The landscape of wireless fire alarm manufacturers is larger than ever and we anticipate this will continue to grow given the key benefits of wireless. In this article we explore each player, outlining the type of system offered to help you make an informed decision.
Ekho from Hochiki
Ekho is the newest wireless system to be released by Hochiki and is their second wireless offering. Typical of hybrid systems, this too requires a translator module to be hardwired to an addressable loop which handles the communication between any associated wireless devices and the main control panel.
Compared with their legacy FIREwave system, Ekho makes vast improvements in communication range, system capacity and battery life.
As per Hochiki’s requirements all installers must undertake manufacturer training prior to the supply of product.
FireCell from EMS
FireCell utilises a unique hub and cluster format which provides a means to create fully wireless or hybrid systems. Each system is controlled by a Kentec addressable panel which is hardwired to a hub. This hub maintains communication with a number of clusters to form the wireless infrastructure.
As a manufacturer EMS has a real pedigree who have been developing wireless systems since 1967. The FireCell system is widely regarded as a market leader and a system which is capable of scaling to protect very large premises.
REACH from Apollo Fire
REACH is a new wireless system which Apollo brought to market in 2022. The system is hybrid allowing any wired Apollo system to be expanded with wireless devices.
Compared with their previous XPander offering, REACH benefits from more radio channels and fewer batteries.
Static from Hyfire
Static wireless equipment can be incorporated into a range of systems running the Argus Vega protocol. Like any other Vega device, the translator can be connected and powered via the hard wired loop.
Static can be used to expand an existing Vega hard wired system or purely to run wireless equipment. There is a comprehensive range of wireless equipment available including detectors, MCP’s, sounders and interfaces.
Each translator can have up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs so multiple translators maybe required to achieve the required system size.
Taurus from Hyfire
Taurus is the newest wireless system from Hyfire. The system is based on a brand new mesh protocol which provides a robust infrastructure utilising multiple paths of communications throughout the network.
Special considerations have been made to make the setup as intuitive as possible. Premise floor plans can be scanned into the TauREX software and devices programmed by scanning their QR code and plotting them on the plans.
Wi-Fyre from Zeta Alarms
The Wi-Fyre system allows any MKII addressable hardwired system from Zeta Alarm to be expanded to include wireless devices. A transponder is hardwired to the loop which provides a wireless bridge between the associated wireless devices and the panel.
All wireless devices exactly match their hardwired equivalents making any hybrid system aesthetically consistent.
XPander from Apollo Fire
XPander is a hybrid wireless system which works on the XP95 addressable protocol. This means any hardwired XP95 system can be expanded to include wireless devices.
The system requires a loop interface module to be hardwired to the loop which acts as a bridge between the panel and XPander wireless devices. A comprehensive range of devices including detectors, call points, sounders and interfaces are available.
Zerio Plus from Electro Detectors
Zerio Plus from EDA is a completely wireless system, rather than a hybrid configuration which accounts for the majority of the wireless systems covered in this article. This means no cabling is required to any translators any/or devices.
As EDA sales manager Mark Tansey suggested in the recent interview what sets the Zerio Plus system apart from the competition is the ease of programming. Systems can be completely configured via the panel front-end with streamlined programming options. This means even large systems can be setup in a relatively short period of time.
Furthermore all of our customer benefit from our complimentary pre-programming service.
