University of Calgary Kinesiology A

System Specifications
FACP: Simplex 4100ES InfoAlarm System Type: Hybrid System Line Voltage: 120VAC NAC Voltage:24VDC, but horns may be 20VDC Date of last known Upgrade: 2016 Year Opened: 1962/1971

The University of Calgary is a public university in Calgary, and it has many educational buildings with many fire alarm systems. This block in the Kinesiology building, Kinesiology A, has the most unique fire alarm system of all the buildings on campus! This building was built in 1962 as the Physical Education Building, four years before the University of Calgary was established. It was then expanded from 1969 to 1971 as the Kinesiology building, which included the swimming pool, laboratories, racquet courts, offices. It would keep its name until Kinesiology B came in 1981, when it got changed to Kinesiology A. The current fire alarm system here is from 2016, but all of the horns and most pull stations are original to this block. Kinesiology B has voice-evac, unlike this one.
According to the campus security, this fire alarm system here has been very, very reliable. False alarms are very rare, and the original horns are very loud and still working very well!

System Specifications

• PLEASE NOTE: This is how the system looked as of March 5, 2020, and there were "fire alarm upgrades" in September 2020, so it may not reflect how the system looks today.

FACP

The fire alarm control panel is a Simplex 4100ES InfoAlarm. The fire panel is located in the entrance of this building, and it was installed as the replacement panel, as it replaced an Edwards 6500 or similar, which probably would have been installed in either 1971 when the last phase was built, or in 1981 when the other Kinesiology wing was built. The 6500 panel was upgraded to the 4100ES in 2016 due to code requiring more detectors in the pool area and ductwork, and the 6500 not having enough zones to fulfill that requirement, and due to the age of the panel. The panel is located at the entrance. However, since there were no building expansions, all of the notification appliances and pull stations from the 6500 system were left in place. Even though the Simplex 4100ES is addressable, the system is set up in a non-addressable manner. This system has NO troubles at all, and has been super reliable according to the campus security.

Annunciators

There are no annunciators for the Simplex system, however there is an OLD Edwards lamp annunciator beside the 4100ES. It has the post-1964 Edwards logo, so it's probably from the 6500.

Notification Appliances

Very surprisingly, all of the notification appliances are original, for both the original part (1962) and 1971 expansion. They are Edwards "Adaptahorn" 360 (red) flush-mount horns, aka "Fire Horns", however, only the 1971 expansion's horns have FIRE HORN on them. These models are 20 volts DC. Despite the age of the horns, none have been replaced, all still in use! Most have the classic shield logo on the label, specifically in the original part. The ones with the post-1964 logo can be found in the 1971 wing. According to security, these horns are very loud and still working excellently. These are probably the longest-surviving notification appliances in Alberta.

Initiating Devices

Pull Stations

The pull stations in the original part mainly consist of the original first generation Edwards 270-SPO, with the classic shield and "FIRE ALARM" at the top. In the 1971 expansion, they consist of 2nd generation Edwards 270-SPO pull stations, with the original shield but no FIRE ALARM. Some have been replaced by Simplex 4251-20 or Simplex 2099-9754 single action, T-bar pull stations(when the Edwards 6500 was in service) or newer Simplex 4099-9001 addressable, single-action T-bar pull stations (when the 4100ES was installed). Other replacement pull stations include newer Edwards 270-SPO from the 1990s. The replacement Edwards pull stations can be found throughout the building, and they were installed when the 6500 was in service.

Automatic Detection Devices

None noticed, most likely Simplex 4098-9714 addressable photoelectric smoke detectors.

Bonus Information

User YYCsFireAlarmNimrod noticed a printer on the panel, that shows when the system goes into alarm, trouble, etc. The day before he went (March 4, 2020), there was a fire alarm. (the printout said "FIRE ALARM IN SYSTEM")

Gallery

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  One of the horns in this block, in the original part. This horn is still in use.