Testing & Maintenance

To keep a fire detection system in good working order, it should be subject to a routine maintenance programme in accordance with local/national regulations.

Apollo recommends that users of fire detection equipment enter into a maintenance and servicing agreement with the detector supplier.

The following is a summary of Apollo's recommended maintenance schedule for detectors, based on UK code BS5839 part 1.

Over the course of a year, every detector in the system should be functionally tested at least once, using recommended equipment. If the detectors are located in a dirty, dusty or corrosive atmosphere, then they should be tested more frequently.

A visual inspection of detectors should take place more frequently. For more information on the criteria for cleaning and the relevant services Apollo offers, please visit the Cleaning and Recalibration page.

Control equipment should be checked daily to ensure that normal operation is indicated. If any fault is indicated, this should be recorded in the log and action taken to rectify the fault. Ensure that any faults notified previously have been corrected.

Conventional detectors should be tested on a test set to ensure that current consumption in both quiescent and alarm state are in accordance with data published in the appropriate Engineering Product Guide.

Control equipment for analogue addressable monitors should be checked to ensure that the monitors are returning a 'clean air' value which is within the limits shown in the appropriate Engineering Product Guide.

Detectors still returning values outside of these limits after cleaning should be replaced. They can be sent back to Apollo for full cleaning and recalibration.