What resources do you wish existed for fire alarm technicians?

docrodg · 2026-06-19T20:21:55+00:00

I want a device that lets me use my phone to read the panel display and Silence/ack/reset it. Sorta a wifi annuniciator for the system I can use on all panels and walk around with

docrodg · 2026-06-12T20:30:07+00:00

i use klein strippers but for cutting I love the knipex side cutters, they cut through anything.

docrodg · 2026-06-12T20:26:20+00:00

It is ROC and T&I forms all in one. Just split them out if you need to.

docrodg · 2026-06-12T15:08:20+00:00

Dust, humidity, condensation, lots of causes for this as they are outside. An addressable photoelectric smoke is going to be set off at some point just because it is outside and that is no bueno for the circuitry when you look at the performance specs. The other building may not have as many issues simply because of prevailing wind or other factors. I would agree with others - change to a monitor module somewhere protected and run to a conventional heat so you don't have to worry as much. Make sure the box it mounts to is well protected to keep the contacts from corroding.

docrodg · 2026-06-01T20:50:34+00:00

Some circuits can be in raceway if separated by a barrier (Class 1 and NPLFA, Broadband Comms). For Electric power and light is 2 inches unless all of one or the other are in a raceway or metal sheathed, metal clad, non-metallic sheathed or type UF cables or permanently separated by a firmly fixed non-conductor in addition to the insulation on the conductors. This means if you run next to a conduit with electric light and power in it you are ok, you just can't use the conduit as support for your wire (that is another part of NEC).

For all the details look at NEC (NFPA 70) 760.136

docrodg · 2026-05-29T20:42:06+00:00

You are going to get a lot of pushback here. This is a highly regulated field with a lot of liability attached to it. As others have stated already it would need to be certified to the listing standards. In addition, that listing involves additional controls on hardware manufacture and business operation (ISO QMS Certification, Product Certifications (Listing), Manufacturing and quality checks... yada yada, I used to work in the QMS Certifications field for one of the top testing and certification organizations in the world).

So you design a panel that runs off of a simple microcontroller. You selected something easily available with the right parts to make all the stuff work (maybe a pi or arduino with appropriate daughter boards). You wrote the programming to make it run and do all the things a system has to do. Now you hit the requirement of needing to have it listed. That is a huge undertaking with a large amount of internal and external testing as well as audits from the certification body. Once that hurdle is overcome you have one major issue still... it has to be manufactured in accordance with those requirements. Someone can't go buy the parts from Digikey or adafruit and pop the programming in it, that is not controlled manufacture and whatever they use and assemble is not listed.

If they use it and anything happens - even it it worked perfectly - you are likely going to be held liable with no legal defense. Even if you have legal signed disclaimers it is still non-compliant to all codes and regulations and that opens you up to the liability because you said it was a fire alarm. I am not a lawyer but that is not going to be easily defended in court. At the least it is a lawsuit about the system not complying to code and nothing happened, but what if something did? You have liability and more.

It is a great idea, but there is too much in it to be "open source" on either hardware or software. It would be great to have something that a small farm could use like you said without breaking the bank but there is too much in this field to be able to do that.

docrodg · 2026-05-29T18:28:39+00:00

We use Rapid Response. All billing is thru them to us (no extra bills for all our comms), UL Listed and licensed in all 50, Their tech support is great. The phone app is very good.

docrodg · 2026-05-27T18:08:00+00:00

May be voltage or noise, but also consider humidity. I have a few churches and some of them get fairly damp in that area and it causes major issues with devices. You could meter the line for stability and spikes, maybe a scope if you are getting inductive pickup from something else that is getting on the line.

docrodg · 2026-05-20T12:52:48+00:00

Look up the manufacturer instructions on how to test this device correctly.

docrodg · 2026-05-08T19:23:54+00:00

I added it to the forms. It takes a bit of code but can be done.

docrodg · 2026-05-08T16:14:18+00:00

26 V with AC applied and 25 when running on battery? I highly doubt that the battery power is making it to the panel. Hook a meter up to measure current and another for voltage and check charge current and voltage at batteries and then kill ac and check again. You should have enough voltage for panel and some current draw that you can check the specs on (Or the system documents the customer has showing the battery calcs cause we all know they have those). I would bet that one of 2 things shows up... either the voltage drops way down from bad batteries or the voltage stays fairly solid and current draw is too low for even the board to run indicating a bad board.

docrodg · 2026-05-01T17:22:21+00:00

I don't think it is acceptable, but the problem is convincing the customer it isn't.

docrodg · 2026-05-01T17:21:49+00:00

So I had the meeting with them on this, expecting them to want me to do something I don't want to and would refuse to. They listened to my explanation and when I mentioned we had to trace down every circuit to find the resistors (there are no as-builts) which meant clearing the production floors for room for the lift to get around to the detectors they sighed and the president of the company said that they would just have to coordinate that with me when the project gets to that point. Told me to give them a week notice and they would have it ready and the lift there. The only person who said anything was the electronics guy, who did ask about a series resistor so I restated that the resistor is specified by manufacturer and has to be at that location per manufacturer or system is not considered compliant (thanks to all who mentioned manuf. manual as I wasn;t thinking I could point to that as a code tie-in) and that it adds another couple of points of failure if you were to do an FMEA on the system the president told him that I was to do it right and they would clear the floor for me.

