Author Topic: Automatic fire detector testing  (Read 10230 times)

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« on: March 12, 2008, 05:54:18 PM »
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!

Graeme

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2008, 07:33:00 PM »
the customers maintenance costs would have to go up to pay for it though Wiz ;)

Offline Benzerari

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2008, 08:31:19 PM »
Quote from: Wiz
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!
It seems it is a good addition to the new technology, according to a quick googled search... I have just seen it for the first time in my life...

Offline Allen Higginson

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2008, 09:29:35 PM »
Quote from: Wiz
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!
How does this sit with Section 6 45.4 (d) then?  "
Point smoke detectors should be functionally tested by a method that confirms that smoke can enter
the detector chamber and produce a fire alarm signal (e.g. by use of apparatus that generates simulated
smoke or suitable aerosols around the detector). It should be ensured that the material used does not
cause damage to, or affect the subsequent performance of, the detector; the manufacturer’s guidance on
suitable materials should be followed."

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2008, 08:38:27 AM »
Quote from: Buzzard905
Quote from: Wiz
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!
How does this sit with Section 6 45.4 (d) then?  "
Point smoke detectors should be functionally tested by a method that confirms that smoke can enter
the detector chamber and produce a fire alarm signal (e.g. by use of apparatus that generates simulated
smoke or suitable aerosols around the detector). It should be ensured that the material used does not
cause damage to, or affect the subsequent performance of, the detector; the manufacturer’s guidance on
suitable materials should be followed."
It actually generates smoke from a replaceable cartridge, but this is not an aerosol.

Buzzard, this is being manufactured by, probably, the existing leading manufacturer of such equipment. I would be highly surprised if they didn't know the recommendation requirements inside out, and manufacture products accordingly. I have only just seen this product and had it demonstrated to me over a period of 15 minutes. I'm no expert on every aspect of it. I'm just offering the comment, that after just a short time, someone as cynical as me was impressed!

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2008, 08:40:45 AM »
Quote from: Graeme
the customers maintenance costs would have to go up to pay for it though Wiz ;)
We could blame it on the Government. :)

Offline Galeon

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2008, 09:13:12 AM »
Its nice to see something new , instead of the same old stuff , as usual you will find you are up against the man with the hand held can that he got for under a tenner.
I will let my colleagues guinea pig it first , and then see what happens .
Its time to make a counter attack !

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2008, 09:55:01 AM »
Quote from: Galeon
Its nice to see something new , instead of the same old stuff , as usual you will find you are up against the man with the hand held can that he got for under a tenner.
I will let my colleagues guinea pig it first , and then see what happens .
I once interviewed a guy who was working as a fire alarm engineer and looking for a change of employer. He told me that his existing work was mainly in financial institutions in the City of London and that he travelled in to work by train every day. I asked him about his existing company's method of testing smoke detectors. He told me, in all seriousness, that he bought a copy of the Sun newspaper to read on the train (and which the company reimbursed him for as a legitimate business expense) and subsequently, when he arrived at the job, set light to the newspaper to test the detectors with!

Offline Allen Higginson

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2008, 06:14:59 PM »
Quote from: Wiz
Quote from: Buzzard905
Quote from: Wiz
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!
How does this sit with Section 6 45.4 (d) then?  "
Point smoke detectors should be functionally tested by a method that confirms that smoke can enter
the detector chamber and produce a fire alarm signal (e.g. by use of apparatus that generates simulated
smoke or suitable aerosols around the detector). It should be ensured that the material used does not
cause damage to, or affect the subsequent performance of, the detector; the manufacturer’s guidance on
suitable materials should be followed."
It actually generates smoke from a replaceable cartridge, but this is not an aerosol.

Buzzard, this is being manufactured by, probably, the existing leading manufacturer of such equipment. I would be highly surprised if they didn't know the recommendation requirements inside out, and manufacture products accordingly. I have only just seen this product and had it demonstrated to me over a period of 15 minutes. I'm no expert on every aspect of it. I'm just offering the comment, that after just a short time, someone as cynical as me was impressed!
LOL - must be good then!!!Was curious about the generating of the smoke but now you've cleared that up it sounds pretty good.
Any data sheets on them yet??

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2008, 10:47:54 AM »
Quote from: Buzzard905
LOL - must be good then!!!Was curious about the generating of the smoke but now you've cleared that up it sounds pretty good.
Any data sheets on them yet??
I've found this site that explains it all:  www.testifire.com/site/home/

Graeme

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2008, 03:42:01 PM »
have they not twigged that the unit sounds like a painful accident in the nether regions?

Offline Allen Higginson

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2008, 04:20:20 PM »
Quote from: Graeme
have they not twigged that the unit sounds like a painful accident in the nether regions?
Had that once when I took the all over body spray too literally!!!

Offline Wiz

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2008, 08:35:21 PM »
Quote from: Graeme
have they not twigged that the unit sounds like a painful accident in the nether regions?
Maybe they could use your idea in an advertising campaign? - Goodness gracious great Testifire!

Offline Benzerari

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Automatic fire detector testing
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2008, 09:32:40 AM »
Quote from: Wiz
Just returned from Firex South. I was very impressed by the new No Climb automatic fire detector tester known as the testifire.
No aerosols
Battery operated
One head tests, smoke, heat or CO. Or combinations of any of them - together or seperately (for multisensor devices) !

Evidently, it will also soon be enhanced to include the 'automatic' right test for any detector facility by the inclusion of a 'cheap' sensor added to any detector.  The tester will automatically 'read' the sensor and then apply the appropriate test for that detector. Furthermore the 'cheap' sensor  in the detector will have a 'memory' facility that will automatically log when it was tested, how it was tested and by whom! Finally a record of all tests carried out is held in the tester's own memory and can be downloaded to PC etc. for record purposes.

It also certainly looks hi-tech with LCD display, multicoloured LEDS and various menu control buttons. If a customer isn't impressed that they are getting something for their maintenance charge with this device - then we might as well all give up!

I'm finally throwing away my wand and getting a testifire instead!
It is very good addition, also I think it is much important to integrate a mini aspirator in such new tester, to suck out dust and clean the detector's outer chamber, just the way it is done by the proper manufacturer...

I used to see in a service visit very dusty detector heads, and most of the cases a dusty detector triggers a bit late...

What do you think?