Photain Controls Plc &OPR057 25/07/01

INSTALLATION & OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Page:1 PCS200/PCS400 FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANELS Issue:4

CONTROL PANEL The unit conforms to BS5839 and will provide effective warning of fire for all types and sizes of
premises. The control unit is contained in a pressed steel housing. It contains the power supply suitable for an input from 230v
± 6% 50Hz supply and is complete with battery charging circuit. Red indicator lights are energised in the Fire Condition. A
Green indicator light illuminates to show that the panel has mains connected.
The unit will operate with any type of Normally Open fire sensor, switching a resistance of between 200 and 1000 ohms in
alarm. Up to 20 sensors can be connected in parallel per zone to the two wire FULLY MONITORED fire sensor circuits,
subject to a maximum quiescent current of 8mA per zone.
In the fire alarm condition, two sounder output circuits each of 24vDC at 250mA output are provided for operating remote
sounders (sufficient for 20 Photain 6″ bells or 25 sirens). This output will continue until the unit is silenced by the control
switches.

NOTE Sounder Circuits are reverse voltage monitored.

PANEL OPERATION In the event of a fire signal the appropriate zone LED will illuminate, the common alarm LED
will illuminate and the twin sounder circuits will activate.
If an alarm occurs, the panel cannot be reset until the alarm silence switch has been operated.
Operation of the alarm silence switch will silence the bell output leaving the zone indication illuminated.
Activation of another zone will cause the alarm sounders to re-activate.
In the event of a fault signal the common fault indicator will illuminate and the internal buzzer will sound. Should the fault be
on a zone circuit, the appropriate zone indicator will illuminate. A power supply fault or sounder fault will illuminate the
appropriate LED. The buzzer can be silenced by pressing the Alarm Silence push button.

CONTROL SWITCH – FRONT PANEL

A – Keyswitch to enable control functions
B – Switch labelled Alarm Silence to silence the alarm sounders and the internal buzzer.
C – Switch labelled Reset to reset the panel after the alarm sounders have been silenced.
D – Switch labelled Evacuate which will activate the alarm sounders.
E – Switch labelled Lamp Test to illuminate all indicators on the front panel.

ALARM OUTPUTS
2 – Common Sounder Circuits each monitored for short circuit and open circuit and each capable of a maximum load of
250mA 24v DC.

FAULT INDICATIONS
The FAULT lights and buzzer will be energised if any of the following faults occur:
1 – Failure or disconnection of the mains power supply.
2 – Failure or disconnection of the battery charging circuit.
3 – Failure or disconnection of the standby power supply.
4 – Failure, disconnection or short circuit of the wiring to the alarm sounders.

The power supply is rated to operate all the alarm sounders even with batteries disconnected and will re-charge the batteries to
full capacity within 24 hours of the reconnection of the electricity supply.
When batteries are initially supplied, they are not fully charged. It is essential that the unit be connected to the mains supply
for a period of 24 hours to ensure the batteries are fully charged before putting the system in operation. The leads for the
battery should be connected to the terminals on the batteries before connecting the mains supply. Correct polarity is essential.

DETECTORS All sensor loops are monitored for short circuit and therefore all detectors must have a minimum resistive
alarm load of 200 ohms . Break Glass Call Points must be fitted internally with a 680ohm 1 watt resistor. Photain detector
bases should be wired in accordance with base drawings on these instructions. These instructions refer to Photain System 2000
conventional detector range. For previous ranges, please contact technical support on 01903 711444 or Email:
[email protected]
Photain Controls Plc &OPR057 25/07/01
INSTALLATION & OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Page:2 PCS200/PCS400 FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANELS Issue:4
CONNECT BELOW IF PANEL DOES NOT DETECTOR BASE
HAVE A HEAD REMOVAL SYSTEM HEAD REMOVAL MONITORING

FIRE SENSOR BASE - FSBP2000 FIRE SENSOR BASE - FSBP2000DIO

The cable must not be
meggared with the base fitted

LOOP SENSOR This is a balancing 4K7 ohms resistor. It is fitted at the end of each sensor loop circuit. Breaking the
loop circuit wiring activates a fault condition.

WIRING The wiring between the control unit and the sensors should be carried out in accordance with BS5839 Part1. The
cable used for the sensors should not be less than 1mm cross-section area. The sensor must be wired in accordance with the
wiring diagram supplied, care being taken to observe correct polarity with the Ionisation and Optical Smoke Detectors, and
Heat Detectors.
The smoke detectors should be positioned on the ceiling not more than 10 metres above floor level at an easily accessible, well
illuminated and conspicuous position free from obstruction.
The alarm sounders should be diode gated (all Photain bells and sirens are diode gated) and of a type and number such that the
alarm is distinct from the background noise in every part of the premises. The note of the alarm sounders should be quite
distinct from any other sounders likely to be heard. It is essential that all sounders of the same kind on a particular installation
should produce a similar sound. Connection of the control panel to the mains supply should be via a switch-fuse reserved
solely for the purpose, its cover painted red and labelled “FIRE ALARM – DO NOT SWITCH OFF”. The supply must be
assured at all times even if the supply is switched off due to the premises being unoccupied or for economy in the consumption
of power. All power supplied must be in accordance with current IEE regulations.