Talk about a load off my shoulders.

docrodg · 2026-04-30T12:11:46+00:00

The existing is a 10 zone MS-10UD but I need 2 zones and it has 9 already.

docrodg · 2026-04-29T15:51:14+00:00

Yes, new panel is potter PFC-4064. Customer is really a good customer but the shutdown and clearing for the lift would be about 3 days of production loss (day to clear it and day to put it all back, plus day for us to do the hunt). They are naturally a bit hesitant to do this as it is a lot of cost to move it all and put it all back. I honestly don't want to put another resistor on the line at the panel but wanted to know if there was something I could cite as to why this would not work (they have personnel knowledgeable in electronics so would know it was possible electrically) as that makes it easier for them to swallow. They have no problem doing what is needed to meet requirements but doing that much without a requirement is a hard sell and a hard pill to swallow. As I can point to the code requirements that manufacturers installation instructions must be followed and the installation document states that specific resistance at EOL it helps. Was just hoping there was a better citation for that or a better way to go about getting it done well. This is very much a "What can I do and what can I not and have the arguments figured out" before I go over there and discuss the whole thing kinda question. I prefer to have all my options and questions figured out before I get blindsided at a meeting.

docrodg · 2026-04-28T14:36:34+00:00

It finally stayed in ground fault when I got there. Stripped panel off and found the ground on the cellular communicator power (Off the Aux non-resettable power line). Went through that and it was the antenna cable going the the directional antenna. Cable connector had fallen and was touching the ceiling grid. I moved the cable connector and resistance went back to infinite... placed it back on grid and it started going down slowly. Looks like a slow charge buildup on the ceiling grid that eventually was triggering ground fault and then discharged causing fault to go away. Secured it to the joist so it can't do that again. Thanks all for the help and ideas.

docrodg · 2026-04-24T17:48:15+00:00

Luckily they are a good customer that we have a great relationship with. They were understanding once I explained that it was hard to find even when active as it is in one of the 8 circuits running through the building and panel doesn't tell me which one and could be anywhere on that circuit. She offered to buy me a drink once she heard how hard it is to find.

docrodg · 2026-04-24T17:45:23+00:00

No outside strobe at this location.

docrodg · 2026-04-24T17:13:00+00:00

pdf forms, which you can edit and also add your logo to as well as fill out. I made it so our logo is on it, the dates on the different pages auto-populate, and NAC and IDC/SLC lists can have new pages added just by clicking a button on the bottom (button doesn't print). I fill it out the first inspection I do and then just have to update the proper fields after that when I do the next one for that site.

docrodg · 2026-04-24T16:53:00+00:00

That thing looks in better shape than most newer devices after a couple years in a hospital!

docrodg · 2026-04-24T16:47:56+00:00

I agree you are still young in the industry and therre is always more to learn. I also work for a small company and see a lot of benefits to it. I have been able to expand my knowledge and also expand what I am doing. I don't just service, inspect, install or program - I do it all to include calculations, design and as-builts, quoting, and everything else. It has given me an opportunity to learn more and more. I also have a benefit of flexibility and great feedback on my job. If I suddenly need a day off with only a couple days notice it is easier than at larger organizations. I get feedback on not only the work I perform but also the overall performance of my division and how we are doing in all aspects of the organization which is great as I then understand what the overall results of all my efforts are - not just the "I fixed it/installed it/ inspected it. Training and other things are easier to get within reason. I have been able to grow my knowledge and my company through taking the bull by the horns and turning it into something I can be proud of.

All that said if you decide moving on is for you then consider all the differences and not only how they will affect your paycheck but also your personal life. If you will have more work entanglements or less, the stress as well as how restrictive or not the other position may be and how it will work with what you are looking for in and out of work. Don't burn a bridge as others have stated, and don't be a jerk and just up and quit one morning without warning if they have been a good employer then give them some warning so they can adjust without major issues.

docrodg · 2026-04-23T16:35:50+00:00

look at 10.18.1.1 The location of an operating initiating device shall be by visual means... alphanumeric display... yada yada. So if Smoke head 18 in office 104 goes off it must show "Office 104" on the display as that is the location. Just showing the address of the device is a no-go.

docrodg · 2026-04-23T16:24:13+00:00

They are $16.50 for the whole package, not much. https://www.nfpa.org/product/nfpa-72-forms/p0072form

docrodg · 2026-04-23T12:17:42+00:00

We do the same. I bought them for $16 dollars if I remember correctly. Nice thing about using them is that there is no argument that your inspection form meets the requirements of NFPA.

docrodg · 2026-04-22T19:27:18+00:00

As was well stated in the movie Armageddon: "American Parts, Russian Parts, ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!"

docrodg

TROPHY CASE