Conventional or Analog Fire Panels

Fire control panels are the "brain" of an installation, since they collect the signals detected by the peripherals and activate the warning and evacuation signals of the installation.

Fire panels can be classified into two types, conventional fire panels and analog fire panels:

Conventional Fire Panels

A conventional fire panel has different alarm zones, each one with a capacity of up to 32 devices, including detectors and push buttons (limited by regulations).

These control panels have zones that connect by cable (between 1 mm and 2.5 mm) to the detectors and pushbuttons. Generally, the wiring can extend up to 800 meters or 1200 meters, always with certified cable, twisted (more than 20 turns per meter) and halogen-free (RF in signaling devices), with a resistor at the end of the zone to verify the correct operation of the installation.

Conventional fire panels are the ideal solution for small or medium-sized installations, as they can be installed quickly, sectoring detectors and pushbuttons by areas and showing which detector has been triggered by means of the LED lights integrated in each device. With all this, we can find several advantages and limitations in these systems:

Advantages

• These devices are remarkably cost-effective.
• Installation is simple.
• The programming is very quick and easy, being ready in a matter of minutes.

Limitations

• Requires separation of detectors and pushbuttons from sirens.
• The panel provides limited information.
• Less flexibility regarding the programming.


Analog Fire Panel


The main difference with a conventional fire panel is the greater capacity to manage more devices and to be able to make a much more complex configuration that can adapt to all types of installations and places.

In addition to having a greater capacity of devices, analog fire panels also have greater control over each point (detector, push button, module or siren). The addressable or analog system communicates with each point of the system through a data protocol obtaining information and individual management of each device.

In the event of an alarm, the control panel knows exactly which point (detector, push button, module or siren) has been activated. The devices have a unique programming number that differentiates them from other elements.

The capacity of an analog fire panel is greater than that of a conventional fire panel. Depending on the protocol used, it can have up to 254 devices in the same loop, allowing mixing all types of devices and having a point-to-point description of the entire installation.

As regards wiring, in a conventional fire panel the devices are installed in a zone and the line is closed with a resistor. Conversely, in analog fire panels, the wiring must return to the central, as if it were a loop, which will make the installation fault tolerant, since in the event of a fault the central will have the ability to isolate it and continue reading the devices on the other side.

The advantages and limitations of these systems are:

Advantages:

• Ideal for medium to large installations.
• High installation and programming flexibility.
• Reduced wiring installation.

Limitaciones

• Increased complexity .
• Need to return with the cable to the control panel .
• Higher price .

Visiotech offers in its product catalog different fire detection solutions, based on both conventional and analog fire panels, being able to cover most fire safety installations.