How the Conventional FDAS Works?

Fire Detection and Alarm System or what we called FDAS in common is an electrical system
specifically composes of electronic devices and circuits that ensures security and prevention or to
decrease the risk of a fire incident in a certain area. FDAS actually has three types namely, Conventional,
Semi – Addressable and Addressable Type. But in this case, we will briefly explain what the Conventional
Fire Alarm System is and how it works. Conventional Fire Alarm System is a type of FDAS that uses
zoning for the devices to be set in the system and from the word conventional it has to be reset and
trace the alarm or trouble manually whenever it occurs. It is the early type of fire alarm released for the
compliance to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and to the implementation of Mandatory
installation of Fire Alarm Systems in every facility or establishment as per National Building Code
requires.

Conventional Fire Alarm System composes of two circuits which are Initiating Device Circuit
(IDC) and the Notification Appliance Circuit (NAC). IDC carries signals from the input devices to the
panel, these devices that belongs to the group are smoke detectors, heat detectors and the manual pull
stations. Smoke Detector is a device that detects smoke by using a photoelectric sensor that actuates
when a smoke blocks the light from the photoelectric sensor then the smoke detector will be in an alarm
state and we can notice it when its led light turned on permanently. When the system is in the normal
state the led will blink typically 9 to 15 seconds based on the brand of FDAS. Next is the Heat Detector,
which detects an excessive heat produced in a certain area. It is triggered when the temperature in an
area exceed the thermal capacity of the heat element or the thermal lag. And it can only go back to
normal state when the heat in that area decreased or cooled down. Lastly, the Manual Call Point or the
Manual Pull Stations is a device that triggers the system by actuating as a simple single throw switch
whenever a person pulls the button from it. Often, triggering of this device a signal that a fire occurs in
the area otherwise it is being used for earthquake evacuation or a fire alarm drill.

NAC Line composes of the following devices, annunciator and bell/horn/ horn strobe.
Annunciator is a device that consists of led lights corresponding to the floors in the area and it shows the
alarm when a led light is turned on. Bell/Horn/ Horn Strobe are devices that notify the personnel in the
certain area by the sound it produces to alert the system. IDC and NAC must be complete in the FDAS
and can never be independent to each other because whenever the alarm is triggered IDC will send the
signals to the fire alarm control panel, and then when it is processed by the system, it will send to the
NAC devices to notify and make the system in the Alarm State.

The advantage of the Conventional Fire Alarm System in other types of FDAS is that it is much
cheaper and economical because it only uses a simple binary for the settings and easy to install and
understand. But in terms of disadvantages, we can encounter few of that like troubleshooting the alarm
because as we said earlier it uses zoning then, in one zone it can hold 20+ smoke detectors/heat
detectors, it is hard to trace where the trouble or the alarm occurs. So it consumes more time to be
efficient. Of course, it also requires a frequent maintenance because of the contacts and sensors to be a
forcedly actuate to ensure their functions.