The Importance Of Fire Alarm Batteries In Fire Protection Systems
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios

Defined Tag: Fire Alarm Batteries.

A fire protection system is made up of fire alarm devices, valve switches, fire alarm horns and strobe lights, and manual call points. All these components are activated and maintained by an electrical power supply line. In a fire alarm control panel, if no LED lights are lit, it usually means an absence of power source feeding the control panel. This electrical power supply line can either be AC-powered or DC-powered.

AC-source or Alternating Current source is usually the electrical system of the building. A DC-source or Direct Current source is usually the back-up batteries. Fire alarm batteries are intended to act as back-up electrical source of a fire alarm system in the absence of an AC power source. On the control panel, the DC power can either be lit with red or green light. A red light will mean that the fire alarm system is being operated from fire alarm batteries. A green light, on the other hand, means that the fire alarm batteries are being charged.

The DC power source is not only used as a back-up power source of fire protection systems. The DC batteries of smaller capacity are also used to power the fire alarm devices such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and thermostat detectors. In a fire alarm inspection, it is important that the batteries of these devices be tested and checked for their expiration so that they will work properly when needed.

There had been a number of deaths from fire caused by inactive fire alarm devices due to dead batteries. The fire alarm batteries are supposed to be checked twice a year. Usually, some fire alarm units give out a chirping sound audible to the unit tenants whenever there is a need for replacement of the batteries. It is, however, still the responsibility of the inspector to ensure that all fire alarm devices – including fire alarm batteries -- are working properly.

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, Amazon, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.