Hochiki Addressable Fire Alarm Wall Sounder, Loop Powered, White CHQ-WS2(WHT)

Overview

A wall sounder is the device that tells people to leave when the fire alarm operates. This one sits on an addressable loop, where every device has its own address, so the panel knows exactly which unit it is talking to.

It belongs to the family of Hochiki sounders and draws its power from the loop, so no separate supply cable is needed to the sounder.

How it works

• Tones and volume: 51 user-selectable tones and a range of volume levels. Using one tone throughout a building keeps the alarm signal clear to occupants.
• Auto shutdown: the sounder stops itself once a set time has passed. Set a limit only where the fire strategy allows it, and only if the control panel supports it.
• Isolator base option: fitted to the isolator base, a short circuit on the loop can be cut off at that point, at a slightly higher quiescent current of 200 µA.

Where to use it

IP21 suits dry indoor walls, such as corridors, offices and plant rooms with no water. For an external wall, fit it with the WS2-WPK weatherproof kit to reach IP65. The guide to commercial fire alarm systems explains how sounders fit into the wider design.

What the figures mean in practice

• 90 ~ 102 dB(A): a close-up figure. As a rule, sound drops with distance and through doors, so the system designer sets how many sounders each area needs.
• 2 mA ~ 8 mA: the sounding current rises with volume. Add every sounder at its chosen level when checking loop loading on the panel.
• 17 ~ 41 VDC: keep the far end of the loop inside this range, allowing for voltage drop on long runs.

Installing it

Address the sounder with the TCH-B100 hand held programmer before fitting, and keep to addresses 1 to 127. Fix the base first: the standard YBO-R/3(RED) base or the YBO-R/SCI(RED) isolator base, with fixing centres of 48 ~ 74 mm.

Planning your system

• Bases: order one base per sounder. The isolator base adds short circuit protection on the loop.
• Visual warning: where people may not hear an alarm, compare the options in the fire alarm sounders and beacons range.
• Same maker: browse Hochiki fire equipment to keep detectors, call points and sounders on one protocol.
• Panel: check that the control panel supports Hochiki's addressable devices and the functions you plan to use.