5 Operating conditions of fire detection control panels Series BC216
This chapter describes the operating conditions of a fire detection control panel or -system and the pos-
sibilities of operation resulting from these conditions. The following operating conditions are interna-
tionally standardized:
normal condition (i.e., no event is registered on the control panel);
fire alarm condition (at least one alarm has been received from a fire detector);
fault condition (at least one function of the control panel or the connected network has a fault, or a
fault alarm from a fault detector has been received);
disablement condition (at least one function of the control panel or a part of the system is disabled);
test condition (at least one part of the system is in test condition and therefore is out of function).
Furthermore, the fire detection control panels Series BC216 satisfy expectations of modern security
technology by offering the additional possibility to display "technical messages" and the condition of
installed actuations on the control panel. Usually the "technical messages" and actuations are informa-
tion concerning preventive fire protection (such as the displaying of messages from fire protection de-
vices, displays of weight or pressure loss of the extinguishing agent in gas extinguishing systems,
positions of fire doors and fire dampers, etc.).
This additional information is not directly related to the fire detection system but in many cases pro-
vides an essential basis for decisions of the fire prevention officer in case of fire. The local approval
authorities decide over the admissibility of the processing and displaying of technical messages on the
fire detection control panel.
In addition to the operating conditions defined in normative standards,
the message condition for technical messages (at least one message of a transmitter for technical
messages has been received), and
the activation condition of actuations (at least one actuation has been activated due to a fire alarm,
fault, disablement or technical message)
have been defined as further possible operating conditions of the fire detection control panels Series
BC216.
Other than the normal condition, all conditions can occur at the same time. E.g., a fire detection system
can display the fire alarm of a fire detector (fire alarm condition), and, at the same time, an earthing can
cause the fault condition and a disabled detector zone can cause the disablement condition.
Since not all operating conditions can be displayed at the same time, priorities are set for displaying:
fire alarm condition (highest priority)
activation condition of actuations
message condition for technical messages
fault condition
disablement condition
test condition (lowest priority).
Of course, the powerful microprocessor systems used in the fire detection control panels Series BC216
are capable of processing all information virtually at the same time. The above list of priorities applies
only to the displaying of information, not to their processing!
In addition to their display on the LC-display, the current operating conditions are indicated by using
light-emitting diodes on the display and operating unit of the control panel.
Does an event of higher priority occur, the control panel will change to the corresponding event menu
automatically. You can browse in the menu at any time by using the '← →'-buttons and thereby display
events of lower priority as well. By using the entries of the event memory, you can display events on
the LC-display that have been terminated in the meantime (e.g., a temporary fault of a part of the
system).
HB216AE.SAM / 0130 / AN9161202
ZN5002/73/49
User Manual Series BC216 / Part A Chapter 5 • Operating conditions of fire detection control panels Series BC216 49