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Advances in wireless Donald Macfarlane shows how wireless fire technology has gone from niche to mainstream in a decade, considering reasons for its gain in popularity and some typical applications
identifi cation (RFID) being included in many everyday products. It may surprise many people to know that wireless fi re detection systems have been around since the mid 1980s. As with many new technologies though, it has taken time for these wireless protection systems to gain acceptance as a reliable and flexible option. So what has helped them gain popularity? Fire detection and alarm systems are an essential part of building safety, therefore the reliability and performance of wireless fi re systems is paramount. A comprehensive range of European (EN) standards and local standards of practice, such as the British Standard BS 5839, dictate the levels of performance required of all fi re systems, whether wired or wireless. In March 2008, the harmonised standard
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EN 54-25: Fire detection and fire alarm systems. Components using radio links was introduced to set performance requirements
22 MAY 2018
www.frmjournal.com
UR LIVES are becoming dominated by wireless technology with wifi, Bluetooth and radio frequency
specifically for fire detection and alarm system components that use radio links. The introduction of the standard has seen wireless fi re detection systems becoming widely adopted for mainstream applications such as hotels, schools and hospitals. A fully compliant EN 54-25 approved
system must provide sufficient signal overhead levels to compensate for any attenuation of radio signals. A wireless survey of the site prior to installation will determine the levels of background noise and maximum operation distances. A wide variety of channels are available within the agreed European frequency of 868MHz, along with the built in signal overhead levels, to help minimise signal loss or interference. Wireless systems utilise standard fire alarm control panels, thereby providing the same confi guration capability as a wired system while also providing the additional fl exibility of wireless to the systems designer. Systems can also be a combination of wired and wireless devices on the same addressable loop, known as a hybrid system,
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