Re: Addressable Fire Panel Search

[Frank Kurz <tech@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 28/10/2010 10:34 AM, petem wrote:

>
> There old equipment (this will show my age) like the 9600 custom was a
> tank..
>
> new one like the esa2000 and such were piece of junk, at that time I
> stopped using those panel and got into Notifier..
>
>
>

ESA-2000 isn't such a bad panel if you understand what you can and can't
do.  The last common control board I got though was "reconditioned" at
the factory.  It had a rather disturbing "octopus" of white jumper wires
sprouting from the main control chip.  Weirdest thing I've ever seen.

6500 still is a "tank".  The sucker's virtually indestructible.  Problem
is the factory charges preemo dollars for replacement boards and you
can't buy them through the normal wholesale outlets - you have to deal
with Edwards Service.  They charge the same amount to us that they would
to the end-user which means I can't make my usual markup on parts.

8500 was/is a piece of junk.  I'd prefer dealing with ESA-2000 over that
guy anytime.  No parts available.  You have to send your faulty boards
to Owen Sound for repair only.  I have a fire fighter telephone
interface card with a blown circuit.  There are spares on the board and
I've moved the affected phone to an operational zone.  Problem is I
can't clear the trouble.  To get the sucker fixed, I have to take six
phones off line for up to two months.  I'm waiting to hear from the fire
department as to how they want to deal with that.


--
Frank Kurz
www.firetechs.net