The linkage logic of the automatic fire alarm system was not correctly programmed, so fire protection equipment cannot start automatically in the event of a fire.
The automatic fire alarm system is the nerve center of building fire protection, tasked with early fire detection, alarm, and linkage control of fire protection facilities. GB 50116-2013 "Code for Design of Automatic Fire Alarm Systems" is the most core design basis, and GB 50166-2019 "Standard for Construction and Acceptance of Automatic Fire Alarm Systems" specifies construction, installation, and acceptance requirements. The reliability and response speed of the system are directly related to the timeliness of fire handling.
System forms are divided into three levels: regional alarm systems, centralized alarm systems, and control center alarm systems. Regional alarm systems are suitable for single buildings with alarm only and no linkage. Centralized alarm systems are suitable for high-rise buildings including fire protection linkage control. Control center alarm systems are suitable for building complexes with a main fire control room and sub-control rooms. The appropriate system form should be selected according to the protection object level.
Detector selection includes five types: smoke, heat, flame, aspirating, and combustible gas. Smoke detectors have a protection area of 60 to 80 square meters, installation spacing not greater than 15m, and distance from walls not less than 0.5m. Heat detectors are suitable for high-temperature locations such as kitchens and boiler rooms. Aspirating smoke detectors are suitable for clean environments and data centers, enabling early warning. Manual alarm call points have a spacing not greater than 30m and an installation height of 1.3 to 1.5m.
Fire protection linkage control covers hydrant systems, sprinkler systems, smoke control and exhaust systems, elevator systems, emergency lighting, fire shutters, and fire broadcasting. Hydrant buttons directly start pumps without transfer through the alarm system. The sprinkler system starts the sprinkler pump through water flow indicator and pressure switch signals. The smoke control linkage sequence is: detector alarm opens smoke exhaust outlets, starts smoke exhaust fans, opens supply air outlets, and starts supply air fans.
During construction, for cable selection, alarm cables use flame-retardant type and linkage cables use fire-resistant type. Pipes and conduits are laid separately for different voltage levels. The fire control room is provided with a dedicated grounding plate with grounding resistance not greater than 4 ohms. Detector installation should avoid obstacles such as air conditioning outlets, luminaires, and beams and columns. Check controller working status daily, test detector simulated alarms monthly, and conduct system linkage tests quarterly.
Common problems include high false alarm rates, linkage logic not triggering, alarm signals not transmitting, and backup battery failure. To reduce false alarms, appropriate detectors should be selected according to the location: heat detectors in kitchens and aspirating type in smoking areas. Linkage logic should be tested item by item according to design documents and programmed to ensure full coverage. Backup batteries need to be replaced every 3 to 5 years. The fire control room requires 24-hour two-person duty with certified personnel.
In refined hotel operation and maintenance, the automatic fire alarm system requires a well-established alarm handling process. After a system alarm, duty personnel should confirm the alarm location and nature within 2 minutes; false alarms should be recorded with cause and reset; real fires should trigger linkage equipment according to the emergency plan and 119 should be called. System detectors should be configured by zone according to the hotel's environmental characteristics: heat detectors in kitchen areas, smoke detectors in guest rooms and corridors, and heat detectors in laundry rooms and boiler rooms. System software upgrade and maintenance are equally important; linkage logic must be reprogrammed and tested after renovation and modification. Historical records of the alarm linkage controller should be backed up regularly, and alarm event data can be used to analyze system operation trends and optimize maintenance strategies. Annual system testing should cover all detectors and linkage equipment, and equipment failing inspection should be repaired or replaced promptly.
The design of the automatic fire alarm system should also consider integration with intelligent systems. The fire alarm system should be linked with the building automation system to automatically shut down the air conditioning system and non-fire power supplies during a fire. The fire broadcasting system should be able to share with the background music system, but when a fire signal is triggered, the background music should automatically switch to fire broadcasting. The fire telephone system should provide fire telephone jacks in each important machine room and distribution room. The access control system should automatically unlock during a fire to ensure evacuation routes are unobstructed. The elevator system should automatically return to the ground floor and stop service during a fire. Fire shutters should descend in two steps during a fire: the first step stops at 1.5m above the ground, and the second step descends to the ground after the heat detector operates. The fire emergency lighting and evacuation indication system should automatically illuminate during a fire with a continuous lighting duration of not less than 90 minutes. Maintenance management of the automatic fire alarm system should establish equipment ledgers, and each detector should have a unique number and installation location record. The cleaning cycle of detectors should be determined according to the use environment: once every 3 years in general locations, and once every 1 year in heavily polluted locations such as kitchens. Through refined management, ensure that the automatic fire alarm system is always in a sensitive and reliable working state.
