Fire Panel PCB Board And How Does It Work?

Posted by Melriya Technical Solutions on February 25th, 2021

A fire panel pcb board is a safety appliance that commercial buildings typically require to set into motion several tasks that could save lives and minimize property damage.If you oversee ensuring a building has all the required features necessary for the sake of safety, you might be in the market for a fire panel. Before you start looking for one, you should get to know what the typical fire panel does, which buildings need one and which features to look for in a fire panel.

WHY DO YOU NEED A FIRE PANEL IN YOUR BUILDING?

The point of a fire alarm control panel is to activate a quick emergency response when there is a fire so everyone in the building has a chance to get out safely. Different fire panels on the market have different features, so the capabilities of this product can vary. For example, a basic fire panel might sound an alarm to alert everyone of the dangers. Some fire panels also call the fire department, and some even activate the building’s sprinkler system to try to put the fire out fast. The capabilities depend on which fire panel you decide to buy.

If you are wondering how the fire panel works in general, note that when a fire breaks out, the fire panel receives a signal from smoke detectors, the fire sprinkler system, manual communication equipment,or a pull switch in the building. This means it cannot detect the fire on its own, but it can respond to the signals it gets from the systems that detect the smoke. At that point, the fire panel’s response is activated, which might include making a loud noise and lighting up to warn people of the fire, and then it may send a signal to the fire department or alarm company to get emergency crews to rush to the building and put out the flames.

MAIN TYPES OF FIRE PANELS

There are two main types of fire panels available. Conventional panels have been around for years, so you might see them in older buildings. They work by responding to changes in an electrical current, such as when a smoke detector identifies smoke and changes the current in response. Once the fire panel detects this current, it sounds the alarm. The conventional fire panel is installed in different zones—such as the first floor, second floor, etc.—so it is often also called a zoned panel.

The newer type of fire panel is called an addressable panel. This system runs off modern technology since it features a microprocessor that sends data from devices in the building to the panel, rather than just sensing changes in electrical currents.

Most buildings require a fire panel, but if you are not sure if yours does, you can check documents from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or the International Building Code (IBC) to find out. For example, you can read NFPA 101: Life Safety Code or you can reference documents that discuss international building code. The specific requirements may vary based on the type of business that is in the building and its occupancy, but generally, you can expect to need a fire panel as part of your overall fire alarm system.