Fire suppression system remote monitoring
A fire suppression system has a tank unit ( 40, 42, 44, 46 ). A tank body has a first port and an interior for storing at least one of fire suppressant and driver gas. A discharge assembly is mounted to the first port and has a discharge valve ( 50, 52 ) and a first monitoring switch or sensor ( 230 240 ) having a normally closed output ( 532 ) and a normally open output ( 534 ). A first monitoring system ( 100 ) is coupled to one of the normally closed output and the normally open output. A second monitoring system ( 340 ) is coupled to the other of the normally closed output and the normally open output.
1. A fire suppression system comprising:
a tank unit comprising:
a liquid level sensor;
a second monitoring system comprises an input from the liquid level sensor;
a tank body having a first port and an interior for storing at least one of fire suppressant and driver gas;
a discharge assembly mounted to the first port and comprising:
a control head;
a discharge valve; and
a first monitoring switch or sensor having a normally closed output, normally open output; and
a first monitoring system coupled to one of the normally closed output and the normally open output and configured to transmit a control output to the control head, wherein the first monitoring system is not connected to the liquid level sensor;
the second monitoring system is coupled to the other of the normally closed output and the normally open output.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the fire suppression system further comprises a hazard sensor; and
the first monitoring system comprises an input from the hazard sensor.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein:
the hazard sensor comprises a smoke detector.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the fire suppression system further comprises a pull box; and
the first monitoring system comprises an input from the pull box.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the second monitoring system comprises:
a radio.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the first monitoring switch or sensor is selected from the group consisting of pressure switches or sensors and control head placement switches or sensors.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises:
at least one sensor coupled to the second monitoring system but not coupled to the first monitoring system.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one tank unit is a plurality of tank units; and
the first monitoring system is a single first monitoring system coupled to the plurality of tank units.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein:
the second monitoring system comprises, for each of the plurality of tank units, a respective electronics module coupled to the other of the normally closed output and the normally open output and having a radio.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the electronics modules are configured to communicate with each other.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the second monitoring system comprises a hand held device in communication with the respective radios of each electronics module.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein:
the electronics modules are configured to each store status data from all the electronics modules at predetermined times; and
the electronics modules are configured so a user of the hand held device may manually activate any of the electronics modules to communicate said data to the hand held device.
13. A method for using the system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
with the first monitoring system, receiving input from one or more hazard sensors or pull boxes; and
with the second monitoring system, communicating status via a radio.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
with the first monitoring system, controlling suppressant delivery.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the first monitoring system communicates with a remote monitoring system.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein:
the second monitoring system communicates said status to a hand held device which, in turn, communicates with the remote monitoring system.
17. A method for manufacturing the system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
with the tank containing at least one of fire suppressant and driver gas, installing the second monitoring system.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the tank unit further comprises a liquid level sensor not connected to the first monitoring system; and
the second monitoring system comprises an input from the liquid level sensor.