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Any fire alarm system may fail for a variety of reasons:
Smoke detectors may not sense fire where smoke cannot reach the detectors such as in chimneys, in walls, or
roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors also may not sense a fire on another level or floor of
a building. A second floor detector, for example, may not sense a first floor or basement fire. Furthermore, all
types of smoke detectors - both ionization and photoelectric types, have sensing limitations. No type of smoke
detector can sense every kind of fire caused by carelessness and safety hazards like smoking in bed, violent
explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of flammable materials, overloaded electrical circuits, children play-
ing with matches, or arson.
Audible warning devices such as bells may not alert people if these devices are located on the other side of closed
or partly open doors or are located on another floor of a building.
A fire alarm system will not operate without electrical power. If AC power fails, the system will operate from
standby batteries only for a specified time.
Rate-of-Rise heat detectors may be subject to reduced sensitivity over time. For this reason, the rate-of-rise
feature of each detector should be tested at least once per year by a qualified fire protection specialist.
Auxiliary Equipment used in the system may not be technically compatible with the control panel. It is essential
to use only equipment listed for service with your control panel.
Telephone lines needed to transmit alarm signals from a premise to a central monitoring station may be out of
service or temporarily disabled.
The most common cause of fire alarm malfunctions, however, is inadequate maintenance. All devices and system
wiring should be tested and maintained by professional fire alarm installers following written procedures supplied
with each device. System inspection and testing should be scheduled monthly or as required by National and/or
local fire codes. Adequate written records of all inspections should be kept.
GENERAL SAFETY NOTICES. THE FOLLOWING MUST BE OBSERVED TO MAINTAIN PERSONNEL SAFETY.
The following general safety notices supplement specific warnings and cautions appearing in the manual. The safety
precautions in this section must be understood and applied during operation and maintenance. This manula is to
be used by trained distributors/technicians. The entire manual should be read and fully understood prior to instal-
lation.
Test Equipment
Make certain test equipment is in good operating condition. Do not touch live equipment or personnel working on
live equipment while holding a test meter. Some types of measuring devices should not be grounded; these devices
should not be held when taking measurements.
First Aid
Any injury, no matter how slight, should never go unattended. Always obtain first aid or medical attention immedi-
ately.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
The following general safety precautions are to be observed at all times:
1. All electrical components associated with equipment shall be installed and grounded in accordance with NEC,
NFPA and local regulation requirements.
2. Special precautionary measures are essential to prevent applying power to equipment at any time maintenance
work is in progress.
3. Before working on electrical equipment, use a voltmeter to ensure that system is not energized.
4. When working near electricity, do not use metal rules, flashlights, metallic pencils, or any other objects having
exposed conductive material.
5. When connecting a meter to terminals for measurement, use range higher than expected voltage.