control panel via the other end of the loop. Loop isolation modules are also used to separate devices on the loop. This means that if one device becomes disconnected, it won’t disable the circuit. With a conventional system, if a wire has become severed, the device will become disconnected.

Overall

The most obvious difference between the two, in terms of installation, is cabling requirements and labor costs.  Due to the fact that addressable systems require less cabling they make for less complex installations.  Functionally, the addressable fire alarm unit is superior, which can help prevent costly activities and save time when detecting a fire. It’s also cheaper and easier to install. But in terms of buying price, a conventional system is cheaper, and will meet the functional needs of small premises where a sophisticated system is not necessary.