Hello there, i have a fire alarm project we have installed 20 addressable FACP, but the consultant asked us to connect all panels together so far if there is an alarm in panel number 1 it will also appear in the other panels from 2 till 20, we had an argument about that, is it correct as a design or not? and if its permitted by NFPA or not
Thanks for your reply Mr. Patterson, for more clarification there 20 slaves panels and 1 Master panel normally if there is any event for example in panel number 10 it will automatically appear also in the master panel, but what actually requested from the consultant is the following: if there is any event happened in any of the 20 panels it has to appear in all slaves and master panel at the same time.
So is that correct according to the design and nfpa?
I personally don't see anything that prohibits that design. I would suggest either going though your NFPA 72 or pulling up the electronic version at NFPA 72®: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code® for your own determination.
Of course, I still suggest asking your AHJ. Right or wrong, they have the final say.
Thank you sir
The type of '' System" the consultant is asking for can be accomplished using a Peer to Peer network system that allows routing of messages, and it is code compliant. If the consultant was the specification provider, then that requirement should have been stated in the specification. If it was not specified, then it sounds like a change order. However, if it was specified and you missed it, you may be in for a rough negotiating session and it may cost you some money.
There is nothing wrong with the system you installed if all of your equipment is listed for it's installed purpose. The configuration sounds like an example found in NFPA 72 A 26.1.1 but that is best suited for a proprietary supervising station system where you are using the master control unit to supervise all of the remote stand alone fire alarm panels.
Check 2016 NFPA 72 27.4.1
I am not a technician, but, if I understand your question correctly, we frequently network panels together. Particularly when there is a central control for a complex. The event will annunciate at the local panel and at the central control.
There isn't typically a need for us to annunciate at the other local panels, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't, particularly if you don't have a central control.
I would double-check with the local fire authority (AHJ), but I would think they would be all for it (and they do have final say). After all, when they respond to an event at location, they could simply go to any FACP and immediately identify the location of the incident. Seems like a win-win to me.