Re: Notifier Panel

[JoeRaisin <joeraisin2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 11/17/2012 5:50 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> "JoeRaisin" <joeraisin2001@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:k7kb1v$dn6$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> On 11/9/2012 5:48 PM, G. Morgan wrote:
>>> JoeRaisin Wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I posted about the job where I am swapping out Notifier devices for
>>>> Firelite devices and the other day I changed the panels.
>>>
>>> I thought they were cross-compatible?  Or is it Firelite are compatible
>>> with Notifire?
>>>
>>>
>>>> As I was removing the old Notifier panel I notice that the hot and
>>>> neutral wires had been reversed on the 110 terminals.
>>>>
>>>> Would this:
>>>>
>>>> a) Have no effect
>>>>
>>>> b) Toasted the panel
>>>>
>>>> c) Messed it up, but putting them right again would clear everything
>>>> up.
>>>>
>>>> Just curious...
>>>
>>> Should have no effect, unless as others have said about a ground fault.
>>>
>>
>> The company we are subbing for uses re-branded Notifier and Firelite
>> panels they call, "Unimode".  As far as I can tell, Unimode's used to
>> be Notifiers but are now Firelite.  Or something... No one I've asked
>> seems to know.  They still get the Notifier devices, for backwards
>> compatibility, but all new panels are, apparently, Firelite.  The
>> devices look the same and even connect the same but unless they are
>> the same brand as the panel, they won't talk.
>>
>> Bit me in the ass one time, early on, before I knew about the issue.
>> They sent to an auto parts store with a Firelite panel & smokes but
>> Notifier pull stations.  I didn't know then to watch out for the "N"
>> stuck in the middle of the part number - which is the only way to
>> tell. I was going nuts trying to figure out what the hell was wrong
>> with my SLC.  I finally called tech assist - in this case being our
>> ops guy (who used to work for this particular company) and his first
>> question was if there was an "N" in the part number.
>>
>> I like the Firelite stuff.  They seem to be dependable panels,
>
> I don't do a lot of fire.  Mostly just panels to monitor sprinklers.  I
> use mostly SK or FW for those.  I have done a few Class A and Class B
> systems that were a "little" more involved.  I had a Firelite bite me in
> the ass and cost me a customer because it was NOT truly CID compatible.
> In fact it had issues and would even lock up periodically if not
> reporting to a specific brand of receiver.  By the time I figured out I
> could fix all my problems (that Firelite knew about, but never told me)
> by just converting it to a pulse format the bridge was burnt with the
> customer.  I found and fixed the problem (sorta) just in time to turn it
> over to another company who no doubt looks sterling since they never had
> any of the problem I had.  Anyway, because Firelite knew about the
> problem and let me languish for months trying to figure it out I swore
> that if there was an alternative product available I wouldn't use a
> Firelite product.  Kinda like DSC now that I think about it...
>
>
>
>

Thanks for the heads up.  So far, I've only put in the Firelite stuff on
subbed out jobs for companies who have been using Firelite for a while -
obviously any reporting bugs have been worked out.

But we are getting our own work more and more now and have a deal with a
monitoring center - just resi and commercial burg to this point.  I'll
make the boss aware of the reporting problems and he can look into them,
or set up a test, before it turns into me standing in front of the
customer with my thumb up my ass...