FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY SOUND THE ALARM: COUNTERFEIT CONSEQUENCES
Paul Pope, Head of Systems Integration & Technical Support at Apollo Fire Detectors offers advice on how to avoid the dangers of bogus fire detection devices.
There are few product categories where the consequences of using counterfeit goods is as potentially catastrophic as that of fire detection equipment. Although the reported cases of imitation detectors are rare, the potential risks should never be underestimated.
When it comes to fire detection equipment, the rigorous design process, validation testing, testing before and during production, and the ongoing quality checks that authentic professional companies carry out is key to the reliability of their life safety products. Counterfeit products may, to the untrained eye, look identical, but no copycat product will ever benefit the end user in terms of protecting and saving lives as well as one which has been through a meticulous testing procedure.
At Apollo, during and after the design process, genuine products are subjected to comprehensive testing procedures to ensure performance and reliability to real life conditions is achieved.
Fire testing laboratories allow products to be tested in varying fire conditions, with the conditioning testing offering checks against a wide variety of different conditions, including fluctuating temperatures, humidity, vibrations and shock. Performance and verification lab comprises large scale heat, smoke and gas tunnels and the electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) lab tests against a variety of factors such as noise, interference, static and lightning strike conditions. Finally, the audio and visual (AV) laboratory is used to test the performance of notification devices to exacting standards.
This combination results in a highly stringent testing process where products are tested to meet both European regulations and the approval requirements of every country to we supply to.
Once the testing stage is complete, a product will proceed to the third party testing stage for the appropriate certification.
The two main dangers of counterfeit fire detection equipment are firstly, their non-compliance with industry standards, and secondly, their non-compatibility within an overall fire detection system.
To avoid these risks, customers should take steps to ensure that the products they are installing are reliable and fit for purpose, especially if they are dealing with a new or unknown supplier. The authenticity of fire detection equipment should never be taken for granted and should always be verified at source - at Apollo, for example, we publish all of our part numbers as well as their relevant certification.
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Checking these certifications is the first step in ascertaining a product’s authenticity. The back of each Apollo device displays the product number, the individual approval logos and relevant certification numbers which can be checked with the governing body concerned. But what if a counterfeit manufacturer copies these logos and product numbers?
Counterfeit manufacturers will try and save money wherever they can, and this scrimping on quality often shows in terms of their products. If you place a genuine fire detector next to a fake one, there are a number of differences inclduing the grade, and therefore the colour, of the plastic used – genuine detectors tend to be a bright white, whereas counterfeit products are often a creamier- yellow colour. Also, if you take the front off of a counterfeit detector, you’ll see a marked difference compared to a modern original. Counterfeit detectors often use old technology with cheap boards and lots of copper compared to the modern layered boards used today by reputable manufacturers. Other differences include details such as the quality of the labelling, and even the fact that the font on the labelling may look cheap.
The advice that we’d give would be to always use a reputable distributor or supplier, to do your background research by looking at a company’s website and checking your device against the images and certificates shown, and above all else, to use your common sense, as cost will almost always be the strongest giveaway when it comes to looking out for the warning signs of a counterfeit detector.
www.apollo-fire.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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