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Re: Firelite MS9600 Installer Code



On 24/05/2010 2:51 PM, tourman wrote:
> On May 24, 11:17 am, Frank Olson
> <use_the_email_li...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>> On 22/05/2010 2:55 PM, tourman wrote:
>>
>>> On May 22, 5:30 pm, oldbell...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>>>> I've been asked to take over serice on this panel. Previous company will not
>>>> divulgetheir code or return code to factory default. Is there  any "back
>>>> door" into this panel/ Thanks for the help...
>>
>>> RHC: Same old story...misuse of the installer lockout
>>> feature......talk to Jim Rojas of this newsgroup
>>
>> A fire alarm panel is a whole different ball game, Bob.  Unless you're
>> 100% confident in your ability to program the sucker, you can really
>> screw things up (which may wind up shutting down the building).  Edwards
>> leaves the Quickstart panels at the factory default and more than one
>> well-meaning tech has figured...  "hey, this is easy, I can just enter
>> the "auto learn" mode and configure this new pull station on my own -
>> without calling the "big boys"!".  Only to find out that "auto-learn"
>> also defaults the system and you lose all the custom programming!  Then
>> it's an emergency call to Edwards and a possible fire watch if their
>> techs are too busy to attend that day.
>>
>> --
>> My wife says women are angels.  And even when us guys manage to clip
>> their wings, they'll keep right on flying...  on their broomsticks.
>
> RHC: Ok, glad you brought that to my attention. I know zip about fire
> alarms; however, it does seem to me somewhat unfair to the company
> coming in to restrict access to what they need to program the system.
> Is the assumption that they are not to be trusted and this is why the
> original company is keeping things close to the vest. What's the
> difference here ?


I certainly wouldn't want some guy "programming" our panels.  If we have
to make changes we pull the file from the office, do the changes and
download it to the panel.  If another installer made changes (manual
entry), then what-ever he did would be over-written.  Then there's the
verification.  If you program changes to a panel you have to be able to
issue an amended Appendix "C" document (CAN/ULC-S537-04 - Standard for
Verification of Fire Alarm Systems).  If the changes are properly
documented and there's a valid Appendix C we might be able to upload
them and perform a program check, but I would rather be called out to do
the changes on any panels >we< programmed.

These days manufacturers like Potter are "giving away" certificates
which meet the ULC requirement for "training" after taking one of their
"online" presentations and completing an open book twenty question test.
  Then they wonder why they get so many tech support calls from guys
who've never programmed a fire alarm system or worked with the software.
  If you screw up a home alarm panel, the customer's not much more worse
off than he was before you installed it.  If you screw up a fire alarm
system, you're messing with people's lives and the fire department takes
a pretty dim view of that.

Regards,
Frank

--
My wife says women are angels.  And even when us guys manage to clip
their wings, they'll keep right on flying...  on their broomsticks.


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