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Fire & Safety Equipment

Fire safety equipment is the hardware of a building's fire alarm: detectors and manual call points that start an alarm, the control panel that processes it, and the sounders, beacons and visual alarm devices that warn the people inside. This collection covers conventional and addressable panels by C-TEC, Advanced and Kentec and ESP's MAG range, plus detectors, call points, interfaces, power supplies, fire extinguishers and extinguisher signs.

Choosing Fire & Safety Equipment

A fire alarm is specified as a matched set: detection, a control panel, warning devices and a power supply, drawn from ranges that work with one another.

Conventional, two-wire or addressable

Conventional panels, such as the MAG4 and C-TEC CFP708-4, group devices into zones so the panel shows which area is in alarm. In a two-wire system, detectors and sounders share one pair of cores per zone; the ESP MAGDUO2, MAGDUO4 and MAGDUO8 are 2-wire panels. Addressable panels, such as the MAGPRO16 or the 1-loop 16-zone XFP501E, identify each device on a loop.

Protocol matters

On an addressable system, a loop device must speak the panel's protocol. The C-TEC XFP501E comes in CAST (XFP501E/CA), Apollo XP95/Discovery (XFP501E/X) and Hochiki (XFP501E/H) versions, and the detectors, call points and interfaces fitted to it must match.

Warning devices

Wall and ceiling sounders, sounder beacons and combined sounder VAD bases come in red and white, with weatherproof deep-base versions for outdoor walls.

DeviceRoleExampleStandard
Smoke detectorSenses smokeC-TEC CA416EN54-7
Heat detectorFixed temperature or rate of riseC-TEC C4403A1REN54-5
Manual call pointRaises the alarm by handC-TEC CA470EN54-11
SounderAudible warningC-TEC BF431C/CC/WEN54-3
Visual alarm deviceVisible warningApollo 55000-745APOEN54-23
Input/output moduleInputs and outputs on the loopCygnus SN.IOU00.1EN 54-18
Power supplyPowers panel and devicesHaydon HAY-PSUEN54-5AEN54-4

Standards & compliance

The Cygnus SN.IOU00.1 input output unit is certified to EN 54-18, and the C-TEC CFP708-4 panel has certified compliance with EN54.

Brands we stock in Fire & Safety Equipment

3E Security, Acre, Advanced, Aico, Airsense, Ajax, Apollo Fire, Aritech, Axis Communications, Bell System, Bull, C-TEC, Comelit PAC, CQR, Cranford Controls, Cygnus, Dahua Technology, Eaton, Elmdene, ESP, Fike, FireClass, Haes Technologies, Haydon, Hikvision, Hochiki, Honeywell Commercial Security, Honeywell Fire Systems, Hoyles, KAC by Honeywell, Kentec Electronics, Kidde, Klaxon, Knightsbridge, LINIAN, Mercury, Morley-IAS, Nittan, Notifier, Opus Technologies, Protect, Pyronix, Safety Technology International, Scope, System Sensor, Takex, Texecom, Videx, Vimpex, Winland Electronics, Xtralis by Honeywell and Zeta.

Vimpex supplies the most products.

Related categories

Browse by type: fire alarm systems, fire detectors and manual call points. Escape lighting is in emergency lighting.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a conventional and an addressable fire alarm?

A conventional panel, such as the MAG4 or C-TEC CFP708-4, shows which zone is in alarm. An addressable panel, such as the MAGPRO16 or C-TEC XFP501E, identifies each detector and call point individually on a loop, which points straight to the device that operated.

What is a two-wire fire alarm?

A two-wire system carries detectors and sounders on the same pair of cores for a zone, which reduces cabling. The ESP MAGDUO 2-wire range has 2, 4 and 8 zone panels, matching call points, sounders and sounder strobes, and panel kits that bring the parts together.

Can I mix detectors from different manufacturers on one panel?

On an addressable loop the devices must use the panel's protocol. The C-TEC XFP501E is sold in CAST, Apollo XP95/Discovery and Hochiki versions, and detectors, call points and interfaces on that loop must use the same protocol as the panel they report to.

Which standards apply to fire alarm sounders and beacons?

Sounders are tested to EN 54-3 and visual alarm devices to EN 54-23, and some combined units are certified to both, such as the C-TEC BF456C/CC/W and BF433C/CC/DR sounder VADs marked EN54-3/23. The C-TEC BF430C/CC/SR hi-output wall sounder is LPCB certified to EN54-3.

Is there wireless fire alarm equipment?

Yes. Ajax FireProtect devices communicate over Jeweller radio; the EN54 FireProtect Sounder 118603.278.BL1 runs on 4×CR123A batteries, and the FireProtect Plus 38107.16.WH1 on 2 × CR2 main batteries with a CR2032 backup. The Aico Ei407 RadioLINK manual call point has a 10-year battery. Wireless devices suit buildings where running new cable is impractical.

What accessories are there for fire alarm panels?

Panel accessories include EN54-4 power supplies, relay and input/output modules, loop isolators, repeater panels, programming tools, spare keys and battery boxes. For Advanced panels there are printers, semi-flush bezels and enclosures, and for MAG panels expander cards and spare barrels.

What parts make up a fire alarm system?

Detectors and manual call points that start the alarm, a control panel that processes it, sounders, beacons and visual alarm devices that warn people, and a power supply. The C-TEC CA416 smoke detector, for example, is certified to EN54-7 and the Haydon HAY-PSUEN54-5A power supply to EN54-4.

What is a visual alarm device?

A visual alarm device (VAD) is a flashing light that warns people who may not hear a sounder, tested to EN54-23. Combined sounder VAD bases, such as C-TEC ActiV units marked EN54-3/23, put a sounder and a VAD in one base beneath the detector.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
  • UK-only supply

Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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