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CAN YOU USE ONE PANEL FOR COMMERCIAL FIRE AND BURG
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Ken
    In a Commercial building in NY(Suffolk County), can a burglar alarm system and a fire alarm system use the same control panel if the panel is rated for Commercial fire?
    I couldn't find much information on this topic... If you have any links for me to read up on, that would be great too.
Thank you
Anthony
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RESPONSE
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    I have to leave this to the fire experts.  Anyone care to share their knowledge?
    There are panels rated [I guess by manufacturers, UL, ETL, FM] for combined use, but I am not sure whether NFPA approves of those panels, and even if it does, I think the right answer is easier to arrive at.  As far as I know every commercial fire alarm installation is going to require AHJ approval.  That usually means filed plans and specifications.  If the AHJ approves the plan then you're good to go.  The most reliable answer is going to come from your AHJ if you can get him or her on the phone.  One thing is clear to me, you should be using the Commercial Fire All in One, that way you and your subscriber will know that it's the AHJ who decides.
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MORE ON POTS V VOIP
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Ken
    The main problem with VOIP Vs POTS is more than philosophical.
    We are now in a neutral period where our alarm panels will communicate over a voip network and pass data. Maybe not as high speed as our panels are capable of, but a 95% accuracy rate.  Personally even with your contracts I am not willing to be part of that 5% failure rate. I have not won a lottery prize but rest assured if I take that gamble I will have an UNREPORTED alarm to deal with.
    NFPA 72 requires the signal path be tested every 24 Hrs.  2013 requires every 6 hours  (Residential every 30 days). That being said there are FIRE LISTED Internet communications transmitters that can give supervision UNDER 1 minute. If a second path is used (The ideal) a GSM RADIO can be used for backup.)
    It is not uncommon for a voip phone system to work quite well with an alarm panel UNTIL THERE IS A SOFTWARE CHANGE BY THE PROVIDER. These software updates may alter the ability of the communicator to transmit accurate data randomly. One VOIP provider's recommendation was to use a SLOWER FORMAT such as 4/2.  That is like your mechanic saying, "Ken, get out of your Lexus SUV that you love and try this new Chevy Cruze. Both nice cars but if you wanted a Chevy Cruze you would have bought a Chevy Cruze.
    Ken I take it you were saying we should offer VOIP service to our client base as another product to use as a TELEPHONE SERVICE and not alarms?  Maybe I misread??
     Just some ramblings
Joel Kent
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RESPONSE
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    That was the crux of the article, offering another service to generate more RMR through MongoTel or someone else who markets through alarm companies [if there are any].  If you're selling the VoIP service and phone system and installing the alarm, I guess you have to be comfortable that it is an acceptable form of alarm communication.
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