# Fire Alarm control unit



## Inspector 102 (Mar 24, 2016)

As a challenged inspector, what is the difference between a fire alarm control unit and a fire alarm. I have a tenant space with 49 heads and not showing any alarm panel. Our local ordinance says the fire alarm panel is required at the front door or a remote panel provided. The occupancy is A with less than 300 occupants so a manual fire alarm is not required per 907.2.7 Exception 2. The sprinkler would be required to activate notification appliances. Can someone give a simple explanation on the differences I am looking at. Have a meeting with design professional, but not until next week. Fire official for community is not much help either.


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## cda (Mar 24, 2016)

Is that mentally ?

Or Codetally??

Not in the office do can't quote

From 2009 ifc::    Not sure what NFPA 72 says

Fire alarm control unit is normally the main panel

FIRE ALARM CONTROL UNIT. A system component that receives inputs from automatic and manual fire alarm devices and may be capable of supplying power to detection devices and transponder(s) or off-premises transmitter(s). The control unit may be capable of providing a transfer of power to the notification appliances and transfer of condition to relays or devices.

Fire alarm:::   FIRE ALARM. The giving, signaling or transmission to any public fire station, or company or to any officer or employee thereof, whether by telephone, spoken word or otherwise, of information to the effect that there is a fire at or near the place indicated by the person giving, signaling or transmitting such information.

Now with the definition lesson done, your real question

Is this a brand new building or existing ??

Is this a suite in a bigger building???

I take it is sprinkled??

With ol of 49 like you say no fire alarm system required.

Now whether existing(maybe) or new, if the building has a fire sprinkler system, it is required to be monitored offsite and have one audio device.

But not required in the lease space

Talking base code

Ask away if this makes no sense


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## Pcinspector1 (Mar 25, 2016)

You said tenant space, are all the tenant spaces protected by a sprinkler system? Where's the stand pipe located?

Reason is I have seen the FDCP in a sprinkler room with an outside access door and not at the entry area in a leased space tenant building. The sprinkler system is set up throughout the building and protects all tenant spaces so the FDCP (Fire Dept. Control panel) was installed there.


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## RFDACM02 (Mar 26, 2016)

So it sounds like the only initiation device is the flow switch to the sprinkler system and maybe  single manual pull somewhere in the overall building? Do you have a larger building with multiple tenants spaces and they are all covered by the same sprinkler system? I'm assuming the overall building sprinkler system was required to be supervised? Some of our strip malls are set up like this with a singular system covering multiple occupancies. The alarm goes off all spaces must empty as there is no telling where the head the tripped is, to do that would require flow switches and zone valves at every space (not practical in many cases). If your local ordinance requires some sort of panel,  remote annunciation could be installed, but it sounds like it only will have one zone to report and not be of much practical use. Realizing the codes say one thing, but look at it from the intent: what is the purpose of the remote panel? Rapid identification of the problem. Systems that report a single zone or two, 1 sprinkler activation, 1 manual pull station are not likely to be all that helpful other than reporting the alarm.

Best bet may be, however unlikely, to convince them to install other initiation devices and a fully addressable alarm system to reduce the time necessary to search out the cause of alarm and get occupants/employees back into the spaces. Depending on the occupancies they tend to understand that customers int eh parking lot don't spnd money and similarly, employees in the parking lot are not making money for the company.


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## Inspector 102 (Mar 28, 2016)

I think I am challenged mentally and codetally. The tenant space is located in an existing strip mall that does not have any sprinkler. An occupancy change is requiring a sprinkler to be installed for one tenant space. The NICET submitted plans do not show any type of alarm panel other than the water flow actuator and I am trying to determine if a constantly monitored system is required for the system. A manual fire alarm system is not required until the OL exceeds 300, so no system required. OL is calculated at 178. We have a local Knox Box requirement that states when fire alarm system are required, certain provisions need to be met. Trying to distinguish between control unit and alarm system by code definitions and applications. Thanks for the reviews.


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## cda (Mar 28, 2016)

> I think I am challenged mentally and codetally. The tenant space is located in an existing strip mall that does not have any sprinkler. An occupancy change is requiring a sprinkler to be installed for one tenant space. The NICET submitted plans do not show any type of alarm panel other than the water flow actuator and I am trying to determine if a constantly monitored system is required for the system. A manual fire alarm system is not required until the OL exceeds 300' date=' so no system required. OL is calculated at 178. We have a local Knox Box requirement that states when fire alarm system are required, certain provisions need to be met. Trying to distinguish between control unit and alarm system by code definitions and applications. Thanks for the reviews.[/quote']I use the term fire alarm, or fire alarm system
> 
> Should have asked which edition of IBC/ IFC you are under. Assume you use both and not hybrid??
> 
> ...


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## FM William Burns (Mar 28, 2016)

3.3.100* Fire Alarm Control Unit (FACU). A component of the fire alarm system, provided with primary and secondary power sources, which receives signals from initiating devices or other fire alarm control units, and processes these signals to determine part or all of the required fire alarm system output function(s). (SIG-PRO)

A.3.3.100 Fire Alarm Control Unit (FACU). In addition to the functions identified in the definition, a fire alarm control unit might have an integral operator interface, supply power to detection devices, notification appliances, transponder(s), or off-premises transmitter(s) or any combination of these. The control unit might also provide transfer of condition to relay or devices connected to the control unit. There can be multiple fire alarm control units in a fire alarm system.

_Source: NFPA 72, 2016_

Old school terminology would be the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) but basically it's the brain of the fire alarm system. BTW I still call it FACP.

In the event the change in use of the tenant space requires sprinklers the "new code" provisions of IBC being the applicable document, will require a FACU but this does not trigger a full blown fire alarm system (just a single manual pull, smoke, exterior warning device, FACU, monitoring off site and all low voltage.....period!    One must dive into commentary in IBC for [iBC, 2010 - 903.4, 903.4.2 ] and Handbook for [NFPA 72, 2010 - 23.8.5.5.1] for rationale and single pull provision since both say the same thing and often lead to wrongful interpretations by officials........................


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## bhale7wv (Apr 7, 2016)

There are 2 different types of alarm systems - - - Fire Alarm systems & Sprinkler Monitoring systems. The code is very specific as to when a Fire alarm system is required (IBC 907), but there are some exceptions as to when a sprinkler systems must be monitored (903.4, 903.4.1, & 903.4.2.). 2012 code


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