Fire Alarm Activation #10

Test of a Siemens MXL-V voice evacuation system in a large academic building. The sound output on this system is highly variable, with speakers ranging from silent to loud and distorted. Unsure if this is intended, or a sign of a poorly maintained/organized system.
Components (all Siemens/Pyrotronics):
MXL-V FACP
MKB-4 Annunciator
S-LP25-MCS Speaker/Strobe
I-SM70-S75S Speaker/Strobe
AS-75-R-WP (Wheelock AS-WP) Outdoor Horn/Strobe
HMS-S Pull Station
Signal coding is continuous for all devices, except the AS which is set to temporal (code 3). Strobes are synchronized in sections for compatible devices, usually separated by floor or corridors.
Below components are not seen in this video.
Variety of Siemens smoke detectors.
There may be a PAD-3 in this system too.
Outro Image: Mircom FX-2000 FACP at a rest stop facility.
©dewpoint8900

[@bigfoot13s80]

Best synced strobes I've ever seen

[@YourLocalFireAlarmTech]

Oof, I love the message and how short it is and on loop. But poor amps sound like they're suffering lol

[@Flyyn_Gaming_9]

I like the slow whoop more than the beep but the voices are cool

[@HenBasketFireAlarms]

The speakers sound so fucked up, the attention signal almost sounds like a Vibratone

[@wigwagstudios2474]

3:30 holy shit it makes it sound like there's an ac horn hidden somewhere

[@FireTech7]

Sounds like some of the amplifiers are going out

[@dewpoint8900]

That's what I was thinking. Some other buildings on campus have the same setup, but don't sound as bad as this.

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

how come some of the strobes are synced

[@dewpoint8900]

I think all of the strobes are synched in groups, probably from booster panels (i.e. PAD-3).

[@SirensAndAlarmsOfNorthernIL]

Those unsynchronized strobes tho

[@RJ-ht5jl]

YES SHE FUCKED UP I HEAR THE FIRE IN THE BUILDING

[@mrmilesplotagon]

We have these fire alarms at my school except the voice is a man and not a woman on the alarms

[@QuentinRichardsthe2012brony]

Nice!

[@spcriverside]

nice

[@aidanthetoiletelevatorfire7554]

Seems like the strobes are completely out of sync.

[@dewpoint8900]

Not really. I took some views and you can see strobes synchronized in some halls and corridors.

[@joeycaridi3030]

@@dewpoint8900 But not all together because it requires all of the NACS to be synced together instead of a separate slave configuration where the strobes are synced per NAC making the strobes on other NACS appear our of sync from NAC to NAC

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

@@joeycaridi3030I think some newer installations require the entire building to be synced

[@terrellstorms]

Do you work for Siemens? I am a fire alarm tech myself. Looks like you are also into weather. I am a storm chaser as well.

[@dewpoint8900]

No, I don't work for Siemens, I'm just an IT guy. I do like weather, although I'm in the process of exploring other interests. Penn State buildings are all Siemens systems, which is why most of my fire alarm videos involve such company.

[@The-creator-of-good-videos-15]

@@dewpoint8900 I’ve seen GenTex-like fire alarms in like garages in Malaysia actually. I’m not sure if they were either Simplexes or GenTex’s. I’ve seen a few Simplex speakers but not strobes. Maybe some kind of Edwards things?… I’m not sure really to be honest… but yeah.

[@kayleetroutman9665]

Do they have to be replace these poor speakers

[@Djjjay]

I work at siemens and this sounds like an ac horn is abruptly intefering with the alarms at 3:30 you should takke look at that

[@dewpoint8900]

There are no AC horns in the system, this is just the result of a bad amplifier.

[@Djjjay]

@@dewpoint8900 oh okay

[@glady9499]

Some of the speakers are showing there age

[@joeycaridi3030]

Not really, it's just the amplifier that's making them sound like this, but some speakers are showing their age as they're not working or dying

[@neotheapplefan332]

I’m saying this nicely with a friendly approach: can you film in front of you instead of the ground next time? Btw those fucked up amplifiers sorta sound cool tbh

[@dewpoint8900]

This question gets asked a lot in other videos like this. Privacy is the main reason I keep the camera towards the floor, for occupants and the building itself. I'd rather not look suspicious either: these were filmed early in the morning when there's very little people around.

[@neotheapplefan332]

@@dewpoint8900 oh thx for the info. Keep it up ☺️ (not the camera lmao)

[@Emmisullivan14]

Why does it say “while this is being verified”?

[@dewpoint8900]

Guess they chose to keep that phrase in the message. Could be for any reason.

[@kayleetroutman9665]

These poor speakers

[@jacobisworld9516]

Where Is This At.

[@dewpoint8900]

Business Building at Penn State

[@joeycaridi3030]

This system should get upgraded to a Notifier NFS2-3030 voice evac system with System Sensor SPSRL L-Series Speaker Strobes because this system is very poorly maintained and is showing it's age

[@dewpoint8900]

Fair idea, but extremely unlikely. Penn State is entirely composed of Siemens fire alarm systems. This system would likely get replaced with a newer Siemens panel, like a Desigo or Cerberus Pro series system.

[@joeycaridi3030]

@@dewpoint8900 And they would also replace the notification appliances with Siemens rebranded Wheelock Eluxa devices because the newer Siemens panels have the rebranded Wheelock sync and because some speakers definitely do sound like they're drying or not sounding at all and also because the newer Siemens panels don't have Farady sync and only Wheelock sync