UTC Fire and Security FenwalNET 8000-ML Installation, Operation And Maintenance Manual page 6

Any communications wiring which exits the building or facility should not be routed to or located inside the same
conduit as the AC power.
Follow the instructions in this manual. These instructions must be followed to avoid damage to the control unit
and associated equipment. System operation and reliability depend upon proper installation.
Fire Alarm System Limitations
While installing a fire alarm system may make lower insurance
rates possible, it is not a substitute for fire insurance!
An automatic fire alarm system – typically made up of smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, notification
appliances, and a fire alarm control unit 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.
Any fire alarm system may fail for a variety of reasons:
Smoke detectors may not sense fire where smoke cannot reach the detectors such as in chimneys, in walls, on
roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors on one level 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.
Furthermore, all types of smoke detectors, both ionization and photoelectric types, have sensing limitations. No type of
smoke detector can sense every kind of fire caused by carelessness and safety hazards such as smoking in bed, violent
explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of flammable materials, overloaded electrical circuits, children playing with
matches, or arson.
Notification appliances, such as bells, may not alert people if these appliances are located on the other side of
closed or partly open doors or are located on another floor of a building.
A fire alarm system will not operate without electrical power. If AC power fails, the system will operate from
standby batteries only for a specified time.
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 by a qualified fire protection specialist as recommended in NFPA 72.
Auxiliary Equipment used in the system may not be technically compatible with the control unit. It is essential to
use only equipment listed for service with your control unit.
The most common cause of fire alarm malfunctions, however, is inadequate maintenance. All devices and system
wiring should be tested and maintained by professional fire alarm installers following written procedures supplied
with each device. System inspection and testing should be scheduled monthly or as required by national and/or
local fire codes. Adequate written records of all inspections should be kept.
GENERAL SAFETY NOTICES
The following must be observed to maintain personnel safety.
The following general safety notices supplement specific warnings and cautions appearing in the manual. The
safety precautions in this section must be understood and applied during operation and maintenance. This
manual is to be used by trained distributors/technicians. The entire manual should be read and fully understood
prior to installation.
FIRST AID
Any injury, no matter how slight, should never go unattended. Always obtain first aid or medical attention
immediately.
February 2011 iv P/N 06-237041-001