Fire alarm spur

[Andy™]

Anyonw know much about fire alarm regs? @kerching

Site has a fire alarm panel with a fused spur adjacent. fed from its own circuit at the DB. fire alarm co are saying this is wrong and the fused spur needs replaced (they havent said what with). is this correct?

 

[binky]

sounds like non-sense to me, unless they are trying to insist it should be a red coloured switch, but I don't recall anything that makes that compulsory.

 

[kerching]

Sorry lads but I don't do,them anymore

however talking to an 'engineer,' on one of my sites (his company has taken over the fire alarm maintenance ....and I had to show him how to switch off non latching on the C Tec panel!     Engineer my arshe).  He said the double pole  local,isolation was no longer a requirement. But I wouldn't trust an 'engineer'' 

 

[Andy™]

sounds like non-sense to me, unless they are trying to insist it should be a red coloured switch, but I don't recall anything that makes that compulsory.

sounded like nonsense to me either. dont do fire alarms so couldnt say but it does look like they are trying to create unnecessary work

 

[kerching]

5 years ago they had to be double pole.....isolation of all "live" conductors....since Neutral,is now a Live WTAF!

 

[binky]

sounded like nonsense to me either. dont do fire alarms so couldnt say but it does look like they are trying to create unnecessary work

every panel I have seen in larger buildings and small commercial has been on it's own cct with  fused spur (unswitched) located close to panel so it can be isolated if necessary for maintenance work. Only other point is that the supply cable should be fire rated I think - not sure if that applies to all circumstances?

 

[Andy™]

every panel I have seen in larger buildings and small commercial has been on it's own cct with  fused spur (unswitched) located close to panel so it can be isolated if necessary for maintenance work. Only other point is that the supply cable should be fire rated I think - not sure if that applies to all circumstances?

this one is wired in T&E. that has never been mentioned, only the spur. asked around elsewhere and had a look through 5839 2013 & 2017, seems as though 2013 required DP isolation but 2017 doesnt, so they are working to old requirements... dont think much of the company, however my customer still uses them. trying to find someone to do the job properly is hard, at least this bunch of muppets actually turn up to site, pretty much the only reason they are still being used

 

[kerching]

I think lattest 5839 asks for supply cable to be fire rated

 

[Sharpend]

afaik, Fire alarms are supplied in a FP cable on own circuit with a red unswitched spur. I'm guessing the red plastic must be fire retardant?? or do they just join the FP's direct through in the box?

I can confirm tomorrow as fire company are on site this week.

 

[Phoenix]

I think the requirements are:

Double pole breaking

Tamperproof

Visual indication on which state its in

and the isolation device has to have at least 3mm contact separation which rules out grid switch arrangement that used to be used as most secret keys are only for functional switching and don't ahev a clear indication of what state its in

This: https://www.firedetectionshop.co.uk/fire-alarm-accessories/fire-alarm-mains-keyswitch-isolators/fire-alarm-mains-isolator-with-keyswitch-red/?gclid=CjwKCAjwo9rtBRAdEiwA_WXcFju3ajJ5uI_Cy3gUxnOeAkYk63STZJ8zf6DZAmdy_1bCmh8KtfmEphoCBgQQAvD_BwE

will be what they want to see, and its a straight swap out for the fused spur

Supply should be fire rated, but if they haven't asked for that then thats their bad, I'd probably not eit in comments on your minor works though, and just put the scope of works as something like "Replace fused spur on fire alarm supply with key operated isolator as requested by fire alarm servicing organisation"

 

[Evans Electric]

As said above ,  things change ..........  all I remember is  two options  we were obliged to install .

1)   An unswitched spur unit .

2)   An old fashioned  metalclad  15A sw/ fuse  Painted red and "Clearly labelled "    

 

[Risteard]

afaik, Fire alarms are supplied in a FP cable on own circuit with a red unswitched spur. I'm guessing the red plastic must be fire retardant?? or do they just join the FP's direct through in the box?

I can confirm tomorrow as fire company are on site this week.

Normally key switched rather than unswitched. 

 

[Sharpend]

Normally key switched rather than unswitched. 

quite correct my bad!