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Every fire alarm customer has specific needs and priorities. And it means that each job requires a unique solution depending on building type, location and usage.
The modular approach used by Eaton's latest xDetect system means that, as an installer, you're better placed to manage your offer and deliver effective systems designed around customer need.
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Learn how xDetect combined Parcevall Hall's rich history with Eaton’s innovative prowess, future-proofing the property through its modular system.
Often project scope can change from what was expected at the initial design. When this happens, your business often faces a number of challenges to complete the project on time and remain a reliable, long-term partner for your customer. Over the years, this has meant fire system designers have needed to be creative, and try to cover worst-case scenarios. Often they've found themselves needing to over-engineer a design or discovering that drastic changes are required at a very late stage.
Successfully completing and signing off a fire alarm installation is a big responsibility, since, without a working fire alarm system, buildings and businesses cannot open. Time is therefore critical. A typical project will often find the fire alarm installer having to work within a compressed timeframe, having to wait for site access and only able to complete when other trades have left.
Eaton understands these commercial challenges and recognises design flexibility is key to overcoming them.
xDetect can easily be expanded to accommodate shifting project requirements without duplicating efforts, affording your business the agility to react quickly for your customer. Its card-based, modular system offers all of this and more. It means you're in control of design creep from day one – empowering design teams to easily overcome any late requirements.
Modularity allows the system to begin small and grow over time as both the budget and scope allows – providing design flexibility and a firm foundation for any project.
Early customer research for xDetect showed that installers wanted the independence to quote for a fire panel with customised capabilities, rather than buy a fixed unit 'off the shelf', like most on the market.
xDetect's modular basic unit is available small or large supporting either a 7 or 12 card frame. This includes pre-fitted cards providing EN54-2 compliance. Spare slots inside the frame then allow flexible expansion using a range of colour-coded network, loop, sounder or programmable input/output cards as required for each application.
As an installer, you may not sell all the system functionalities straightaway as the customer may not have any expansion needs at the initial sale.
When they do, however, A key benefit is that you only need to carry a minimal stock of basic units that you can easily configure from site to site. It means the days of over-specifying to avoid any unpleasant surprises is over and your design team can position your business as the expert partner, creating imaginative, cost-effective bespoke solutions every time.
As an installer, you may not sell all the system functionalities straightaway as the customer may not have any expansion needs at the initial sale. When they do, however, xDetect will be ready. Additions such as an optional network card could be a common upgrade, especially as a site grows over time.
Critically, any loop card failure is confined to one loop circuit only – all others remaining fully operational. This is by design and allows for segmented protection against faults and loss of coverage. Downtime is minimised completely as each card provides a clear status indication. It means technicians can identify issues quickly and rectify them with minimal effort, with each frame allowing for swapping of the affected card without disturbing other system functionality.
From an end user’s perspective, this adds significant value. Any issues can be dealt with swiftly without powering down the entire system, running diagnostics and losing fire coverage in areas unrelated to the fault's origin. The result? Less expensive, inconvenient downtime while providing more peace of mind and control for building occupants.
