Honeywell Gamewell-FCI E3 Series Installation & Operation Manual page 3

Important Limitations
While a fire alarm system may lower insurance rates,
it is not a substitute for fire insurance!
An automatic fire alarm system- typically made up of
smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations,
audible warning devices, and a fire alarm control panel with
remote notification capability - can provide early warning of
a developing fire. Such a system, however, does not
assure protection against property damage or loss of life
resulting from a fire.
The Manufacturer recommends that smoke and/or heat
detectors be located throughout a protected premise
following the recommendations of the current edition of the
National Fire Protection Association, Standard 72 (NFPA
72), manufacturer's recommendations, State and local
codes, and the recommendations contained in the Guide
for Proper Use of System Smoke Detectors, which are
made available at no charge to all installing dealers. These
documents can be found at http://www.systemsensor.co/
html/applict.html. A study by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (an agency of the United States
government) indicated that smoke detectors may not go off
in as many as 35% of all fires. While fire alarm systems are
designed to provide early warning against fire, they do not
guarantee warning or protection against fire. A fire alarm
system may not provide timely or adequate warning, or
simply may not function, for a variety of reasons.
Smoke Detectors may not sense fire where smoke cannot
reach the detectors such as in chimneys, in or behind
walls, on 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.
Particles of combustion or "smoke" from a developing
fire may not reach the sensing chambers of smoke
detectors because:
walls, or chimneys may inhibit particle or smoke flow.
reach the ceiling or upper walls where detectors are
located.
air outlets.
reaching the detector.
The amount of "smoke" present may be insufficient to
alarm smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are designed to
alarm at various levels of smoke density. If such density
levels are not created by a developing fire at the location of
detectors, the detectors will not go into alarm.
Smoke detectors, even when working properly, have
sensing limitations. Detectors that have photoelectronic
sensing chambers tend to detect smoldering fires better
than flaming fires, which have little visible smoke.
Detectors that have ionizing-type sensing chambers tend
to detect fast-flaming fires better than smoldering fires.
Because fires develop in different ways and are often
unpredictable in their growth, neither type of detector is
necessarily best and a given type of detector may not
provide adequate warning of a fire.
2
Smoke detectors cannot be expected to provide adequate
warning of fires caused by arson, children playing with
matches (especially in bedrooms), smoking in bed, and
violent explosions (caused by escaping gas, improper
storage of flammable materials, etc.).
Heat detectors do not sense particles of combustion and
alarm only when heat on their sensors increases at a
predetermined rate or reaches a predetermined level.
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. Heat detectors
are designed to protect property, not life.
IMPORTANT! Smoke detectors must be installed in the
same room as the control panel and in rooms used by the
system for the connection of alarm transmission wiring,
communications, signaling, and/or power. If detectors are
not so located, a developing fire may damage the alarm
system, crippling its ability to report a fire.
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. Any warning device may fail to alert people
with a disability or those who have recently consumed
drugs, alcohol or medication. Please note that:
seizures in people with conditions such as epilepsy.
they hear a fire alarm signal, do not respond or
comprehend the meaning of the signal. It is the
property owner's responsibility to conduct fire drills
and other training exercise to make people aware of
fire alarm signals and instruct them on the proper
reaction to alarm signals.
can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
A fire alarm system will not operate without any electrical
power. If AC power fails the system will operate from
standby batteries only for a specified time and only if the
batteries have been properly maintained and replaced
regularly.
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. For added protection
against telephone line failure, backup radio transmission
systems are recommended.
The most common cause of fire alarm malfunction is
inadequate maintenance. To keep the entire fire alarm
system in excellent working order, ongoing maintenance is
required per the manufacturer's recommendations, and UL
and NFPA standards. At a minimum, the requirements of
NFPA 72 shall be followed. Environments with large
amounts of dust, dirt or high air velocity require more
frequent maintenance. A maintenance agreement should
be arranged
representative. Maintenance should be scheduled monthly.
E3 Series Installation/Operation Manual — P/N 9000-0574:I 11/04/10
through the local manufacturer's