OPERATION With the equipment fitted and wired as described in the instructions, connect the batteries and then the
mains supply can be switched ON. In the event of a power supply failure the system will continue to operate using standby
batteries and the system will automatically return to the mains supply when this is restored. When any of the sensors operate,
the alarm sounders will ring immediately and will continue to sound until the unit is silenced. If the sensor is still in alarm after
operating the alarm silence and the reset switches, the alarm will immediately resound. Failure of the mains supply and/or the
battery charging circuit will result in the internal buzzer operating.

FAULT FINDING If the panel indicates a permanent fire or fault condition the following should be carried out:
1. Remove the wiring from the sensor terminals and terminate with 4k7 resistors.
2. Remove the wiring from the sounder terminals and terminate with 20k resistors.
3. Check the fuses (all 20mm) FS2– 200mA, FS3 & FS4– 250mA and FS1–1.6A.Replace if faulty.
4. Operate alarm silence and then the reset switch.
5. If the fire or fault condition persists then return the unit to the manufacturer for repair.
6. If the fire or fault condition has cleared then the problem is in the external wiring and/or sensors and these should be
checked for short or open circuit condition.
NOTE Care must be taken to isolate the control unit from the mains supply when removing the lid of the control unit. It is
recommended that the unit be tested with the resistors connected in the block before connecting the fire sensors and alarm
sounders. The resistors should then be removed and the fire sensors and alarm sounders connected to the block with the
resistors fitted at the end of the wiring circuit as applicable. Please fit one circuit at a time and test/check for correct operation.
Photain Controls Plc &OPR057 25/07/01
INSTALLATION & OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Page:3 PCS200/PCS400 FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANELS Issue:4

BATTERY CONNECTIONS

TERMINATIONS
A separate three way fused terminal block (fused at 1 amp) is provided for connecting the mains supply.
Sounder Terminations – Two sets of common polarised sounder outputs each rated at 250mA.
Remote Evacuation – Two terminals for remote sounder activation. Shorting the terminals together will activate the sounders.
The alarm silence switch will not silence the sounders. The common fire relay (if fitted) will not activate.
Zone Terminations – These are two terminals per zone for connection of sensor circuits (+ & -)
The control PCB on the lid is fitted with two header points ( and a further two on the zone PCB in four zone systems). If the
headers are fitted then a short circuit of the zone will cause an alarm condition instead of a fault condition. This feature is
useful where the panel is to replace an installation using normally open Break Glass Units which go short circuit in alarm
condition.

BS5839: Part 1 : 1988 (6.6.2) – Amendment 6317 January 1991

“Where detectors are designed to be removable from the circuit, removal of any Detector from the
circuit should not affect the operation of any manual call point”
The following three types of wiring can be used to meet the Head Removal requirements of BS5839

TYPE 1
This shows all manual call points wired on one zone and all smoke
and heat detectors wired onto a separate zone. Use detector base
type FSBP2000 or for recessed detectors, type FSBP2000R.

TYPE 2
With this design of wiring system all devices are wired onto the
same zone but all manual call points must be wired in front of all
automatic devices. Use detector base type FSBP2000 or for recessed
detectors, type FSBP2000R.

Wiring Types 1 & 2 will increase the amount of cable required, therefore raising the cost of the installation. In addition if the
first detector unit is removed then none of the following devices are operative. This restriction does not apply to Type 3 below.

TYPE 3
Utilising the Photain head removal system, smoke, heat and manual
call points can be wired in any order using a two core detector
circuit. Use detector base type FSBP2000DIO or for recessed
detectors type FSBP2000DIOR

Marking of Zone Location The panel is supplied with a

permanent marker pen, which is only removable, by a trichloroethane solvent.
Photain Controls Plc &OPR057 25/07/01
INSTALLATION & OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Page:4 PCS200/PCS400 FIRE ALARM CONTROL PANELS Issue:4

NON-HEAD REMOVAL SYSTEM (TYPE 1 and TYPE2)

The wiring of this system should be in accordance with the appropriate base wiring diagram and a balancing loop sensor 4k7
resistor fitted.

HEAD REMOVAL SYSTEM (TYPE 3)

The wiring of this system should be in accordance with the appropriate base wiring diagram and a head removal module fitted.
PHOTAIN
DETECTOR BASE RED
BREAK GLASS + LEAD

HR
MODULE

- BLACK
LEAD
TYPICAL WIRING
TYPICAL OF ONE
WIRING ZONE
OF ONE

SENSOR ZONES

OPTIONAL RELAY – TYPE FARM This relay provides an output in the fire condition of two sets of changeover
contacts rated at 250v AC 3A resistive load. It is connected to the three pin connector PL1 labelled Fire/Flt on the main pcb.
The FARM board is supplied with an installation kit for fitting.

OPTIONAL FIRE/FAULT OUTPUT PCB – TYPE FIREFAULT This provided the following outputs:-
1. One set of volt free changeover contacts rated at 24v 1A resistive load switched on alarm condition.
2. One set of volt free changeover contacts rated at 24v 1A resistive load switched off in fault condition.
3. One combined 2 way fire/fault output with end of line resistor (4k7) fitted and alarm series resistor of 680 ohms.
The pcb is supplied with an installation kit. It is connected to the three pin connector PL1 labelled Fire/Flt on the main
PCB

OPTIONAL REPEATER OUTPUT PCB – TYPE PCS24RTERMPCB This PCB provides an output per
zone together with a common fault output for connection to a remote repeater panel type – PCSR4Z. The PCB is supplied with
plastic spacers and cable connectors. It is connected to PL3 on the main board.

SOUNDERS
EOL 20K