SDM - May 2008 - (Page 68)

FIRE ALARM ADDRESSABLES This new, smaller point system from Summit Systems Technologies, a member of the Mircom Group of companies, can get logs remotely and also can dial directly to a central station. 68 May 2008 lines dedicated for communications. Customers labor rates keep going up, the economics mean the have also demanded products that are simple to customer will go for an addressable system at a program and offer intuitive operation.” lower and lower number of zones.” A single-loop addressable system, for example, SPEEDING UP AND BRANCHING OUT requires an installer to pull just one pair of wires for Addressables have changed in all sorts of ways the system, whereas a conventional system requires in recent years. For one, they are faster. In the a wire to each zone. past, polling times and alarm verifications were “So if you are installing a 10-zone system, you accomplished in 90 seconds. That time has been would need 10 separate wires,” Frankenberg points drastically reduced now. out. “With addressables, the same number of zones “The ability to have an alarm in a shorter period can be installed with just one set of wires. With of time is a big development,” says Laurie Eisner, the rising prices of copper, that also helps reduce vice president of product management for Mircom installation costs.” Group, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. “Alarm requireEisner thinks this reduced wiring makes addressments over time have gotten shorter and shorter. able systems better for retrofit situations. “It is “Right now the requirement is at 10 seconds, much easier to fish one wire than multiple wires,” with some jurisdictions requiring as few as three she adds. “The addressable system makes a lot seconds,” she reports. “So both panels and devices more sense.” have been changing over time to be faster.” What this means for the customer is that the They also are smaller. “I think the biggest trend cost versus benefit equation now favors the more we are seeing across the board is the continued tran- feature-rich addressables, Laskoski says. sition to smaller, addressable “There is significantly less labor involved in systems, away from conven- addressable panels,” he asserts. “And there are tional systems,” says Shawn significantly more features. When you put in Laskoski, marketing leader, an addressable system, every single detector is fire and communications, for tracked. A conventional system can only tell you GE Security, Bradenton, Fla. what zone. Eisner points out that “Previously, the cost point had people willing to addressable systems are being forego that,” Laskoski concedes. “But it is really applied to smaller jobs. “In the cost-effective now both from an end-user and from an past, jobs with just a few zones installer standpoint to put in that addressable panel.” might be handled by convenWhat is that cost point currently? Frankenberg tional systems, but now a lot of believes it is from 10 to 12 zones. “If you have that smaller jobs are addressable,” many, it is less expensive to put in a small addressshe says. able system than a conventional system,” FrankenChanges in the way address- berg declares. “On the front end, the cost may be ables are connected plus the a little more for smoke detectors and modules, but increased cost of labor are two long-term, addressable makes a whole lot more big reasons for this change. sense as far as troubleshooting and maintenance.” “Addressable products have moved from a single notifi- INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE BENEFITS cation appliance protocol to Changes to addressable systems have made it easier multiple synchronization protocols covered by a than ever to install and maintain them for the customsingle panel,” McNamara says. er. The increasing proliferation of addressables into “Modules make installations easier,” adds Tim smaller and smaller applications means these benefits Frankenberg, fire products manager, Potter Electric are available to a wider range of customers. Signal Co. LLC, St. Louis. “Originally, systems Besides less wiring, the new modules also are operated on a single contact module. Now there are allowing easier expansion of a system. “In the past, multiple input devices.” they had to put in a contact module and use a conThis means that labor is less for an addressable ventional device,” Frankenberg says. “Now with system than a conventional system. “The equip- the addressable device, they put a single device in, ment is more expensive [for addressables], but the and they are done.” labor is a lot simpler,” Eisner maintains. “Because Another feature many addressable panels have PHOTO COURTESY OF MIRCOM GROUP

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SDM - May 2008

SDM - May 2008 Contents Editor’s Angle Exclusive ISC West Coverage Stanley Convergent’s Newest Acquisition Cisco Introduces New IP Cameras, Expands Physical Security Solution Portfolio Ionit Technologies Partners with Walgreens; Places DVR Systems in Stores Nationwide Pennsylvania-Based Security System Providers Merge Custom Home Electronics Distributor Inks Distribution Agreement Security and the Law Integration Intelligence 18th Annual SDM 100: Double Digits Fire Systems: State of the Market Addressable Fire Control Systems Storage: Where Can We Put All This? Central Station Managed Access Technology at Work 5-Minute Tech Quiz Technology Solutions & Skills Security NetWorkings SDM Marketplace Classifieds

SDM - May 2008

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