C-TEC Sycall Manual Call Point, No Break, Surface Mount, Red BF370S

What this call point does

This C-TEC unit lets anyone raise a fire alarm by hand. Pressing the face moves the element, and the panel takes it from there.

It suits installers working on conventional systems, and building managers who want to stop replacing glasses after every activation or false alarm.

How it works

• Resettable element: the action mimics the feel of breaking glass, so people know it has worked, and the key puts it back in service.
• Alarm ring: the face lights up on activation, which makes the operated unit easy to find on a long corridor.
• Photoluminescent window: this material glows after light falls on it, which helps people find the window when the lights go out.

Where to use it

It is rated from -30ºC to +70ºC and IP42, which suits most indoor positions. For damp or exposed spots, look at the weatherproof BF370S/W version instead.

In most buildings, call points sit at exits and on the routes to them. The system design sets the exact positions and mounting height.

What the figures mean in practice

• 62mm depth: this includes the back box, so it is the true stand-off from the wall for a surface job.
• 4.5-30Vdc: a wide range, though the zone voltage still comes from your panel, so check the panel's documentation.
• Resistor values: conventional panels use a set resistor to recognise a call point operating. That is why the value here is chosen by wiring connection.

Installing it

• Surface first: the supplied back box makes this a surface job out of the box.
• Flush option: plan for the BF370SFP red flush mounting plate before first fix if you want a flush finish.
• Out of service: as a rule, keep the label on any unit not yet commissioned, so nobody relies on it.

Planning your system

The job also needs a compatible fire alarm panel with zones to suit the building. See the wider C-TEC range if you are matching other devices on the same system, and compare other manual call points if you need a different finish.

A conventional system reports by zone and not by individual device, so plan zones so the fire service can find the alarm quickly.

Standards and ratings explained

• EN54 Part 11: the standard for manual call points, here certified by the LPCB.
• EN54 Part 13: the standard for compatibility assessment of system components, here certified by the BSI.
• IP42: protection against objects over 1 mm and dripping water at an angle, so keep it indoors and dry.