Hochiki SOC-E3N(BLK) Conventional Photoelectric Smoke Detector, Black

Overview

This is a black version of a conventional point smoke detector from Hochiki. A conventional detector signals its zone, not its own address, so the panel shows which zone is in alarm.

Its high performance photoelectric chamber removes the need for ionisation detectors in most applications.

How it works

• Photoelectric sensing: smoke drifting into the chamber is sensed optically. A baffle lets smoke in while keeping out ambient light.
• Drift compensation: dust slowly builds up in any chamber. ASWV adjusts for it so the head stays at its optimum sensitivity.
• Contamination warning: when compensation can no longer cope, the red LED flashes every three seconds as a visual warning.

Where to use it

Fit it on conventional zones where a black head is wanted. It works from -10°C to +50°C and up to 95% RH, non-condensing, so it is an indoor detector.

For kitchens and other areas where cooking fumes or steam are normal, a heat detector is usually the better choice.

What the figures mean in practice

• Quiescent current: this is the standby draw that adds up across every device on the zone, which matters when sizing standby batteries.
• Alarm current: the panel must be able to supply this to each head that operates, so check the zone limits in the panel manual.
• Remote indicator drive: enough to run a separate LED indicator outside a locked room or above a ceiling void.

Installing it

The head plugs into one of the listed Hochiki bases, such as the YBN-R/6. Fix and wire the base first, then fit the head.

As a rule, fit the heads last, after the building work and dusty trades have finished, and test each one with a suitable smoke tester before handover.

Planning your system

Decide early whether the job is conventional or addressable, because the two cannot share devices. On a conventional system, the zone layout and the fire alarm panel set how precisely a fire can be found.

The wider range of fire detectors covers heat and multi-sensor heads for rooms where smoke detection is not suitable. More Hochiki detection products cover the rest of the system.

Standards and ratings explained

• EN54 Part 7: the standard for point smoke detectors. LPCB approval means a third party has tested it against that standard.
• IP42: a basic level of protection against small objects and dripping water, suited to indoor ceilings.