Kentec Electronics, manufacturer of innovative life safety solutions, has introduced a range of new features to its cutting-edge Taktis analogue addressable fire alarm control panel.
Packed with innovative new functionality to protect even the most complex buildings, Taktis is now the perfect solution for a wide range of applications including schools, hospitals, multi-site retail and critical national infrastructure, as well as commercial and industrial facilities.
The critical signal paths of a control panel are the lifeline of an entire fire detection system and issues with power supplies, communication modules and control circuits can have catastrophic consequences. To counter any disruption, the highest levels of redundancy have been incorporated into Taktis, which has multiple back-up microprocessors to eliminate the possibility of a single point of failure with the main microprocessor. Even if its touchscreen display fails, Taktis will continue to operate in reduced functionality mode, the loops will continue to operate and, if a detection device is activated, the panel and other panels on the network will be notified of the alarm condition.
Taktis enables large installations to be fully standards compliant. EN 54-2 states that a system fault should not result in the loss of more than 512 detectors and while this is fine for installations with a single control panel with less than 512 connected devices, large installations can have many thousands of fire detection devices with multiple fire alarm control panels. Thanks to Kentec’s research and development, Taktis can now network up to 127 control panels and incorporates a fully redundant signal path using INS to mitigate risk, enhance fault tolerance and ensure that alarms are received across the network and importantly to the Alarm Receiving Centre.
The latest version of Taktis also complies with the highest provisions of BS 7273-4, which applies to electrical control arrangements for actuation of mechanisms that unlock, release or open doors in the event of fire. Adhering to BS 7273-4 is increasingly important, as Annex A is now normative.
There are three categories of actuation outlined in BS 7273-4, with Category A requiring failsafe operation under the most severe fault conditions. Through advanced cause and effects, the latest version of Taktis meets all the requirements of Category A. This means that door release mechanisms will continue to operate in the event of a fire, or during any event that leads to a fault on the critical signal path that could prevent a fire signal activating a release mechanism.
The fire and rescue service in England attended 229,844 incidents in the year ending March 2022 that turned out to be false alarms. They can be particularly disruptive in hotels and similar accommodation-based businesses such as student accommodation and sheltered housing, so Taktis now boasts a ‘hotel mode’ feature.
When Taktis is in this setting and a detection device activates, only the sounder in the room concerned will initially operate, while Taktis notifies where the event has taken place. A predetermined time period gives a competent person an opportunity to investigate and, if the activity causing the detector activation stops within that timeframe, the sounder will return to standby and Taktis will clear. In the case of a false alarm, this stops other alarms initiating a full-scale evacuation.
Alongside industry leading levels of panel & network redundancy, BS 7273-4 Category A compliance and its ability to reduce false alarms, Kentec hasn’t forgotten the importance of ease of use. As such, the Taktis full colour seven-inch colour touchscreen has several additional customisable features particularly useful for smoke control operation and can be programmed in a wide variety of languages. This intuitive interface renders the system easy to use even for those with minimal or no training.
‘The latest version of Taktis rubberstamps our commitment to providing the most advanced fire alarm control panel technology possible,’ commented Derrick Hall, director of sales and marketing at Kentec Electronics. ‘Taktis has become increasingly popular with members of the Kentec Installation Partner (KIP) Programme because its features make their lives easier and deliver significant benefits for end users. I would therefore encourage other fire detection and alarm installation professionals to take another look at Taktis.’
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