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Fire Alarm Control Unit Replacement in Existing Buildings

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California State <strong>Fire</strong> Marshal<br />

Information Bullet<strong>in</strong><br />

Page 1 of 2<br />

Issued: September 4, 2008<br />

<strong>Fire</strong> <strong>Alarm</strong> <strong>Control</strong> <strong>Unit</strong> <strong>Replacement</strong> <strong>in</strong> Exist<strong>in</strong>g Build<strong>in</strong>gs<br />

When replac<strong>in</strong>g a fire alarm control unit (panel) <strong>in</strong> an exist<strong>in</strong>g build<strong>in</strong>g due to obsolescence<br />

or the addition of ADA required notification appliances, is the new control unit required to<br />

be only code compliant and listed compatible with other exist<strong>in</strong>g components such as<br />

smoke detectors, heat detectors, etc or is the complete fire alarm and detection system for<br />

the entire build<strong>in</strong>g required to be made code compliant as for new build<strong>in</strong>gs?<br />

No fire alarm system will susta<strong>in</strong> itself over the full life expectancy of a build<strong>in</strong>g. Eventually the<br />

fire alarm control panel or system <strong>in</strong> that build<strong>in</strong>g will need to be replaced. In an exist<strong>in</strong>g<br />

build<strong>in</strong>g, the replacement of fire alarm control unit due to obsolescence, catastrophic failure,<br />

voluntary or the addition of ADA required notification appliances is not <strong>in</strong>tended to retroactively<br />

require a complete fire alarm system upgrade or compliance with current code requirements not<br />

<strong>in</strong> place at the time when the fire alarm system was orig<strong>in</strong>ally <strong>in</strong>stalled.<br />

The replacement of a fire alarm control unit, necessary to support construction improvements<br />

with<strong>in</strong> a portion of a build<strong>in</strong>g, shall also not retroactively require a complete fire alarm system<br />

upgrade.<br />

Where the exist<strong>in</strong>g fire alarm control unit is replaced with a fire alarm control unit of a different<br />

manufacturer or utiliz<strong>in</strong>g devices of a different technology, the exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>itiat<strong>in</strong>g devices and<br />

conductors may be replaced on a one-for-one basis <strong>in</strong> the exist<strong>in</strong>g locations, provided those<br />

devices had been <strong>in</strong>stalled <strong>in</strong> accordance with their list<strong>in</strong>gs and location(s) at time of <strong>in</strong>stallation,<br />

for compatibility with the new fire alarm control unit.<br />

M<strong>in</strong>or expansion to the fire alarm system such as the addition of circuits or modules to monitor<br />

exist<strong>in</strong>g supervisory conditions (exist<strong>in</strong>g system that utilize a trouble signal only to monitor the<br />

supervisory conditions), addition of an <strong>in</strong>itiation device circuit or circuits, (where typically<br />

accomplished by <strong>in</strong>stall<strong>in</strong>g a zone card <strong>in</strong> an unused slot, or add<strong>in</strong>g a zone circuit board to the<br />

control unit), fire spr<strong>in</strong>kler control valve monitor<strong>in</strong>g or the <strong>in</strong>stallation of a smoke detector at the<br />

fire alarm control unit location, etc, shall not retroactively require a complete fire alarm system<br />

upgrade.


California State <strong>Fire</strong> Marshal<br />

Information Bullet<strong>in</strong><br />

Page 2 of 2<br />

Issued: September 4, 2008<br />

Creat<strong>in</strong>g a situation of multiple fire alarm control units should be avoided, however, it is not the<br />

<strong>in</strong>tent of the code or standards to prohibit the addition of notification appliance circuit panels<br />

(NAC) or power supply extender panels.<br />

The authority hav<strong>in</strong>g jurisdiction shall be consulted prior to the replacement of any fire alarm<br />

control unit or system modification, which shall <strong>in</strong>clude complete documentation <strong>in</strong> accordance<br />

with NFPA 72, California <strong>Fire</strong> Code and local requirements.<br />

For all questions regard<strong>in</strong>g this bullet<strong>in</strong>, please contact John K. Guhl, Supervis<strong>in</strong>g Deputy State<br />

<strong>Fire</strong> Marshal at (916) 445-8314 or by email at john.guhl@fire.ca.gov

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