The design of the automatic fire alarm system should also consider integration with intelligent systems. The fire alarm system should be linked with the building automation system to automatically shut down the air conditioning system and non-fire power supplies during a fire. The fire broadcasting system should be able to share with the background music system, but when a fire signal is triggered, the background music should automatically switch to fire broadcasting. The fire telephone system should provide fire telephone jacks in each important machine room and distribution room. The access control system should automatically unlock during a fire to ensure evacuation routes are unobstructed. The elevator system should automatically return to the ground floor and stop service during a fire. Fire shutters should descend in two steps during a fire: the first step stops at 1.5m above the ground, and the second step descends to the ground after the heat detector operates. The fire emergency lighting and evacuation indication system should automatically illuminate during a fire with a continuous lighting duration of not less than 90 minutes. Maintenance management of the automatic fire alarm system should establish equipment ledgers, and each detector should have a unique number and installation location record. The cleaning cycle of detectors should be determined according to the use environment: once every 3 years in general locations, and once every 1 year in heavily polluted locations such as kitchens. Through refined management, ensure that the automatic fire alarm system is always in a sensitive and reliable working state. Troubleshooting of the automatic fire alarm system is an important skill in maintenance management. Common fault types include detector faults, module faults, line faults, and power faults. Detector faults usually manifest as frequent false alarms or failure to alarm, possibly due to detector aging, dust contamination, or improper installation location. Module faults manifest as linkage equipment not operating, possibly due to module damage, parameter configuration errors, or communication line faults. Line faults manifest as complete loss of signal in some areas, possibly due to open circuits, short circuits, or grounding. Power faults manifest as the controller displaying main power fault or backup power fault, possibly due to main power fuse blowing, battery aging, or charging circuit faults. Troubleshooting should follow the principle of software before hardware and simple before complex; with the controller's fault diagnosis function and loop tester, fault points can be quickly located. Fault repair records should detail the fault phenomenon, troubleshooting process, and repair results, accumulating experience for future fault handling.
Troubleshooting faults in automatic fire alarm systems is an important skill in maintenance management. Common fault types include detector faults, module faults, line faults and power supply faults. Detector faults usually manifest as frequent false alarms or failure to alarm, and the causes may be detector aging, dust contamination or improper installation position. Module faults manifest as linked equipment failing to operate, and the causes may be module damage, incorrect parameter configuration or communication line faults. Line faults manifest as a complete loss of signal in some areas, and the causes may be open circuits, short circuits or grounding. Power supply faults manifest as the controller displaying a main power fault or backup power fault, and the causes may be a blown main power fuse, battery aging or a charging circuit fault. Troubleshooting should follow the principle of software before hardware and simple before complex; with the controller's fault diagnosis function and a loop tester, fault points can be located quickly. The detector replacement cycle for automatic fire alarm systems is 10 years, and all detectors exceeding the replacement cycle should be replaced. The service life of modules is also 10 years, and they should be replaced upon expiry. The service life of the controller is 12 years, and replacement is recommended beyond the service life. Electrical safety protection of automatic fire alarm systems is also an important aspect of system design. The system power supply should use a dedicated fire protection power supply, with a circuit drawn separately from the fire protection distribution box. The main power of the system should use a 220V AC power supply, and the backup power should use lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries. The system power supply should be provided with overvoltage protection, undervoltage protection and overcurrent protection functions. The line laying of the system should comply with the requirements of GB 50116-2013; alarm cables should use flame-retardant cables and linkage cables should use fire-resistant cables. Through standardized fault handling and timely component replacement, the long-term reliability of the automatic fire alarm system is ensured.
The detector replacement cycle for automatic fire alarm systems is 10 years, and all detectors exceeding the replacement cycle should be replaced. The service life of modules is also 10 years, and they should be replaced upon expiry. The service life of the controller is 12 years, and replacement is recommended beyond the service life. Electrical safety protection of automatic fire alarm systems is also an important aspect of system design. The system power supply should use a dedicated fire protection power supply, with a circuit drawn separately from the fire protection distribution box. The main power of the system should use a 220V AC power supply, and the backup power should use lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries. The system power supply should be provided with overvoltage protection, undervoltage protection and overcurrent protection functions. The line laying of the system should comply with the requirements of GB 50116-2013; alarm cables should use flame-retardant cables and linkage cables should use fire-resistant cables. Cables of different voltage levels should be laid separately and must not share conduits. System grounding should use a dedicated grounding wire connected to the grounding plate in the fire control room, and the grounding resistance should not exceed 4 ohms. Surge protective devices for the system should be installed at the power supply incoming point and where signal lines enter the control room to prevent damage to system equipment from lightning strikes and surges. Through standardized fault handling and timely component replacement, the long-term reliable operation of the automatic fire alarm system is ensured.
The selection of detectors for automatic fire alarm systems should be reasonably configured according to the environmental characteristics of the premises: heat detectors in kitchen areas, smoke detectors in guest rooms and corridors, and heat detectors in laundry rooms and boiler rooms. System software upgrade and maintenance are equally important; linkage logic must be reprogrammed and tested after renovation and modification. The historical records of the alarm linkage controller should be backed up regularly; alarm event data can be used to analyze system operation trends and optimize maintenance strategies. The annual system inspection should cover all detectors and linked equipment, and equipment failing inspection should be repaired or replaced promptly. The full life cycle management of automatic fire alarm systems ensures long-term reliable operation through refined control of multiple stages including design and selection, construction and installation, acceptance and commissioning, operation and maintenance, and system upgrades.
Through comprehensive design, construction and acceptance management as well as standardized maintenance and inspection, the automatic fire alarm system is ensured to always be in a sensitive and reliable working state, providing a safeguard for building fire safety. Through comprehensive design, construction and acceptance management and standardized maintenance and inspection, the automatic fire alarm system is ensured to always work sensitively and reliably, providing solid early warning and linkage control safeguards for building fire safety.
Through comprehensive design, construction and acceptance management and standardized maintenance and inspection, the automatic fire alarm system is ensured to always be in a sensitive and reliable working state, providing solid early warning and linkage control safeguards for building fire safety.