Re: Fire Alarms Certification

[Frank Kurz <tech@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 11/05/2011 10:31 PM, G. Morgan wrote:
> Frank Kurz Wrote:
>
>> Patently ridiculous
>> when you consider what the supposed "factory trained" technicians passed
>> for properly installed fire alarm panels on four jobs that I know of.
>
> I got a Fire-Lite factory certificate, it was a 2 day sales pitch.
>

Same here.  It also seemed to focus on the MS-9050, didn't even go into
the use of the downloading software, and didn't provide much in the way
of actual programming instruction (it covered the basics but not the
more complex correlations and on-board communicator set-up, which I was
expecting).  It was disappointing.  I didn't really learn anything "new"
or what I hadn't already discovered on my own.  Earl Muise is also no
longer with Honeywell.

Over the years I've learned to program Edwards, Simplex, Notifier,
Potter, Mircom, and FireLite panels.  The new Mircom stuff (FX-350) is
nice.  I've been involved in programming and commissioning three now.
It goes head-to-head with Potter and FireLite and actually beats them
out in a few key areas.  The main drawback with Potter's PFC-9000 is
that they don't have a ULC Listed interface module for conventional
smokes, the remote NAC module won't do Class "A", and there isn't an
outdoor enclosure for the remote annunciator.  The main problem with
FireLite (in Canada particularly) is that they don't have an annunciator
you can mount remote from the panel.  For some reason you have to
install it in the same room as the panel, and the maximum length of
conduit allowed between the panel and the annunciator is 12 feet.  Their
current annunciator looks really hokey when you have to stack it as well
(which is pretty well a given for most installations).

--
Frank Kurz
www.firetechs.net